Tick, tick, tick.<\/p>\n
The biggest deadline day in AFL history looms <\/a>with huge names still sweating on where they\u2019ll be playing their footy from 2026 onwards.<\/p>\n Club captains and All-Australians have all been left hanging as while 22 players have changed clubs – 15 traded and seven as free agents – almost as many players could move on Wednesday.<\/p>\n Foxfooty.com.au runs through the state of play heading into the AFL trade deadline, ahead of the 2pm AEDT resumption of play.<\/p>\n WHAT’S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.<\/p>\n Watch every match of the 2025 NAB AFL Women\u2019s Season LIVE ad-break free during play. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1<\/a>.<\/p>\n Essendon captain Zach Merrett still wants to get to Hawthorn, but the Bombers are adamant they won\u2019t be losing him.<\/p>\n The Hawks finally lodged their first offer on Tuesday, after Merrett met with club higher-ups on Monday and made it clear he wanted to be traded.<\/p>\n The Bombers were offered Pick 9, a future first, a second-round pick (either this year\u2019s or a future) and young midfielder Henry Hustwaite by Hawthorn. But multiple reports on Tuesday night indicated that deal had been rejected by Essendon.<\/p>\n While the broad view from those not of a red-and-black persuasion is that Hawthorn\u2019s offer is reasonably fair for a 30-year-old player, it appears they will need to seriously pay overs to convince Essendon to let Merrett leave.<\/p>\n It emerged on Tuesday evening the Hawks had put a 7pm deadline on the offer<\/a>, declaring they would accept other bids for their Pick 9 after that point.<\/p>\n Clubs including Collingwood are keen to trade a future first-round pick for Pick 9, reports Seven\u2019s Mitch Cleary<\/a>.<\/p>\n Even more surprisingly The Age reported<\/a> tall forward Mitch Lewis has \u201cnot been ruled out of negotiations\u201d and, if that angle develops quickly, he could be the catalyst for a Dons side that has needed talls basically ever since Matthew Lloyd\u2019s retirement.<\/p>\n FOLLOW THE AFL TRADE DEADLINE LIVE HERE<\/a><\/p>\n ‘It’s more emotional for Merrett’ | 02:46<\/p>\n The Hawks could boost their Merrett offer with running defender Changkuoth Jiath accepting a three-year deal at Melbourne.<\/p>\n Jiath and the Hawks had a \u201cmutual understanding\u201d to explore the market after he played a career-high 20 games this past season, including being named the substitute for all three finals.<\/p>\n A trade is set to be completed on Wednesday.<\/p>\n An offer was also lodged for Charlie Curnow by Sydney on Tuesday.<\/p>\n After Curnow toured the Swans\u2019 facilities on Monday evening, the club offered Pick 11, a 2026 first-rounder, Ollie Florent and Will Hayward for the dual Coleman medallist.<\/p>\n However the Swans want Pick 22, the compensation pick for Jack Silvagni\u2019s exit, along with Curnow.<\/p>\n Given the Swans would be expected to contend for a flag with Curnow, the pick 22 element arguably cancels out the future first-round pick offer.<\/p>\n Geelong had offered their next three first-round picks for Curnow, which was rejected, and the 28-year-old would prefer to join the Cats than the Swans.<\/p>\n But the Cats are unwilling to give up any of their young stars who Carlton has asked about; according to AFL Media<\/a>, the Blues asked about midfielder Max Holmes, wingman Ollie Dempsey and defender Connor O\u2019Sullivan, but not forward Gryan Miers.<\/p>\n Buckley joins Geelong as assistant coach | 01:33<\/p>\n The Cats may end up missing both of their targets with St Kilda holding firm on not trading ruckman Rowan Marshall.<\/p>\n The Grand Finalists are happy to give up their first pick, No.19, for Marshall which is effectively the same deal which got them Bailey Smith last trade period.<\/p>\n Melbourne must still complete deals with Gold Coast (for Christian Petracca) and GWS (for Clayton Oliver), with haggling continuing over the picks involved for Petracca, and over the amount of Oliver\u2019s remaining contract that\u2019ll be paid by the Demons.<\/p>\n The Suns have reportedly placed Pick 15 on the trade table to accumulate more draft points, with picks 7 and 8 expected to head to Melbourne for Petracca.<\/p>\n Oliver could cost as little as a future third-round pick plus some later swaps, depending on how much the Giants are willing to pay the inside midfielder.<\/p>\n Charlie Curnow, Zach Merrett and Christian Petracca are yet to be traded.Source: FOX SPORTS<\/p>\n The Suns must also complete a deal for troubled Bulldogs forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan.<\/p>\n It would\u2019ve sounded ridiculous 12 months ago but Ugle-Hagan won\u2019t cost much in a trade and is expected to sign a heavily incentive-based contract on a below-average salary at Gold Coast.<\/p>\n The two clubs completed a deal for Connor Budarick on Tuesday evening \u2014 the Suns traded out Pick 70 as part of that deal \u2014 but the defender\u2019s move south was kept separate to Ugle-Hagan\u2019s trade. Herald Sun reporter Jon Ralph suggested the Suns could end up using Pick 74 or 92 to get a deal done for Ugle-Hagan, who\u2019s set to agree to a strict performance-based Gold Coast deal<\/p>\n However Foxfooty.com.au\u2019s Ben Cotton reported on Monday the Bulldogs remain apart with Carlton in their talks<\/a> over Buku Khamis, who is contracted for another year.<\/p>\n The Blues had offered a future third-round pick, having taken Pick 41 off the table when they dealt it to West Coast for Campbell Chesser, while the Dogs are seeking a pick slide in this or next year\u2019s draft.<\/p>\n Jy Simpkin remains unlikely to join Collingwood with little progress made on a move from North Melbourne.<\/p>\n The Kangaroos had asked for two first-round picks, or an early first-round pick, in exchange for the midfielder who has been unhappy spending more time on the wing at Arden Street.<\/p>\n ‘Careful what you give away’ | 06:42<\/p>\n The Magpies will consider offers for Jordan De Goey as they look to get back into the first round of the draft.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cCollingwood would trade Jordan De Goey for the right price. De Goey would explore a move himself if the deal was right,\u201d Nine\u2019s Tom Morris said on Trade Radio on Tuesday.<\/p>\n \u201cIt needs a rival to come and say we\u2019re going to give you a four-plus year deal. It won\u2019t be the Saints. I don\u2019t think it will be the Hawks.\u201d<\/p>\n The Pies should land key forward Jack Buller from the Swans cheaply, while the Swans will pay a similar price for Hawks defender Jai Serong.<\/p>\n Collingwood struck a pick swap with Brisbane on Monday, landing picks 45 and 56 in exchange for 59 and Melbourne\u2019s future third, which was viewed as likely to help get the Buller deal done first.<\/p>\n SEN\u2019s Sam Edmund reported<\/a> the Swans had offered Pick 63 for Serong, and wanted the Demons\u2019 future third-round pick for Buller, neither of which had been accepted – but these deals should be completed comfortably in time given they\u2019re rather low-stakes.<\/p>\n Curnow tours Swans facility with Cox | 01:05<\/p>\n Brisbane and Adelaide remain at odds over a price for premiership player Callum Ah Chee, with the Lions seeking a first-round pick in return, and the Crows hoping to use a future second-round selection.<\/p>\n Gold Coast, Essendon and West Coast all hold some interest in uncontracted Cats midfielder Ted Clohesy, according to AFL Media\u2019s Josh Gabelich<\/a>, while Deven Robertson should get to West Coast once he\u2019s delisted by Brisbane.<\/p>\n There does not appear to be any interest for St Kilda midfielder Jack Steele, who wants to stay, nor Melbourne defender Steven May, who the club told to explore his options, while James Rowbottom\u2019s manager has declared the Swans midfielder won\u2019t be leaving having spoken with Collingwood coach Craig McRae.<\/p>\n GWS appears most likely to keep Leek Aleer after the Saints shockingly withdrew their offer for the intercept defender.<\/p>\n North Melbourne opted against chasing the 24-year-old on Monday, feeling they didn\u2019t have time to do their due diligence, meaning Aleer is set to miss out on over a million dollars more that he would\u2019ve earned by leaving the Giants.<\/p>\n He would be gettable for a future second-round pick should another suitor emerge.<\/p>\n Aleer\u2019s unexpected return to the Giants will see Conor Stone delisted despite being contracted for 2026, though they plan to re-rookie him, risking another club making a move in delisted free agency.<\/p>\n Ashcroft to stay a Lion until 2030! | 01:04<\/p>\n Speaking of delisted players defender Sam Frost said on Tuesday he\u2019s open to finding a fourth AFL club after falling down the packed defensive pecking order at Hawthorn, then being delisted.<\/p>\n \u201cIf the right opportunity came up, I\u2019m sure I could play; it was only 12 months ago I was playing the best footy of my career,\u201d Frost told Trade Radio.<\/p>\n Gold Coast remains steadfast on not trading Bailey Humphrey, despite his interest in a return home to Victoria, with his manager saying on Trade Radio the Suns have been across his off-season activities<\/a>.<\/p>\n Though when asked whether the Suns knew about Humphrey meeting with several Victorian clubs, Michael Oakes conceded: \u201cNo, they weren\u2019t (aware).<\/p>\n \u201cI speak to Bailey on a daily basis, and he\u2019s an extremely loyal guy.\u201d<\/p>\n Carlton is happy to let midfielder Elijah Hollands walk after a difficult year with off-field issues, with the Blue opening up to The Age<\/a> this week, saying he had dealt with mental health problems and a battle with alcohol.<\/p>\n They could yet axe Hollands mid-contract, allowing him to find a third club as a delisted free agent or pre-season signing.<\/p>\n Port Adelaide won\u2019t be dealing Zak Butters with a year left before he enters free agency.<\/p>\n