{"id":727923,"date":"2026-06-10T18:23:26","date_gmt":"2026-06-10T18:23:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/727923\/"},"modified":"2026-06-10T18:23:26","modified_gmt":"2026-06-10T18:23:26","slug":"afl-news-2026-cal-twomeys-trade-and-free-agency-update-on-zac-bailey-zach-merrett-zak-butters-darcy-wilson-bailey-humphrey-ben-king-and-jed-walter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/727923\/","title":{"rendered":"AFL News 2026: Cal Twomey\u2019s trade and free agency update on Zac Bailey, Zach Merrett, Zak Butters, Darcy Wilson, Bailey Humphrey, Ben King and Jed Walter"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lions<\/a> superstar Lachie Neale<\/a> is leaning towards the exit door at the end of the season in what looms as a blockbuster trade and free agency period in October, reports leading journalist Cal Twomey. <\/p>\n

Neale is not the only premiership Brisbane<\/a> star with a huge decision to make, with Zac Bailey another superstar who could leave the powerhouse. Essendon<\/a> midfielder Zach Merrett<\/a>, meanwhile, will likely attempt to push his way to Hawthorn<\/a> once more.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Lachie Neale has interest from at least three clubs.\u00a0via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Starting with Neale, Twomey gave the latest on where seven key trade situations sit.<\/p>\n

Lachie Neale (Brisbane)<\/p>\n

Neale enters this summer as an unrestricted free agent who can sign anywhere he wants. He has been linked with a move back to Perth<\/a>, following a split with his wife Jules in January.<\/p>\n

However, Twomey believes Neale could end up in South Australia or Victoria as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s very much looking at leaving Brisbane,\u201d Twomey told Nine\u2019s Footy Classified.<\/p>\n

\u201cCollingwood is very keen. They had their list boss Justin Leppitsch watching him at the weekend.<\/p>\n

\u201cWA clubs and Adelaide are still interested as well. I think he will be at a new club next year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zac Bailey (Brisbane)<\/p>\n

Bailey is also a free agent who could be out of Brisbane. As is the case with many premiership sides, quality players are squeezed out simply because the money elsewhere is too good to refuse.<\/p>\n

In Bailey\u2019s case, according to Twomey, Adelaide<\/a> is the team with a monstrous offer on the table for him. <\/p>\n

\u201cBailey\u2019s another one who, I think, is on the way out of Brisbane at this point. No movement on his contract is expected in the short term,\u201d Twomey said.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Brisbane forward Zac Bailey.\u00a0Getty<\/p>\n

\u201cThe gap at the moment, the Adelaide offer is seven years at $10m. The Brisbane offer is six years at about $6.5m. You can see why he is weighing this up.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrisbane has also said \u2018this is our best offer\u2019 and they\u2019re not budging on it. I think if they gave him another year at $1m and a bit, that would close the gap and make him think.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zach Merrett (Essendon)<\/p>\n

Merrett requested a trade to Hawthorn last year<\/a>, but was held to his contract despite the Hawks\u2019 best attempts to pry him out.<\/p>\n

The six-time Essendon best and fairest winner relinquished the captaincy and has had a middling season to date, with Twomey of the belief he will once again attempt to push his way to Hawthorn in October. <\/p>\n

\u201cHis eyes are firmly set on Hawthorn. That is his No.1 priority. It doesn\u2019t matter who is coaching Essendon next year. That won\u2019t change his view about moving to the Hawks,\u201d Twomey said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are other teams interested. I think Gold Coast<\/a> has a level of interest in him, but the Hawks have kept up contact throughout the year and that\u2019s where he wants to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

Twomey believes the Hawks will likely offer less this time around. Potentially one first round pick and a second round pick, as opposed to three picks inside the top 25.<\/p>\n

\"Gold<\/p>\n

Gold Coast star Bailey Humphrey in action.\u00a0Getty<\/p>\n

Bailey Humphrey (Gold Coast)<\/p>\n

Humphrey, contracted for 2027 at Gold Coast, flirted with a return to Victoria last trade period, but that was ultimately shut down by the Suns.<\/p>\n

Twomey, however, says the talented young forward might just push harder this time around.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s got a lot of clubs interested in him. His mind has changed a lot over the last few years. He went for a walk with Melbourne officials during last year\u2019s trade period, Carlton offered him a five-year deal on more than $1m last year,\u201d Twomey said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Hawks want him and Merrett. I don\u2019t think they can get all of these things done, though.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s going to cost at least two first round picks. Melbourne has them and Melbourne is willing to put them on the table for him. They\u2019ve been chasing him for years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben King (Gold Coast)<\/p>\n

Humphrey\u2019s teammate Ben King meanwhile is also weighing up his future, despite reportedly being close to signing a two-year extension.<\/p>\n

Twomey believes King\u2019s partner\u2019s desire to return to Victoria is playing a large part in current negotiations.<\/p>\n

\u201c(King) was all set to sign a two-year deal at the Suns, but has become a bit wobbly,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis partner has interest in coming back to Melbourne and he\u2019s been weighing this up throughout his whole career at different points.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe interesting part is a month ago when he was going to stay, Hawthorn was set to offer (key forward) Mitch Lewis a four-year deal. Now they\u2019re a bit more hesitant. So there is a real ripple effect here. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s costing $1.4m wherever he is next year.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"Gold<\/p>\n

Gold Coast key forward Jed Walter.\u00a0Getty<\/p>\n

Jed Walter (Gold Coast)<\/p>\n

Walter is another key forward at Gold Coast weighing up his options, given he is battling for a spot next to King with Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and Ethan Read also in the mix.<\/p>\n

Walter, a product from Gold Coast\u2019s Queensland academy, reportedly has big-money deals coming at him from all angles.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe met with the Bombers only hours after Brad Scott was sacked a couple of weeks ago, so they\u2019re interested,\u201d Twomey said.<\/p>\n

\u201cCollingwood and Geelong are among the Victorian teams interested, but the Suns have upped their offer to five years at close to $1m, and they want to keep him. It\u2019s a pretty good offer from the Suns, so I think it\u2019s a chance. I still think there\u2019s a chance King and Walter both stay.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zak Butters (Port Adelaide)<\/p>\n

Butters<\/a> has been the key name in free agency this year and Twomey believes it\u2019s quickly becoming a matter of where he signs next year, with the possibility that he\u2019ll stay at Port Adelaide looking long odds.<\/p>\n

The Tigers reportedly offered Butters a deal worth $18m in its totality earlier in the year<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is the biggest domino of the lot. It\u2019s clear to everybody that he will be on his way home to Victoria at the end of this season,\u201d Twomey said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI still have the Bulldogs in seat 1A. Geelong is interested, Collingwood is interested, Richmond is the other. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s got the biggest deal on the table from Richmond, but the Bulldogs is where the links have been for the longest and strongest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"St<\/p>\n

St Kilda’s Darcy Wilson on the move.\u00a0Getty<\/p>\n

Darcy Wilson (St Kilda)<\/p>\n

Finally, there\u2019s 20-year-old St Kilda breakout star Darcy Wilson who is out of contract and could be set for a big pay day.<\/p>\n

Twomey reports almost all 17 other clubs have had a dip at luring him across.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe might be the most wanted man in footy,\u201d Twomey said.<\/p>\n

\u201cNearly every club has expressed interest. A lot of Victorian clubs are chasing him with a lot of money on the table. North Melbourne is one of them. Geelong is another.<\/p>\n

\u201cSt Kilda has good money on the table for him. He\u2019s keeping his cards close to his chest.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Lions superstar Lachie Neale is leaning towards the exit door at the end of the season in what…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":727924,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[560],"tags":[638,64,63,55,639,85],"class_list":["post-727923","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-afl","tag-afl","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australian-football-league","tag-australianfootballleague","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/727923","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=727923"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/727923\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/727924"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=727923"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=727923"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=727923"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}