The AFL trade period is a time of great anticipation and speculation, with clubs circling stars and veterans weighing up their futures. As we approach the halfway mark of the 2026 season, the trade machine is already humming, and the market is set to explode in a $20m race. Every AFL club has its eye on the prize, and the competition is fierce. Personally, I think this year's trade period will be one of the most exciting yet, with a number of big names on the move and several young guns looking to make their mark. What makes this particularly fascinating is the number of players still out of contract, with rival clubs already circling stars and veterans weighing up their futures. From the Zak Butters sweepstakes to the first wave of Tasmania-linked watches, there is plenty happening behind the scenes. In my opinion, the Adelaide Crows are one of the clubs to watch this trade period. They have been very active in their pursuit of rival superstars, and with Zac Bailey as one of the restricted free agents on the market, they are set to turn their attention to one star and one up-and-comer. Bailey is a big name on the trade table, and with West Lakes considered the early frontrunner for his services, the Crows will need to dig deep to secure his signature. If not Bailey, keep an eye on Saints young gun Darcy Wilson, who is also out of contract at St Kilda. The Crows have a number of players out of contract, including Jordon Butts, who has made the most of his opportunities in the senior side and has reportedly been offered a four-year deal. However, he’s yet to commit and had interstate interest last year from the Western Bulldogs and North Melbourne. The Brisbane Lions, on the other hand, are a club in transition. With star midfielder-forward Zac Bailey as a restricted free agent, they are chasing him aggressively, and with a list filled with talent, it’s hard for them to match some of the reported figures being thrown his way. Similarly, two-time Brownlow Medallist Lachie Neale may also depart the club at season’s end, with his children residing in Perth naturally linking him to West Coast. The Carlton Blues, meanwhile, have a monster number of players out of contract, and you can expect that to remain the case for at least a little while longer. With the exception of their new recruits, Sam Walsh and Jagga Smith, no name seems to be off the table in the eyes of some media figures and pundits – think Patrick Cripps, Jacob Weitering and Adam Cerra, among others. The Collingwood Magpies are also in the race for Zak Butters, but they are nowhere near as strong as the Western Bulldogs or Geelong, which won’t surprise many. However, there has been a recent update in the club’s interest in fellow restricted free agent Ben King, with Seven’s Mitch Cleary reporting he is no longer being pursued by Collingwood as he edges towards a short-term extension at Gold Coast. The Essendon Bombers, on the other hand, have a decent number of players locked away until the end of 2027, but there are still 14 out-of-contract names worth keeping an eye on this season. Before dissecting them, the elephant in the room remains Zach Merrett, after his trade request to Hawthorn last October fell through. It remains to be seen whether the Hawks’ interest will be the same 12 months on, and there haven’t been any meaningful developments this season as he focuses on playing his best football. Fremantle, meanwhile, entered the 2026 trade period with their premiership-contending core firmly locked away for years to come, but still face decisions on more than a dozen out-of-contract players, many of whom are veterans and add notable depth. The Geelong Cats, meanwhile, have been linked to star names including Zak Butters, Ben King and, more recently, GWS captain Toby Greene. The Cats have a number of veteran stars and role players out of contract who will either hang up the boots or go around again in 2027. The Gold Coast Suns, on the other hand, are in a position where they need to make tough calls due to their salary cap. With Ben King as the free agent name on the lips of all Suns supporters, they are chasing him aggressively, and with a number of players out of contract, they will need to make some difficult decisions. The GWS Giants, meanwhile, have a settled list when it comes to players out of contract this season, with captain Toby Greene a talking point as he weighs up whether he wants to finish his career in his home state of Victoria. The Hawthorn Hawks, on the other hand, have moved on from interest in Zak Butters, and are now targeting other players such as Bailey Humphrey and Ben King. The Melbourne Demons, meanwhile, have a nifty 2025 off-season that saw Steven King’s side welcome several recruits at the expense of Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver. North Melbourne, meanwhile, are looking to retain young gun George Wardlaw, who is one of many players without a deal for next year. Port Adelaide, on the other hand, are desperate to re-sign star pre-agent Mitch Georgiades before the start of 2027, as West Coast continue to circle. The Richmond Tigers have been vocal in their desire to stay in the race for Port Adelaide superstar Zak Butters, but right now they still remain a long shot for the midfielder’s services. St Kilda, meanwhile, have a number of players out of contract, including Darcy Wilson, who is a player rival clubs have been blowing up the phone over. Sydney Swans, meanwhile, are very quiet on the trade front, with arguably the least noise to report across the competition. Finally, the Western Bulldogs are the outright leaders for Zak Butters’ services, and it looks like the race is already down to two clubs: the Bulldogs and Geelong. It would be a monster recruit for Luke Beveridge’s midfield, and with a number of players out of contract, they will need to make some difficult decisions.
