Top AFL trade hopefuls boast formidable resumesRoger VaughanAAPSun, 5 October 2025 1:17PM
The only major AFL honour missing from this group is a Brownlow Medal.
Headline acts in the AFL trade period boast premierships, a Coleman Medal, a Norm Smith Medal, plus multiple All-Australian selections and club best-and-fairest awards.
Two captains will most likely also find new clubs.
When trades officially start on Monday and go to Wednesday night next week, the focus will be on Melbourne pair Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver, Essendon captain Zach Merrett, Carlton key forward Charlie Curnow and, most recently, St Kilda skipper Jack Steele.
Brisbane premiership pair Callum Ah Chee and Brandon Starcevich, and St Kilda ruck-forward Rowan Marshall, are also looking at new homes.
No.1 draft pick Jamarra Ugle-Hagan is set to leave the Western Bulldogs after a tumultuous year of off-field problems, and join Gold Coast.
The free agency period started on Friday and that has featured some major moves. As expected, Carlton’s Tom De Koning and Jack Silvagni have gone to St Kilda.
Brisbane have recruited West Coast co-captain Oscar Allen and Essendon ruckman Sam Draper.
Merrett won his sixth club best-and-fairest award last week and his awkward acceptance speech sounded awfully like a farewell.
The news last month that he had met with Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell was a bombshell in the midst of the finals series.
If the Hawks can land Merrett and keep Will Day injury-free, they will have a premiership-standard midfield.
Gold Coast showed they are the real deal at last under coach Damien Hardwick by making their first finals series. That point was emphasised last week when Petracca anointed them as his preferred destination.
Adelaide had also courted the Norm Smith Medallist.
Oliver, another key cog in Melbourne’s 2021 premiership, has been told to explore his options. Soon after, he was spotted enjoying Sydney Harbour on a boat with several key GWS players and officials.
New Demons coach Steven King has wasted no time making calls on the playing list, with key defender Steven May also a potential trade.
Geelong’s attack had no answer for Harris Andrews in the grand final and foundered badly. Curnow would be a potent double act with fellow Coleman Medallist Jeremy Cameron. Marshall would offer another tall utility option, freeing up Mark Blicavs.
SOME BIG NAMES IN THE AFL TRADE PERIOD
* Zach Merrett (to Hawthorn) – Essendon captain, six-time club best-and-fairest, All-Australian
* Christian Petracca (to Gold Coast) – Two-time Melbourne best-and-fairest, four-time All-Australian, 2021 Norm Smith Medallist and premiership player
* Clayton Oliver (to GWS?) – Two-time Melbourne best-and-fairest, three-time All-Australian, 2021 premiership player
* Charlie Curnow (to Geelong) – Carlton key forward, two-time All-Australian, Coleman Medallist
* Jack Steele (looking at his options) – St Kilda captain, two-time club best-and-fairest, two-time All-Australian
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