Deadline day has arrived, with the AFL trade period to end at 7:30pm AEDT.
Expect a flurry of moves once they resume from 2pm – and as always, all eyes will be on the deals that don’t get done.
Follow the latest AFL trade news in our blog below, and ask questions in the live chat at the bottom of the article from 9am-3pm!
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YOUR CLUB: What every team has done and what’s left on the table
TRADE TRACKER: Official list of confirmed deals and free agency signings
OFF-SEASON CENTRAL: Delistings, signings, draft picks and everything else
What’s the price for Magpies’ Ginnivan? | 02:11
1PM – MOVE THAT COULD UNLOCK CHOL DEAL REVEALED
Ben Cotton reports …
Hawthorn tall Brandon Ryan‘s move to Brisbane could hold the key to unlocking Mabior Chol’s trade to Gold Coast.
It‘s understood the Suns and Hawks discussed a deal on Tuesday night regarding Chol, which included a second-rounder tied to the Lions going to Gold Coast along with some pick swaps, though nothing eventuated.
Gold Coast wants a future selection for Chol and asked for Hawthorn‘s 2024 second-rounder – which has now been swapped with Collingwood’s in the Jack Ginnivan trade – while the Hawks were only prepared to give up their future third-rounder.
Ryan‘s name was first linked to trade talk via a potential Jack Gunston deal, but it’s now believed those deals would be seperate.
12.40PM – RIVAL SET TO LAND FRINGE SAINT
Out-of-favour St Kilda mid-forward Jack Billings will reportedly be traded to Melbourne.
The Age reported on Wednesday that Billings was now “a good chance” to land at Melbourne before the 7.30pm deadline, with the Dees “quietly in talks” to land him, according to the report.
Channel Seven reporter Mitch Cleary said a short time later Billings would be traded to the Dees, with the Saints to cover some of his remaining salary.
Billings, who’s tied to the Saints until the end of 2025, endured a frustrating 2023 campaign, playing just three AFL matches this year due to leg, hamstring and thumb issues, as well as tight competition for spots in the Saints’ best 22. He played eight VFL games for Sandringham, averaging 22.4 disposals per outing.
It was suggested earlier this week there was little rival club interest in Billings, who was taken by the Saints with Pick 3 in the 2013 draft.
It’s expected the Saints won’t ask for a high pick in return, but how much of Billings’ contract the Demons would pay remains unclear. Herald Sun reporter Jon Ralph told Fox Footy’s Trading Day earlier this week the Saints “would be prepared to foot some of that bill” for Billings if a rival club suitor emerged.
Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs had previously been linked to Billings.
12:20PM – BOMBERS SEEK CLARITY ON AFL
Essendon has reportedly sought clarity from the AFL over a rule that could see the club lose Massimo D’Ambrosio for nothing.
D’Ambrosio wants to play for Hawthorn in 2024, but the Bombers initially knocked back a late pick offer from the Hawks.
Under the AFL’s rules, “A second-year Rookie not accepting a further Rookie contract will be considered a Delisted Free Agent, and therefore will be an Unrestricted Free Agent.”
D’Ambrosio was a mid-season rookie draft pick in 2022 and would then become a delisted/unrestricted free agent if he declines Essendon’s one-year deal for him to stay.
SEN reporter Tom Morris said on Wednesday the Bombers believed the rule should not apply because the classification of a mid-season draftee changed after D’Ambrosio requested a trade.
King returns to Cats as assistant coach | 00:32
11.45AM – GINNIVAN-HAWKS TRADE IS ON!
Jack Ginnivan’s time as a Magpie is over, with the Collingwood premiership forward agreeing to be traded to Hawthorn, according to multiple outlets.
It emerged on Tuesday that the Magpies were open to trading Ginnivan, with the Hawks quickly emerging as the front-runner.
AFL Media’s Riley Beveridge first reported on X on Wednesday morning that not only had Ginnivan agreed to be dealt to Hawthorn, the two clubs had, in fact, already struck a deal.
As well as Ginnivan joining the Hawks, Collingwood and Hawthorn will swap their respective future second-round picks, with other selections to be exchanged to sweeten the deal.
While Ginnivan, who’s contracted to Collingwood for next season, started on the field for last month’s Grand Final triumph over Brisbane, he played just 14 games in 2023, including five as the starting sub.
Former Hawk Ben Dixon on Tuesday night said Ginnivan would be “a perfect fit” for Hawthorn.
“He’s right in the sweet spot for where Hawthorn is at now, at 20 years of age,” Dixon told Fox Footy’s AFL Trading Day.
11.30AM – DEADLINE DAY WINDOW TO OPEN EARLIER
Trades can officially be lodged today from 2pm (AEDT), the AFL has confirmed.
In recent years on deadline day , clubs have only been able to hand in trade paperwork from 3pm ahead of the 7.30pm deadline.
But the league on Wednesday morning confirmed the window had been brought forward by an hour, with the first announcement to be made at 2pm. The deadline still remains at 7.30pm.
While the deal wasn’t officially lodged on Tuesday, the four-club trade involving Essendon, Carlton, Western Bulldogs and St Kilda — which sees Nick Coffield joining the Bulldogs and Paddy Dow joining the Saints — is expected to be one of the first done.
Meanwhile, Port Adelaide is expected to secure ruck duo Ivan Soldo and Jordon Sweet early this afternoon, with Richmond and the Bulldogs respectively already agreeing to deals.
Ginnivan requests shock Hawks trade! | 00:24
11.15AM – MORE SOLDO DEAL DETAILS EMERGE
Further details around what the Ivan Soldo-Port Adelaide trade will look like have emerged.
SEN’s Tom Morris reported on X that Soldo and Pick 50 will be sent from the Tigers to the Power. In exchange, the Power will give Richmond Picks 41 and 49, as well a future second-round pick (tied to Fremantle, as a result if the Power-Dockers opening-day trade) and Port’s future fourth-round selection.
Morris reported Port is then likely to send Pick 50 to the Bulldogs in exchange for Jordon Sweet.
9.45AM – THIRD PORT TRADE DOMINO TO FALL
Ben Cotton reports …
Port Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs had been waiting on an Ivan Soldo trade before they could push forward with Jordon Sweet talks.
AFL Media’s Callum Twomey first reported on Wednesday morning Richmond has agreed to deal Soldo to the Power for a future second-rounder and Pick 41 in addition to an exchange of other selections.
While those other moving parts in the Soldo trade could impact things, Port’s Pick 49 is likely be involved in a deal for Sweet, having previously been discussed between the two clubs.
It interesting comes despite Soldo originally being considered an outside chance of getting to the Power, not a priority, with he and Sweet set to battle it out for the No. 1 ruck role in Ken Hinkley’s side in 2024.
The Power’s only other selection in this year’s draft is Pick 25, which is likely to be part of a trade for Geelong’s Esava Ratugolea.
9.15AM – FOUR-CLUB DEAL TO UNLOCK SUN’S MOVE TO BLUES
Ben Cotton reports …
Carlton’s future third-round pick tied to Essendon is likely to form the framework, or be part of, a deal for Gold Coast’s Elijah Hollands.
The Blues received the selection as part of the complex four-club trade on Tuesday that saw Paddy Dow move to St Kilda and Nick Coffield join the Western Bulldogs.
Carlton gave up Dow and a future fourth-round pick (tied to Fremantle) and landed a future third-rounder (tied to Essendon), a future fourth-rounder (tied to the Western Bulldogs) and a future fourth-rounder (tied to Fremantle).
The Blues and Suns will meet on Wednesday morning to discuss the Hollands deal, with other picks likely to be involved, though it’s unclear if they’ll be current or future selections. Carlton holds Picks 22 and 26 in this year’s draft, while Gold Coast has an array of second-rounders that will be swallowed up for draft points to help the club secure its academy prospects.
The Suns are also working through Mabior Chol’s trade request to Hawthorn after the Hawks offered the forward a four-year deal with a trigger for a fourth year. Foxfooty.com.au revealed the Suns want a future pick for Chol and are eyeing the Hawks’ 2024 second-rounder.
How can Paddy Dow impact the Saints? | 01:31
9AM – WANTAWAY RUCK’S ‘DEAL IS AGREED’
Port Adelaide will officially bring in a new No. 1 ruckman on deadline day, with the club and Richmond reportedly agreeing on a deal for contracted ruck Ivan Soldo.
AFL Media reported Cal Twomey wrote on X on Wednesday morning that the Power would send a future second-rounder and Pick 41 to Richmond for Soldo, while there’d be an exchanging of other selections.
“The deal is agreed,” Twomey wrote.
Premiership Tiger Soldo last month was linked to Port Adelaide, despite being contracted to Richmond until the end of the 2024 seasons.
The Power confirmed they were interested in Soldo as they’re in the market for a first-choice ruck.
Port is also trying to secure deadline day deals for Esava Ratugolea (Geelong), Brandon Zerk-Thatcher (Essendon) and Jordon Sweet (Western Bulldogs) — although they are prepared to try and walk Ratugolea and Zerk-Thatcher to a draft next month.
8AM – LIONS STILL PURSUING TALL HAWK AS HOPE FOR BILLINGS GROWS
Brisbane is ramping up its efforts to prise tall Brandon Ryan out of Hawthorn on the final day of trade period.
The Age’s Peter Ryan is reporting the Lions are keen on Ryan, with the mid-season draftee emerging as a trade target after veteran Jack Gunston requested a trade back to his old club.
The Lions are interested in having Ryan part of a Gunston deal.
Ryan played three games for Hawthorn after being taken at Pick 12 in the 2023 mid-season draft and is contracted at Hawthorn for one more year, having signed an extension as recently as September.
Reports from several outlets have confirmed Ryan over the weekend met with the Lions, who have reportedly offered him a multi-year deal to move north.
Elsewhere, there is an expectation the deal that sends Mabior Chol to Hawthorn will get completed in a three club deal that would send Jacob Koschitzke to Richmond.
There is also hope for out-of-favour St Kilda midfielder Jack Billings, who could still yet find himself a new home by the 7:30pm deadline.
6AM – ICY TRADE TALKS THAW FOR CRUCIAL CAT AS PORT DREAM OF FOUR-DEAL DAY
David Zita reports…
Port Adelaide and Geelong have progressed in talks for Esava Ratugolea to be traded on Wednesday.
Foxfooty.com.au understands there were more substantive talks on Tuesday after the previous eight days had yielded little progress on the future of Ratugolea, who wants to play for Port Adelaide in 2024 and beyond.
The thawing in dialogue makes Ratugolea more likely to find a new home via trade and deliver Port Adelaide one of its four targets; Brandon Zerk-Thatcher, Jordon Sweet and Ivan Soldo the others.
There had been little dialogue between the two parties prior to Tuesday, with the Power’s offer of pick No.25 quickly rebuked by the Cats.
Essendon wants Power winger Xavier Duursma to be traded in a straight swap for Zerk-Thatcher, while the Power believe they should receive more.
Soldo is open to a move to play for the Power, but Richmond remains intent on holding the 27-year-old to the final year of his current deal.
Fellow ruckman Sweet is considered more likely to land at the Power.
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