2026 AFL Trade News
AFL Free Agency: TBC
AFL Trade Period: TBC
AFL Draft November: TBC
2025 Retirements and Delistings
Bookmark this page: All the trade news and speculation will be covered by AFLRATINGS throughout 2026.
Wednesday February 25, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Xander McGuire reports Tom Blamires has joined Nth Melbourne via the SSP.
Wednesday February 25, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Xander McGuire reports North Melbourne and Jackson Archer are working on a 2-year contract extension.
Tuesday February 24, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Cal Twomey reports Sam Walsh has signed an 8-year contract extension at Carlton.
Carlton has signed Sam Walsh to a new EIGHT-year contract in the biggest deal in the club’s history.
— Callum Twomey (@CalTwomey) February 23, 2026
Walsh is now signed until the end of 2034 – joining Kysaiah Pickett and Caleb Serong as the longest signed players in the AFL. @AFLcomau pic.twitter.com/K4EpZ2ACVS
Tuesday February 24, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Sam Edmund says there are mostly likely two options at this stage for Zak Butters, Western Bulldogs and Geelong.
Monday February 23, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Mitch Cleary reports Wade Derksen has joined Carlton via the SSP.
Monday February 23, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Xander McGuire reports Elijah Hollands has re-joined Carlton via the SSP.
Monday February 23, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Josh Money reports Balyn O’Brien has joined Port Adelaide via the SSP.
Monday February 23, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Josh Money reports Mitch Zadow has joined Port Adelaide via the SSP.
Monday February 23, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Josh Money reports Max Michalanney has signed a long-term contract extension at Adelaide.
Monday February 23, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Carlton CEO Graham Wright says Sam Walsh has made it clear he wants to stay at the club (via SEN) .
Monday February 23, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Carlton senior coach Michael Voss says Elijah Hollands is a strong chance to be added via the SSP (via SEN) .
Sunday February 22, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Cal Twomey reports Sam Walsh contract talks are progressing well for a deal that could go through to 2033-34 at Carlton.
Friday February 20, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Josh Gabelich reports Josh Dunkley has signed a 2-year contract extension at Brisbane, he is now contracted until the end of 2030.
Friday February 20, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Cal Twomey reports Sam Durham has signed a 4-year contract extension at Essendon, he is now contracted until the end of 2032.
Thursday February 19, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Cal Twomey reports Chris Scerri has joined Fremantle via the SSP.
VFL small forward Chris Scerri has landed Fremantle’s rookie spot via the SSP. Locked in. @AFLcomau
— Callum Twomey (@CalTwomey) February 19, 2026
Wednesday February 18, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Justin McInerney has signed a 5-year contract extension at Sydney, he is now contracted until the end of 2031.
Wednesday February 18, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Cal Twomey reports the four-year contract extension for Josh Weddle is official at Hawthorn, he is now contracted until the end of 2031.
Tuesday February 17, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Cal Twomey reports Justin McInerney is set to sign a 5-year contract extension at Sydney.
Monday February 16, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Cal Twomey reports Josh Weddle is set to sign a four-year contract extension at Hawthorn.
Friday February 13, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Lachie Jacques has signed a 2-year contract extension at the Western Bulldogs, he is now contracted until the end of 2028.
Friday February 13, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Josh Gabelich reports Jordan Croft has signed a 3-year contract extension at the Western Bulldogs, he is now contracted until the end of 2029.
Thursday February 12, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Cal Twomey reports Sam Walsh contract talks on a 7-year contract extension are being discussed with Carlton. hopeful on a deal prior to the start of the season.
Wednesday February 11, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Port Adelaide senior coach says he’s had open & honest conversations with Zak Butters with the hope that he signs a contract extension.
POLL
— aflratings.com.au (@aflratings) February 11, 2026
Where do you think Zak Butters plays in 2027?@aflratings
Tuesday February 10, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Caleb Serong has signed a 7-year contract extension at Fremantle, he is now contracted until the end of 2034.
Tuesday February 10, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Cal Twomey reports Caleb Serong is set to sign a 7-year contract extension at Fremantle.
Serong is a restricted free agent at the end of the 2027 season.
Exclusive – Fremantle star Caleb Serong is set to sign a monster SEVEN-year contract extension.
— Callum Twomey (@CalTwomey) February 10, 2026
Already signed until the end of 2027, the deal will take him through to the end of 2034. Huge for Freo.
Story on @AFLcomau 👉 https://t.co/g4eOFMkEDm pic.twitter.com/KK8VpIssdd
Tuesday February 10, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Cal Twomey reports James Harmes has retired effective immediately at the Western Bulldogs.
Monday February 9, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Port Adelaide CEO Matthew Richardson says the upcoming contract outcome for Zak Butters is more than just a football decision (via SEN).
Butters is a restricted free agent at the end of the 2026 season.
AFLRATINGS: Cal Twomey reports Zach Merrett and Essendon have been discussing a contract extension since December (via SEN).
Saturday February 7, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Isaac Kako has signed a two-year contract extension at Essendon, he is now contracted until the end of 2029.
Friday February 6, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Cal Twomey reports Zach Merrett is open to contract talks on a contract extension at Essendon.
Merrett is out of contract at the end of 2027.
Zach Merrett is open to discussions on a contract extension at Essendon, per Cal Twomey.@aflratings_GM pic.twitter.com/KhxWgI8wpU
— AFLRATINGS Trade GM (@aflratings_GM) February 6, 2026
Thursday February 5, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Cal Twomey reports Hawthorn has started talks on a contract extension with Josh Weddle.
Wednesday February 4, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Ben Miller has signed a one-year contract extension at Richmond, he is now contracted until the end of 2027.
Wednesday February 4, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Jack Ross has signed a two-year contract extension at Richmond, he is now contracted until the end of 2028.
Wednesday February 4, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Cal Twomey reports clubs have been granted an extension on SSP signings, it now closes on Monday, March 2.
Thursday February 3, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Cal Twomey reports Brisbane has put a six-year contract offer on the table for Zac Bailey.
Bailey is a restricted free agent at the end of the 2026 season.
Brisbane has put on the table a six-year contract offer to Zac Bailey, per Cal Twomey.@aflratings_GM pic.twitter.com/e9i4rAZJFw
— AFLRATINGS Trade GM (@aflratings_GM) February 3, 2026
Friday January 23, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Joel Freijah has signed a three-year contract extension at the Western Bulldogs, he is now contracted until the end of 2029.
Joel Freijah has signed a three-year contract extension at the Bulldogs.@aflratings_GM pic.twitter.com/hX4N2WV9cZ
— AFLRATINGS Trade GM (@aflratings_GM) January 23, 2026
Friday January 23, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Tom Powell has signed a two-year contract extension at North Melbourne, he is now contracted until the end of 2028.
Thursday January 21, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Riley Beveridge reports Joel Freijah is closing in on a contract extension at the Western Bulldogs.
Wednesday January 22, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Rhylee West has signed a four-year contract extension at the Western Bulldogs, he is now contracted until the end of 2030.
Friday January 16, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Sam Edmund reports it is trending in the right direction for Sam Walsh to sign a contract extension at Carlton.
Walsh is a restricted free agent at the end of the 2026 season.
Wednesday January 14, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Sam McClure reports Essendon midfielder Zach Merrett has parted ways with his manager Tom Petroro.
Zach Merrett has parted ways with his manager Tom Petroro, per Sam McClure. @aflratings_GM pic.twitter.com/KtGIt3puPe
— AFLRATINGS Trade GM (@aflratings_GM) January 14, 2026
Tuesday January 13, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Riley Bice has signed a two-year contract extension at Sydney, he is now contracted until the end of 2028.
Sunday January 11, 2026
AFLRATINGS: North Melbourne midfielder George Wardlaw says he’s focused on playing good football this season but would like to seek a long-term contract at the club (via Xander McGuire).
Wardlaw is currently out of contract at the end of the 2026 season.
Thursday January 9, 2026
AFLRATINGS: Brisbane senior coach Chris Fagan says the club won’t stand in Lachie Neale‘s way if he chooses to return to Perth.
Neale is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2026 season.
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