Player Watch #9: Luke Davies-Uniacke [Part II] - '24 SBM - [Ch9] LDU's camp 'working hard to get a deal done'

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Can anyone get past the paywall? I know it’s a bullshit article, but I’m bored.


Here tis.

St Kilda’s 10 free agency options as Ross Lyon flags aggressive approach to player acquisition​

The AFL industry is preparing for a ‘ballistic’ approach to the free agency market from St Kilda next year. JON RALPH looks at the 10 players who could play under Ross Lyon from 2026.
Jon Ralph

https://twitter.com/RalphyHeraldSun
November 26, 2024 - 5:00AM
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/...ory/080c2d6f9babaf96c19c128ba5f2d6c6#comments

St Kilda

Don't miss out on the headlines from St Kilda. Followed categories will be added to My News.
follow
Ross Lyon said the quiet part out loud in the lead-in at the club’s fancy launch for its new-look logo.
As he spoke to the assembled guests, his broadside to Geelong about the favours Cotton On does to its players - legally, of course - was the headline item.
But Lyon’s full quote foreshadowed an intent across the entire club to finally stop being pushed around.
St Kilda was seriously in the business of attracting free agents at the end of 2025 even before the national draft.
Ross Lyon and the Saints want to land a big free agent fish. Picture: Getty Images

Ross Lyon and the Saints want to land a big free agent fish. Picture: Getty Images
It has millions upon millions to spend and it wants every rival player and player agent to know about it.
Then a club with arguably footy’s worst midfield missed out on the cream of the onball crop as seven elite mids were taken off the board before St Kilda’s first selection.
The club’s pick 8 Toby Travaglia could still be the draft’s best player and might morph into a pinch-hitting midfielder like Jack Sinclair, while pick 10 Alix Tauru was too good to ignore as a versatile 193m defender.
0551ab5ca1148c2a3f0af33e195f2c55



AFL: The first picks in the 2024 draft came together to celebrate their new teams as they await the next round of names.

But a club that still took six draft picks and an Irish category B rookie Eamonn Armstrong has even more reason to find an elite midfielder through free agency next year.
As one veteran player manager said this week, St Kilda is about to go “ballistic” in its attempts to finally land a quality free agent.

It already had vast cap space and tried this year but missed on Hugh McCluggage and Jarrod Berry as it also launched attempts at contracted stars Zach Merrett and Jacob Weitering.
Now Brad Crouch will take a payout because of his bung knee, while the $900,000-plus a year allocated for Josh Battle goes unspent.
Brad Crouch is set to retire. Picture: Getty Images

Brad Crouch is set to retire. Picture: Getty Images
The club basically said to Tim Membrey that he wasn’t in its next premiership side so he should look elsewhere for a multi-year deal, saving that cap room.
As the Herald Sun’s Josh Barnes reported Lyon saying: “We have made some hard decisions and there have been some tough things occur … unfortunately (Crouch) had a degenerative knee and we would have loved to have him but we lost him and those losses have enabled the salary cap to be freed up. As we finish up with the draft we will really go hard at free agents.”
The free agency pool is already looking skinny as clubs sign up pre-agents like Noah Balta, Darcy Fogarty, Cam Rayner and Weitering.
Given St Kilda needs a bit of everything - midfielders, key position players, flankers - which players are out there and which would realistically consider a Saints offer?

10 FREE AGENCY OPTIONS FOR AGGRESSIVE SAINTS​


1
image1_qOgY4HQbk.jpg


LUKE DAVIES-UNIACKE​

NORTH MELBOURNE​


The No.1 free agent on the market.
A game-changer with his speed and elusiveness who only turns 26 in June.
His management group Connors Sports knows he wants to stay at the Roos and he was emphatic about wanting to be a one-club player as recently as June, telling the Herald Sun: “I see myself playing for North Melbourne for the rest of my career”.
But any talks are off until North Melbourne can prove it is an improved club on and off the field.
Davies-Uniacke can reasonably expect offers in the $1.5-$1.8million ballpark per season on a seven or eight year deal.
If the Roos go 4-6 with some bright moments after 10 games he surely signs.
If they are 0-10 like this year, hold onto your hat.
1732598788016.png
2
image1_LpVeWFrUQp.jpg


JAMES WORPEL​

HAWTHORN​


Hawthorn will be keen to secure free agent Worpel over summer after a year in which he finished fourth in the best-and-fairest averaging 22 touches, 5.3 clearances, 2.1 centre clearances, and 4.4 tackles.
He has never been elite by foot - as a very inside mid he went at 53 per cent efficiency and was officially rated below average.
But he’s seriously tough, he’s only 26 in January, he hasn’t missed a game in two years and in a poor free agency season he’s available until he re-signs.
1732598788030.png
3
image1_uXTFhkXszp.jpg


TOM DE KONING​

CARLTON​


Already as many as eight clubs have registered their interest in De Koning, who finally broke out as an elite ruck-forward midway through 2024.
You can bet St Kilda has already asked the question of him again.
He only turned 25 in July, he’s almost the perfect type of player to help Max King and Rowan Marshall as a ruck-forward, he’s aggressive and he hasn’t peaked yet.
But after St Kilda and Sydney came hard in 2023 he re-signed when even Carlton believed he was gone.
So this time around the insane offers will come - up to $1.5 million over seven or eight years.
And he will have to decide if he wants a deal at Carlton that might just top $1 million a year and sacrifice $3 million or more over the life of a contract.
Carlton knows it and is hopeful he wants to put himself in a position to win flags rather than go to a club that has that kind of cap space, which is likely to be down the bottom of the ladder.
1732598788047.png
4
image1_d4B7IOBbtm.jpg


BRAYDEN MAYNARD​

COLLINGWOOD​


St Kilda just lost an unrestricted free agent defender who could play tall or small and kicks the ball beautifully.
Wouldn’t Ross Lyon love the naked aggression of Maynard, who only turns 29 next September so has at least four excellent years left and maybe more.
Collingwood believes he wants to stay but is wary rivals will come from the clouds.
He is very much a Collingwood man so it might take a half million dollar price gap per year to get him to leave.
But if Harry Perryman is worth $900,000 a season, where does that value ‘Bruz’ Maynard?
Show me the money, baby.
1732598788058.png
5
image1_y_uVggkE_q.jpg


ED RICHARDS​

WESTERN BULLDOGS​


Richards and Bontempelli are the Dogs’ free agency mids.
The Bont is going nowhere and it would take something extraordinary to drag Richards out of the Dogs.
He said in September he wanted to stay, but if you were his management you would be wanting something exceptional to sign across the summer or you would hold out to maximise his value.
He’s exactly what the Saints need - a raking left-foot kick, a high metres-gained player, a strong tackler (3.7 per game this season), high score involvements (six per game), capable of monster games like his 10 clearances against GWS in round 13.
With three big seasons in a row - the Dogs’ ‘most improved’ in 2022, third in the Charles Sutton Medal last year, fifth this year - he is due a huge pay rise.
He’s just not likely to leave.
1732598788067.png
6
image1_3mbspGrWhX.jpg


OSCAR ALLEN​

WEST COAST​


Until Allen signs a long-term deal on huge coin rivals will be intrigued by the Eagles co-captain’s status.
He is keen to pledge his future to the Eagles and finished the season with 18 goals in his final eight games after a 14-week layoff with knee issues.
But speculation persists about the nature of his knee injury and whether the Eagles are prepared to offer the seven-year deal free agents of his status deserve.
As a star pre-agent any delay in re-signing will only intensify that speculation as rivals’ interest grows.
1732598788076.png
7
image1_AW86JFndPZ.jpg


KANE FARRELL​

PORT ADELAIDE​


St Kilda had a crack at Karl Amon and just missed, then this year signed delisted free agent Riley Bonner then dumped him after a 19 games of diminishing returns.
St Kilda will hope Travaglia, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and Jack Sinclair will form an awesome half back line full of aggressive run and elite kicking.
But if Castlemaine-raised Farrell only cost them cap space as a free agent it would release any of the aforementioned trio into the midfield.
Farrell averaged 501 metres gained this year and is one of footy’s best kicks, going at 82 per cent efficiency.
Anyone who has seen Arie Schoenmaker’s cannon of a leg knows his potential - he went at 89.4 per cent efficiency, 86.7 per cent, 90.9 per cent, 90.9 per cent in his four senior games on debut.
But Farrell is exactly the kind of player who will get filthy rich through free agency despite a relatively low profile.
1732598788086.png
8
image1_oPVbw9YE70.jpg


BRAYDEN FIORINI​

GOLD COAST​


The free agent tried to find a new home this trade period and the Suns were open to a move.
He will likely get forced out of the midfield again this year after only 12 games on the wing in 2024.
In his best year in 2019 he averaged 25 possessions, 3.7 clearances, 4.8 tackles but does average only 57 per cent kicking efficiency across 105 career games.
His status as a free agent for 2025 makes him much more interesting for rivals.
1732598788096.png
9
image1_J6NxBIlsvs.jpg


DOM SHEED​

WEST COAST​


The 2018 Grand Final hero is out of contract after three injury-prone seasons that have seen him play only 24 AFL seasons.
As recently as 2021 he won 579 possessions and he does turn 30 in April but is he the kind of player the Eagles will pay up for to retain or might he be available at the right price to a side needing outside run.
Despite his dead-eye set shot to beat Collingwood he has nine of 11 seasons with kicking efficiency in the 50s so he would need a much-improved year to be an option for rivals.
1732598788124.png
10
image1_nIDzDcgRmd.jpg


JACK SILVAGNI​

CARLTON​


List boss Stephen Silvagni has had a crack at many of the players he has drafted. Why not his son? We are only partly serious but in truth the Saints would love a ruck-forward of Silvagni’s skill-set that can play 22 minutes a quarter up forward and eight minutes relieving Marshall in the ruck. It’s unlikely to be Jack Silvagni but Jack Hayes had seemed that kind of player for Ross Lyon until his body let him down and he was delisted.
 
There are basically two months of the year where the AFL is (relatively) content to take a back seat in the news cycle, and they are December and January. This is the time of the year when (even moreso than usual), the HUN will print literally any crap about football to fill it's quota.
The first "look who's gonna plunder the free agents in 12 months' time" article generally heralds that period
 
Here tis.

St Kilda’s 10 free agency options as Ross Lyon flags aggressive approach to player acquisition​

The AFL industry is preparing for a ‘ballistic’ approach to the free agency market from St Kilda next year. JON RALPH looks at the 10 players who could play under Ross Lyon from 2026.
Jon Ralph

https://twitter.com/RalphyHeraldSun
November 26, 2024 - 5:00AM
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/...ory/080c2d6f9babaf96c19c128ba5f2d6c6#comments

St Kilda

Don't miss out on the headlines from St Kilda. Followed categories will be added to My News.
follow
Ross Lyon said the quiet part out loud in the lead-in at the club’s fancy launch for its new-look logo.
As he spoke to the assembled guests, his broadside to Geelong about the favours Cotton On does to its players - legally, of course - was the headline item.
But Lyon’s full quote foreshadowed an intent across the entire club to finally stop being pushed around.
St Kilda was seriously in the business of attracting free agents at the end of 2025 even before the national draft.
Ross Lyon and the Saints want to land a big free agent fish. Picture: Getty Images

Ross Lyon and the Saints want to land a big free agent fish. Picture: Getty Images
It has millions upon millions to spend and it wants every rival player and player agent to know about it.
Then a club with arguably footy’s worst midfield missed out on the cream of the onball crop as seven elite mids were taken off the board before St Kilda’s first selection.
The club’s pick 8 Toby Travaglia could still be the draft’s best player and might morph into a pinch-hitting midfielder like Jack Sinclair, while pick 10 Alix Tauru was too good to ignore as a versatile 193m defender.
0551ab5ca1148c2a3f0af33e195f2c55


AFL: The first picks in the 2024 draft came together to celebrate their new teams as they await the next round of names.

But a club that still took six draft picks and an Irish category B rookie Eamonn Armstrong has even more reason to find an elite midfielder through free agency next year.
As one veteran player manager said this week, St Kilda is about to go “ballistic” in its attempts to finally land a quality free agent.

It already had vast cap space and tried this year but missed on Hugh McCluggage and Jarrod Berry as it also launched attempts at contracted stars Zach Merrett and Jacob Weitering.
Now Brad Crouch will take a payout because of his bung knee, while the $900,000-plus a year allocated for Josh Battle goes unspent.
Brad Crouch is set to retire. Picture: Getty Images

Brad Crouch is set to retire. Picture: Getty Images
The club basically said to Tim Membrey that he wasn’t in its next premiership side so he should look elsewhere for a multi-year deal, saving that cap room.
As the Herald Sun’s Josh Barnes reported Lyon saying: “We have made some hard decisions and there have been some tough things occur … unfortunately (Crouch) had a degenerative knee and we would have loved to have him but we lost him and those losses have enabled the salary cap to be freed up. As we finish up with the draft we will really go hard at free agents.”
The free agency pool is already looking skinny as clubs sign up pre-agents like Noah Balta, Darcy Fogarty, Cam Rayner and Weitering.
Given St Kilda needs a bit of everything - midfielders, key position players, flankers - which players are out there and which would realistically consider a Saints offer?

10 FREE AGENCY OPTIONS FOR AGGRESSIVE SAINTS​


1
image1_qOgY4HQbk.jpg


LUKE DAVIES-UNIACKE​

NORTH MELBOURNE​


The No.1 free agent on the market.
A game-changer with his speed and elusiveness who only turns 26 in June.
His management group Connors Sports knows he wants to stay at the Roos and he was emphatic about wanting to be a one-club player as recently as June, telling the Herald Sun: “I see myself playing for North Melbourne for the rest of my career”.
But any talks are off until North Melbourne can prove it is an improved club on and off the field.
Davies-Uniacke can reasonably expect offers in the $1.5-$1.8million ballpark per season on a seven or eight year deal.
If the Roos go 4-6 with some bright moments after 10 games he surely signs.
If they are 0-10 like this year, hold onto your hat.
View attachment 2175936
2
image1_LpVeWFrUQp.jpg


JAMES WORPEL​

HAWTHORN​


Hawthorn will be keen to secure free agent Worpel over summer after a year in which he finished fourth in the best-and-fairest averaging 22 touches, 5.3 clearances, 2.1 centre clearances, and 4.4 tackles.
He has never been elite by foot - as a very inside mid he went at 53 per cent efficiency and was officially rated below average.
But he’s seriously tough, he’s only 26 in January, he hasn’t missed a game in two years and in a poor free agency season he’s available until he re-signs.
View attachment 2175931
3
image1_uXTFhkXszp.jpg


TOM DE KONING​

CARLTON​


Already as many as eight clubs have registered their interest in De Koning, who finally broke out as an elite ruck-forward midway through 2024.
You can bet St Kilda has already asked the question of him again.
He only turned 25 in July, he’s almost the perfect type of player to help Max King and Rowan Marshall as a ruck-forward, he’s aggressive and he hasn’t peaked yet.
But after St Kilda and Sydney came hard in 2023 he re-signed when even Carlton believed he was gone.
So this time around the insane offers will come - up to $1.5 million over seven or eight years.
And he will have to decide if he wants a deal at Carlton that might just top $1 million a year and sacrifice $3 million or more over the life of a contract.
Carlton knows it and is hopeful he wants to put himself in a position to win flags rather than go to a club that has that kind of cap space, which is likely to be down the bottom of the ladder.
View attachment 2175930
4
image1_d4B7IOBbtm.jpg


BRAYDEN MAYNARD​

COLLINGWOOD​


St Kilda just lost an unrestricted free agent defender who could play tall or small and kicks the ball beautifully.
Wouldn’t Ross Lyon love the naked aggression of Maynard, who only turns 29 next September so has at least four excellent years left and maybe more.
Collingwood believes he wants to stay but is wary rivals will come from the clouds.
He is very much a Collingwood man so it might take a half million dollar price gap per year to get him to leave.
But if Harry Perryman is worth $900,000 a season, where does that value ‘Bruz’ Maynard?
Show me the money, baby.
View attachment 2175933
5
image1_y_uVggkE_q.jpg


ED RICHARDS​

WESTERN BULLDOGS​


Richards and Bontempelli are the Dogs’ free agency mids.
The Bont is going nowhere and it would take something extraordinary to drag Richards out of the Dogs.
He said in September he wanted to stay, but if you were his management you would be wanting something exceptional to sign across the summer or you would hold out to maximise his value.
He’s exactly what the Saints need - a raking left-foot kick, a high metres-gained player, a strong tackler (3.7 per game this season), high score involvements (six per game), capable of monster games like his 10 clearances against GWS in round 13.
With three big seasons in a row - the Dogs’ ‘most improved’ in 2022, third in the Charles Sutton Medal last year, fifth this year - he is due a huge pay rise.
He’s just not likely to leave.
View attachment 2175937
6
image1_3mbspGrWhX.jpg


OSCAR ALLEN​

WEST COAST​


Until Allen signs a long-term deal on huge coin rivals will be intrigued by the Eagles co-captain’s status.
He is keen to pledge his future to the Eagles and finished the season with 18 goals in his final eight games after a 14-week layoff with knee issues.
But speculation persists about the nature of his knee injury and whether the Eagles are prepared to offer the seven-year deal free agents of his status deserve.
As a star pre-agent any delay in re-signing will only intensify that speculation as rivals’ interest grows.
View attachment 2175935
7
image1_AW86JFndPZ.jpg


KANE FARRELL​

PORT ADELAIDE​


St Kilda had a crack at Karl Amon and just missed, then this year signed delisted free agent Riley Bonner then dumped him after a 19 games of diminishing returns.
St Kilda will hope Travaglia, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and Jack Sinclair will form an awesome half back line full of aggressive run and elite kicking.
But if Castlemaine-raised Farrell only cost them cap space as a free agent it would release any of the aforementioned trio into the midfield.
Farrell averaged 501 metres gained this year and is one of footy’s best kicks, going at 82 per cent efficiency.
Anyone who has seen Arie Schoenmaker’s cannon of a leg knows his potential - he went at 89.4 per cent efficiency, 86.7 per cent, 90.9 per cent, 90.9 per cent in his four senior games on debut.
But Farrell is exactly the kind of player who will get filthy rich through free agency despite a relatively low profile.
View attachment 2175932
8
image1_oPVbw9YE70.jpg


BRAYDEN FIORINI​

GOLD COAST​


The free agent tried to find a new home this trade period and the Suns were open to a move.
He will likely get forced out of the midfield again this year after only 12 games on the wing in 2024.
In his best year in 2019 he averaged 25 possessions, 3.7 clearances, 4.8 tackles but does average only 57 per cent kicking efficiency across 105 career games.
His status as a free agent for 2025 makes him much more interesting for rivals.
View attachment 2175938
9
image1_J6NxBIlsvs.jpg


DOM SHEED​

WEST COAST​


The 2018 Grand Final hero is out of contract after three injury-prone seasons that have seen him play only 24 AFL seasons.
As recently as 2021 he won 579 possessions and he does turn 30 in April but is he the kind of player the Eagles will pay up for to retain or might he be available at the right price to a side needing outside run.
Despite his dead-eye set shot to beat Collingwood he has nine of 11 seasons with kicking efficiency in the 50s so he would need a much-improved year to be an option for rivals.
View attachment 2175934
10
image1_nIDzDcgRmd.jpg


JACK SILVAGNI​

CARLTON​


List boss Stephen Silvagni has had a crack at many of the players he has drafted. Why not his son? We are only partly serious but in truth the Saints would love a ruck-forward of Silvagni’s skill-set that can play 22 minutes a quarter up forward and eight minutes relieving Marshall in the ruck. It’s unlikely to be Jack Silvagni but Jack Hayes had seemed that kind of player for Ross Lyon until his body let him down and he was delisted.
Wheres Tarryn Thomas to give them a story because these guys are just scraping the bottom of the barrel now
 

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We should be offering no where near 1.6. If that’s hypothetically accurate, you’d let him go. What can you feasibly obtain with 1.6 million? You could potentially pry cripps out of Carlton for that
Reckon it's 2 FA compensation picks? Say we finish with pick 5, then we get 6 and 7 out of it??? Thatd be funny but I believe not within the scope?
 
Here tis.

St Kilda’s 10 free agency options as Ross Lyon flags aggressive approach to player acquisition​

The AFL industry is preparing for a ‘ballistic’ approach to the free agency market from St Kilda next year. JON RALPH looks at the 10 players who could play under Ross Lyon from 2026.
Jon Ralph

https://twitter.com/RalphyHeraldSun
November 26, 2024 - 5:00AM
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/...ory/080c2d6f9babaf96c19c128ba5f2d6c6#comments

St Kilda

Don't miss out on the headlines from St Kilda. Followed categories will be added to My News.
follow
Ross Lyon said the quiet part out loud in the lead-in at the club’s fancy launch for its new-look logo.
As he spoke to the assembled guests, his broadside to Geelong about the favours Cotton On does to its players - legally, of course - was the headline item.
But Lyon’s full quote foreshadowed an intent across the entire club to finally stop being pushed around.
St Kilda was seriously in the business of attracting free agents at the end of 2025 even before the national draft.
Ross Lyon and the Saints want to land a big free agent fish. Picture: Getty Images

Ross Lyon and the Saints want to land a big free agent fish. Picture: Getty Images
It has millions upon millions to spend and it wants every rival player and player agent to know about it.
Then a club with arguably footy’s worst midfield missed out on the cream of the onball crop as seven elite mids were taken off the board before St Kilda’s first selection.
The club’s pick 8 Toby Travaglia could still be the draft’s best player and might morph into a pinch-hitting midfielder like Jack Sinclair, while pick 10 Alix Tauru was too good to ignore as a versatile 193m defender.
0551ab5ca1148c2a3f0af33e195f2c55


AFL: The first picks in the 2024 draft came together to celebrate their new teams as they await the next round of names.

But a club that still took six draft picks and an Irish category B rookie Eamonn Armstrong has even more reason to find an elite midfielder through free agency next year.
As one veteran player manager said this week, St Kilda is about to go “ballistic” in its attempts to finally land a quality free agent.

It already had vast cap space and tried this year but missed on Hugh McCluggage and Jarrod Berry as it also launched attempts at contracted stars Zach Merrett and Jacob Weitering.
Now Brad Crouch will take a payout because of his bung knee, while the $900,000-plus a year allocated for Josh Battle goes unspent.
Brad Crouch is set to retire. Picture: Getty Images

Brad Crouch is set to retire. Picture: Getty Images
The club basically said to Tim Membrey that he wasn’t in its next premiership side so he should look elsewhere for a multi-year deal, saving that cap room.
As the Herald Sun’s Josh Barnes reported Lyon saying: “We have made some hard decisions and there have been some tough things occur … unfortunately (Crouch) had a degenerative knee and we would have loved to have him but we lost him and those losses have enabled the salary cap to be freed up. As we finish up with the draft we will really go hard at free agents.”
The free agency pool is already looking skinny as clubs sign up pre-agents like Noah Balta, Darcy Fogarty, Cam Rayner and Weitering.
Given St Kilda needs a bit of everything - midfielders, key position players, flankers - which players are out there and which would realistically consider a Saints offer?

10 FREE AGENCY OPTIONS FOR AGGRESSIVE SAINTS​


1
image1_qOgY4HQbk.jpg


LUKE DAVIES-UNIACKE​

NORTH MELBOURNE​


The No.1 free agent on the market.
A game-changer with his speed and elusiveness who only turns 26 in June.
His management group Connors Sports knows he wants to stay at the Roos and he was emphatic about wanting to be a one-club player as recently as June, telling the Herald Sun: “I see myself playing for North Melbourne for the rest of my career”.
But any talks are off until North Melbourne can prove it is an improved club on and off the field.
Davies-Uniacke can reasonably expect offers in the $1.5-$1.8million ballpark per season on a seven or eight year deal.
If the Roos go 4-6 with some bright moments after 10 games he surely signs.
If they are 0-10 like this year, hold onto your hat.
View attachment 2175936
2
image1_LpVeWFrUQp.jpg


JAMES WORPEL​

HAWTHORN​


Hawthorn will be keen to secure free agent Worpel over summer after a year in which he finished fourth in the best-and-fairest averaging 22 touches, 5.3 clearances, 2.1 centre clearances, and 4.4 tackles.
He has never been elite by foot - as a very inside mid he went at 53 per cent efficiency and was officially rated below average.
But he’s seriously tough, he’s only 26 in January, he hasn’t missed a game in two years and in a poor free agency season he’s available until he re-signs.
View attachment 2175931
3
image1_uXTFhkXszp.jpg


TOM DE KONING​

CARLTON​


Already as many as eight clubs have registered their interest in De Koning, who finally broke out as an elite ruck-forward midway through 2024.
You can bet St Kilda has already asked the question of him again.
He only turned 25 in July, he’s almost the perfect type of player to help Max King and Rowan Marshall as a ruck-forward, he’s aggressive and he hasn’t peaked yet.
But after St Kilda and Sydney came hard in 2023 he re-signed when even Carlton believed he was gone.
So this time around the insane offers will come - up to $1.5 million over seven or eight years.
And he will have to decide if he wants a deal at Carlton that might just top $1 million a year and sacrifice $3 million or more over the life of a contract.
Carlton knows it and is hopeful he wants to put himself in a position to win flags rather than go to a club that has that kind of cap space, which is likely to be down the bottom of the ladder.
View attachment 2175930
4
image1_d4B7IOBbtm.jpg


BRAYDEN MAYNARD​

COLLINGWOOD​


St Kilda just lost an unrestricted free agent defender who could play tall or small and kicks the ball beautifully.
Wouldn’t Ross Lyon love the naked aggression of Maynard, who only turns 29 next September so has at least four excellent years left and maybe more.
Collingwood believes he wants to stay but is wary rivals will come from the clouds.
He is very much a Collingwood man so it might take a half million dollar price gap per year to get him to leave.
But if Harry Perryman is worth $900,000 a season, where does that value ‘Bruz’ Maynard?
Show me the money, baby.
View attachment 2175933
5
image1_y_uVggkE_q.jpg


ED RICHARDS​

WESTERN BULLDOGS​


Richards and Bontempelli are the Dogs’ free agency mids.
The Bont is going nowhere and it would take something extraordinary to drag Richards out of the Dogs.
He said in September he wanted to stay, but if you were his management you would be wanting something exceptional to sign across the summer or you would hold out to maximise his value.
He’s exactly what the Saints need - a raking left-foot kick, a high metres-gained player, a strong tackler (3.7 per game this season), high score involvements (six per game), capable of monster games like his 10 clearances against GWS in round 13.
With three big seasons in a row - the Dogs’ ‘most improved’ in 2022, third in the Charles Sutton Medal last year, fifth this year - he is due a huge pay rise.
He’s just not likely to leave.
View attachment 2175937
6
image1_3mbspGrWhX.jpg


OSCAR ALLEN​

WEST COAST​


Until Allen signs a long-term deal on huge coin rivals will be intrigued by the Eagles co-captain’s status.
He is keen to pledge his future to the Eagles and finished the season with 18 goals in his final eight games after a 14-week layoff with knee issues.
But speculation persists about the nature of his knee injury and whether the Eagles are prepared to offer the seven-year deal free agents of his status deserve.
As a star pre-agent any delay in re-signing will only intensify that speculation as rivals’ interest grows.
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KANE FARRELL​

PORT ADELAIDE​


St Kilda had a crack at Karl Amon and just missed, then this year signed delisted free agent Riley Bonner then dumped him after a 19 games of diminishing returns.
St Kilda will hope Travaglia, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and Jack Sinclair will form an awesome half back line full of aggressive run and elite kicking.
But if Castlemaine-raised Farrell only cost them cap space as a free agent it would release any of the aforementioned trio into the midfield.
Farrell averaged 501 metres gained this year and is one of footy’s best kicks, going at 82 per cent efficiency.
Anyone who has seen Arie Schoenmaker’s cannon of a leg knows his potential - he went at 89.4 per cent efficiency, 86.7 per cent, 90.9 per cent, 90.9 per cent in his four senior games on debut.
But Farrell is exactly the kind of player who will get filthy rich through free agency despite a relatively low profile.
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BRAYDEN FIORINI​

GOLD COAST​


The free agent tried to find a new home this trade period and the Suns were open to a move.
He will likely get forced out of the midfield again this year after only 12 games on the wing in 2024.
In his best year in 2019 he averaged 25 possessions, 3.7 clearances, 4.8 tackles but does average only 57 per cent kicking efficiency across 105 career games.
His status as a free agent for 2025 makes him much more interesting for rivals.
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DOM SHEED​

WEST COAST​


The 2018 Grand Final hero is out of contract after three injury-prone seasons that have seen him play only 24 AFL seasons.
As recently as 2021 he won 579 possessions and he does turn 30 in April but is he the kind of player the Eagles will pay up for to retain or might he be available at the right price to a side needing outside run.
Despite his dead-eye set shot to beat Collingwood he has nine of 11 seasons with kicking efficiency in the 50s so he would need a much-improved year to be an option for rivals.
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JACK SILVAGNI​

CARLTON​


List boss Stephen Silvagni has had a crack at many of the players he has drafted. Why not his son? We are only partly serious but in truth the Saints would love a ruck-forward of Silvagni’s skill-set that can play 22 minutes a quarter up forward and eight minutes relieving Marshall in the ruck. It’s unlikely to be Jack Silvagni but Jack Hayes had seemed that kind of player for Ross Lyon until his body let him down and he was delisted.
Kane Farrell, Brayden Fiorini, Dom Sheed and Jack Silvagni. Watch out, the Saints going after the heavy hitters to help them finish 9th
 
Kane Farrell, Brayden Fiorini, Dom Sheed and Jack Silvagni. Watch out, the Saints going after the heavy hitters to help them finish 9th
Trying to rival bards coup of Polec , pittard , hall and Tyson
 
will be funny watching saints tumble down the ladder next year

They are such a non threat going forward
Bad juju.

Remember the sledging over hawthorn's reliance on youth in the 00s.

Or the brave dogs.

Or lol Richmond.

Until we climb past St Kilda - they are the superior team.
 
Kane Farrell, Brayden Fiorini, Dom Sheed and Jack Silvagni. Watch out, the Saints going after the heavy hitters to help them finish 9th

Oscar Allen is crocked too.
 
Fiorini, Sheed and Silvagni?... hahaha that's funny stuff.

The only player the Aints have any chance of getting is Maynard who might want a juicy Superannuation payout and he's not going to move the needle one bit, the rest aren't going anywhere.

Wreck-em's Clickbait doing it's best work during the offseason..
 

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Player Watch #9: Luke Davies-Uniacke [Part II] - '24 SBM - [Ch9] LDU's camp 'working hard to get a deal done'

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