From left: Adam Treloar, Joe Daniher and Ben Brown could all be on the move over the next couple of weeks.
Less than a week after the most extraordinary season of our lifetime, and perhaps of all time, concluded, the AFL silly season is set to take centre stage.
The annual free agency/trade period kicks off on Friday and as always, with player movement more liberal than ever before, there are plenty of big names destined for new homes.
In 2019, 37 footballers swapped their colours, and a similar amount is expected to do the same this year.
Perhaps the biggest bombshell of the lead-up to the exchange frenzy was the stunning news that Collingwood is attempting to offload Adam Treloar, despite the star midfielder still having five years to run on a contract.
With his partner and newborn child both moving to Queensland after she was recruited by the Firebirds netball team, the most logical scenario would be for Treloar to join either Gold Coast or Brisbane, but the former Giant is reportedly not interested in leaving the Magpies at all. No matter how that drama ends, it promises to be a fascinating scenario.
On the free agency front, star GWS pair Jeremy Cameron and Zac Williams have made public their intentions to land at Geelong and Carlton respectively, Essendon forward Joe Daniher is destined to join Brisbane, and Adelaide grand final trio Brad Crouch, Rory Atkins and Kyle Hartigan have nominated St Kilda, Gold Coast and Hawthorn respectively – well and truly signalling the end of an era at the Crows.
Meanwhile, triple premiership Hawk Isaac Smith is being linked with a move to either Geelong or Melbourne and another Giant in Aidan Corr looks set to move to North Melbourne, despite all the dramas that have enveloped that club since he declared his desire to leave the harbour city.
There had been murmurings that Essendon were attempting to woo champion defender Bachar Houli back to his original club, but the three-time premiership Tiger doesn’t sound as though he is seriously entertaining that prospect.
But things will really heat up next Wednesday when the 2020 AFL trade period officially kicks off.
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North Melbourne star key forward Ben Brown is on the market, with Collingwood, GWS and Melbourne all seemingly keen on his services, dashing Essendon defender Adam Saad wants to join Carlton, Saad’s teammate Orazio Fantasia has nominated Port Adelaide, Kangaroos veteran Shaun Higgins will almost certainly link up with the Cats, and troubled Fremantle forward Jesse Hogan may have piqued the interest of Sydney, GWS and/or Richmond.
Essendon has made a bold move to extract premiership Western Bulldogs midfielder Josh Dunkley from Whitten Oval, but he is contracted, so the Bombers are going to have to work really hard to make that happen.
And while Jordan De Goey looks as though he will stick with Collingwood, he still is yet to re-sign, so until he puts pen to paper, the Magpies faithful will not be at ease.
A host of other moves look inevitable, too, with Melbourne goalsneak Mitch Hannan requesting a trade to the Bulldogs, GWS youngsters Jye Caldwell and Jackson Hately wanting to move to Essendon and Adelaide respectively, forgotten Gold Coast key forward Peter Wright attracting interest from the Bombers, and Melbourne ruckman Braydon Preuss almost certainly set to continue his career at the Giants.
Will Demons veterans Neville Jetta and Tom McDonald follow Preuss out the door as well? They both sound like they are on the outer and could find themselves at new clubs in 2021.
And where to for Heath Shaw? The star backman, who turns 35 next month, has been cut by the Giants but reportedly wants to add to his 325 AFL games.
Richmond fan favourite Jack Higgins could be squeezed out, with St Kilda reportedly keen in acquiring his services, and the Saints have also shown some interest in delisted Essendon forward Shaun McKernan.
The pair may brush past Seb Ross through Moorabbin’s revolving door, with the 140-gamer reportedly touring Essendon’s Tullamarine facility this week.
So strap yourselves in, and hold on to something, because the next couple of weeks promise to be a very bumpy ride for all footy fans.
