Articles · Trade period ·
The 2026 trade period: every move, through a fantasy lens
30 players changed clubs between the start of free agency on 2 October and the trade deadline at 7:30pm AEDT on 14 October: 23 through trades and 7 as free agents. Here's every move, what it means for AFL Fantasy in 2027, and each club's ins and outs. Player numbers are 2026 AFL Fantasy averages from our own stats.
The big fantasy movers
Zak Butters: the biggest fantasy name on the move
Butters averaged 104.5 in 17 games for Port this year, with 9 tons. He left as a restricted free agent; Port didn't match and took pick 5, then traded that pick to Richmond. The Bulldogs lost Adam Treloar and Tom Liberatore to retirement, so there's midfield time to fill and little reason to expect his role to shrink.
Zach Merrett: proven, but a new pecking order
104.1 this year and 105.5 across the last three seasons, with 14 tons in 2026. Hawthorn paid picks 15 and 25 plus a future second. At Essendon he got a huge share of the ball; Hawthorn's on-ball group is already well stocked, so the first few rounds are worth watching before assuming the same output.
Lachie Neale: room to move at Collingwood
Signed as an unrestricted free agent, with Brisbane taking pick 39. He averaged 98.9 over 27 games with 12 tons, but faded late (last five: 84.8). Collingwood have lost Scott Pendlebury to Gold Coast and Steele Sidebottom to retirement, so experienced midfield minutes are going alongside Nick Daicos.
Lachie Whitfield: the role decides the ceiling
99.8 this year, under his three-year average of 105.4. Carlton gave GWS picks 25 and 26 and got 31 and 50 back. Where Carlton use him, back half or further up the ground, will decide how close he gets to his best scoring.
Nick Blakey: eight years at North
86 for Sydney, and he finished strongly (last five: 91.8, high of 146). Sydney got pick 6, pick 47 and future picks including a 2028 first. A rebounding defender in a young side could see plenty of the ball.
Rowan Marshall: the bounce-back candidate
St Kilda traded him to Geelong for pick 14. 2026 was a down year: 83.3, down 22.6 on 2025, against a three-year average of 102.6. Rhys Stanley has retired, so if Marshall is Geelong's first ruck he's one of the clearer bounce-back options.
Toby Greene: same range, new jumper
Geelong signed him as a free agent; GWS got pick 26. He averaged 85.8, up 5.5 on 2025, with a high of 123. A forward's scoring range: useful week to week, rarely a premium.
Scott Pendlebury: one more chapter
Gold Coast got him for pick 65, and he turns 39 in January. 79.2 in 17 games this year. Plenty of experience for the Suns' midfield; in fantasy terms, steady but with a low ceiling.
Trent Rivers and Jack Viney: the Eagles' deadline play
West Coast's big deadline-day move. Rivers (76.6 in 2026) signs for five years and Viney for two; Melbourne get pick 45 and future picks. Two ready-made midfielders for a young side, with Rivers the one to watch on price.
Essendon's gap: who takes Merrett's ball?
With Merrett gone, Essendon added Keidean Coleman (66 in 13 games) from Brisbane, and Jack Bowes (69.9 in 9) from Geelong, who arrived with Geelong's 2027 first-round pick. Someone has to win Merrett's ball, which makes Bowes a cheap name to watch.
Every move
In date order. Free agents first moved on 2 October; trades ran from 5 to 14 October.
-
98.927 gm
Unrestricted free agent Brisbane get pick 39 as compensation.
-
85.821 gm
Unrestricted free agent GWS get pick 26 as compensation.
-
71.918 gm
Unrestricted free agent GWS get pick 46 as compensation.
-
50.415 gm
Unrestricted free agent Sydney get pick 36 as compensation.
-
42.29 gm
Unrestricted free agent Adelaide get pick 33 as compensation.
-
104.123 gm
Trade Essendon get picks 15 and 25 and a future second-round pick.
-
79.217 gm
Trade Collingwood get pick 65.
-
49.19 gm
Trade GWS get pick 75.
-
64.117 gm
Trade Fremantle get pick 61.
-
69.99 gm57.07 gm
Trade A swap: Essendon also get Geelong's 2027 first-round pick and a 2028 second; Geelong get pick 60 and a 2028 fourth.
-
83.321 gm
Trade St Kilda get pick 14.
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104.517 gm
Restricted free agent Port didn't match the offer and get pick 5 as compensation.
-
48.923 gm
Restricted free agent Gold Coast get pick 7 as compensation.
-
56.02 gm
Trade Brisbane get St Kilda's 2027 first-round pick.
-
45.76 gm28.33 gm
Trade Part of a five-club deal with Port, Melbourne, Carlton and Hawthorn that moved picks 4, 6, 11 and 13.
-
59.48 gm49.01 gm
Trade A future-pick swap built around both clubs' 2028 first-round picks.
-
86.022 gm
Trade Sydney get pick 6, pick 47 and future picks including a 2028 first-rounder. Blakey signs for eight years.
-
99.821 gm
Trade GWS get picks 25 and 26 and a 2028 third; Carlton also get picks 31 and 50.
-
36.115 gm
Trade North get picks 33 and 49; Melbourne get pick 52.
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65.01 gm
Trade Carlton get a 2028 third-round pick.
-
66.013 gm
Trade Brisbane get picks 21 and 27; Essendon get pick 25.
-
55.01 gm76.617 gm
Trade Melbourne get pick 45 and future picks. Rivers signs for five years, Viney for two.
-
28.01 gm
Trade Part of the deadline-day deal with West Coast: Brisbane get pick 45 and Melbourne's 2027 second-rounder.
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55.36 gm
Trade North get a 2027 third-round pick.
-
47.310 gm
Trade Adelaide get pick 32 and a 2027 fourth; Port get pick 34.
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40.65 gm
Trade Hawthorn get pick 107.
Club by club
Sorted by the combined 2026 averages of the players each club brought in, minus those it lost. A rough guide to fantasy talent in and out, not a verdict on the deals (it ignores draft picks). Pick your club on the Fixture page and it moves to the top here.
Western Bulldogs +220.7
In
- Jordon Butts ADE · 42.2
- Zak Butters PTA · 104.5
- Finn Maginness HAW · 45.7
- Hudson O'Keeffe CAR · 28.3
Out
Nobody
Geelong +156.2
In
- Toby Greene GWS · 85.8
- Jordan Ridley ESS · 57.0
- Rowan Marshall STK · 83.3
Out
- Jack Bowes ESS · 69.9
Gold Coast +138.7
In
- Scott Pendlebury COL · 79.2
- Sam Butler HAW · 59.4
- Aidan Schubert HAW · 49.0
Out
- Ben King HAW · 48.9
Richmond +136.0
In
- Kieren Briggs GWS · 71.9
- Nathan O'Driscoll FRE · 64.1
Out
Nobody
Collingwood +133.8
In
- Lachie Neale BRL · 98.9
- Jesse Hogan GWS · 49.1
- Flynn Riley CAR · 65.0
Out
- Scott Pendlebury GCS · 79.2
West Coast +131.6
In
- Jack Viney MEL · 55.0
- Trent Rivers MEL · 76.6
Out
Nobody
Carlton +56.9
In
- Joel Amartey SYD · 50.4
- Lachie Whitfield GWS · 99.8
Out
- Hudson O'Keeffe WBD · 28.3
- Flynn Riley COL · 65.0
Hawthorn +13.6
In
- Zach Merrett ESS · 104.1
- Ben King GCS · 48.9
- Josh Goater NTH · 55.3
Out
- Finn Maginness WBD · 45.7
- Sam Butler GCS · 59.4
- Aidan Schubert GCS · 49.0
- Bodie Ryan MEL · 40.6
North Melbourne -5.4
In
- Nick Blakey SYD · 86.0
Out
- Zane Duursma MEL · 36.1
- Josh Goater HAW · 55.3
Essendon -25.2
In
- Jack Bowes GEE · 69.9
- Keidean Coleman BRL · 66.0
Out
- Zach Merrett HAW · 104.1
- Jordan Ridley GEE · 57.0
Melbourne -26.9
In
- Zane Duursma NTH · 36.1
- Will McLachlan BRL · 28.0
- Bodie Ryan HAW · 40.6
Out
- Jack Viney WCE · 55.0
- Trent Rivers WCE · 76.6
St Kilda -27.3
In
- Sam Marshall BRL · 56.0
Out
- Rowan Marshall GEE · 83.3
Port Adelaide -57.2
In
- Luke Pedlar ADE · 47.3
Out
- Zak Butters WBD · 104.5
Fremantle -64.1
In
Nobody
Out
- Nathan O'Driscoll RIC · 64.1
Adelaide -89.5
In
Nobody
Out
- Jordon Butts WBD · 42.2
- Luke Pedlar PTA · 47.3
Sydney -136.4
In
Nobody
Out
- Joel Amartey CAR · 50.4
- Nick Blakey NTH · 86.0
Brisbane Lions -248.9
In
Nobody
Out
- Lachie Neale COL · 98.9
- Sam Marshall STK · 56.0
- Keidean Coleman ESS · 66.0
- Will McLachlan MEL · 28.0
GWS Giants -306.6
In
Nobody
Out
- Toby Greene GEE · 85.8
- Kieren Briggs RIC · 71.9
- Jesse Hogan COL · 49.1
- Lachie Whitfield CAR · 99.8
Picks, near misses & retirements
Pick-only swaps
- Richmond got pick 5 from Port for pick 22 and its 2027 first, second and fourth-round picks.
- Brisbane got picks 25 and 28 from GWS for picks 20 and 59.
- The Western Bulldogs got picks 42 and 53 from Brisbane for a 2027 second-round pick.
- Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs swapped third-round picks.
Didn't move
- Nick Murray stays at Adelaide. North's final offer (picks 33 and 49 plus 2027 first and fourth-rounders) fell short of the top-20 pick Adelaide wanted.
- Jayden Short stays at Richmond after a move to Collingwood fell through.
Retired this year
Not trades, but they shape the roles above: Adam Treloar (WBD), Tom Liberatore (WBD), Steele Sidebottom (COL), Dion Prestia (RIC), Rhys Stanley (GEE), Taylor Walker (ADE), Jamie Cripps (WCE), Steven May (MEL), Taylor Adams (SYD), Jake Melksham (MEL).
Moves and pick details are compiled from public reports and may differ slightly from the AFL's official records, especially for future picks. Player numbers are 2026 AFL Fantasy scores from this site. Sources: Zero Hanger: every completed move, Footyinfo: every 2026 trade, Footyscores: player movement 2026, ABC News: deadline day. For fun, not betting.