The trade period is often a market where clubs can secure big fish or cheap bargains.
With a lot of noise centred around the futures of the bigger names in the league (Bontempelli, Rowell, Allen, De Koning, Wanganeen-Milera, Maynard, etc) we thought we'd take a look at some of the more under the radar out of contract players that may be sought after this offseason.
Here are nine underrated players who find themselves without contracts for 2026 that could fetch interest on the open market.
4. Judd McVee
Arriving at the Dees via Pick 18 in the 2021 Rookie Draft, Judd McVee is one of Melbourne's best pieces of draft business over recent years.
The 21-year-old has been a mainstay since his introduction into the first team, playing a full 48 games in just a two-season span at the elite level. His production has also increased during this time, going from 12.8 touches, 2.8 marks and 2.4 rebound 50s per game in 2023 to 16.6 touches, 3.5 marks and 3.6 rebound 50s per game in 2024.
After spending a significant stint on the sidelines by way of injury, McVee slotted back in seamlessly in his first run of 2025, amassing 22 disposals at 86% efficiency, all the while keeping Richmond livewires Mansell and Campbell quiet all night.
His natural ability to read the game and transition the ball with composure is impressive for a player his age and are traits which have provided some much-needed stability in an otherwise ageing backline.
The value of McVee as a 185cm lockdown defender is also only increasing in importance, with the opposing position of small forward emerging as one of the more prominent and damaging in recent times. Although it would be surprising to see Melbourne let McVee go, the murmurs surrounding Fremantle and West Coast's interest in the native West Australian are yet to diminish.
