The trade value of all 25 AFL players set to move clubs this off-season

The 2026 off-season is shaping up to be one of the busiest in recent years, with a host of names poised to switch guernseys in the next fortnight. With club-linked players and Tasmania's imminent introduction set to influence how clubs value draft picks, determining the worth of each player could prove more complicated than usual. The list below will strip out the impact of bidding and focus solely on what each player is worth in terms of a draft pick(s). We assess the trade value of all 25 players currently expected to move clubs IF there were no limitations on deals. What is each player actually worth on the trade table? Zak Butters The Port Adelaide star nominated the Western Bulldogs as his preferred destination, despite Geelong's best efforts. Butters would easily warrant three first-round selections, including one inside the top 10. For comparison, Jeremy Cameron's departure from the Giants yielded Picks 13, 15, and 20. Butters is arguably worth more. Butters trade value: Picks 7, 13, 18 [caption id="attachment_175416" align="alignnone" width="2560"] ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 12: Zak Butters of the Power is seen after giving away a 50 metre penalty during the 2026 AFL Round 05 match between the Port Adelaide Power and the St Kilda Saints at Adelaide Oval on April 12, 2026 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)[/caption] Ben King The Gold Coast forward is a free agent, and the Suns can accept free agency compensation, which is set to be Pick 7. But is King worth that? The star tall was taken with Pick 6 in the 2018 draft, but he's established himself as one of the premier forwards in the competition. He's been close to two Coleman Medals and looms as an All-Australian option in the future, with plenty of football left to play. Taking all that into consideration, King is worth two first-round selections. One inside the top 10 and one not. King trade value: Picks 8 and 17 Zach Merrett The Bombers star wants out again, and looks more likely to land at Hawthorn in the coming weeks. Last year, the Hawks put forward three first-round picks, but that worth has diminished in the last 12 months. Hawthorn would do a deal for a first and second-rounder, which looms as a fair move. Essendon wants more. Merrett trade value: Picks 10 and 20 [caption id="attachment_170086" align="alignnone" width="2560"] GEELONG, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 08: Zach Merrett of the Bombers kicks the ball during the 2025 AFL Round 22 match between the Geelong Cats and the Essendon Bombers at GMHBA Stadium on August 8, 2025 in Geelong, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)[/caption] Nick Blakey The suspended Swans star looms as the only one of the Pullman Five who could be out the door. He is contracted at Sydney, meaning rivals would need to trump up a decent selection, as well as the machinations around the remainder of his lucrative contract. Blakey is an All-Australian defender and has a long career left in the AFL. Blakey trade value: Pick 7 Dan Houston The laser-legged halfback cannot shake the rumours of his discontent on Olympic Boulevard. The biggest club in the land gave up a first-round and a second-round draft pick, as well as Joe Richards and John Noble, in a three-team trade that netted Craig McRae his distributor and Pick 58. A consistent knock on Houston has been his attack - or lack thereof - on the football in contested situations, but that does not stop him being effective. Houston is mere days removed from a fourth-placed finish in Collingwood's best and fairest, and still only 29 years of age, meaning plenty of silky football is still ahead of the dual All-Australian. A late first and an early second-round pick still feels fair for a Houston who is not beyond salvaging. Houston trade value: Picks 19 Jordan De Goey The Collingwood match-winner is once again being floated as a potential trade option, with the Pies realising this may be the last year they can cash in on a top draft selection. De Goey is contracted for next year, and is looking for a deal that will take him through to retirement, having reached 30. Multiple clubs would be in the market for a front-half star; what would they part with? De Goey trade value: Pick 17 Zane Duursma Another player who reeks of potential and athletic ability is Duursma, and yet he has only shown it in spurts across his first three seasons and 38 games. The 21-year-old is keen to get to Melbourne for a fresh start, so what would be fair for the Pick 4 from the 2023 National Draft? Likely an early second-round pick would fit the bill for the high-flying mid-sized forward. Duursma trade value: Pick 24 Jayden Short The two-time premiership player looks likely to head to rival Collingwood this off-season. His influence on the game has dipped along with his side's poor few seasons as Richmond rebuilds. Short is only 30 and remains fit as a dashing halfback flanker. His trade value sits around the late second-round selection area. Short trade value: Pick 32 [caption id="attachment_175776" align="alignnone" width="2061"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 19: Jayden Short of the Tigers reacts during the round six AFL match between North Melbourne Kangaroos and Richmond Tigers at Marvel Stadium, on April 19, 2026, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)[/caption] Lachie Whitfield Can find the footy with ease, remains fit and fast but will turn 33 next year. The former Pick 1 still has a few good years to offer, so what is his worth? The current fashion in football looks for a lot of drive off halfback, so Whitfield remains a valuable prospect in this football economy. Whitfield trade value: Pick 19 Rowan Marshall Marshall's impact at the Saints is probably unheralded among the rest of the competition. The 30-year-old outperformed star recruit and fellow St Kilda ruck Tom De Koning this season. He is 30, but remains fit and looms as a player with five or so years ahead of him. A mobile ruck that can collect and distribute the footy, who also has the ability to float forward, would be worth a late first-round pick on the open market. Marshall trade value: Pick 18 Jordan Ridley Ridley at his best is an impactful intercepting defender, and he is only 27 years old. However, he has played seven, 10 and nine games over his past three seasons as his body has battled consistent injury problems. With Ridley's history of injury, but obvious talent (and ignoring his current contract situation), he would be worth a mid-second-round pick. Ridley trade value: Pick 28 Jack Viney At this point in his career, what Viney offers off the field in terms of leadership and professionalism is more than what he provides as an impactful midfielder. Not to say Viney's physicality and on-field leadership are worth nothing for a club looking to grow its young midfield, such as West Coast or Essendon. Only played one game in 2026 as his body broke down. Viney trade value: Pick 52 Jack Bowes A trusty 28-year-old midfielder, winger or halfback. Bowes' best asset comes in his ability to play in multiple positions across the ground and produce solid performances that are rarely extraordinary. A mid-to-late third-round pick feels about right for the 189cm Bowes. Bowes trade value: Pick 47 Josh Goater North Melbourne's outbound half-back returned from injury struggles late in the season and produced a career-best 21-disposal performance against Hawthorn in Round 21. The 23-year-old is a former Pick 22 and clearly has athletic ability and talent; it is just about getting a clean run at a pre-season and getting a full year under his belt. He has only managed 18 games in five seasons. Goater trade value: Pick 39 [caption id="attachment_148419" align="alignnone" width="2560"] SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 16: Josh Goater of the Kangaroos in action during the round one AFL match between Greater Western Sydney Giants and North Melbourne Kangaroos at ENGIE Stadium, on March 16, 2024, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/AFL Photos/via Getty Images )[/caption] Nick Murray The Adelaide key defender is stuck behind a few at the Crows in the defensive line, but he has shown promise as a lockdown defender and is only 25 years old. Has his best football in front of him, and solid, trustworthy key defenders can be hard to find. The 195cm key defender has had injury troubles at times, but nothing that would ward off recruiters. Murray trade value: Pick 33 Luke Pedlar The Adelaide small forward has had a wretched run with injury across his first six seasons in the league. Through that time, he has shown glimpses of his ability and power. At his best, Pedlar could become a Cameron Rayner-style player who impacts the game in big moments. However, Pedlar is currently an inconsistent - both in form and fitness - player who has kicked 49 goals from 48 games since being taken with Pick 11 in the 2020 draft. What the 24-year-old is worth is hard to predict, but it would be safe to say Port Adelaide would not likely part with more than a third-rounder for Pedlar. Pedlar trade value: Pick 49 Will McLachlan What McLachlan is worth depends on how much you value VFL performances. The 21-year-old 185cm forward has only played seven games for four goals since being a mid-season draftee in 2024. In the VFL this season, McLachlan has been a force up forward, booting 35 goals from 11 games, including securing bags of eight and seven. McLachlan trade value: Pick 60 [caption id="attachment_151715" align="alignnone" width="1076"] Will McLachlan of the Brisbane Lions in the VFL during 2024 (Image via Brisbane FC)[/caption] Flynn Riley A controversial trade prospect this off-season, Riley is seeking a trade after only six months in the AFL system. He is a 209cm ruck and has only played one AFL game for six disposals and 17 hit-outs. His lack of exposure at the top level makes Riley hard to rate, but a fourth-round pick seems right. Riley trade value: Pick 64 Rory Lobb If the misunderstood 221-game veteran is to find a fourth club, assigning him a value on the open market is one of the more challenging undertakings in this list. Lobb is 33. He is versatile. He has stated a clear intention to play for as long as he can, but saying that and executing it while playing the combative key positions that he does are two vastly different prospects. Lobb trade value: Pick 42 Trent Rivers Trent Rivers is truly entering his prime. Still just 25 years of age, the premiership hero has been heavily linked with a move back to his native Western Australia, while his partner's familial ties saw Brisbane also floated as an option. It's rare a player at this age, with this much experience, and such a tool kit, hits the open market. Still, this isn't yet a top-50 commodity, and recruiters would be assessing his value with his future endeavours far more front of mind than his previous exploits. With this in mind, Rivers has been assigned the value of a second-round draft pick. Rivers trade value: Pick 27 Finn Maginness Once upon a time, not too long ago, "The Finnisher" was one of the hottest coolers in the game. The 25-year-old has managed 64 matches in the seven seasons since his debut, but toiled away with aplomb in the twos this year. Across 14 outings this season, Maginness averaged 27.6 disposals playing for premiers Box Hill in the VFL, and made the preliminary Team of the Year squad for his troubles. However, given his inability to be as prolific at the elite level, a late second-round or early third-round draft pick feels like a fair price for the man who will forever be remembered for his fierce battles against a young Nick Daicos. Maginness trade value: Pick 38 [caption id="attachment_140890" align="alignnone" width="2121"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 5: Nick Daicos of the Magpies and Finn Maginness of the Hawks are seen during the 2023 AFL Round 21 match between the Hawthorn Hawks and the Collingwood Magpies at Melbourne Cricket Ground on August 5, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)[/caption] Hudson O'Keeffe An SSP acquisition ahead of the 2023 season, Hudson O'Keeffe is eyeing a move to the Western Bulldogs in pursuit of greater opportunity at the top level. Still only 21, "Skull" has toiled away admirably in the reserves, behind players like Marc Pittonet, Liam Reidy and the aforementioned Flynn Riley. O'Keeffe has forward craft about his game, too, kicking 22 goals from 17 games in the VFL this season, with a bag of five against Brisbane the clear highlight of his showreel. Playing in O'Keeffe's favour is the leg-rope given ruckmen - most acknowledge their development takes longer than that of a teammate in a different position. Still, O'Keeffe would want to get busy, and quickly. A similar value to teammate Flynn Riley is in order. O'Keeffe trade value: Pick 66 Scott Pendlebury It feels surreal to assign a trade value to the man who has been synonymous with the Collingwood Football Club since first gracing its halls in the days after the 2005 National Draft, but here we are. The game's most-capped player is a two-time premiership hero, six-time All-Australian, five-time best and fairest winner, the 2013 AFLCA Champion Player of the Year and twice voted the league's best captain. He holds every record a midfielder could hope to in the black and white, and quite a few across the league's history too. But all good stories have their endings, and Pendlebury's will be written in Glitter Strip salmon. He will be 39 by the time an umpire holds a ball aloft in 2027. Luke Hodge is just about the only precedent for this move. He and Pick 44 were exchanged for Picks 43 and 75. Those third-rounders cancel each other out, meaning Pendlebury's value is likely a speculative selection in the realm of Pick 80. Pendlebury trade value: Pick 78 [caption id="attachment_177454" align="alignnone" width="2560"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 23: Scott Pendlebury of the Magpies chaired off by Steele Sidebottom and Jeremy Howe during the 2026 AFL Round 11 match between the Collingwood Magpies and Waalitj Marawar (West Coast Eagles) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on May 23, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by James Wiltshire/AFL Photos via Getty Images)[/caption] Sam Marshall This premiership Lion is in search of greater opportunity and has nominated St Kilda as his club of choice. A Sunshine Coast native who finished his schooling in the APS system in Victoria, Marshall was an academy selection, taken by the Lions with Pick 25 in the 2024 National Draft. In game 11, he saluted on the biggest stage, but added just two senior appearances the following season. A noted accumulator at VFL level, Marshall's prolificity and championship pedigree will suit the fledgling St Kilda midfield down to the ground, but what should they, or anyone else, be reasonably expected to give up for him to acquire his services? Marshall trade value: Pick 32 [caption id="attachment_179503" align="alignnone" width="2560"] PERTH, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 15: Sam Marshall of the Lions looks on while warming up during the round 23 AFL match between the Fremantle Dockers and Brisbane Lions at Optus Stadium on August 15, 2025 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)[/caption] Nathan O'Driscoll 24-year-old Docker Nathan O'Driscoll fell out of favour with the selection committee at the Dockers in the back end of a 2026 campaign that ended in grand final heartbreak. He played 17 games, including the side's qualifying final loss to Hawthorn, before making way. That, no doubt, led him to seek a trade an easier one for the winger/high half-forward - and his competitiveness and silky left foot appear likely to find a new home. O'Driscoll turned down a three-year extension to stay in Cockburn. The Bulldogs were a mooted landing point; however, Zak Butters is their obvious priority, so O'Driscoll may face a nervous wait throughout the trade period. O'Driscoll is a player who could feasibly raise the floor of another side, if not its ceiling. O'Driscoll trade value: Pick 48

The trade value of all 25 AFL players set to move clubs this off-season

Which players command first-round selections, and who could be available for a much cheaper price?

Zak Butters

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

Latest News

Sydney star to sound out rivals over possible blockbuster trade

DONE DEAL: Fremantle trades winger to Victorian powerhouse

Hawthorn lodges paperwork for Gold Coast star: AFL trade news

Former Adelaide Crow opens up on delisting and future in footy

Trade Tracker: EVERY completed move in the 2026 AFL Free Agency...

FOLLOW US

		P	W	L	PTS	%
1	FRE	23	19	4	76	137.2
2	SYD	23	18	5	72	136.1
3	BL	23	16	7	64	121.7
4	HAW	23	15	6	64	120.1
5	GEEL	23	15	8	60	122.3
6	ADEL	23	15	8	60	117.3
7	MELB	23	15	8	60	109.6
8	WB	23	13	9	54	95.4
9	COLL	23	12	9	52	102.4
10	CARL	23	12	10	50	101.5