UPDATED: The players your team has been linked to in 2025 – AFL trade news - AFL News - Zero Hanger

With the home stretch of the AFL season upon us, the league's trade news cycle is set to go up a gear as clubs begin to prepare for 2026 and beyond. The year so far has seen some of the game's best players enter uncertain periods, whether they be under contract or not. Just about every club has been linked to a rival player, or several, through trade rumours and reports this year, with fans keen to see who their team could add to their list. With plenty of names included in the trade and free agency conversation in 2025, we've listed every player each AFL team has been tied to so far this season. Adelaide The Crows have been closely tied to St Kilda defender and Glenelg product Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera this year as the potential All-Australian weighs up his future. The former first-round pick is anticipated to decide between remaining at Moorabbin or heading back to South Australia, with Port Adelaide also tipped to be showing interest in Wanganeen-Milera's services. Meanwhile, the Crows have been linked to Essendon ruckman Sam Draper this year, however, he also has a reported suitor in Brisbane and could still remain at the Bombers after his season-ending Achilles injury. Saint Rowan Marshall has also been flagged as an option for the Crows should their own first-string ruckman in Reilly O'Brien look elsewhere. Brisbane The Lions look to be searching for the next Joe Daniher following his shock retirement at the end of their premiership run. The decision gave Brisbane little time to get their affairs in order and make a splash in the trade period, with this year's off-season looking likely for a major play at a key forward. West Coast captain and free agent Oscar Allen has been closely tied to the reigning premiers, while Bulldogs youngster Jamarra Ugle-Hagan has also been flagged as a player of interest. The Lions are also said to be prepared to rekindle past interest in Collingwood ace Jamie Elliott, who is yet to have a deal for 2026 with the Magpies. Adelaide's Reilly O'Brien and Essendon's Sam Draper have both been named as free agency targets for the Lions, who are seemingly keen to bolster their ruck stocks. Carlton The Blues' off-season plans will be heavily impacted by Tom De Koning's looming contract call amid strong interest from St Kilda. If the Carlton ruckman were to leave Princes Park, the Blues would likely be in search of a new ruckman and would be loaded with a stronger draft hand they could potentially take to market. Collingwood's Darcy Cameron has been flagged as a potential target for Carlton, while Adelaide's Reilly O'Brien and Fremantle's Sean Darcy have also been mentioned in relation to the Blues' potential moves. Defensive reinforcements have been identified as a part of Carlton's potential off-season plans, with GWS interceptor Leek Aleer and Port Adelaide runner Miles Bergman both linked to the Blues. Collingwood Collingwood is anticipated to make major moves in 2025 despite a few recently busy years on the open market. In-demand Suns star Matt Rowell had reported interest from several Victorian sides, with the Magpies among the chasing pack before he re-signed. Port Adelaide's Zak Butters is in a similar position and has been named on Collingwood's radar; however the Power midfielder has a contract for 2026. Suns key forward Ben King is also penned to a deal through to the end of next year but has been documented as a player the Magpies will target, whether that's this year or next. Brisbane forward Logan Morris was tied to the Magpies before he re-signed with the Lions, while Collingwood were also linked to Western Bulldogs champion Marcus Bontempelli in what looms as an unlikely move. Essendon The links to Harley Reid have been strong over the past 12 months, with the Bombers one of the best-placed clubs to make a play for the West Coast sensation this year, should he look to leave a year before his contract is due to end. Essedon hold a pair of early selections for this year's draft and can now trade their 2026 and 2027 selections in the off-season, giving them the capital to potentially satisfy the Eagles. Gold Coast's Matt Rowell and Port Adelaide's Zak Butters are others the Bombers have been tied to in reports this year, with the Dons seemingly open to adding to their engine room. Brisbane lockdown defender Brandon Starcevich is another who has been tied to Essendon as he weighs up his future as a free agent in Queensland. If Sam Draper were to leave, Fremantle's Sean Darcy has been identified as a potential target for the Bombers. Fremantle Reports early in the year suggest ruckman Luke Jackson was a chance of heading for the door, with Fremantle gun tied to a return to the Demons this year despite being contracted until the end of 2029. A move back to the red and blue looked to have relied on Melbourne livewire Kysaiah Pickett heading the other way, however he has since re-signed with the Demons. Fremantle were also said to be interested in Swans gun Chad Warner before he re-signed earlier in the season. Geelong The Cats have been rumoured to be interested in a host of top-line talent this year, looking to add to their big play for Bailey Smith last year. 2024 also saw Geelong make a move for Melbourne's Clayton Oliver, however, no deal arose as the Demons gun was under contract. Geelong are said to have remained interested in Oliver, while former Geelong Falcons pair Sam Walsh and James Worpel have also been tied to Kardinia Park, with the latter a free agent. The Cats are one of several clubs in the chase for Harley Reid, who grew up as a Geelong supporter. St Kilda ruckman Rowan Marshall has also been linked to the Cats should Tom De Koning secure a move to the Saints, while contracted Port Adelaide forward Ollie Lord is another said to be on Geelong's radar. Stunningly, the Cats have been looped into the Luke Jackson situation, however a move back east remains an outside chance at this point. Gold Coast The Suns have been one of the quieter sides on the trade rumour front, with the Queensland club working to retain former No.1 pick Matt Rowell amid strong interest from Victoria. Gold Coast, while equipped with a trio of first-round picks for this year's draft, could remain focused on adding as many as four top 30 prospects from their Academy. The Suns were linked to Geelong defender Sam De Koning as a possible move to bolster their key position stocks, however, the premiership Cat re-signed at Kardinia Park not too long after. GWS Like the Suns, the Giants are likely to have placed more attention on retaining their own talent rather than making moves for rival pieces. GWS have managed to retain Toby Bedford (2029), Finn Callaghan (2029), Connor Idun (2032) and Darcy Jones (2028) to new deals this year in what has been a strong signing run for the New South Wales side. Key defender Leek Aleer looks to be their next target, with the SANFL product said to be in the sights of multiple clubs in 2025. Hawthorn Like the Cats, Magpies and Bombers, the Hawks want to make a big splash this year, given the talented players they've been tied to. Just like those mentioned clubs, Harley Reid and Zak Butters have been reported as players of interest to Hawthorn, who are looking to back up an aggressive 2024 player movement window. West Coast forward Oscar Allen has met with Hawks coach Sam Mitchell as he weighs up his future out west, with Brisbane the other contender in the race for the Eagles skipper. Contracted Carlton midfielder Sam Walsh is another who has been linked to Waverley, with clubs potentially weighing up moves 12 months prior to the onballer hitting free agency, much like Butters. Melbourne The headline target the Demons have been tied to is ex-Melbourne tall and premiership player Luke Jackson, who is said to be potentially open to a return to the red and blue. Jackson left the Demons at the end of 2022 after a successful spell with the Demons and could return to the club if he were to seek a move back to Victoria for personal reasons. Hawthorn onballer James Worpel, who is a restricted free agent, is said to have an interested suitor in Melbourne, who has also been tied to Power tall forward Ollie Lord. Lord would add to an inconsistent Demons forward line - an area the club is keen to bolster, having also been tied to Lions youngster Logan Morris before he re-signed. GWS medium-sized forward Callum Brown is another attacker linked to the Demons, with his sharp set shot kicking a standout that would assist Simon Goodwin's front half plans. North Melbourne The Roos brought in premiership experience with three of their four additions last year, and they could look to follow suit in 2025. Collingwood defender Brayden Maynard had been closely linked with a move to Arden Street, before he signed a new deal with the Magpies. Where the Kangaroos look next remains to be seen, but they were reported to be interested in adding to their backline, having also been linked to Adelaide flanker Wayne Milera prior to his re-signing at West Lakes. Port Adelaide The Power have been tipped as the front-runners to land St Kilda's Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera ahead of state rivals Adelaide, but the Saints could still be the most likely home for in in 2026. The SA side are anticipated to pull out all the stops in their pursuit of the South Australian defender, who would add some run to the club's defence after losing Dan Houston last year. Port Adelaide also has Jase Burgoyne, Miles Bergman and Ryan Burton on their books, but all of those names are without deals for next year. Richmond The Tigers are anticipated to head to the draft again this year, holding two of the earliest picks for the 2025 intake. That hasn't stopped Richmond from being linked to some quality talent, though, with Port Adelaide gun Zak Butters and West Coast's Harley Reid both reportedly on Richmond's radar. The Tigers would have the capital to compete with rivals to secure their services, but whether both players want to opt for Richmond over a contending club will be the question. St Kilda The Saints looked to have been one of the busiest sides this year from a list management standpoint, with some moves in the works while others fell short. Carlton ruckman and free agent Tom De Koning is expected to be more likely to land at Moorabbin than remain with the Blues in what would be a big coup for Ross Lyon. Port Adelaide's Miles Bergman and GWS' Leek Aleer have been tied to the Saints as potential defensive additions. Contracted Blue Sam Walsh and Hawthorn free agent James Worpel are names linked to the club as midfield targets to help boost the engine room. The Saints had been rumoured as a suitor for Luke Davies-Uniacke and Finn Callaghan before they signed long-term extensions, while Adelaide's Wayne Milera also penned a new deal at his club after earning reported interest from St Kilda. Sydney The Swans have been linked to Western Bulldogs forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan in what could be Sydney's latest headline play for a rival's key forward. Ugle-Hagan's future has been up in the air this year due to off-field matters, with a move away from Melbourne anticipated as a likely outcome for the Dogs young gun. Sydney, which has found some issues in the front half this year, could be an ideal landing spot for the Dogs young gun who's potentially chasing a fresh start. Brisbane is the other club that has been linked to Ugle-Hagan, with a potential bidding war on the way. West Coast While the Eagles will take another step in their rebuild this year, the Perth powerhouse has still been linked with more star talent. Collingwood ruckman and Western Australian Darcy Cameron is one name tied to West Coast, who could look to move Matt Flynn to the secondary ruck role at Lathlain Park. Western Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli was also stunningly linked to the Eagles, with a move away from the Kennel unlikely for the Dogs ace. North Melbourne youngster Will Phillips is another said to be on West Coast's radar, with the former Pick 3 selection unlikely to cost the Eagles much on the open market. WA locals Angus Sheldrick and Neil Erasmus from Sydney and Fremantle respectively have also been noted as reported players of interets to West Coast. The Eagles joined Fremantle in hoping to lure Chad Warner out of Sydney, but a new deal with the Swans will mean both sides will have to wait a few more years at least. Western Bulldogs The Dogs are likely to prioritise some in-house names before they look to add to their list, with new deals for Marcus Bontempelli and Tom Liberatore expected, while the club has already re-signed Ed Richards, Sam Darcy and Rory Lobb. As far as potential targets outside of the Kennel, Gold Coast gun Matt Rowell had been linked with the Western Bulldogs before he decided to stay in Queensland for two more years. Port Adelaide star Zak Butters, who grew up supporting the Dogs and would be close to his home of Darely if he trained at Whitten Oval, is another, but is under contract. The Dogs are said to have joined the race for Port Adelaide defender Miles Bergman, who was considering a move back to Victoria but is now tipped to stay in SA.

		P	W	L	PTS	%
1	ADEL	23	18	5	72	139.3
2	GEEL	23	17	6	68	141.5
3	BL	23	16	6	66	114.2
4	COLL	23	16	7	64	122.4
5	GWS	23	16	7	64	115.3
6	FRE	23	16	7	64	109
7	GC	23	15	8	60	124.9
8	HAW	23	15	8	60	120.9

UPDATED: The players your team has been linked to in 2025 – AFL trade news

Here are the names your club has been tied to this year👇

12North Melbourne

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

Latest News

Ranking the 10 best AFL games of 2025

West Coast investigating alleged street fight involving forward

2025 AFL MEGA QUIZ: 25 questions on the year that was

The AFL’s NINE predicted headline makers for 2026

“Pretty pissed” AFL star denied Origin chance amid selection criteria queries

FOLLOW US