The list of free agents for 2022 has been revealed, with AFL Media compiling the 104 names.
Some teams like Gold Coast, Adelaide and Carlton don’t have a whole lot to worry about, while Collingwood, Sydney and the Western Bulldogs potentially have a few headaches.
The free agency list includes players who have been previously delisted and those who have previously qualified as free agents.
Of your club’s free agent list, who is their most important signing?
We’ve picked out one for each team – where applicable.
Taylor Walker
Mitch Hinge
Ben Davis
The Crows don’t have a whole lot to worry about in 2022. Walker is likely in his last season, while Hinge didn’t feature last season and Davis played four games.
Darcy Gardiner
Ryan Lester
Daniel McStay
Dayne Zorko
Cam Ellis-Yolmen
Mitch Robinson
Darcy Gardiner and Daniel McStay are the big names for the Lions this year. Both are important key positional posts and are coming into the prime of their careers. McStay will be particularly important this year with Eric Hipwood sidelined early in the season. Dayne Zorko, Ryan Lester and Mitch Robinson are Brisbane lifers.
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Ed Curnow
Matt Kennedy
Jack Newnes
Matt Cottrell
Oscar McDonald
Lochie O'Brien
Matthew Kennedy finished the year with a bang in 2021 and is one of the more interesting players to watch for the Blues this season. Elevating his game again could see him become a key part of Michael Voss’ midfield rotation. Ed Curnow is in the twilight of his career.
Mason Cox
Jordan De Goey
Jamie Elliott
Darcy Moore
Jordan Roughead
Isaac Chugg
Darcy Moore looms as one of the key names in this year’s free agency market as an elite key defender with captaincy credentials. Good luck predicting what will happen with Jordan De Goey this year or whether other clubs would want to take the risk with him. Jordan Roughead and Jamie Elliott likely aren’t going anywhere, but remain important veteran pieces for the Pies.
Dyson Heppell
Michael Hurley
Kyle Langford
Jayden Laverde
Alec Waterman
Jayden Laverde emerged last season from nowhere as a reliable key defender and another strong year would see him command a decent pay rise. It’s a big year for Kyle Langford in that regard to emerge from the shadows, while Dyson Heppell and Michael Hurley aren’t going anywhere.
David Mundy
Alex Pearce
Bailey Banfield
Connor Blakely
Mitch Crowden
Fremantle doesn’t have a whole lot to worry about here. Alex Pearce needs to prove he can get his body right, but he certainly has a role to play for the Dockers if he does. David Mundy will seemingly just accept one-year deals at Freo for the next half-decade.
Luke Dahlhaus
Tom Hawkins
Shaun Higgins
Joel Selwood
Isaac Smith
Given the age of their list, Geelong has a number of veterans on the free agency list, but it’s hard to see them being too concerned about any of the names above leaving. Captain Joel Selwood is nearing the end and Tom Hawkins will certainly finish as a Cat.
Levi Casboult
Jez McLennan
As a very young team, Gold Coast has tumbleweeds in the free agency space.
Jarrod Brander
Matt De Boer
Lachlan Keeffe
Adam Kennedy
Zach Sproule
Jacob Wehr
GWS has a few depth and recently delisted players on the free agency list this year. None are likely to be huge factors in the movement period.
Jack Gunston
Daniel Howe
Ben McEvoy
Liam Shiels
James Sicily
Kyle Hartigan
Coming off a torn ACL, James Sicily will return to the Hawthorn backline with the hopes of reminding the league of his talents. The Hawks will likely see him as a future captaincy candidate and will certainly have the cap space. Jack Gunston attracted interest in the previous trade period, but has clearly shown his commitment to finishing his career a Hawk – who knows if that will change in eight months.
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Angus Brayshaw
Jayden Hunt
Mitch Brown
Majak Daw
Angus Brayshaw emerged as one of the most important wingmen in the AFL last season. Assuming he has another season at that level, will the reigning premiers have the salary cap space to keep him? Would another team make a big play for him? Jayden Hunt played 20 games for Melbourne in 2021, but ultimately didn’t feature when available for selection in finals.
Ben Cunnington
Todd Goldstein
Kayne Turner
Josh Walker
Kyron Hayden
Kayne Turner missed the entire 2020 season, but has featured in 21 or more games for the Roos in every other season since 2018. While at this stage he won’t command a huge amount of attention, he is a key cog for the Roos and one they have to re-sign. Ben Cunnington, given his personal circumstances, has bigger fish to fry and Todd Goldstein could be one to watch if the Roos want to move more towards Callum Coleman-Jones and Tristan Xerri. But the ruckman has previously staved off interest from elsewhere and remained loyal to the Roos.
Karl Amon
Travis Boak
Robbie Gray
Steven Motlop
Sam Skinner
Trent Dumont
Sam Mayes
Trent McKenzie
Karl Amon should have made the All-Australian team last year playing as an outside midfielder, with his speed and ball-use a key part of Port Adelaide’s success. He will certainly be one of the more interesting names in free agency this year, but has carved out the perfect role for him at the Power. Robbie Gray and Travis Boak are unquestionably finishing their careers at Alberton.
Trent Cotchin
Shane Edwards
Kane Lambert
Jack Riewoldt
Jayden Short
Bigoa Nyuon
Matthew Parker
Ben Miller
A best and fairest winner in a premiership year, Jayden Short is coming into the prime of his career and is clearly the biggest name for Richmond to sign this season. The quartet of veterans aren’t going anywhere and the others remain unproven.
Jarryn Geary
Tom Campbell
Mason Wood
Darragh Joyce
Nothing for the Saints to worry about here.
Harry Cunningham
Lance Franklin
Isaac Heeney
Josh Kennedy
Jake Lloyd
Sam Naismith
Sam Reid
Robbie Fox
Lewis Taylor
Paddy McCartin
It's hard to know where to start with the Swans. Isaac Heeney is obviously the biggest signing here given his age and potential stardom, but seems like a Swans lifer. Jake Lloyd is one of the more consistently elite rebound defenders in the competition, but will be 29 next season. Lance Franklin is finally coming off his mammoth contract, but could he go around again? Josh Kennedy, Harry Cunningham and Sam Reid are stalwarts and Sam Naismith simply needs to find some continuity after years derailed by injury.
Shannon Hurn
Josh Kennedy
Nic Naitanui
Jackson Nelson
Luke Shuey
Jamaine Jones
The Eagles have four big-name veterans on the free agency list who aren’t going anywhere bar an enormous collapse and a desire to rebuild. Jackson Nelson has been a key part of the West Coast backline for two years now and needs to be re-signed.
Zaine Cordy
Bailey Dale
Caleb Daniel
Taylor Duryea
Jason Johannisen
Jack Macrae
Stefan Martin
Toby McLean
Mitch Wallis
The Bulldogs have a few All-Australians to worry about this year. Jack Macrae is the biggest name, but has already put it on record that he doesn’t want to leave. Bailey Dale and Caleb Daniel are coming off stellar seasons down back, but a lot will depend on their performances this season. Jason Johannisen and Mitch Wallis have big seasons ahead of them to earn regular games, while Toby McLean is once again rehabbing a torn ACL.