Sam Edmund has the latest on several AFL defender rumoured to be out the door in the 2023 AFL Trade Period.
There is less than three months until this year’s player movement period and SEN’s Chief Sports Reporter has made the picture a little clearer.
See the latest updates on the likes of Tom Barrass, Esava Ratugolea, Brandon Zerk-Thatcher and more.
Tom Barrass (West Coast Eagles)
“Tom Barrass, close to a formality to Sydney, I’m hearing,” Edmund began on SEN’s Whateley.
“That will be happening. Signed a five-year deal at the Eagles in 2021 so he’ll need to be traded and that’s the whole point, isn’t it?
“He has currency as the Eagles look to rebuild. Sydney, well they have to give something decent.
“A 27-year-old best and fairest winner and a premiership defender. They have been into him for a while, Sydney. There is a link there and this is not new interest from club to player, but this year it sounds like it’s absolutely happening.”
Esava Ratugolea (Geelong) & Brandon Zerk-Thatcher (Essendon)
“We’ve followed this one closely. Out of contract, out of favour and almost certainly out the door given the greater opportunity and the greater money coming from rival clubs.
“Port Adelaide there again. Hawthorn has come hard and Essendon is also in there for Esava Ratugolea as well.
“Brandon Zerk-Thatcher of course, Kane Cornes mentioned earlier this week going the other way to Port Adelaide from Essendon.
“So for the backs, a bit of movement in the trade period it would seem…
“I just come to Esava and just think that he wanted to stay, but he wanted the opportunity too and they’re just stacked down there, Geelong.
“It’s a no-brainer, you’re out of contract, Ken sold the vision 12 months ago and he will leave for opportunity first and foremost and then security with the contract.”
Ben McKay (North Melbourne)
“I know Port Adelaide has been linked but again, I think they’re more in tune with Esava Ratugolea and others.
“I think Essendon are crying out for a key back. Hawthorn really wants some help for James Sicily, free him up to be the interceptor that he is, and bring someone down to lock down the gorillas as Dennis Pagan would say.
“So I think he’s a chance there as well as Esava.”