Tom Morris' comprehensive AFL trade & contract update on Silvagni, Thomas, Hawkins, Dusty & more
Tom Morris has rung the Trade Bell!
See his thoughts on a number of players set to feature (or not) in this year’s trade period.
Liam Shiels (North Melbourne)
“Liam Shiels is likely to play on, he’ll turn 33 in April and the club is keen for him to hang around for at least one more season,” he began on SEN's Whateley.
“He will eventually transition into list management and recruiting… my information is he will play on next year.”
Todd Goldstein (North Melbourne)
“If he wants to play at North, there will be an offer for him at North.
“I guess there’s three options for Todd. Does he play on at North, does he play someone else or does he retire? I’m told the third option is the least likely.
“It looks like he’ll be playing somewhere next year.”
Tarryn Thomas (North Melbourne)
“Mitch Cleary reported last night there’s some interest from Essendon in Tarryn Thomas.
“He is contracted for next year, he’s on good cash. So North will drive a hard bargain, a late teens first round pick won’t do it. They’ll want more than that.
“So whether Essendon is willing to give up its top 10 pick is yet to be seen.”
Chad Wingard (Hawthorn)
“The very likely outcome is Chad Wingard earns a deal at Hawthorn now. Very likely. Whether this is a one-year or two-year deal may hinge on what the surgeon says later this week or early next week, we know he has that Achilles injury from late in the season.
“Reading between the lines, I reckon a one-year deal is very much on the cards if the surgeon believes he will be back by halfway through next year or even earlier.
“If he can’t, I think Hawthorn would be open to a two-year deal, probably on minimum sort of money, but I can’t see him being anywhere else next year… those negotiations had begun even before he got injured.”
Jack Silvagni (Carlton)
“In the middle of the year around the bye, Silvagni was floated to many clubs around the AFL as potential trade bait.
“At the time, Carlton believed it was likely to lose Tom De Koning and would have offered Silvagni a deal then and there if Silvagni said he wanted to stay. But the Blues were respectful of his wish to explore other options.
“Some clubs showed preliminary interest, but ultimately, there was no takers for Silvagni… So the Blues moved on… I can confirm now that Jack Silvagni has told Carlton he wants to re-sign with them.
“So that looks like the very likely option, unless a rival club comes from the clouds, which I don’t think will happen now.
“So Silvagni will stay, it looks as if, and dialogue is ongoing between the two parties. The deal will be one or two years, it won’t be more than that.
“There is little doubt Silvagni would have explored a new home if there was one. There wasn’t one, he’s gone back to Carlton and they’re saying, ‘okay, we’ll keep you, but on our own terms’.”
Liam Henry (Fremantle)
“Liam Henry has requested a trade and my information is he’s a fair way away from settling on a club.
“The reports that Hawthorn, St Kilda and North Melbourne all like him are true… what’s not as well established is what the Dockers would ask for.
“My belief is they’d request a mid-late first round pick as a starting point. They currently don’t have a selection before pick 21, having given away their 2023 first round pick to Melbourne in the infamous Luke Jackson trade.
“This gives them scope to get back in the first round…”
Dustin Martin (Richmond)
“I said to weeks ago to hold the Dusty chat and I still believe that… in fact, I’m probably even more resolute on that now. Damien Hardwick has not been pushing for him behind the scenes, even though he was coy in public he hasn’t been pushing for him.
“There is a private understanding with key decision makers at the Gold Coast Suns that the only way this is even remotely possible is if Dusty agrees to take a pay cut next year and even then, Richmond would have to say yes, which I don’t think they’re going to do.
“If Dusty ends up on the Gold Coast, I firmly believe it will be ahead of the 2025 season as a free agent, not ahead of the 2024 season.”
Tom Hawkins (Geelong)
“I don’t want to overstate this as I think he’ll stay on a one-year deal.
“But as we sit here today there’s some back and forth with Geelong over the money and that’s why it hasn’t been done yet.
“I think he’ll stay, It’s not a Darcy Parish situation, but that’s why it hasn’t been done yet.”