Brad Johnson and Gerard Healy have gone through the free agent list to see which players they’d target this off-season.
While there are some star names on the restricted free agent list including Hugh McCluggage, Will Hayward and Tim English whom clubs will obviously target, the duo looked instead at unrestricted free agents.
These unrestricted free agents can simply walk to any side of their choice, with their current clubs unable to match bids on their services if the player chooses to depart.
While the star factor isn’t quite there, Johnson and Healy attempted to unearth some gems that they think should be targeted by rival clubs.
They named 13 players in that bracket on SEN’s Sportsday and discussed them with Kane Cornes.
Check them out below (named in team order):
Bailey Banfield (Fremantle)
Johnson: “Bailey Banfield is one we’d look at.”
Cornes: “Love him … his last quarter he kicked two goals and had nine disposals (in Round 7). You’d love to see him at the Bulldogs. He’d be perfectly suited as a high-half forward.”
Jack Henry (Geelong)
Johnson: “You’ve got Jack Henry who is an excellent defender.”
Brandan Parfitt (Geelong)
Johnson: Parfitt can play some good footy when given consistent moments behind the ball.”
Tyson Stengle (Geelong)
Healy: “He was All-Australian two years ago.”
Sean Lemmens (Gold Coast)
Johnson: “Gold Coast has Sean Lemmens who I know you rate.”
Healy: “Yep. I’d go after Lemmens.”
Darcy Macpherson (Gold Coast)
Healy: “I like Macpherson as a solid player in the competition.”
Isaac Cumming (GWS)
Johnson: “Isaac Cumming in particular could go to the next level. I think he’s got a high upside.”
Harry Perryman (GWS)
Connor Nash (Hawthorn)
Healy: “He had a good year last year but is struggling this year.”
Adam Tomlinson (Melbourne)
Healy: “He seems too good a player to not be in an AFL side somewhere … he’d be first picked at North Melbourne.”
Jack Graham (Richmond)
Johnson: “He’d be solid wherever he went.”
Josh Battle (St Kilda)
Johnson: “The upside is pretty strong. He could demand a reasonable whack in terms of pay.”
Healy: “What you see is what you get. You know you’re going to get a 7/10 for 22 weeks a year.”
Elliot Yeo (West Coast)
Johnson: “The other one is Elliot Yeo (who I would chase).”
