Kane's Countdown: The 10 clubs most nervous about losing star players

Kane Cornes has ranked the AFL teams that are the most nervous about losing a star player in the upcoming trade and free agency period.

With a number of big-name players running down their contracts, and a range of stars prepared to request a move, clubs across the competition are beginning to sweat on the ultimate decision of their key personnel.

Looking into 10 players that are potentially on the move, Cornes ranked each club, including two duplicates and one club with three potential moves before 2027.

“Which teams would be the most nervous about a star player that hasn’t signed yet?” Cornes told SEN’s Locked In.

See his list below:

1. Port Adelaide – Zak Butters

“Zak Butters is not signing, and he doesn’t appear to be signing any time soon,” Cornes said.

“He would have made his decision six to 12 months ago.”

2. St Kilda - Darcy Wilson

“Is two Brisbane with Zac Bailey, or is two St Kilda with Darcy Wilson?

“I think it’s more St Kilda. This would be an unmitigated disaster.

“They tell me, those in the know, that the Saints are very confident that something is going to be announced reasonably soon.

“They are not worried about Darcy Wilson.”

Sam Edmund added: “Isn’t Zac Bailey a better player?”

Cornes: “Yes, but Wilson is 20. Brisbane, I think, have the depth to be able to regroup.

“I think if he leaves, they’ll still be a reasonable chance to gather themselves and have another crack at it. Maybe the last dance under Chris Fagan next year.

“But, if Wilson leaves after splashing the cash on all these, meaning you can’t keep or match the deals coming for him, at 20 years of age, as probably with Max King out, their second most important player now.

3. Brisbane – Zac Bailey

4. Gold Coast – Bailey Humphrey

Cornes: “It might be a triple threat for Gold Coast. Contracted, they’ve said he is not going anywhere so they control it, but any nerves with him?”

Edmund: “I’d elevate him. I’d elevate him right up. I reckon he is in the conversation for three. I reckon they are that worried about it. He comes and goes a bit, Bailey, with his thinking about what the wants to do. History would suggest that if you knock hard two years in a row, you generally get your way, contracted or not, in the second year, and there is no shortage of suitors for this guy. Whether they can offer something meaningful remains to be seen, but I think they are pretty nervous about Bailey Humphrey.”

5. Gold Coast – Ben King

Cornes: “I heard a few weeks ago that this was done, and he’s staying for two years. Until I see concrete evidence of this, can we lock in Gold Coast as the fifth most nervous?”

Edmund: “They’ll be nervous until he signs. I still think he does ultimately sign, but as we know, the longer these things go, you wonder, what is the hold-up here?

“Maybe the bye period will be – in the next couple of weeks, when all clubs have had their bye – we get a resolution here.”

6. Gold Coast – Jed Walter

Edmund: “If you’re not nervous about Benny, you’re nervous about Jed Walter.”

“He is five. Gold Coast are four, five and six. I don’t know if they can keep both, or if both want to stay.

“Not sure what the market is like for Jed Walter, and what a team like a Collingwood would be willing to pay in terms of conversations for a draft pick.”

7. GWS Giants – Toby Greene

8. GWS Giants – Jesse Hogan

Edmund: “The Giants wouldn’t want to lose Jesse Hogan, would they?”

Cornes: “Or Toby. I think the Giants are in the mix. They would definitely be in the top 10.”

9. Sydney – Joel Amartey / Hayden McLean

Edmund: “Sydney have got a couple of forwards as well.”

Cornes: “Dean Cox did say to us he was starting to get a fraction nervous about Joel Amartey.”

Edmund: “A lot of clubs coming for Hayden McLean as well. He is contracted, but as we know, if a player says, ‘I want out, trade me’, then generally they get their way, whether they are in contract or not.”

10. Essendon – Zach Merrett

Cornes: “I’m not sure how nervous he would be making them right now.”