Trade Radio: Dons lead charge for wantaway Cat, Blues ruck exodus

Trade Radio has returned for 2026!

AFL.com.au's Cal Twomey and Riley Beveridge are back with the latest trade news just weeks out for the beginning of the trade period.

Josh Gabelich joined the Gettable pair across the hour.

Read the latest from Trade Radio on Thursday, 24th of September:

Zach Merrett / Noah Mraz

“Hawthorn and Essendon are two clubs with plenty going on,” Beveridge said.

“Hawthorn are trying to bring in Zach Merrett; they are trying to bring in Ben King.

“Essendon would like Noah Mraz, and they are also set to meet Jack Bowes. They’ve got some interest in Sam Marshall from the Brisbane Lions – they are one of two clubs still in the race for Marshall alongside St Kilda.

“They’ve got some interest in Luke Pedlar from Adelaide, who also has interest from Port Adelaide.

“Hawthorn of course has the Calsher Dear situation ongoing; they’ve got a contract on the table for him, but he’s clearly got some interest, most notably from Melbourne.

“He is still yet to make his mind up. They are two clubs with plenty on the agenda, but clearly, one man that I think is going to dominate these talks is Zach Merrett.”

Twomey: “Second-time running, two years in a row.

“I think the Essendon assault for Noah Mraz is a better move than last year, in that you at least throw something up and have a crack at it during the trade period.

“If it washes, then it washes. If it doesn’t, then you’d have at least shown that you targeted someone. And to be honest, I think he is a good target.

“He is a target that Gold Coast has tried for as well – he is not going to take up that.

“Does the option of more money on the table plus a Victorian club, where he is from, turn his head?

“I think the likelihood is no, but I think it’s more aggressive for them to actually play the card and use their salary cap space as an advantage, because it is a very hard sell otherwise.”

Jack Bowes

Gabelich: “He has got options, doesn’t he. He has offers at all three clubs (Geelong, Essendon and North Melbourne) as Cal Twomey reported a few weeks ago.

“North Melbourne has come for him across the second half of this year.

“I think Essendon has had the most interest, but that interest dates all the way back to 2022 when he considered going there from the Gold Coast Suns before joining Geelong.

“He’s very settled in Geelong but has played nine senior games this year. Played a lot more VFL football than ever before and has to make a move for his future.

“It looks like he’s going to be a three-club player.”

Sam Marshall

“He has narrowed his call down to either Essendon or St Kilda,” said Beveridge.

“St Kilda has a three-year deal on the table for him; Essendon hasn’t tabled a deal officially, but I think they’ve made it clear that it will look like a three-year deal when it comes to that.

“He’s got a link to the Bombers through Mark McVeigh who coached him as a bottom-ager at the Allies.”

Flynn Riley / Hudson O’Keeffe

Beveridge: “The situation involving Carlton and what they do with their rucks, particularly in the depth department (is interesting).

“I think Marc Pittonet will clearly go into next year as the number one ruck at Carlton.

“Flynn Riley has requested a trade to Collingwood and Hudson O’Keeffe is weighing up a new deal at the Blues or whether or not he pursues the interest from the Western Bulldogs.

“They are clearly going to need one (ruckman) when Flynn Riley goes, but do they need two if Hudson O’Keeffe leaves as well?”

Gabelich: “These names are two names that I wasn’t expecting to think about a fortnight ago.

“How have we got to a situation where Flynn Riley is wanting to move to Collingwood, and what’s the situation with Hudson O’Keeffe at the Western Bulldogs?”

Beveridge: “Carlton went to Flynn Riley with a two-year deal.

“Collingwood went with a three-year deal with a trigger for a fourth – it is essentially a four-year deal and a lot of people around it have said that.

“He has been open to that. He has wanted a bit more long-term security and more chances as a senior player – only got one game at the Blues in the four months that he was there.

“Carlton not only drafted him, but they gave him the opportunity in the first place through it’s VFL program.

“Then they elevated him to the senior list, he got a game for them in the year… did he more to the Blues around that?”

Twomey: “He’s another story of the kid who barracked for the team that he ended up being traded for.

“He was a genuinely massive Collingwood supporter growing up, and I think that played a part in his decision.”

Beveridge: “It’s going to leave an interesting period ahead for the Blues in terms of chasing rucks and replacing them.

“I don’t think Carlton thought six weeks ago they’d be in a situation where they might need one, let alone two rucks.

“They’ve got Liam Reidy, who is a capable backup behind Marc Pittonet, but I think they would want another one.”