AFL trade period 2025 LIVE updates: Demons land the big man who could ultimately replace Max Gawn

Is this a sign Geelong thinks its chances of securing Rowan Marshall are slipping?

The Cats announced late on Thursday they had signed veteran ruckman Rhys Stanley to a one-year contract.

Coincidentally, Stanley started his career as a Saint before crossing to Geelong, a move Marshall, also a ruckman, is hoping to replicate in this trade period.

Stanley was the Cats’ premiership ruckman in 2022 and in this year’s grand final. But there was a school of thought in footy circles that his prospects of a contract in 2026 would be linked to the club’s success landing Marshall.

Stanley signature for another season was announced along with a one-year contract for big-bodied midfielder Mitch Knevitt, who played seven games for the Cats early in 2025.

“Rhys has been a highly valued member of our football program for a decade now and, heading into 2026, will continue to be a great teammate and important member of our squad,” Geelong’s executive general manager of football Andrew Mackie said.

“Mitch is an exciting young player who showed this year what he can produce when given the opportunity, and we are keen to see him continue to learn and develop in our program.”

Melbourne have secured the player they hope will one day succeed Max Gawn as the club’s No.1 ruckman.

The Demons sent a 2027 fourth-round pick to St Kilda for emerging big man Max Heath, who showed promise in four games this year as a key forward and ruckman.

Heath, who turns 23 this month, agreed to a three-year deal with Melbourne, as this masthead revealed last month.

There has been some movement in the Charlie Curnow dealings today, with Gold Coast forward Ben Ainsworth shaping as one of the chess pieces that can see Curnow join the Sydney Swans.

Ainsworth is a strong chance to join Carlton, in what would be a multi-club deal obviously including draft picks going to Carlton as well as the Suns forward.

Sydney forward Will Hayward is another potential player who could land at Carlton, who have made clear that they will drive a hard bargain for Curnow.

Geelong, the other potential landing place for Curnow, have not made the same inroads in discussions as the Swans.

The Suns are seeking to gain Christian Petracca and will secure Jamarra Ugle-Hagan in a cheap trade, and given that they are intent on holding Bailey Humphrey, who has signalled interest in moving back to Victoria, they may need salary cap room to accommodate Petracca’s massive contract of $1.3 to $1.4 million per season for a further four years.

Carlton cannot replace Curnow with a similar player or forward of that calibre, but they can pick up ready-made forwards, such as Ainsworth (and potentially Hayward), who would give them more small and medium-sized goalkicking options, to support Harry McKay.

Carlton would also gain draft compensation for Curnow in any deal, bearing in mind that they have picks nine and 21 from the losses of Tom De Koning and Jack Silvagni.

Bailey Smith’s social media activity is causing some concern at Geelong, with chief executive Steve Hocking admitting they will look at the star’s headline-grabbing posts.

Hocking also strongly denied there was a cover-up in the AFL investigation of the Cats’ third-party payments, which resulted in a $77,500 fine – $40,000 of it suspended.

He added former Geelong chief financial officer Simon Kelleher, who now works at the AFL, was kept out of the league’s extended audit of the club.

While Smith’s move to Geelong and his comeback from a knee reconstruction have been undoubted successes this year, he is a lightning rod for controversy.

Read more here.

Trade history has been made in a deal that sends West Coast’s All-Australian forward Liam Ryan to St Kilda.

The Saints sent a 2026 second-round selection to the Eagles, who traded Ryan and a 2027 third-round pick. This is the first time a pick two years in the future has been involved in a trade.

The deal comes after St Kilda withdrew their interest in GWS defender Leek Aleer.

The Giants had asked for that 2026 second-rounder in early discussions.

Ryan is the fourth recruit for the Saints this off-season, behind ex-Blues Tom De Koning and Jack Silvagni, and former Sun Sam Flanders.

Jamarra Ugle-Hagan has arrived at the Gold Coast ahead of his medical with the Suns and has spoken with Nine.

When asked if he expected to sign with the Suns, Ugle-Hagan replied, “hopefully soon”.

The 23-year-old also confirmed there was no bad blood between himself and the Western Bulldogs.

“I will have love for them [the Western Bulldogs] forever.”

Brisbane want pick 16 from Adelaide in exchange for dual premiership player Callum Ah Chee.

The Lions have not received an offer for Ah Chee, who turned 28 today and has requested a trade to the Crows on a five-year deal. The Lions have offered four years and a trigger for a fifth.

The Crows’ next pick after 16 does not come until 48, which will not satisfy the Lions, but list boss Justin Reid said this week the club would not be giving up their first-round selection.

Pick 16 will likely be pushed out several spots once father-son and academy selections are factored in.

The Lions are after points to claim highly rated academy prospect Daniel Annable, who is tipped to go in the first five, but picks 16 and 17 would give the reigning premiers flexibility to trade up the order or shuffle selections into next year’s draft.

St Kilda have walked away from the Leek Aleer deal despite offering him a four-year deal and also trying to woo him during the 2024 trade period.

There were discussions between the Saints and Giants around a future second-round pick this week, but it would have been diluted by other picks.

But this seems to be a situation of St Kilda changing their mind more than anything else.

Aleer is in Europe on an off-season holiday, and has not met with any other clubs, but potentially a new suitor could emerge.

GWS were always willing to have him back, so he could end up re-signing.

This is an interesting move from the Saints, who have already secured Tom De Koning and Jack Silvagni as free agents, and traded for Sam Flanders.

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