Ollie on the outer, Compo tweak on cards, SOS pursuit won’t affect Howe, Up for grabs?, Tigers weigh options

The chase for Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera’s services is on, with Port Adelaide and Adelaide presenting the 22-year-old with a range of short- and long-term offers to consider as he prepares to make one of the most keenly anticipated decisions by an AFL player in the past decade.

The ante has been upped since the Saints’ midfielder’s form exploded mid-season and amid a changing player market, with Victorian clubs vying for West Coast’s emerging star Harley Reid.

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera is thanked by teammates after spearheading St Kilda’s win over Melbourne on Sunday.

A number of competition sources said Port Adelaide’s financial offer for Wanganeen-Milera would exceed that of the Crows, who sit second on the ladder with several stars in their line-up and poised to enter a premiership window. Both clubs, however, have presented Wanganeen-Milera with serious options that would secure his financial future.

The mega offers to Wanganeen-Milera from across the border present the 2021 No.10 draft pick with the chance to sign a short-term deal that would carry an option to later sign on for an extended period or lock in a longer-term deal from the start.

The Saints would be open to similar options, but if Wanganeen-Milera is to re-sign it’s expected it will only be on a deal lasting two years, not one that locks him to the club for an extended period. The Saints also have big offers in play to attract Carlton’s restricted free agent Tom De Koning and the Giants’ defender Leek Aleer.

The Saints have considerably upped their offer to Wanganeen-Milera. He now stands to earn more than $1.4 million per season if he stays at the club, where he has a good relationship with coach, Ross Lyon, and teammates.

However, he also has a strong pull of home and close friends from his time playing football in Adelaide, and he will not have to sacrifice any money if he decides to return home.

Reid’s asking price, meanwhile, is nudging $2 million per year as agents realise clubs have room to move because the collective bargaining agreement will drive their salary cap up to $18,148,376 per club in 2026.

Sources at various clubs have become annoyed that the money offered to DeKoning and the figures being bandied around Reid have distorted the market for individual players, although they don’t blame Wanganeen-Milera or any club chasing him for responding to the market.

Ironically, the amount St Kilda has offered De Koning has contributed to the inflationary effect in negotiations with their own player Wanganeen-Milera.

Wanganeen-Milera’s form has exceeded Reid’s in 2025 as the game continues to favour an inside-outside player with speed who can use the ball. It has also exceeded the expectations of most football watchers.

He entered the season as a promising rebounding defender who had kicked six goals in 63 games, but has now kicked six goals in the past two matches to have 17 for the season as he has evolved into an explosive and damaging midfielder.

Both Wanganeen-Milera and Reid are considered game-changers, who could help transform whatever club they play for in the next decade.

Wanganeen-Milera’s decision to concentrate on football rather than sign an extension with the Saints before the end of the season is paying off as the market for young talent becomes inflated and his price rises.

He has shown no indication as to what he wants to do next season nor has it affected his performance in any way.

Ollie on the outer

Sydney winger Ollie Florent is yet to commit to a potential fresh start at another club despite being overlooked in seven of the Swans’ past eight matches.

The 27-year-old was a staple in former coach John Longmire’s team, including playing in the 2022 and 2024 grand finals, but has fallen out of favour in Dean Cox’s first season at the helm.

The Swans were cock-a-hoop when Ollie Florent added four years to his contract last year, but he’s been on the outer in 2025.

It is a fascinating situation, given Florent signed a five-year contract extension in May last year to stay at Sydney until the end of 2029 and finished seventh in the club’s best-and-fairest award. He attended Mentone Grammar and played for Sandringham Dragons and Beaumaris before the Swans drafted him.

Florent has averaged almost 18 disposals across 180 games and has many close relationships at the club, particularly with business partner Will Hayward.

His contract status means he could opt to remain in red and white, and back himself to again become a senior regular. Clubs cannot trade players without their consent.

Sydney’s form has improved after a slow start, but they are three wins outside the top eight and set to miss finals for just the fourth time in the past 23 years.

The Swans also have five draftable academy players – Max King, Harry Kyle, Lachie Carmichael, Noah Chamberlain and Kaiden McNamara – but may not match opposition bids on all of them.

Compo tweak on cards

Carlton and West Coast could land a free agent in the upcoming trade period without affecting the compensation they receive for losing Tom De Koning and Oscar Allen to other clubs, as is expected at season’s end.

West Coast Eagles skipper Oscar Allen is in demand as his contract draws to a close, and the Eagles will be compensated if he leaves as a free agent.

The AFL has discussed ideas for better helping clubs at the lower end of the ladder in free agency transactions. One option would be to allow clubs down the ladder to bring in a free agent without it effecting the compensation they receive for losing a free agent of their own.

It is uncertain if the changes to the compensation system are being considered for this year’s trade period.

Under the current rules, clubs are compensated based on their net losses and gains of free agents during the trading. It means clubs who lose a free agent are often reluctant to recruit a free agent in the same trade period in case it dilutes the compensation they stand to receive.

For instance, North Melbourne did not want to recruit a free agent after finishing second bottom in 2023 because the compensation they received for losing Ben McKay to Essendon (pick three in the 2023 national draft) would be affected.

Ben McKay joined Essendon as a free agent, meaning North Melbourne picked up pick three at the 2023 national draft as compensation.

If the new rule being considered was in place at that time the Kangaroos could have landed a free agent and still received pick three for losing McKay. Similarly, the Eagles could receive pick two for the loss of Allen this year and still be in the market to pick up a free agent.

Under current rules, the Eagles’ pursuit of a quality free agent such as West Australian-raised Lions’ defender Brandon Starcevich, who remains out of contract, is complicated by the fact it may affect their compensation for Allen. The clubs might have to trade if that scenario arises.

New football boss Greg Swann told Triple M on Tuesday morning the player movement and draft system had to support equalisation.

“When you get a free agent and you lose a free agent, that nets off. So there might be scope for bottom clubs to grab a free agent and still get the full compensation if they lose a player,” Swann said.

The Blues have offered Jack Silvagni a new contract, but he is entertaining other offers.

SOS pursuit won’t affect Howe

Veteran defender Jeremy Howe won’t be squeezed out at Collingwood by the possible arrival of Jack Silvagni as a free agent.

Howe has received a contract offer from Collingwood of roughly $350,000 to play next year. Howe and the club are also discussing a possible coaching role for him after he finishes playing.

Howe’s importance to Collingwood this year has been underlined by the fact in the four losses they have had this year Howe has often been missing. He did not play against Geelong or Fremantle when they were beaten and was subbed off injured in the defeat to Gold Coast.

An organiser behind the ball, the 35-year-old is recognised as structurally important to the Magpies.

Up for grabs?

Gold Coast midfielder Alex Davies’ 30-disposal effort in his first game of the season against the Brisbane Lions last weekend is set to make him an intriguing name in this year’s trade period.

Davies has struggled for senior opportunities under Damien Hardwick despite consistently winning lots of the ball in the VFL, averaging 23 disposals, 12 contested possessions and 6.5 clearances.

Gold Coast’s Alex Davies dishing off a handpass.

The Western Bulldogs, Collingwood and Geelong all inquired last year about the 23-year-old Suns academy product before he inked a fresh two-year deal in September.

Collingwood’s Finlay Macrae.

Gold Coast added Davies and fellow academy graduate Joel Jeffrey to their list at the end of 2020 without having to match an opposition bid as part of their AFL concessions. Davies has played 33 matches in total, but only one this season.

Collingwood’s Fin Macrae, a top-20 pick in Davies’ draft class, might also need to continue his career elsewhere.

The midfielder returned from shoulder surgery with a bang in the VFL on Saturday night, gathering 29 disposals against Frankston, but has been starved of senior opportunities when healthy.

His contract expires at season’s end, and his future is unlikely to be decided until after the Pies’ flag bid ends.

Tigers weigh options

Rival recruiters expect Richmond to trade one of their projected top-three picks – likely for a future top-end selection – with Queensland academy prospects tipped to dominate the top of the draft.

But the word also is the Tigers are preparing to go on a bid frenzy to keep Gold Coast, Brisbane Lions and potentially Carlton honest with their incoming teenage talent.

Richmond made a significant investment in last year’s draft, taking seven players in the first 28 picks, and eight overall, after trading out Daniel Rioli, Shai Bolton and Liam Baker. But they also traded the No.27 selection and a future second-rounder to North Melbourne, who were desperate to draft Murray Bushrangers swingman Matt Whitlock and parted with their top 2025 pick to do so.

The Kangaroos’ continued struggles this year mean that selection would presently be the No.2 choice, so the Tigers hold that and their own projected No.3 pick.

That is an envious position, but comes with complications, given academy rising stars Zeke Uwland and Dylan Patterson (Gold Coast) and Daniel Annable (Brisbane Lions), and Blues father-son defender Harry Dean are in the mix to be very high selections.

Among the unaligned prospects in Richmond’s sights, behind likely wooden-spooners West Coast, are Calder Cannons ruck-forward Cooper Duff-Tytler, Gippsland Power midfielder Willem Duursma, South Australia’s Larke medallist Dyson Sharp and sweet-kicking Geelong Falcon Josh Lindsay.