The big AFL player movement period is over for the year, but there are still a few AFL-ready players who could find their way to new clubs via delisted free agency.
Clubs will have the ability to sign any delisted free agents between November 3-9, as most have already announced the players who won’t be offered a new contract for 2023.
Any uncontracted players can also be picked up via the AFL Draft, with the most common path being through the rookie draft.
Clubs can also sign ‘train-on’ players over the pre-season, and should they have a list spot available through a long-term injury or sudden retirement, can sign a train-on player to their list ahead of the season.
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Jed Anderson (North Melbourne)
Anderson’s time at North Melbourne concludes with the midfielder on 99 AFL games, with 89 of them at the Roos.
The tough inside midfielder will be one of the hottest DFA prospects on offer this year, his services lucrative to plenty of clubs.
Anderson averaged 22 disposals, 4.1 tackles and 3.6 clearances from his 14 games in 2022, with his ball-winning and tackling ability highlights of his game.
He’d be a good fit for plenty of clubs, so don’t be surprised if plenty come calling.
Would suit: Anderson could fit in well alongside Touk Miller at Gold Coast, while he’d be a good addition to Essendon’s midfield stocks. Carlton was reportedly interested a few years ago, or could he return to his original club, Hawthorn?
Connor Blakely (Fremantle)
Blakely was axed from the Dockers’ list after 78 games in seven seasons at the club.
At his best, he’s shown he can be a versatile and impactful midfielder or half-back, but didn’t feature at AFL level for the Dockers in 2022, overlooked in favour of younger talent.
Blakely averaged 24.9 disposals and 5.1 marks for Peel Thunder in the WAFL in 2022, and at 26, he’d be worth a look for any club after an AFL-acquainted midfielder.
Would suit: Blakely has already been linked to a move to the Gold Coast Suns, while Essendon expressed interest in him in 2020. Could also be a good addition to North Melbourne’s list.
Jarrod Brander (GWS)
A former first-round draft pick, Brander crossed to the Giants from West Coast as a delisted free agent in 2021.
Playing as a key defender, Brander featured at AFL level five times for the Giants in 2022, averaging 5.2 marks and 13 disposals per game.
The 23-year-old was valued in his draft year for his versatility and ability to swing forward, so could be a handy pickup for any club looking for either a key defender, key forward or versatile tall.
Jarrod Brander has his first as a Giant ????#AFLGiantsSwans pic.twitter.com/7lM9xLotRA
— AFL (@AFL) March 19, 2022
Would suit: Carlton was linked to Brander in 2021, while he’d be handy for the likes of Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs to bolster their key position stocks.
Riley Collier-Dawkins (Richmond)
Selected with pick 20 in the 2018 draft, Collier-Dawkins had to wait over two years for an AFL debut, which he made in 2021.
Perhaps one of the unluckiest delistings of 2022, Collier-Dawkins only managed 11 AFL games in his time at the Tigers, and seems to have been squeezed out by the arrival of former Giants Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper.
Collier-Dawkins averaged 21.4 disposals and 4.9 tackles at VFL level in 2022, and would be an excellent addition to any club looking for a young, big-bodied mid. At just 22, he’d be a handy and relatively risk-free pickup given his upside.
Would suit: Essendon bolstered its inside midfield stocks in the Trade Period with the addition of Will Setterfield but would be a good suitor, while St Kilda, Hawthorn and North Melbourne could be good fits as well.
Welcome to the big time Riley Collier-Dawkins ????#FootyOhWhatAFeeling | #AFLTigersGiants pic.twitter.com/jLspCKae5u
— AFL (@AFL) May 15, 2021
Francis Evans (Geelong)
Perhaps lower profile than some other Delisted Free Agents on offer, Evans still seems likely to find a new home.
He managed just seven games and three goals in his time at the Cats, but Port Adelaide was reportedly keen on signing the medium forward during the trade period.
The 21-year-old booted 30.19 in the VFL this year with the Cats, and was also given some midfield time across the season. He averaged 3.5 marks and 3.1 tackles across the season, a good spread of skills.
Would suit: Expect Evans to end up at the Power, given the club’s interest in him during the trade period.
Patrick Naish (West Coast)
The former Richmond father-son pick was signed by West Coast as a pre-season supplemental selection ahead of the 2022 season, and featured throughout the year as the Eagles were struck down by injury and Health and Safety Protocols.
He was perhaps the Eagles’ best player early in the year, averaging 21.4 disposals across the first eight games of the season.
Given a consistent shot in a young, rebuilding side, Naish could be a handy pickup.
Would suit: Two teams in particular fit that bill – Hawthorn and North Melbourne. The 23-year-old trained with St Kilda at the beginning of the year – could they be keen again this time around?
Embed from Getty ImagesQuinton Narkle (Geelong)
A victim of a strong list, Narkle has shown throughout his AFL career that he’s got the talent to consistently shine.
The midfielder has 41 AFL games to his name but featured eight times in 2022. Narkle’s career-best season came in 2021, when he played 16 games, averaging 17.9 disposals and 3.3 clearances during the year.
Embed from Getty ImagesClubs would be silly to overlook Narkle, particularly those needing a dynamic midfielder. It’d be a surprise if he’s not at an AFL club in 2023.
Would suit: West Coast has already expressed strong interest in Narkle, who hails from WA, but could Fremantle be an option for the ex-cat? It’s slightly less west, but the 24-year-old would also fit in well at Adelaide.
Jack Newnes (Carlton)
Newnes is one of the most experienced delisted free agents on offer this year, notching up his 200th game in 2022.
At 29, Newnes’ career could easily be at its end, but over his 52 games at the Blues was serviceable and consistent, averaging 16.5 disposals and 4.6 marks in 2022.
He’d suit a club looking for some experience and outside run, and can hit the scoreboard when needed.
Would suit: Newnes is most famous for his exploits against the club, but could he cross to Fremantle, who just traded Blake Acres to the Blues? Newnes could also cross back to St Kilda where he began his career, while the Western Bulldogs lost some outside run during the trade period.
JACK NEWNES WINS IT AFTER THE SIREN ????#AFLFreoBlues pic.twitter.com/Rs9qmX1fup
— AFL (@AFL) August 15, 2020
Tom Phillips (Hawthorn)
Another dynamic wingman, Phillips could only manage four games for the Hawks in 2022.
At his best, Phillips is one of the most damaging wingmen in the AFL, finishing sixth in Collingwood’s best and fairest in a Grand Final year in 2018.
That year, Phillips averaged 25.5 disposals and 5.7 marks, but wasn’t able to replicate that form at the Hawks, having battled injury in his time at the club.
A fresh start could produce a return to form for Phillips, who at 26 should still have years worth of footy ahead of him.
Would Suit: Essendon has expressed interest in Phillips, while the Saints have also been linked to his services. But could he change stripes for a second time and don the blue and white at North Melbourne?
Caleb Poulter (Collingwood)
Another head-scratcher, Poulter attracted rival interest during the Trade Period, so it’s hard to see him without a club for 2023.
Poulter impressed in 11 games for the Pies in 2021, but could only manage a solitary match this season. He’d be a great addition for a side looking for outside run, but at 194cm also provides a presence on the field.
The 20-year-old averaged 15 disposals, five marks and two tackles per game last year, and from a small sample size has certainly displayed his capability as an AFL-level footballer.
Would suit: Poulter has been linked to a move home to the Crows, with strong interest from the Suns as well. He reportedly toured Waverley Park after Hawthorn inquired about his services, and would certainly be a good addition for all three clubs.
Sydney Stack (Richmond)
Another shock delisting this year, Stack burst onto the scene in 2019 as a pre-season rookie selection for the Tigers. He capped off a brilliant first year by finishing third in the Rising Star.
After a challenging 2020 as he faced some disciplinary and legal issues, Stack returned to some consistent form in late 2021, playing the Tigers’ last 7 games and establishing a spot in defence.
Stack’s 2019 season showed his toughness and ruthlessness around the ball, and there are plenty of clubs who’d love to have a player of his ilk in their side.
Would suit: The Eagles and Dockers could be suitable for Stack as a Perth-born product, while he’d be a good addition at the Crows. The rebuilding Hawks could also be a fit for the hard nut. Geelong certainly rejuvenated the previously troubled career of Tyson Stengle, could they recruit Stack and do the same?
Liam Stocker (Carlton)
Surprise delistings seem to be the flavour of the year, and Blues fans were certainly up in arms that Stocker wasn’t offered a contract for 2023.
Unable to lock down a consistent spot in the Blues’ side, Stocker played mostly in the backline, rather than the midfield, for which he was drafted.
Another tough player, Stocker would suit a club with the ability to give him consistent midfield minutes or a dual midfield/half-back role, unlocking his ball-winning ability.
Stocker averaged 24.8 disposals and 5.5 marks for Carlton’s VFL side in 2022, a level of proficiency hehe could easily translate to AFL level with consistent selection.
Would suit: Stocker has been heavily linked to Essendon, where he could join former Blues teammate Will Setterfield, while the Hawks and Saints are also reportedly keen on his services.
Mitch Wallis (Western Bulldogs)
A favourite son and former vice-captain at the Dogs, Wallis’ 162-game career at the ‘Kennel’ has come to an end.
At 29, Wallis is on the experienced end of the scale when it comes to this year’s delistings, but he could be a shrewd pickup for a club looking for an experienced head.
Wallis led the Bulldogs’ goalkicking in 2020, and could serve as a good mentor for a club with a young forward line.
Would suit: Carlton’s small forward group could certainly benefit from someone like Wallis, while North Melbourne could do far worse than adding his experience to their ranks.
A Son of the West who poured his heart into our football club for 12 years.
— Western Bulldogs (@westernbulldogs) October 17, 2022
Mitch ❤️???????? pic.twitter.com/zaJgCL12An
Could a ‘retired’ pair backflip and sign on?
There’s a watch on Mitch Robinson (Brisbane) and Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti (Essendon), who announced their retirements under vastly different circumstances in 2022.
Robinson has expressed that he’d be open to moving to a third AFL club if one expressed interest, with no obvious suitors just yet.
McDonald-Tipungwuti announced his retirement to the shock of many earlier in the season. He was linked during the AFL trade period to a move to Fremantle, while Essendon would certainly be open to welcoming the crafty small forward back to the Hangar.
Other delisted free agents to keep an eye on
Jake Aarts (Richmond), Jackson Callow (Hawthorn), Connor Downie (Hawthorn), Martin Frederick (Port Adelaide), Jack Madgen (Collingwood), James Rowe (Adelaide), Jake Stein (GWS), Nick Stevens (Geelong), Tom Williamson (Carlton)