The Saints’ aggressive efforts to land free agents have inflated the market, with their offers to Giants’ defender Leek Aleer and De Koning well above market rates, and neither are they going die wondering in their attempt to attract West Coast’s Harley Reid.
The courting of players from other clubs has, according to three competition sources who want to remain anonymous, left senior players at the club with questions about the direction of the club’s list management.
Rowan Marshall and Callum Wilkie remains contracted until the end of 2027.
Wilkie, who has now played 153 consecutive matches since his debut, is expected to remain at the club. But Marshall, who has been linked to Geelong, was less definitive about his future when he was asked a fortnight ago about De Koning’s potential arrival.
Big Roo to continue
North Melbourne forward-ruck Callum Coleman-Jones is set to score a one-year deal to play on next season after another injury-interrupted season.
Injury has made 2025 a struggle at times for Callum Coleman-Jones. Credit: Getty Images
The ex-Tiger, who was traded to the Roos in 2021, has shown promising glimpses at both clubs, but a series of setbacks, including a season-ending Achilles rupture last year and a calf injury early in his comeback game this season, have held him back.
Coleman-Jones has a great opportunity at North, given their shortage of tall players, but will be desperate for an extended injury-free run after playing only 23 senior games in four seasons at Arden Street.
The 26-year-old has kicked 20 goals in 32 matches in a career that started when he was the No.20 pick at the 2017 draft.
Loading
The Kangaroos handed over a 2022 second-round selection, pick 40, in 2021 and veteran defender Robbie Tarrant for Coleman-Jones, picks 42 and 47, plus a future fourth-round selection.
The ruck market will be active this season even though one of the players who was attracting the most interest – Collingwood’s Darcy Cameron is now off the table. Essendon free agent Sam Draper is weighing up offers from the Lions and Adelaide, while Hawthorn’s Ned Reeves has attracted interested.
Another ruckman who is out of contract and playing well in the WAFL is Fremantle’s Liam Reidy, who has found it tough to break into the Dockers’ line-up with Luke Jackson and Sean Darcy, two of the best big men in the competition.
Melksham ponders call
Melbourne forward Jake Melksham, to turn 34 this month, is poised to make the call on whether he extends his 246-game career into next season.
Melksham’s two goals in the Demons’ narrow loss to the Western Bulldogs on Sunday increased his season tally to 31, just one off his personal best from his second year at Melbourne in 2018.
Melksham has become a fan favourite at Melbourne and a highly respected AFL playerCredit: via Getty Images
He has a close relationship with Simon Goodwin, who parted ways with the Demons at the start of last week, from their shared time at Essendon.
Melksham also has a young family, so will weigh all that up when making his call, but is still comfortably a first-choice player for Melbourne, and needs to play into next season to bring up 250 games, given the Demons are out of finals contention.
A decision is unlikely to be made until after the Demons’ campaign ends under caretaker coach Troy Chaplin.
Tall Giant attracts interest
Greater Western Sydney rebuked Melbourne’s interest in 197-centimetre swingman Wade Derksen last year while he was still under contract, but the Demons are set to have competition for him this time.
Darwin-born Derksen – the fifth pick in the 2022 mid-season draft out of WAFL club Peel Thunder – has not played a senior game for the Giants in more than three years on the list, and is out of contract at season’s end.
There are club recruiters who rate Derksen the best key-position player in the VFL, where he averaged 20 disposals and four intercept marks across 13 matches this year, while also swinging forward occasionally. He underwent season-ending toe surgery last month.
It was as a forward at Peel that Derksen emerged on the AFL radar, including kicking four goals against West Coast’s reserves. But he spent most of his time in defence for GWS, who are yet to table an offer to him.
Melbourne remain interested in Derksen, whose options will increase if he ends up being a delisted free agent. The 24-year-old has family in Victoria and Western Australia, where his older brother Zack is enjoying a strong WAFL season as a forward for Perth.
The rebuilding Eagles are among a number of other AFL clubs, in addition to the Demons, monitoring Derksen’s situation. Interested clubs are most excited about his marking potential in attack.
Knevitt never in doubt
Loading
Mitch Knevitt’s contract extension with the Cats is imminent after he made an appearance against Essendon on Friday night, replacing Patrick Dangerfield, who was managed. Knevitt has been a slow build after being drafted at pick 25 in 2021, but he has improved every season and has been unlucky not to play more than six games in 2025.
The Cats have a strong set of youngsters emerging, with George Stevens, who played two games this season, and Ted Clohesy, who has played nine matches this season, including six as a sub, uncontracted.
Meanwhile, Hawthorn have extended star small forward Nick Watson until the end of 2029.
