The list of Free Agents for 2026 is out - it doesn't seperate free or restricted - but there could be a few names on here we could look at. We know we've got far less salary cap restraints after the recent trade period. From the list below the bigger names are obviously Butters, Walsh, Bailey and Ben King, but Mitch Lewis, Jordon Butts, Hinge, P.Voss, Amartey and B.Williams are all under 28 and could fill roles for us (talls at either end).

Interestingly we have the most names on the list, but I think at least 4 of ours will retire (May, TMac, Melk & Campbell).

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Quartet headline 2026 out-of-contract stars as every AFL...

Quartet headline 2026 out-of-contract stars as every AFL club’s list of free agents revealed

MELBOURNE

Tom Campbell veteran

Kade Chandler 🔒 2 years

Jai Culley ??

Bayley Fritsch 🔒 2 years

Steven May veteran

Tom McDonald Veteran

Jake Melksham veteran

Christian Salem. 2 years?

Tom Sparrow 2 years ?

I'll take Walsh and Bailey, thanks.

Bailey would be kind of a hybrid successor to Nibbler and Melksham, which we definitely want. Not much needs to be said. Brisbane is looking at the Salary cap squeeze to end all salary cap squeeze, surely?

Walsh because he is an in-and-out midfielder with enough utility to help cover the succession of whichever of Viney, Steele, Salem and Langdon begins to fade and isn't naturally covered as the kids develop.

Walsh has played with all manner of niggles over the last few years, and I think people underrate his 'fundamentals' a bit because of the obscene Daicos-level hype he copped early in his career. If you slot him in mentally as a 'valuable, versatile utility' rather than the hyped no.1 pick, he's a great addition to a team.

Fingers crossed he has a poor 2026 and falls out of love with Carlton, comes cheap and then gets his body right for us, ready for the 2028 premiership.

All in on butters.

Bailey would also be super