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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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

3 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

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 ?

So in other words you'd get rid of Chandler, Fritsch and Sparrow? Seriously, there is no way any of them are staying on 2 year contracts.

IMO we should continue to focus on Bailey Humphrey despite having to trade for him. Let other clubs battle it out for these guys.

I think it depends how we track next year… if we are bottom 4 (we most likely will be) a free agent won’t come to us as they’ll be going to a club close to a flag. Eg- Walsh, Butters.

A play like Zac Bailey who would most likely be after cash, might think about it.

I think next year we go again at trying to lure Bailey Humphrey as he’ll be the perfect age to add to our list.

Until we start showing signs of progressing up the ladder which most likely won’t be for a few years, then we won’t attract a free agent who wants a premiership

2026 RESTRICTED FREE AGENCY LIST

BRISBANE
Zac Bailey

GOLD COAST
Ben King

HAWTHORN
Jarman Impey 

MELBOURNE
Bayley Fritsch

PORT ADELAIDE
Zak Butters

WEST COAST
Bailey Williams

2026 UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENCY LIST

*Denotes player is eligible for free agency after being previously delisted in their career.
^Denotes player is eligible for free agency after previously changing clubs as a free agent. 

ADELAIDE 
James Borlase*
Jordon Butts
Mitch Hinge*
Chayce Jones
Lachie Sholl
Taylor Walker
Tyler Welsh*

BRISBANE 
Darragh Joyce*
Ryan Lester
Lincoln McCarthy
Lachie Neale
Dayne Zorko

CARLTON 
Wade Derksen*
Francis Evans*
Nick Haynes^
Elijah Hollands*
Mitch McGovern
Nic Newman
Zac Williams^

COLLINGWOOD 
Jack Crisp
Jeremy Howe
Tim Membrey^*
Scott Pendlebury
Steele Sidebottom

ESSENDON 
Jade Gresham^
Matt Guelfi
Liam McMahon*
Jaxon Prior*
Will Setterfield*

FREMANTLE 
Bailey Banfield*
Oscar McDonald*
Sam Sturt
Sam Switkowski
Corey Wagner*

GEELONG 
Jed Bews
Mark Blicavs
Patrick Dangerfield
Jake Kolodjashnij
Keighton Matofai-Forbes* 
Jack Martin*
Mark O'Connor
Rhys Stanley
George Stevens*

GOLD COAST 
Oscar Adams*
Caleb Graham
Nick Holman
Ben Jepson*
Lachie Weller
Jarrod Witts

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 
Kieren Briggs
Stephen Coniglio
Toby Greene
Jayden Laverde*
Jake Stringer* 
Conor Stone* 

HAWTHORN 
Jack Gunston
Mitch Lewis
Harry Morrison
Flynn Perez* 

MELBOURNE 
Tom Campbell^
Kade Chandler
Jai Culley*
Tom McDonald
Jake Melksham
Christian Salem
Tom Sparrow

NORTH MELBOURNE 
Aidan Corr^
Luke McDonald
Toby Pink*
Bailey Scott

PORT ADELAIDE
Darcy Byrne-Jones
Ollie Wines

RICHMOND
Nathan Broad
Tom Lynch
Dion Prestia

ST KILDA 
Ryan Byrnes*
Jack Carroll*
Patrick Said*
Liam Stocker*

SYDNEY 
Joel Amartey
Harry Cunningham
Joel Hamling*
Jake Lloyd
Dane Rampe

WEST COAST 
Tom Cole
Jamie Cripps
Matthew Flynn^
Harry Schoenberg*

WESTERN BULLDOGS 
Oskar Baker*
Lachie Bramble*
Ryan Gardner*
Buku Khamis
Tom Liberatore
Lachie McNeil*

Ben King would be nice with Sam Walsh.

Replace JVR who just hasn’t got it.

Any tall defenders worth it here?