AFL trade period LIVE: Blakey’s future uncertain, but Hawks pair on the move as trade period enters final stretch

As we reported earlier, Hawthorn and Gold Coast have completed a trade which delivers Aiden Schubert and Sam Butler to the Suns.

Under the deal, Hawthorn trade out Schubert, Butler, their 2028 first-round pick and the 2027 third-round pick, and receive the Suns’ first-round pick in 2028 and second-round picks in 2027 and 2028.

The two forwards have effectively cost the Suns a couple of future second-round picks. The trade of Schubert to the Suns helped convince the Suns not to match Hawthorn’s offer for Ben King and instead take their compensation pick. It will be interesting how the history books look at these side deals.

Schubert, selection No.23 in last year’s draft, has a five-year deal. He made his AFL debut in round 21.

Butler, 23, has a three-year contract. He struggled for consistent senior selection at Hawthorn, managing eight games this year and a total of 33 in five seasons.

The AFL might not have much chance of signing Powderfinger to perform at next year’s grand final, despite the celebrated Australian band performing its first national tour in 16 years next September and October.

Powderfinger will be in partway through their tour during the expected grand final date of Saturday, October 2, but their tour schedule shows them performing in The Domain in Sydney on October 1 and 2, and October 8 and 9.

That would make it unlikely, based on the current schedule, that Powderfinger could be booked for the AFL decider, but it could fit perfectly with the NRL grand final, which is played on Sunday night.

The NRL has yet to confirm its grand final date for 2027, but after the uproar over its inability to book a headline musical act for this year’s decider, booking the Brisbane-born band could tick a number of boxes.

Perhaps Powderfinger will be too focused on their highly anticipated shows to perform at either grand final, but it’s worth watching as they will be trained up and in peak condition.

Powderfinger headlined the musical acts at the AFL grand final in 2008.

Of all the names that have been mentioned in this year’s trade period, Dan Houston’s remains one of the most intriguing.

Collingwood list manager Justin Leppitsch said any talk around the defender leaving the club was “confusing”, yet at least three rival clubs believe he is being openly shopped around by the Magpies.

Houston hasn’t enjoyed the best start to his Collingwood career since moving from Port Adelaide as a dual All-Australian. Having said that, he did, rather curiously, finish fourth in their best-and-fairest voting this year.

The Magpies are trying to bring in premiership Tiger Jayden Short, but haven’t been willing to entertain using their first- or second-round picks to secure him. Richmond, therefore, are digging their heels in.

Hawk forwards Aidan Schubert and Sam Butler will become Gold Coast players as early as Monday as the Suns bolster their forward line following the loss of Ben King to Hawthorn.

Schubert agreed to a five-year deal last week as the Suns brokered a deal which enabled them to accept compensation for the loss of King, while a Friday visit to the Gold Coast convinced Butler, whose brother Dan played in the 2017 flag at Richmond under Suns coach Damien Hardwick, to also move.

Butler is looking for more opportunities after being unable to cement a spot in the Hawks’ line-up during his six seasons at the club.

A shocking broken leg in 2024 hampered his progress as Nick Watson, Dylan Moore and Jack Ginnivan became Hawthorn’s dynamic trio of small forwards.

The Hawks will enter 2027 with Ben King, Jack Gunston, Mitchell Lewis, Mabior Chol and Calsher Dear as key forwards. Gunston and Chol will be in the final year of their contracts.

Hawthorn are likely to receive second-round draft picks in exchange for the young forwards.

Zak Butters signed a mega-deal worth at least $17 million over nine years at the Western Bulldogs, Ben King committed to Hawthorn for $9 million in the next seven years, and Nick Blakey told the Kangaroos he wants to take up their eight-year, $12 million offer on Friday.

The three blockbuster deals were the centre of attention as the AFL’s trade period reached its halfway point in an uncharacteristic flurry of activity.

Trades will not be officially lodged at the weekend, but the focus will be on Blakey’s bid to get to North Melbourne, where his father is a hero of the 1996 and 1999 premierships.

Sam McClure and Jake Niall report the Roos have prepared for all possible scenarios in Blakey’s short-term future, after their board approved the offer made to him; a deal that would make him one of the highest-paid players in the competition.

Hello everyone and welcome to our AFL trade period blog for day eight.

We have plenty of deals still to be completed and teams will be keen to finalise some deals today ahead of Wednesday’s deadline.

Enjoy the day to come.

Nick Blakey’s path to North Melbourne remains uncertain as Sydney and the Kangaroos aim to ramp up discussions over a blockbuster deal.

Saturday was the calm before the storm, with neither club holding major discussions over Blakey’s future, according to two industry sources with knowledge of the matter.

The Kangaroos’ pick No.6 in this year’s draft shapes as the key component of any trade to send Blakey to the club where his father John played 224 of his 359 games in the 1990s and early 2000s and won two premierships.

The pressure is on North Melbourne to secure a deal for Blakey, having made many unsuccessful bids to poach rival stars, including Richmond champion Dustin Martin, Collingwood star Jordan De Goey, GWS gun Josh Kelly and Swans superstar Isaac Heeney.