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2026 free agents revealed: Red-hot Lion among footy's most wanted
A sensational finals series has shot Zac Bailey into the upper echelon of wanted players
ZAC Bailey has joined Zak Butters, Sam Walsh and Ben King in the top rung of in-demand free agents in 2026 after his career-best campaign ended in a brilliant Grand Final.
Bailey could have produced one of the all-time Grand Final performances on Saturday if not for inaccuracy, with the Brisbane star kicking 3.6 from 23 disposals in the dominant win over Geelong. He finished third in the Norm Smith Medal voting.
It only further boosted his stocks after claiming his first All-Australian jacket this year, as rivals including Essendon and both South Australian clubs set themselves for significant tilts at the Brisbane gamechanger.
AFL.com.au revealed last month the Bombers were preparing an offer of at least six years, worth more than $8 million – a club record – for Bailey as he hits free agency, while his South Australian links will have both local clubs keen. Bailey has signed his last two deals in between seasons, with Brisbane keen to lock him in again over summer.
Before the start of this year's free agency window on Friday, AFL.com.au has compiled the full club-by-club list of players who will be free agents in 2026.
Port tabled an eight-year extension to Butters earlier this season which would have been the biggest deal in history had he signed it, but he will head into next season as the most in-demand free agent in the AFL with the Western Bulldogs and Geelong leading the Victorian clubs in chasing the superstar midfielder.
Walsh, too, will have the Cats as a major suitor, with the Blues vice-captain expected to take time to work through his free agency call. Butters, King and Walsh are all members of the 2018 draft class, which hits free agency for the first time, while Bailey will be a nine-year free agent after being a first-round pick in 2017.
They are among the more than 90 players who qualify as free agents heading into next year before this year's trade period begins, with Melbourne currently having a competition-high nine players set to be free agents next season.
The list includes the likes of Steven May, Liam Ryan and Buku Khamis, who are all exploring new homes whilst under contract at their current clubs for next year, but does not include players who are unsigned for next year who would qualify as if they penned one-year extensions.
Players such as Adelaide's Mitch Hinge, Collingwood's Tim Membrey, Fremantle's Patrick Voss and Geelong's Jack Martin will qualify as free agents after being previously delisted throughout their career, which activates lifetime free agency status whenever out of contract, while Carlton's Zac Williams and Essendon's Jade Gresham retain free agency status having crossed to their clubs as free agents. Gresham is in the final season of his three-year deal in 2026 but has a trigger for a fourth year.
Among other notables in the group, Brisbane's Lachie Neale becomes a free agent for the first time after crossing from Fremantle in a trade, Sydney runner Justin McInerney will attract interest as will Hawk Mitch Lewis.
2026 FREE AGENCY LIST
^Qualifies as previously delisted
*Qualifies as previously moved clubs as a free agent
ADELAIDE
Mitch Hinge*
James Borlase*
Chayce Jones
Rory Laird
Lachie Sholl
Jordon Butts
BRISBANE
Zac Bailey
Darcy Gardiner
Ryan Lester
Oscar McInerney
Lachie Neale
Dayne Zorko
Noah Answerth
CARLTON
Nick Haynes^
Nic Newman
Sam Walsh
Zac Williams^
COLLINGWOOD
Jack Crisp
Jeremy Howe
Tim Membrey*
Scott Pendlebury
Steele Sidebottom
ESSENDON
Jade Gresham^
Matt Guelfi
Liam McMahon*
Jaxon Prior*
FREMANTLE
Bailey Banfield*
Oscar McDonald*
Sam Sturt
Sam Switkowski
Patrick Voss*
Corey Wagner*
GEELONG
Mark Blicavs
Patrick Dangerfield
Jake Kolodjashnij
Jack Martin*
Mark O'Connor
Rhys Stanley
GOLD COAST
Oscar Adams*
Caleb Graham
Ben King
Max Knobel*
Lachie Weller
Jarrod Witts
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
Kieren Briggs
Stephen Coniglio
Toby Greene
HAWTHORN
Jack Gunston
Jarman Impey
Mitch Lewis
Harry Morrison
Ned Reeves
MELBOURNE
Tom Campbell*
Kade Chandler
Jai Culley*
Bayley Fritsch
Steven May
Tom McDonald
Jake Melksham
Christian Salem
Tom Sparrow
NORTH MELBOURNE
Aidan Corr^
Luke McDonald
Toby Pink*
Bailey Scott
PORT ADELAIDE
Zak Butters
Darcy Byrne-Jones
Ollie Wines
RICHMOND
Nathan Broad
Tom Lynch
Toby Nankervis
Dion Prestia
Nick Vlastuin
Jack Ross
Ben Miller
ST KILDA
Jack Carroll*
Liam Stocker*
SYDNEY
Joel Amartey
Harry Cunningham
Joel Hamling*
Justin McInerney
WEST COAST
Tom Cole
Matt Flynn^
Liam Ryan
Bailey Williams
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Lachie Bramble*
Ryan Gardner*
Tom Liberatore
Lachie McNeil*
Rhylee West
Buku Khamis
A sensational finals series has shot Zac Bailey into the upper echelon of wanted players
ZAC Bailey has joined Zak Butters, Sam Walsh and Ben King in the top rung of in-demand free agents in 2026 after his career-best campaign ended in a brilliant Grand Final.
Bailey could have produced one of the all-time Grand Final performances on Saturday if not for inaccuracy, with the Brisbane star kicking 3.6 from 23 disposals in the dominant win over Geelong. He finished third in the Norm Smith Medal voting.
It only further boosted his stocks after claiming his first All-Australian jacket this year, as rivals including Essendon and both South Australian clubs set themselves for significant tilts at the Brisbane gamechanger.
AFL.com.au revealed last month the Bombers were preparing an offer of at least six years, worth more than $8 million – a club record – for Bailey as he hits free agency, while his South Australian links will have both local clubs keen. Bailey has signed his last two deals in between seasons, with Brisbane keen to lock him in again over summer.
Before the start of this year's free agency window on Friday, AFL.com.au has compiled the full club-by-club list of players who will be free agents in 2026.
Port tabled an eight-year extension to Butters earlier this season which would have been the biggest deal in history had he signed it, but he will head into next season as the most in-demand free agent in the AFL with the Western Bulldogs and Geelong leading the Victorian clubs in chasing the superstar midfielder.
Walsh, too, will have the Cats as a major suitor, with the Blues vice-captain expected to take time to work through his free agency call. Butters, King and Walsh are all members of the 2018 draft class, which hits free agency for the first time, while Bailey will be a nine-year free agent after being a first-round pick in 2017.
They are among the more than 90 players who qualify as free agents heading into next year before this year's trade period begins, with Melbourne currently having a competition-high nine players set to be free agents next season.
The list includes the likes of Steven May, Liam Ryan and Buku Khamis, who are all exploring new homes whilst under contract at their current clubs for next year, but does not include players who are unsigned for next year who would qualify as if they penned one-year extensions.
Players such as Adelaide's Mitch Hinge, Collingwood's Tim Membrey, Fremantle's Patrick Voss and Geelong's Jack Martin will qualify as free agents after being previously delisted throughout their career, which activates lifetime free agency status whenever out of contract, while Carlton's Zac Williams and Essendon's Jade Gresham retain free agency status having crossed to their clubs as free agents. Gresham is in the final season of his three-year deal in 2026 but has a trigger for a fourth year.
Among other notables in the group, Brisbane's Lachie Neale becomes a free agent for the first time after crossing from Fremantle in a trade, Sydney runner Justin McInerney will attract interest as will Hawk Mitch Lewis.
2026 FREE AGENCY LIST
^Qualifies as previously delisted
*Qualifies as previously moved clubs as a free agent
ADELAIDE
Mitch Hinge*
James Borlase*
Chayce Jones
Rory Laird
Lachie Sholl
Jordon Butts
BRISBANE
Zac Bailey
Darcy Gardiner
Ryan Lester
Oscar McInerney
Lachie Neale
Dayne Zorko
Noah Answerth
CARLTON
Nick Haynes^
Nic Newman
Sam Walsh
Zac Williams^
COLLINGWOOD
Jack Crisp
Jeremy Howe
Tim Membrey*
Scott Pendlebury
Steele Sidebottom
ESSENDON
Jade Gresham^
Matt Guelfi
Liam McMahon*
Jaxon Prior*
FREMANTLE
Bailey Banfield*
Oscar McDonald*
Sam Sturt
Sam Switkowski
Patrick Voss*
Corey Wagner*
GEELONG
Mark Blicavs
Patrick Dangerfield
Jake Kolodjashnij
Jack Martin*
Mark O'Connor
Rhys Stanley
GOLD COAST
Oscar Adams*
Caleb Graham
Ben King
Max Knobel*
Lachie Weller
Jarrod Witts
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
Kieren Briggs
Stephen Coniglio
Toby Greene
HAWTHORN
Jack Gunston
Jarman Impey
Mitch Lewis
Harry Morrison
Ned Reeves
MELBOURNE
Tom Campbell*
Kade Chandler
Jai Culley*
Bayley Fritsch
Steven May
Tom McDonald
Jake Melksham
Christian Salem
Tom Sparrow
NORTH MELBOURNE
Aidan Corr^
Luke McDonald
Toby Pink*
Bailey Scott
PORT ADELAIDE
Zak Butters
Darcy Byrne-Jones
Ollie Wines
RICHMOND
Nathan Broad
Tom Lynch
Toby Nankervis
Dion Prestia
Nick Vlastuin
Jack Ross
Ben Miller
ST KILDA
Jack Carroll*
Liam Stocker*
SYDNEY
Joel Amartey
Harry Cunningham
Joel Hamling*
Justin McInerney
WEST COAST
Tom Cole
Matt Flynn^
Liam Ryan
Bailey Williams
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Lachie Bramble*
Ryan Gardner*
Tom Liberatore
Lachie McNeil*
Rhylee West
Buku Khamis
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