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Live sport on SN this weekendTrade talk: Jenkins' top five trade names ahead of 2026
SEN • August 15th, 2025 7:30 pm
Josh Jenkins has listed his top five most compelling trade names approaching the off-season.
2025 has featured a range of potential trade conversations, with a number of star players rumoured to be changing colours ahead of 2026.
Following back-to-back trade periods with little action, Jenkins believes that this year will be rather intense in comparison.
“I honestly don’t think this year will be a beat-up,” Jenkins told SEN’s The Run Home.
“The last two years have been flat, no doubt about it. I think Lachie Schultz might have been the biggest name two years ago. Dan Houston was probably the most talked about player last year.”
“(These are) the top five names this year – and I think it’ll be a big off season, a big trade period.”
See JJ’s list below:
5. Sam Flanders (Gold Coast)
“Fifth most interesting for me.
“Damian Hardwick has already come out and said ‘no-sir, he will be staying with us.’
“But he is a player who has had to play a different position this year. He’s done it with a degree of difficulty. He’s been able to play a bit more mid when they’ve had Touk Miller out of the team.
“He’s under contract but if you come calling with genuine midfield minutes, the old ‘big club’ opportunity, then you might be able to convince him to tell them he wants out.
“Sound decision maker, neat ball user, still got six to eight years of prime footy ahead of him.”
4. Zak Butters and Miles Bergman (Port Adelaide)
“Before you say, ‘he’s just re-signed!’ That’s fantastic. But in the Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera conversation, Miles Bergman’s name might have to come back up.
“If you want someone fantastic, you’ve got to give up something decent going the other way. Bergman’s name wouldn’t surprise me if it comes back up as a way to get Nasiah across the line.
“Zak Butters is different but interesting. It seems like he is willing and wanting to see out his contract, get to free agency and then make a big decision on his career.
“I think if you’re Port Adelaide, you might be looking at this and saying, ‘we’re going to fast-track this ourselves. We’re going to say to you Zak, if you are all out, then you may as well be out now, so we get max dollar for you.’
“Don’t be a weak club that says, ‘I want to go home for family reasons but by the way I only want to go to the Western Bulldogs.’ Last time I checked, there are six or seven teams in the city of Melbourne, so you’ll go to any which of those that can service us properly.”
3. Christian Petracca (Melbourne)
“Wanted out last year, couldn’t get out, contract being the primary reason which is a great conversation we can have about not capping long-term contracts, because it actually gives the clubs leverage that they don’t often pull.
“But Melbourne pulled it last year. Christian wanted to leave, they said you’ve got a long-term contract, you’re coming back.
“He will be interesting again. People have been hot on him… probably too hot on him. Some of it has probably been fair, some of it has probably been too harsh, but he is a watch.
“Melbourne’s saving grace might be the new coach. It changes the direction and the environment of the footy club. That may be the saving grace that allows him to buy back in again and want to go forward with the Dees.
“But his name would just bubble away the whole (trade) period for mine.”
2. Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (St Kilda)
“If the young man decides to move.
“Not the fact that, ‘does he or does he not want to leave’, but how on God’s green do you facilitate such a move.
“For a player that was worth maybe one first round pick at the start of the year, now he’s worth anything. He is honestly worth absolutely anything!
“So, how do you get that deal done? That’s why I’ve got Butters and Bergman at number four.”
1. The Carlton four
“I don’t think there should be a world where Carlton go into 2026 with (Harry) McKay, (Charlie) Curnow, (Patrick) Cripps and (Sam) Walsh on the list.
“I think one should be moved. (Cripps) is in the four. His name has been around the place.
“Cripps, McKay, Curnow and Walsh. I think they should try and move one of those four. In order, I would go McKay (first), Walsh, Curnow, daylight and then Cripps.”
