Racing
League
Rugby
Cricket
Golf
Motorsport
Combat Sports
Football
Netball
Basketball
Other Sports
Sport Nation
Assessing the stay or go potential of 13 AFL players
Connor Scanlon • June 11th, 2025 2:45 pm
The AFL season might only be at its midway point, but that has not stopped the conversation around out-of-contract players.
On SA Breakfast, Mark Bickley and Jarrod Walsh delved into which stars are likely to stay loyal to their clubs and which ones might be on the move this trade period.
With speculation starting to swirl across the league, the duo gave their take on some of the biggest names whose futures remain uncertain.
Tom Liberatore (Western Bulldogs)
“He’s not going anywhere. He’s a stay – he’s a part of the furniture. He’s embedded in the culture. He’s Bulldogs through and through,” Bickley said.
“Premiership player, best and fairest winner - his dad (Tony) was an icon at the club.
“Not going anywhere.”
Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs)
“Same, same,” Bickley admitted.
“He’s talked about as the greatest Bulldog ever. He’s an iconic part of that club.
“There’s just no way they can let him go, and I don’t think there’s any way he’d want to go.”
Oscar Allen (West Coast)
“I think he’s gone. From all reports, he’s already at Brisbane,” Bickley revealed.
James Worpel (Hawthorn)
“I think James Worpel might be off as well,” said Bickley.
“(Tom) Barrass and (Josh) Battle both would’ve been expensive last year.
“They’ve got some younger players.
“The Wizard (Nick Watson) has to have an upgrade to his contract soon - that’s going to be expensive.
“They’ve got a surplus of players in their midfield, and he’s a very similar player to Jai Newcombe.
“They’d love to keep him, but they would (have) to keep him at a price, and I think there are other (clubs) that would pay more.
“I think he’ll explore those options.”
Kysaiah Pickett (Melbourne)
“Staying.”
Sam Draper (Essendon)
“That’s an interesting one,” Bickley admitted.
“I’m only going on hearsay… Essendon aren’t falling over themselves to do everything possible to keep him, and the door may be ajar.
“There’s talk that maybe Adelaide aren’t out of the equation. If I was Adelaide, I wouldn’t be going down that path.
“It’s going to be really interesting to watch the ruck merry-go-round at the end of the year.”
Reilly O’Brien (Adelaide)
“I would love to hope that he stays, but I think he might go,” said Bickley.
“He’s been part of the furniture at Adelaide and been a great player.
“But whether it’s study commitments, and he’s studying to be a doctor. Maybe that’s going to take him to Melbourne.”
Brayden Maynard (Collingwood)
“Staying.”
Miles Bergman (Port Adelaide)
“He’s more likely to go than stay,” Bickley revealed.
“The fact that he signed last time and said, ‘Yeah, I’m happy to stay for two more years’.
“Maybe that was he could do 2 more years, and that was done out of loyalty.
“But I think his future may be elsewhere, and it looks like it’s St Kilda.”
Tom De Koning (Carlton)
“I think he might end up at St Kilda as well,” said Bickley.
“And all this forms part of the reason why I think Nasiah (Wanganeen-Milera) is likely to stay.
“They’re building something at St Kilda under Ross Lyon.”
Zak Butters (Port Adelaide)
“I just don’t know,” admitted Bickley.
“I was so taken by the way (Zak Butters) spoke about Ken Hinkley… He just spoke about him texting (Hinkley) every day, talking all the time, talking footy.
“I’m not trying to be disrespectful to Josh Carr, but I just wonder with the changing of the coach… I just wonder whether that break might just be a little out for him.”
Matt Crouch (Adelaide)
“I’m just not sure what that looks like for Matt (Crouch),” Bickley said.
“Early in the year, he was in the side and playing good footy, but now you’ve got to consider that (Sid) Draper’s only gonna get better and better.
“(Sam) Berry and (James) Peatling have taken his spot in recent weeks.
“I’m not sure he’s gonna be at Adelaide… I honestly don’t know. That is absolutely up in the air.”
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (St Kilda)
“I tend to think he will stay at St Kilda,” Bickley revealed.
“I think St Kilda will build a case – ‘this is who we’re attracting to the club.’ They’ve got this group of young players.
“I still think Ross Lyon has a bit of an aura about him, in regard to young players – he’s able to mould them and sell them a story.
“On that basis, I think Nasiah (Wanganeen-Milera) will stay at the Saints.”
