Shepparton product Will Brodie is one who will have a new home in 2026, as he expressed his desires to depart Fremantle for Port Adelaide in his exit meeting with the club.
The 54-gamer spent the first five seasons of his career at Gold Coast before switching Surfers Paradise for the dock in 2021.
Brodie would play a career-best year in 2022, playing in all 24 Dockers games while averaging 26.7 disposals per game, but played just five times in 2023.
In the two years since, Brodie has failed to earn a spot at AFL level despite a regular full bill of health and strong outings in the WAFL - in 2024 he averaged 27.5 touches a game, and in 2025 it took only a narrow dip to 25.4 per game
Various reports suggest Brodie’s connection to former Fremantle midfield coach and incoming head coach of the Power Josh Carr is a significant factor behind the move due to the relationship built between the pair in Western Australia.
Carr was at the Dockers while Brodie had his career-best year in 2022.
Fremantle provided a list statement about the trade requests of Brodie, as well as three-game ruckman Liam Reidy, on Wednesday.
“We respect the requests from Liam and Will to seek trades in a hope to get more senior opportunities at AFL level,” Fremantle footy boss Joe Brierty said.
“Will is obviously contracted for 2027, so we will work through that during the trade period to facilitate outcomes for both the players and the club.”
While Brodie’s career will continue at another stable, the same cannot be said for Leitchville-Gunbower talent Marty Hore.
The forward was among five Demons culled this week as Melbourne look to revamp its list after a near-bottom-four finish in 2025.
The 20-gamer began his career at the Demons in 2019 before being delisted in 2021.
The 28-year-old spent two years off an AFL list before being reselected by the Demons in the 2023-24 Supplemental Selection Period, where he tallied a further six games to his name in 2024, before not featuring again in 2025.
In other Demons news, Mooroopna product Clayton Oliver was announced a Melbourne life member at the club’s best-and-fairest night.
Earned from his 10 years of service and 200 games with the red and blue, the 28-year-old has been a Demons star, winning a premiership and four best-and-fairest’s with the club since he was drafted in 2015.
Across the border, Shepparton Swans junior and star forward Josh Rachele will make his long-awaited return to AFL action in Adelaide’s cut-throat semi-final against Hawthorn on Friday night.
The live wire talent has been sidelined since round 17 with a posterior capsular tear in his left knee, and while there was some hope the 22-year-old would make a week one finals return, he did not take to the field against Collingwood.
However, Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks confirmed to media on Thursday Rachele was fit and available for selection for the clash against the Hawks.
"We won't be rolling the dice, the question is, is he ready to go, and yeah, he's ready to go,” Nicks said.
"Ten weeks of hard work and he should get the reward for that, we do because he's ready and he trained really well.
"He's feeling confident, and that's the main thing."
Rachele’s return will add extra spark the Crows lacked in their qualifying final loss to the Magpies, as the side stagnated with its ball movement without the Swans talent and suspended gun Izak Rankine.
"Josh's weapon is his energy, and what that does to help the guys around him," Nicks said.
"That energy will be important, and his execution, it's going to be a tough ask with the speed of the game and things, being out of footy for that amount of time, it's hard to hit the ground running straight away.
"But he's done everything possible, so that he's ready to come in and help the team."
