![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1779932830_645_poster-fallback.png\"\/)
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THREE VIC CLUBS EYEING SUNS GUN<\/p>\n
Gold Coast\u2019s Bailey Humphrey \u201ccontinues to wrestle with his football future\u201d barely half a year after considering a move home. <\/p>\n
The 21-year-old hybrid forward is contracted at the Suns through the 2028 season, but is again being eyed off by Victoria-based clubs after exploring a move in last year\u2019s trade period. <\/p>\n
That included meeting with Demons coach Steven King, despite Gold Coast being steadfast in its stance that Humphrey was not on the trade table. <\/p>\n
Now, SEN\u2019s Sam Edmund reports on Thursday that three Victorian clubs – Hawthorn, Melbourne and Carlton – are \u201cmost actively\u201d courting the Gippsland Power product. <\/p>\n
Humphrey is struggling to assert himself this season, managing just eight goals from his eight games, while winning less of the footy compared to last year. <\/p>\n
While the No.6 pick from 2022 ponders his footy future, Edmund added in his report: \u201cIt remains to be seen whether Humphrey pushes again for a move and if that resolve will be tested.\u201d<\/p>\n
But if he were to push for a Carrara departure, the Hawks and Blues appear harder-pressed to be able to conjure the draft capital to trade for him, compared to the Demons. <\/p>\n
Despite holding two first-round picks this year, Carlton will pour its resources into matching a bid for Cody Walker, while Hawthorn\u2019s sole first-rounder is set to fall late in the order. <\/p>\n
Melbourne looks best-placed, with two first-rounders – last year gaining the Suns\u2019 pick in the Christian Petracca trade. <\/p>\n
AFL 360 celebrates 1500th episode! | 07:30<\/p>\n
DON WOULD \u2018LOOK FOR A WAY OUT IF HE COULD\u2019<\/p>\n
All-Australian midfielder Darcy Parish \u201cwould look for a way out (of Essendon) if he could\u201d, according to Channel 7 reporter Tom Morris.<\/p>\n
Parish assessed rival club interest in 2023 before shunning free agency and re-signing with the Bombers until the 2028 season.<\/p>\n
But speaking on Channel 7\u2019s The Agenda Setters on Wednesday night, Morris said Parish would now entertain a move away from Essendon \u2013 although an official trade would be tricky.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m certain that Darcy Parish would look for a way out if he could,\u201d Morris said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the issue with that is he\u2019s on too much money for another club to take that on and he\u2019s on a long-term contract as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut if a club comes to him and says \u2018we want you\u2019, I\u2019m certain he\u2019d look at it.\u201d<\/p>\n
After his career-best All-Australian season in 2021 \u2013 which saw him poll 26 Brownlow votes \u2013 Parish has somewhat struggled for continuity across the past four and a half seasons due to injury setbacks.<\/p>\n
Parish, however, has played 10 of 11 matches so far in 2026, averaging 29.3 disposals from his past six games. <\/p>\n
He was the No.1 rated player on the ground in the Bombers\u2019 most recent loss to Richmond, finishing with 41 disposals, 16 contested possessions, nine clearances, nine score involvements, six inside 50s and 698m gained to claim the 2026 Yiooken Trophy. <\/p>\n
AFL CEO responds to Hird-Dons link | 01:01<\/p>\n
BUTTERS\u2019 ROO CURVEBALL?<\/p>\n
North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson says his club is one of 17 rivals that\u2019d love to have Port Adelaide star Zak Butters.<\/p>\n
With his Kangaroos having their mid-season bye this week, Clarkson on Wednesday was curiously spotted by both 9 News and 7 News in Adelaide.<\/p>\n
Clarkson told 9 News Adelaide he was in town to support Virginia-based gin company 36S while Roos players and staff had some time away from the club. <\/p>\n
But with Butters\u2019 Power also having the bye \u2013 an occasion seen as crucial to the free agent\u2019s call on his footy future \u2013 Clarkson suggested his club would love to be part of the free agency race.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s 17 other clubs I\u2019m sure that\u2019d be rapt to have Zak Butters on their list. But whilst he\u2019s a contracted player and until he indicates what he\u2019s going to be doing, we\u2019ll sit and wait like everyone else has,\u201d Clarkson told 9 News Adelaide.<\/p>\n
Clarkson added to 7 News: \u201cEvery club is trying to do exactly the same thing. They want their list to be better and we\u2019re no different.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Western Bulldogs and Geelong have been the two clubs most strongly linked to Butters, while Richmond and Melbourne are also understood to have some interest.<\/p>\n
Butters last week indicated he would visit his family home in Darley during the Power\u2019s bye weekend to help him make a call on his footy future, which will be an \u201cemotional\u201d decision. <\/p>\n
‘Good TV’ Coach responds to Scott claim | 01:35<\/p>\n
TIGERS \u2018FULLY EXPECT\u2019 NO.1 PICK TO STAY \u2026 BUT \u2018NO RUSH TO RE-SIGN\u2019<\/p>\n
Richmond recruiting boss Rhy Gieschen believes his club is \u201creally confident\u201d Sam Lalor will re-sign at Punt Road, but says the No.1 pick is \u201cin no rush\u201d to pen a new deal.<\/p>\n
Foxfooty.com.au reported a fortnight ago the Tasmania Devils would \u201clook to come hard\u201d for both Lalor and North Melbourne\u2019s Finn O\u2019Sullivan \u2013 the top two picks from the 2024 draft \u2013 as part of their recruiting plans.<\/p>\n
Speaking on AFL Media\u2019s Gettable on Wednesday, Gieschen said the Tigers were \u201cfully expecting him (Lalor) to stay at Richmond and have a really fruitful career\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a Richmond player,\u201d Gieschen said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe loves our club. You only have to walk through the changerooms and see how popular he is and what an impact he has had on our club. You watch his on-field talent and he\u2019s pretty special, but then you see the impact he\u2019s had and what a great person he is and how much he\u2019s bought into our culture.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a future leader and we\u2019re really confident he\u2019ll stay. He\u2019s in no rush to sign, nor should he be. He\u2019s contracted for another year after this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lalor has played 18 of a possible 34 games since joining the Tigers, with hamstring and Achilles setbacks keeping him sidelined.<\/p>\n
The Tigers earlier this week indicated Lalor would be available for selection at some stage between Rounds 16 and 18. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A contracted Gold Coast gun is reportedly \u201cwrestling\u201d with his footy future as three Victorian clubs circle. Plus,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":19788,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[19175,11945,4180,23,133,4534,780,19164,4406,19169,8225,406,19168,1311,17535,18677,260,19176,19171,120,19177,524,212,19174,19165,19178,1420,19170,19173,7414,6826,19167,121,576,19166,578,411,6508,19172,418,68,19163,3048,515],"class_list":["post-19787","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-melbourne","tag-agency-race","tag-alastair-clarkson","tag-andrew-dillon","tag-australia","tag-australia-and-new-zealand","tag-brad-scott","tag-cody-walker","tag-conflicted-star","tag-darcy-parish","tag-darley","tag-family-home","tag-fox-footy","tag-gippsland-power","tag-gold-coast","tag-injury-setbacks","tag-james-hird","tag-melbourne","tag-move-home","tag-news-in-adelaide","tag-oceania","tag-official-trade","tag-port-adelaide","tag-queensland","tag-recruiting-plans","tag-rhy-gieschen","tag-richmond-recruiting-boss","tag-richmond-tigers","tag-rival-club-interest","tag-sam-lalor","tag-sam-mitchell","tag-score-involvements","tag-setbacks-keeping","tag-south-australia","tag-steven-king","tag-suns-gun","tag-tom-morris","tag-trade-news","tag-trade-period","tag-trade-table","tag-trade-whispers","tag-victoria","tag-virginia-based-gin-company","tag-western-bulldogs","tag-zak-butters"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19787","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19787"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19787\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19788"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19787"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19787"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19787"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}