Why Steven King’s first move at Melbourne could be landing Max Gawn’s replacement

Steven King’s first piece of business as Melbourne’s new coach could be securing Max Gawn’s potential successor as the club prepares for a busy trade period, with new leaders appointed to key positions.

The 2007 Geelong premiership ruckman had his official introduction as coach at the MCG on Monday, and spent the afternoon with Demons football boss Alan Richardson, list manager Tim Lamb and national recruiting manager Jason Taylor.

Premiership midfielders and club greats Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver were undoubtedly on the agenda, along with Saint Marcus Windhager, Magpie Brody Mihocek, and Suns Sam Flanders and Malcolm Rosas jnr.

Collingwood veteran Mihocek received a three-year offer from the Demons – potentially two seasons with a trigger attached – to end his career at Melbourne. He has been holding off on any decision relating to his future until the Magpies’ premiership tilt is over.

Another was promising St Kilda ruckman Max Heath, who is out of contract and keen to play for Melbourne.

Nothing is locked in yet, but the Demons presented to Heath and discussed a three-year deal, according to a source familiar with negotiations who wished to remain anonymous. However, King, as the incoming coach and a fellow big man, will have input in Heath’s recruitment.

Melbourne were the first of several rival clubs to express interest in Heath – the No.7 pick in the 2021 mid-season draft, who played his first four AFL games this season – and he hopes to play for them from next year.

A trade will need to be brokered, but the reason for Heath wanting to leave is the path to eventually being the Dees’ No.1 big man, on top of Tom De Koning’s free agency arrival at Moorabbin. Contracted Saints ruckman Rowan Marshall is also weighing up the possibility of joining Geelong.

The 22-year-old demonstrated at AFL and VFL level that he can make an impact up forward as well, so there is a possibility he could play alongside Gawn in the senior side while learning from the eight-time All-Australian.

The Saint has a long-term friendship with Windhager, another Demons trade target, from their time playing junior football together at Beaumaris.

Windhager is due to return from his New Zealand holiday in the coming days and is expected to make a call on his future no later than early next week. However, Windhager’s preference is to remain at St Kilda, despite the Demons and North Melbourne making compelling rival offers.

Melbourne have re-signed Tom Campbell as ruck insurance, but have struggled to unearth other big man options, with none of Will Verrall, Tom Fullarton, Josh Schache or Kyah Farris-White still on the list.

The one-season experiment trying to partner Brodie Grundy with Gawn, wo turns 34 in December, also did not work, with Grundy traded to Sydney.

On Monday, King’s public stance on Petracca and Oliver was that they were “both superstars of the competition” and that he would take pride in helping them return to the peak of their powers.

However, Oliver’s attempt to cross to Geelong in last year’s trade period was still a talking point at the Demons’ club champion function last week, where Gawn won his third best-and-fairest award. Petracca is contracted until 2029, while Oliver is tied to the red and blue until 2030.

Judd McVee, Taj Woewodin and Jack Henderson are Melbourne’s remaining out-of-contract players.

Woewodin will have to wait until after the trade period to discover his fate, but Henderson will be on the Demons’ list next season.

McVee, who has opposition interest, including from his home state of Western Australia, will speak to King about his role before making a call on his future.

Victorian clubs are lining up for Suns

The future for in-demand Gold Coast midfielder-forward Sam Flanders remains a source of fascination as Victorian clubs line up to lure him south.

Flanders still has two more seasons to run on the four-year deal he inked in 2023, but he switched representation to TGI Sport’s Matt Bain this year and the Suns list boss Craig Cameron said on Tuesday that “Sam expressed an interest in exploring other opportunities for next year at today’s exit meeting”.

St Kilda, Melbourne, Carlton and Essendon are among the clubs that have expressed interest in the 24-year-old, and would almost certainly be able to offer him more midfield minutes.

Asked about Flanders at his introductory media conference on Monday, Demons coach King said: “Sam would be an amazing player at this footy club, that’s for sure.”

However, Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick has repeatedly stated publicly that Flanders, who he revealed had played through a back injury for much of the season, would not be traded, with the club saying in a statement they reminded Flanders at his exit meeting he was a contracted player.

“Great players do get interest – that’s why they’re great,” Hardwick said after the Suns’ season ended at the Lions’ hands on Saturday night.

“Sam’s had a tough year. He was on fire at the start of the year. He’s got a back that, if I’m being completely honest, he probably shouldn’t have played half the games he played, but he’s tough kid and I love him. As far as I’m concerned, Sam is one of our best players – and I don’t love trading our best players.”

Flanders has developed into an outstanding player under Hardwick, polling 12 Brownlow votes last season and playing 23 games, including both finals, in 2025.

His teammate Connor Budarick has a decision to make, with the Western Bulldogs and the Brisbane Lions among the clubs interested in the 24-year-old who held down a spot as a pressure forward with the Suns this season. He has played his best football in defence, but the Suns’ two rebound defenders Dan Rioli and John Noble had great seasons in 2025.

Budarick did not request a trade at his exit meeting as he weighs up whether his future remains at the Suns, who have a contract offer on the table or elsewhere.

Meanwhile, teammate Rosas jnr is set to be traded with Richmond, Sydney, Melbourne and Carlton all showing interest throughout the year for the small forward. The Suns said on Tuesday they would “help facilitate a trade in the coming weeks” for Rosas jnr.

No ifs and butts

North Melbourne are continuing to monitor contracted Crows defender Jordon Butts as a potential acquisition during the upcoming trade period, however Adelaide are more likely to retain the 25-year-old, who is signed until the end of 2026.

Butts was in good form before he suffered a punctured lung in a tough win against the Western Bulldogs in round 18 and did not return for the finals. He played 10 games in 2025 as a lockdown defender and got under the skin of Richmond’s Tom Lynch, who was suspended for five matches for striking him in round 16.

However, the Crows’ straight-sets exit and the need for competition in key positions has made it more likely that Butts, who will be a free agent next season, remains at the club.

Veteran forward Taylor Walker’s future remains uncertain, while the Crows have extended defender Hugh Bond.

Key defenders such as Butts are in short supply, with former Blue Jack Silvagni accepting a big offer to join St Kilda, while the Bulldogs have made a bid to prise contracted All-Australian Callum Wilkie out of St Kilda.

Draper to become a Lion

If his name is added to Essendon’s Zach Merrett, Carlton’s Charlie Curnow and Melbourne’s Christian Petracca as players testing the waters (or in Merrett’s case, forcefully declaring his hand), the capacity for deals being reached increases, particularly if Simpkin showed an interest in joining the Bombers, where he would be sure to start in the midfield.

Hawthorn, who are chasing Merrett, have pick No.8 in this year’s national draft but are yet to start considering a package for the Bomber as Essendon have declared they are unwilling to trade him.

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