Adam Cooney’s top 5 ‘pre-agents’ ahead of the 2025 off-season

Brownlow Medallist Adam Cooney has named his top five ‘pre-agents’ for the 2025 off-season.

The five players he named are all set to come out of contract at the end of next season and will enter free agency if they don’t re-sign during the campaign.

Cooney’s top five was based on the players he expects to earn the most with their new contracts, with number one being the ‘pre-agent’ that could receive the biggest deal from their own club or a rival.

Check out his list below.

5 – Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs)

“Somewhat controversially, I've gone with Marcus Bontempelli at five, and I was actually tempted to even leave him out of my top five,” Cooney told SEN Sportsday.

“By the time he gets to free agency, he'll be going into his 13th season. He'll be 30+, he might have one or two peak years left in him.

“So maybe, a club that's in the flag window if he was going to leave the Western Bulldogs as a free agent would make a big play for him.

“But unfortunately, you're not going to get the best out of Marcus Bontempelli for five or six years.

“But I couldn't leave him out. He's just too special of a player to leave him off the list.”

4 – Andrew Brayshaw (Fremantle)

“At number four I’ve got Andy Brayshaw and there’s some rumours that were circulating during trade radio (that clubs will come for him).

“He’s a Victorian over in the West and they're a pre-agent, then you start to talk about maybe deals getting done early rather than just losing a player as a compensation pick.

“But he'll be 26 and going into his ninth season, we know what he can do, he could command a six-to-seven-year deal off the back of that. He’ll be a highly prized commodity.

“St Kilda should be the number one team that’s targeting him the hardest I think.”

3 – Oscar Allen (West Coast)

“At three, I've got another West Australian (based player) who will be going into his eighth year.

“He’s the captain of the West Coast Eagles and he’ll be 26 still, it’s Oscar Allen.

“He is a superstar in the making. I think he's got kicked a lot of goals in a poor side with not too much help.

“He's got 60-65+ goals a season in him, so you're going to have to pay a fair amount of money to get him.

“It's hard to see your captain walking out, although it did happen in 2014 with the Western Bulldogs, so stranger things have happened.”

2 – Tom De Koning (Carlton)

“At two I had Tom De Koning just because of his versatility and what sort of player I think he could possibly become.

“He’s agile, fit, takes a good mark, can go forward and can ruck.

“He's one that I would be wanting to re-sign straight away if I was Carlton.

“He's a super valuable player for the Blues.”

1 – Luke Davies-Uniacke (North Melbourne)

“Luke Davies-Uniacke I had at number one.

“I think he's a Rolls Royce, he’s just about ‘un-tackleable’, I love watching him play.

“He's a smooth mover, he uses the ball well, has great agility, he’s still got some upside.

“He'll be 26 when he becomes a free agent as well.

“I think he could win a Brownlow in the next three-to-four years.

“I think that every club would love him. I know the conversations would have already started (with North), but if you Luke Davies-Uniacke maybe if they don't see improvement next year, he could command a huge deal elsewhere.

“We're talking six or seven years again.”