Race for Swans gun reportedly narrows: AFL trade news

Several clubs are reportedly chasing the in-form forward.

The race for Sydney free agent Will Hayward is set to narrow as the South Australian considers a transfer to Victoria rather than his home state.

Hayward has been one of the most sought-after players in the game this season as he considers his future, with the Swans expected to face stiff competition.

Adelaide and Port Adelaide have been linked with the half-forward, while Carlton and Melbourne are also thought to be interested in luring Hayward away from New South Wales.

The restricted free agent has a great chance of staying in the red and white beyond this year, but their prospects of keeping Hayward have been hampered by rumored expensive offers from the Crows and Blues.

While Adelaide and Port Adelaide have the benefit of potentially bringing Hayward back home, it is now assumed that he will join one of Melbourne’s teams.

According to reporter Jon Ralph, the Power, and most likely the Crows, are now considered outsiders to sign Hayward at the end of the season.

“[Port Adelaide] has been after Will Hayward, as have a lot of clubs,” Ralph told Fox Footy on Thursday.

“He is a free agent from Sydney. The expectation at Port Adelaide, however, is that if he does not stay in Sydney, he will transfer to a Melbourne-based team, as his partner is from Melbourne.

“I think you can effectively say that Port Adelaide are out of the race now for Will Hayward.”

Hayward has had a breakout season with the Swans, scoring 22 goals in 11 games and being 13 majors away from a career-best performance.

The Swans have a lot of contract decisions to make in the coming months, with forward Logan McDonald also out of contract this year and maybe considering a return to his home state of Western Australia.

Midfielder Chad Warner, another WA native, looms as a retention priority despite being committed until the end of next year, with the in-form onballer expected to generate significant interest over the next year.