Gold Coast fight off interest in midfielder from two AFL teams

Sayantan Guha

Gold Coast fight off interest in midfielder from two AFL teams image

Gold Coast have stepped up their bid to retain Brayden Fiorini, upgrading their contract offer to three years as Essendon and Port Adelaide attempt to lure the unrestricted free agent away. 

The 28-year-old has attracted serious attention after a consistent 2025 season but is now weighing up the Suns’ latest show of faith.

AFL.com.au’s Callum Twomey reports that Fiorini had initially been tabled a two-year deal, but the club moved quickly to extend it after rival approaches. Fiorini played 18 games this year, including both of the Suns’ finals, after forcing his way back into the side mid-season.

Rival clubs circle

The Bombers and Power see Fiorini as a readymade addition who can bring depth and experience to their midfields, but Gold Coast are determined not to lose him.

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Twomey noted: “The Suns had tabled a two-year deal but have recently increased it to a three-year term in a bid to keep the 28-year-old.”

It marks the second time in Fiorini’s career that he has looked at opportunities elsewhere, but his ability to fight back into Stuart Dew’s best 22 has strengthened the case for him to stay. With Gold Coast pushing to build on their finals campaign, Fiorini’s decision will be one of the more intriguing calls of this trade and free agency period.

Sayantan Guha

Sayantan Guha is a content producer for The Sporting News working across English-language editions.