“Contracted for next year, the hunt is on,” Twomey said on SEN Breakfast.

“Obviously both clubs getting their cattle ready for either the end of next year or beyond.

“This has still got a liveliness to it. It’s going to be one of footy’s biggest chases ever, the chase for the Warner signature.

“Both clubs are naturally on the front foot there. But I don’t think there’s a scenario where the Swans would let him go at the end of this year even if he did want to go.

“It’s significant that both clubs have been in contact with him. We’re talking about $1.4-1.5 million a year.”

Warner recently put off contract talks with the ladder leading Swans as he prepares for his big contract call in 2025.

There’s a watch on the Dockers’ 2024 trade period actions given they have the best combination of draft assets to lure Warner right now. They hold three first-round picks — their own plus Collingwood’s and Port Adelaide’s.

Sydney meanwhile faces a salary cap squeeze after re-signing the likes of Errol Gulden, Oliver Florent and Will Hayward, while Logan McDonald remains uncontracted beyond 2024.

“It does really seem that Fremantle is licking its lips at the prospect of getting Chad Warner,” Herald Sun journalist Jay Clark said on Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle last week.

“I mean, how do the Swans keep all their superstar midfielders, all their players — Blakey, Mills, Heeney, Gulden and Warner, who’s not far off the No. 1 player in the game right now.

“Fremantle have got three first round picks in this year’s draft. What they could do, and you’ve got to keep an eye on this at trade time, if they trade one, two or potentially even three of their current picks into next year’s draft, that gives them the war chest of picks.”

Clark noted that with the salary cap increasing by 30 per cent, clubs have more space and thus “can be aggressive.”

MANAGERS USING CROWS TO DRIVE UP PRICES?

AFL clubs believe players managers are using the Adelaide Crows to drive up the price of their clients, reports the Herald Sun’s Sam Landsberger.

The Crows have missed out on several big-name stars over the last year including Errol Gulden, Mason Redman, Hugh McCluggage and Elliot Yeo.

And while Adelaide’s interest in such names was reportedly genuine, there’s a view that the club’s interest has been strongly leveraged to boost players’ value.

“There is a belief managers are using Adelaide as a stalking horse to drive up the prices of their players,” Landsberger said on Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle.

“Adelaide has missed out on a lot of players over the past 12 to 18 months … they clearly went after them.

“(Giants director) Jimmy Bartel has said this publicly and other clubs believe it as well. Managers are using Adelaide, get an offer from them, then go back to the original club and get a better (deal).

“Sydney matched Adelaide’s offer of 10 years for Errol Gulden. Sydney wasn’t offering Errol Gulden 10 years without that from Adelaide first.”