Although the month of September is still well and truly out of arm's reach, the trade chat is already heating up.
If recent off-seasons have taught us anything, it is that the demand for ruckmen has started to once again soar.
Despite ambiguity reigning at the minute, here is the current lay of the land regarding the potential movements of the league's tap artists.
Back-up big likely to fly Magpies' nest
Despite having only played three-games of AFL football, Collingwood's second-string ruckman Max Lynch could be seeking a move away from the Holden Centre.
The news has come to light after Lynch was surprisingly dropped to the club's reserves last week, despite finding the football on 15 occasions and winning 23 hitouts against Melbourne's Max Gawn on Queen's birthday.
According to Jay Clark from The Herald Sun, the 22-year-old big man was linked with a move to the Hawks last season and appears certain to explore his options again at the end of this year.
This view is compounded by the fact that Collingwood are yet to offer the Murray Bushrangers product a contract extension.
As the mullet wearing utility has often been selected behind fellow talls Mason Cox and Darcy Cameron, his opportunities to add to his fledgling tally of senior appearances currently seem thin.
SEE ALSO: Every club's most improved player in 2021
With ruckmen routinely in demand during the off-season trade period, it also appears to be a prime time for Lynch to see what other horizons can offer him.
As Hawthorn's senior ruckmen - Jonathan Cegler and skipper, Ben McEvoy - are both beyond their 30th birthdays, the Hawks could well come knocking again.
Lobb on Victorian club's radars
Fremantle forward Rory Lobb could well find himself at his third AFL club in 2022 if reports from AFL Media's Callum Twomey are correct.
According to Twomey, Lobb - a former Giant - is said to open to a deal that could see him depart the Dockers early and land with a Victorian club.
Although the 28-year-old still has two-years left to run on his contract with Fremantle, there is a view that he is gettable by rival clubs.
The sticking point for these unnamed pursuers is that the remainder of Lobb's deal - reportedly worth $700,000 a season - will need to be covered by his new employer.
SEE ALSO: Every club's biggest 'what if' moment of the AFL era - Part Four
With youngster Sean Darcy well and truly taking the reigns in the ruck for Justin Longmuir's side this season, Lobb's time spent in the centre circle has significantly decreased across the same period.
Having recorded an average of 21.2 hitouts across his 15-appearances in 2019, Lobb's numbers have fallen off a cliff in the past pair of seasons - 9.17 in 2020 and just 4.5 so far this year - with the Swan Districts product spending more time within the forward arc.
As of yet, there are no conclusive suitors for Lobb's services.
Ratugolea re-signing imminent
Despite us raising the notion that he wouldn't look out of place in a St Kilda guernsey next season, Geelong big man Esava Ratugolea appears set to ink a new deal with the pivot city club.
Ratugolea, 22, has reportedly been a target for multiple clubs this season, after the prospect with Fijian bloodstocks was courted by the Giants last year.
Although the length of any potential deal has yet to be confirmed, fellow AFL Media journalist Mitch Cleary has reported that conversations between player and club have commenced.
SEE ALSO: ROUNDTABLE: Who is the AFL's next 400+ gamer?
Cleary also stated that if a three-year contract is agreed upon, it will allow the former Murray Bushranger to meet free-agency requirements.
With the Cats still reportedly uncertain as to who their starting ruckman will be going forward, if Ratugolea does sign on the dotted line, it could go a long way to answering the perennially perplexing question.
