The AFL's silly season is almost upon us.
Players across the landscape are canvassing moves, deciding on their futures and jockeying for new deals, while the pointy end of the season takes place, on-field.
This year's player movement period shapes as one of the busiest in recent memory, with storylines aplenty, and some of the game's biggest clubs shaping as major players in this space.
Here's everything you might have missed this week...
Suspended Swan canvasses interest
An "erosion of trust" (per SEN's Tom Morris) in both directions, between suspended Sydney Swans game-breaker Nick Blakey and the club of his drafting has reportedly fuelled the former All-Australian's desire to depart the Harbour City club.
Blakey was suspended indefinitely for his alleged role in August's Pullman Hotel incident, with both sides of the equation open to a termination of the relationship.
The Herald Sun has reported that eight Victorian clubs, excluding Geelong, should they land Zak Butters and Toby Greene, and Hawthorn, should the Hawks net Ben King and Zach Merrett in the upcoming trade period, will consider acquiring the rapid flanker.
After 173 games in the red and white, North Melbourne - the club where Blakey's father, John, played 224 games - looms as a potential destination, with Blakey's yardage-first mentality something the Kangaroos have bene crying out for.
Tasmania circle second inked-up Pie
With a mammoth offer from the league's 19th side already in front of his tattooed colleague, speedster Beau McCreery, premiership Pie and favourite of the faithful Jordan De Goey is in the sights of the Apple Isle's Devils.
De Goey - drafted to Collingwood by Tasmania's list boss, Derek Hine - has seen his management sound out rival clubs, eyeing a final pay day before hanging up the boots.
The goal-kicking midfielder has previously been courted by the likes of St Kilda and North Melbourne, but the 30-year-old did his best to appease Collingwood's infamously rambunctious membership base in June, stating he'd love to remain a Pie for life.
Dual Brownlow Medallist makes his call
Lachie Neale is expected to trade Brisbane's maroon, blue and gold for the famed black and white stripes of the Magpies, upon the conclusion of the Lion's three-peat quest.
Neale met with the Pies, touring their facilities, throughout this season, and has made up his mind in recent days.
His move to a third club is sure to be a controversial one, with public scrutiny following the star after an off-season in the headlines. Choosing Collingwood means turning his back on the interest of the Perth-based West Coast Eagles and his hometown Adelaide Crows, who were both in the running to acquire the modern marvel.
Toby meets with rivals
The GWS Giants' greatest ever player in Toby Greene is weighing up a move away from Sydney's west, with meetings with Geelong and Essendon power brokers coming in the days after the conclusion of the Giants' campaign.
Geelong have emerged as frontrunners for his services, meaning Greene would reunite with former teammate, best friend, Jeremy Cameron.
Another superstar of the code, Zak Butters, is in talks with those inside the Cattery as his free agency decision looms large, with Butters' decision likely to influence Greene's by the latter's own admission.
The Giants are not out of the equation yet, with the 32-year-old telling his weekly podcast, aired on the Ausmerican Aces network, that premiership success in orange and charcoal would be "the most fulfilling thing he could achieve in football".
Carlton eye key position depth, "aggressive" approach flagged
Revered CEO Graham Wright told SEN on Friday night that his club have met with Bulldog Buku Khamis and Swan Joel Amartey as the side look to shore up their bookend stocks.
Khamis was in Carlton's sights last trade period, and with the Bulldogs season again failing to progress past an elimination final, the 26-year-old is expected to defect to the suddenly-in-the-window Blues this off-season.
In navy blue, Khamis would likely relish match-ups with the opposition's third or fourth best forward most weeks, with Jacob Weitering, Harry Dean and Lachie Cowan already key pillars in Josh Fraser's back six.
After failing in his bid to overcome an Achilles injury, that he may take to the qualifying final stage against Brisbane, Sydney's Amartey has a decision to make, with lucrative, five-year offers from the Blues and the club of his drafting in front of him.
The considerable depth at his position in Sydney could necessitate the move, with Charlie Curnow, Logan McDonald, and to a lesser extent, Hayden McLean, showing their wares on Saturday.
