After a trade and free agency window like no other in 2022, this year's player movement space could be seen as a 'fizzer' in comparison after a number of top targets opted to turn their back on rival interest while others may even already know where they'll be playing in 2024.
But the latest shift in the market came as North Melbourne moved into the box seat to carry Pick 1 into the off-season, with West Coast flying off the foot of the ladder last Sunday after securing their third win of the season.
The Eagles' possession of the opening pick loomed as a key piece for the upcoming trade window, with clubs in Melbourne, GWS and even North Melbourne seen as potential buyers that could be willing to part ways with up to three first-round selections to have first dibs on draft night for Bendigo's Harley Reid.
If the Kangaroos fail to snap their losing run in Round 24, the Arden Street club will have Pick 1 at their disposal for a third successive year and are likely to hold that selection until they're on the clock before calling Reid's name.
Rivals may still consider tabling sensational packages to try and pry Pick 1 away from the Shinboners, but with North Melbourne potentially having direct access to Tasmanian prospect and potential top-five selection Riley Sanders, as well as draft compensation as early as Pick 2 with the assumed-likely loss of free agent Ben McKay, the Roos won't be needing a suite of selections in exchange for their top pick.
With Pick 1 then off the table, the holders of the following selections are also likely to keep their place in the queue before Gold Coast's 2023 first-round pick - currently valued at Pick 4.
Needing to package later picks in order to have the requisite points to secure Academy prospects and first-round talent in Jed Walter, Ethan Read and Jake Rogers, the Suns are set to have their top pick on the table for clubs keen to move up the draft order.
Last year's exchange period saw five top 10 draft selections, as well as an extravagant line of players, traded hands, along with a further four future first-round picks.
One trade alone saw Picks 1, 2, 7 and 8 trade places as the reigning first-overall pick, Jason Horne-Francis, headlined arguably the most lucrative deal in the competition's history.
A Brownlow medallist, a 2022 best and fairest winner, and a substantial suite of names that each commanded high-priced returns wrought a trade window like no other.
Horne-Francis, Brodie Grundy, Willie Rioli, Tim Taranto, Jacob Hopper, Jaeger O'Meara, Luke Jackson, Tom Mitchell, Oliver Henry, Josh Dunkley, Izak Rankine, Rory Lobb, Blake Acres and Griffin Logue each sought moves and wouldn't even make up half of the deals that were finalised by the deadline.
Add to the list of done deals the many months of speculation that led to them, plus conjecture and conclusions that included even the names of Lance Franklin, Harry McKay, Dustin Martin and Jordan De Goey being raised.
An added layer to last year's trade window was the mass of moves that started and began in the final hours of the player movement space, with Essendon, Melbourne and Hawthorn working late after 11th-hour bids for new names.
The Hawks parted ways with O'Meara late into the piece after the former Sun's name was raised just two days out from deadline day, with Fremantle ruckman Lloyd Meek suddenly heading to Waverley in a deal that included both players.
Hawthorn would also acquire young Cat Cooper Stephens in the final hour after wheels were put in motion earlier the same day to see the midfielder emerge as a catalyst between negotiations for Oliver Henry and Tom Mitchell, who would land at Geelong and Collingwood respectively in a three-player swap.
Essendon would move on Aaron Francis to Sydney on the final day of the trade window while acquiring Will Setterfield and Sam Weideman from Carlton and Melbourne within the space of a few hours, with the Demons then looking toward contracted Bulldogs pair Lachie Hunter and Josh Schache as part of further surprises on the last day.
It's impossible to rule out a similar scenario of events for this year's trade window, with deals involving contracted players seemingly more and more driven and as flexible as ever.
Grundy's name has re-emerged in trade talks despite his name still being signed to a contract that was initially seen to have him remain a Magpie until the end of 2027. With financial input from Collingwood, Grundy is locked in with the Demons for a further four years and could join a third club in as many seasons if he and Melbourne agree to part ways after an experiment that has struggled to get off the ground.
Contracted Bulldogs midfielder Bailey Smith is also signed beyond 2023 and has been flagged as a potential trade option, as has Carlton's Zac Fisher, Saint Dougal Howard and Melbourne pair Adam Tomlinson and James Harmes.
Among the field of off-contract players, close to 220 names are yet to learn their future beyond this season.
Added list spots for the likes of Gold Coast and North Melbourne will play a part in limited moves across the trade space, with several clubs unlikely to be busier in acquiring talent through trading as they plan to sort their in-house list calls first.
And through months of speculation surrounding some of the competition's biggest trade targets, many sought-after stars have turned their back on external advances to further calm the player movement landscape.
Restricted free agents Harry Himmelberg and Mason Redman turned down the option to exercise their rights and instead signed long-term extensions, while Carlton's Tom De Koning, Port Adelaide's Miles Bergman and Melbourne's Kysaiah Pickett also decided to extend contracts with their current clubs after being in-demand and in the eyes of others.
While contracted until 2027, West Coast's Tom Barrass was seen as a priority target for Sydney before deciding to remain in Perth, adding to the Swans' frustrations after missing out on both De Koning and Himmelberg.
Himmelberg's re-signing was a significant settlement for the Giants, who have also managed to retain Tom Green, Lachie Ash, and most recently, Jake Riccardi, with the latter having been on the radar of rivals before making a call on his future late into the year.
The Swans' failed pursuits have forced them to join an already busy market for key defenders, with off-contract Geelong swingman Esava Ratugolea now looming as the most sought-after name in the trade space.
Port Adelaide, Hawthorn and Sydney are among the clubs set to show some level of interest in the build-up to the off-season's open day, while Essendon was also flagged as a potential buyer.
But the Bombers' plans to build their backline look on course elsewhere, with North Melbourne free agent Ben McKay tipped to land at Tullamarine as one move greatly anticipated months out from the commencement of the free agency signing window.
Essendon is a central piece in just how frantic the sign and trade period might be, with McKay's move potentially leading to higher interest in off-contract Dons defender Brandon Zerk-Thatcher, while the Bombers' own free agent in Darcy Parish has a decision to make on his future with his contract negotiations understood to be at a standstill.
If Parish decides to depart the club that recruited him with the fifth overall pick in 2015, then their compensation could disappear as quickly as it comes if Essendon is able to secure McKay's signature through the same signing mechanism.
St Kilda's Jade Gresham, who has had an interest in his services reportedly come and go from Carlton, Adelaide's Tom Doedee and Port Adelaide's Charlie Dixon join Parish and McKay in being the remaining restricted free agents for 2023.
Dixon is a near-certainty to be at Alberton next year, while Doedee's future remains up in the air as the Crows hope to retain the intercepting defender who is set to miss the start of next season with an ACL injury.
Doedee is another tall defender potentially available to rival clubs, with key backman arguably the most in-demand market this year, rivalling the known 'ruck merry-go-round' that has been spinning over the past two seasons.
The ruck space is sure to have several clubs interested, with Sydney, West Coast, Geelong, Hawthorn and Essendon having ruckmen retire, while sides in Carlton and Melbourne are likely to be looking toward adding depth to their ruck stocks.
But much like the crop of available key defenders, clubs looking for ruckmen are likely to all be looking toward the same few names. GWS duo Braydon Pruess and Matt Flynn could be of interest after falling behind Kieren Briggs, while Port Adelaide are home to three off-contract talls in Scott Lycett, Sam Hayes and Brynn Teakle.
Arguably the two most enticing ruck options come in the form of Bulldog Jordon Sweet and Essendon's Nick Bryan, who offer differing traits as key-position talent still unsigned for 2024. Sweet is more of a traditional big-bodied ruckman while Bryan is a more athletic type that requires further development before holding down a first-string role.
There is plenty left to unfold over the coming months, with Port Adelaide's Mitch Georgiades and Essendon's Harrison Jones both yet to recommit to their respective clubs for next year as the home and away season nears an end.
Much like the 11th-hour deals that arose last year, there's no knowing what might be around the corner.
