While players and coaches are gearing up for another campaign after a long pre-season, list managers have also been pulling strings before a ball has bounced almost a year out from the 2025 trade period.
While not a common occurrence, pre-season trade news has been a feature this year as star players Luke Davies-Uniacke, Matt Rowell, Oscar Allen and Tom De Koning have calls to make.
Reports have gone as far as to suggest Allen and Rowell have spoken to other clubs over the off-season, with club list managers getting their interest in early.
With this year's crop of off-contract names still home to a plethora of quality players, we've looked at who could be up for grabs and which clubs are positioned as potential landing spots.
With this list, we name the one player your club should be keeping a close eye on in 2025.
14. Richmond
Josh Ward
Youth will remain the focus of Richmond's recruiting spree, but not every new face has to come through the draft.
Ward is entering his fourth season with Hawthorn and has struggled to cement his place under Sam Mitchell, with a top line of engine room incumbents ahead of him in the selection mix.
Fellow top 10 pick Cameron Mackenzie looks to have surpassed Ward ahead of the 2025 season, with both emerging onballers eyeing big campaigns this year as they come off-contract.
Mackenzie looms as a priority re-signing at Waverley, while Ward - who should still fetch an offer to recommit - could consider a larger role elsewhere if the right offer arose.
Richmond, who are building a midfield for the future, could look toward the Northern Knights junior as a potential addition to their young ensemble.
Ward has 42 games to his name and could benefit from a more senior role under Adem Yze that would see him placed as a key feature in the club's rebuild.
