The 2024 trade and draft windows formed a busy off-season for many AFL clubs.
Whether it was a big-name free agent on the move, a highly touted youngster capable of creating immediate impact, a steal late on draft night, or a low-cost trade filling a list need, each club found a player that helped shape their 2025 season.
This isn't a ranking of your club's best-performed recruit, but instead a player that outperformed what your club paid to get them - a player who addressed a list need, had an impact and played an important role in your team's system. Here's one recruit each AFL club nailed.
Western Bulldogs
Matt Kennedy
The Bulldogs acquired Kennedy for just Pick 38 after playing 121 games for Carlton and GWS.
After being forced out of the midfield at Carlton in 2024, coach Luke Beveridge trusted Kennedy to play big midfield minutes for his side in 2025. Despite playing alongside fellow midfield stars in Marcus Bontempelli, Ed Richards and Tom Liberatore, Kennedy had a prolific 2025 season according to the numbers.
He averaged 23.2 disposals, nine contested possessions, five clearances and five tackles. After attending just 10 centre bounces per game on average at the Blues in 2024, that rose to 17.4 under Beveridge in 2025.
The Bulldogs would be stoked with Kennedy's 2025 season, his hard edge and competitiveness complementing the class of Bontempelli and Richards superbly.
Other recruits: Sam Davidson, Josh Dolan, Cooper Hynes, Lachie Jaques, Luke Kennedy.
