Geelong are a good chance to return as one of the busier clubs come the 2024 trade and free agency period following a quieter off-season last year.
The Cats placed a focus on the draft in 2023 and decided against bringing in any experienced talent through trades, with their calm list shift coming after a well-documented player movement space the year prior.
This year, with Geelong in limbo between contending or rebuilding, the Pivot City side looks set to be aggressive through their list management planning as they scout the open market.
Here's who the Cats could consider come the off-season...
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5. Samson Ryan
With a Tom Hawkins-sized hole likely to open up in Geelong's front third, coupled with their lacking future ruck stocks outside of promising tall Toby Conway, would the Cats consider adding an emerging dual-position talent like Ryan?
The currently sidelined Tigers youngster would rival fellow youngster Shannon Neale as the next ruck-forward hybrid who could slot into a forward role and pinch-hit in support of Conway for the years to come.
The Cats have high hopes with Neale, while Ryan could add to a fringe key position crop that includes South Australian Phoenix Foster and first-year tall Mitch Edwards.
But Ryan would potentially go ahead of Neale in the pecking order, and could even play as a first-string ruckman ahead of Conway while he continues his development.
There's certainly a platform where all of Neale, Conway and Ryan play in the same side, but that could hinge on the eventual retirement of spearhead Jeremy Cameron.