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...
OTHER TRADE TARGETS: ADELAIDE, BRISBANE, CARLTON, COLLINGWOOD, ESSENDON, FREMANTLE
A name quite familiar in Cats trade talks, with Smith seen as a live chance to make his way to Kardinia Park at the end of this year.
Geelong will have some fight from Hawthorn and potentially Collingwood in pursuit of Smith's signature, with the Bulldogs viewed as a good chance to lose the midfielder due to other areas of their list and the potential offers from rivals.
The Sandringham Dragons product would slot in a first-string midfield role at Geelong and be placed alongside the likes of Max Holmes and Tanner Bruhn, with all three former first-round picks each bringing their own strengths to Chris Scott's midfield ensemble.
Smith, who will be coming off a year on the sidelines following an ACL injury sustained last December, would demand a first-round pick at the very least in trade negotiations.
But if the flashy Dogs onballer can return to his best, an early selection will be worth the price paid.
A local product who has shown upside but struggled for form in recent time, with McHenry dropped from Mattew Nicks' said prior to the club's Round 15 bye.
The Crows midfield-forward was drafted to West Lakes as a first-round selection in a stacked 2018 draft class but has since plateaued in his development after just 11 games last year.
Could Geelong see the Barwon Heads native as a low-buy but high-upside target at season's end?
McHenry is currently unsigned for the 2025 season, and given his place on the periphery of Adelaide's senior side he may not come at a high fee.
An experienced outside runner who falls between emerging and veteran status - something the Cats are lacking in their midfield group.
Maybe outside of hard-nosed onballer Tom Atkins, the Cats don't have reliable prime-aged figures in their engine room, with the likes of Patrick Dangerfield, Mark Blicavs and Cam Guthrie in the twilight of their careers while Max Holmes and Jhye Clark continue to develop.
A player who can not only act as a handover player but can do a consistent job in the middle third might just be a requirement at Kardinia Park, and Langdon certainly fills the mould.
With Holmes moving to half-back or in a more central midfield role, a spot on the wing for Langdon in the blue and white hoops is there for the taking.
We're into the second half of the 2024 season and Langdon is yet to recommit to Melbourne beyond this year...
With the Cats currently between premiership contention and rebuild status, finding role players who won't hurt your draft hand but can compete in a strong side are of good value.
Taylor is just that. His potential as a wing or half-forward asset with a long kick and dash could be what the Cats are after as they look to add to their 24 or under ranks.
After an up-and-down 2022 and a pre-season hampered by injury, the Keilor product has found some good form in his return to AFL level over the past month or so.
Another player unsigned for next season, the young Roo could benefit further from an environment led by Cats coach Chris Scott.
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.