For footballing fanatics, the annual trade period is like Christmas - only with recycled toys.
The exchanged athletes may not come brand new in the box or with all of their working parts, but with careers that have already commenced and with runs on the board at previous clubs, most are known quantities.
Many of the names that will find themselves at new homes in 2021 have expressed a desire for a new start. Whilst others have been shopped and shipped against their wishes.
Irrespective of how they've found themselves on the verge of a filling a new locker and guernsey, they have been secured by their latest club to fill a need.
Some players on this list may not be the extravagant of those swapped across the last fortnight. However, they are those best equipped to have their new fans beaming from the get-go.
3. Jack Higgins
From one Higgins to another, we now shift out focus to the former Tiger that now calls Moorabbin home.
Should you be willing to watch the entirety of Jack Higgins' 12-minute 2018 highlights package, you'll notice one thing above all else โ almost all of his โsnags' came from within 25 metres of goal.
Almost moments after Higgins' switch to the Saints, numerical analysts Stats Insider had highlighted just how seamlessly the cult figure will fit into St. Kilda's forward fifty set-up.
In a piece by James Rosewarne, it was shown that the Saints led the competition in 2020 for shots taken within 25 metres of the big sticks. The Moorabbin men kicked 107 of their goals from this range, a full 17 more than their nearest rivals โ Richmond with 90.
Rosewarne continued by stating that of Higgins' 60 career shots, 17 have come from the aforementioned range at an accuracy of 88%.
Although football has never been played on paper or with a calculator instead of a Sherrin, should the 21-year-old continue this run at his new home, he'll be lauded louder than the second coming Christ by the Saints' faithful.
Higgins's expressed desire to spend more time in the midfield will be fulfilled by his new club immediately, with the livewire almost certain to rotate in and out of the middle with โlike for like' teammate Jade Gresham.
