The best recruits of 2024 have been well-established now. Massimo D'Ambrosio landed at Hawthorn for a pack of peanuts and produced an All-Australian squad year, Brodie Grundy recaptured top form at Sydney whilst still getting payments from Collingwood, and Jack Ginnivan flourished with the freedom granted to him by Sam Mitchell.
But there were many others that shifted across borders in the 2023 trade period that produced solid contributions to their team's success in 2024.
We've named the four most underrated recruits of 2023, reflecting on those who went under the radar at a fresh club in the season gone by.
4. Jack Gunston (Hawthorn)
After transferring over to Brisbane in 2023, Gunston made his way back home to his triple-premiership club in 2024.
Coach Sam Mitchell has noted before he was saddened to let Gunston go in the 2022 trade period, and it was clear as to why in his return year. Gunston's veteran leadership was evident in Hawthorn's unlikely rise to finals, producing greater output on-field than in 2023, whilst assisting in developing a young brigade of forwards, especially the development of father-son Calsher Dear.
Dear was expected to develop in the Box Hill VFL ranks in 2024, but would debut in Round 8 and hold his spot for the remainder of the year. Gunston's teaching and experience to Dear were critical in his rise to playing AFL, whilst their personal bond over losing their fathers created a special connection. Gunston's off-field assistance turned out to be an unexpected yet crucial bonus to Hawthorn's acquisition of the triple-premiership forward.
Of course, it wasn't only off-field where Gunston shined. He kicked 29 goals across 18 games in 2024, including a bag of five against Richmond in Round 23, as well as two hauls of four goals. In a rapidly improving, youthful forward line, Gunston still proved he has the talent to play at the highest level.
