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.
3. Jordon Sweet (Port Adelaide)
Stuck behind Tim English at the Bulldogs, Sweet took his talents across the border to South Australia in the 2023 trade period, joining the Power for Pick 50. Amongst Port Adelaide's three other recruits was Ivan Soldo, with the former Richmond ruckman set to battle Sweet for the Power's number one ruck role.
Soldo was expected to clear 26-year-old Sweet, but the 206cm South Australian had other ideas. Sweet played a career-high 17 games in 2024, besting his previous tally of nine games as a Bulldog.
His contribution rapidly exceeded his Bulldogs days, averaging 35.2 hitouts per game, an increase of 11.5 compared to 2023. His best day came on a massive occasion, outperforming in-form Hawthorn ruckman Lloyd Meek in the semi-final with 52 hitouts and six clearances.
Four games between Rounds 6 and 11 started his time in Power colours, but it wasn't until Round 15 that Sweet maintained his position in the side. Hence, Sweet's season flew under the radar as star Sydney ruckman Brodie Grundy stole the limelight for his captivating start to 2024. It was nonetheless a significant improvement for Sweet, and for Pick 50, well worth his trade value.
