While a portion of trade and free agency deals are often finalised in the dying seconds of the exchange window's deadline day, the wheels can often be in motion before the AFL home and away season is even underway.

Last year's trade window saw 36 players find a new club ahead of the 2023 season, some deals being brokered within hours and others landing after months in the making.

Between contracted players and free agents, AFL clubs and their list managers will often be putting the wheels in motion to scout targets right from their first appearance of the season, or could very well enter the new year with priority signings in mind.

Lion-turned-Magpie Daniel McStay was among the movers at the end of last season, with his switch to Collingwood coming months after his mind was already made up.

"Daniel McStayย was a free agent of mine who I got across toย Collingwood. But that was all done in July," CSM agent Nick Gieschen revealed toย Zero Hangerย in the off-season.

"It was still six months in the making, though. There was Brisbane's offer. Then cameย Collingwood's meeting. It then went back toย Brisbane to think about whether to keep him. It eventually got to a stage where Daniel decided, โ€˜nup, I want to come home'."

With the new season just over a month away, each club is sure to have their list of targets slowly coming together as they plan to scout out-of-contract names across the course of the year.

With this list, we name the one off-contract player your club should be keeping a close eye on in 2023.

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North Melbourne

Lachie Ash

The dashing GWS defender-midfielder would be an immediate favourite of Alastair Clarkson, offering plenty of run across the back half of the field to succeed veteran Aaron Hall at Arden Street.

While not a free agent, Ash's contract is set to conclude this year and is sure to prompt rival interest as the Giants weigh up adding a haul of draft picks for top talent to follow the trend of their recent off-season.

Ash has featured in 56 games across his three seasons with the Giants as a durable utility that would complement North Melbourne's emerging midfield mix.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 10: Conor Stone (left) and Lachie Ash of the Giants celebrate during the 2021 AFL Round 04 match between the Collingwood Magpies and the GWS Giants at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on April 10, 2021 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

While he's not a big-name recruit the rebuilding club might be after, Ash would be a viable target for North Melbourne to consider.

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