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, โnup, 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.
Port Adelaide
Kysaiah Pickett
A name already closely linked to the Power before a ball has been bounced in 2023, with Pickett seen as one of the biggest names among the off-contract pool this year.
All eyes will be on the small forward's contract call, where he'll likely be weighing up a move to either WA or SA should he not remain with the Demons beyond this year.
The Power will face some competition for Pickett's services and already face an uphill battle to secure the young forward as they enter this year without a first-round selection for the 2023 National Draft.
But with cross-town rivals Adelaide unlikely to be shopping for a small forward, and Fremantle having parted with their first-round pick for this year as well, the Power might well be within the race for Pickett.
