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.
Richmond
Hayden McLean
After a sizeable off-season that saw the Tigers pull in GWS star duo Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper, Richmond are likely to be in for a quieter trade period.
Their backline needs no adjustment, while their new recruits replenish their midfield for the coming seasons while Shai Bolton, Jayden Short and Tyler Sonsie look to rotate through the middle.
One area the Tigers are potentially needing more coverage for is their tall forward options, with triple premiership spearhead Jack Riewoldt likely entering his final year in the AFL.
A new forward piece to partner Tom Lynch in attack will be atop Richmond's wishlist, with a target that can also pinch-hit in the ruck an added bonus.
Swans tall Hayden McLean fits the mould for Richmond's recruiting plan, with the Beaumaris product a promising aerial threat that can slot into the forward line as well as work in tandem with Toby Nankervis.
Off-contract and seen as no certainty to feature in John Longmire's best 22-man side, the fifth-year Swan could consider a return to Victoria.
