Every year we see players move clubs in search for greater opportunities elsewhere.
Last off-season we saw the likes of Will Setterfield, Billy Frampton and Jayden Hunt move clubs to earn AFL opportunities, and they’ve been rewarded since entering new environments this year.
Looking at every club’s 2023 list, we picked out the player from your side who may be better off looking elsewhere to play more at the top level.
Matt Crouch
Matt Crouch made his reappearance to Adelaide’s senior side in Round 8. But the fact it was his first game since Round 17 last year tells you all you need to know.
Crouch, 27, is an All-Australian and deserves more than dominating the SANFL week in and week out.
He’s clearly surplus to requirements at the Crows and while he reportedly attracted little interest last trade period, Crouch has had a year to hone his craft and become a better outside player.
It’s as simple as this: an All-Australian midfielder who should be at the peak of his powers and is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this year. It would be surprising not to see Crouch elsewhere in 2024.
Seb Mottram
Deven Robertson
Brisbane midfielder Deven Robertson is certainly a player that will be of interest to clubs.
The 2019 first-round pick comes off contract at the end of the season and has a solid base of 28 AFL games to his name.
While he’s appeared three times in 2023, two of those have come as the substitute as he’s played four times in the VFL, averaging 27.3 disposals and a goal.
A player that’s renowned for his defensive efforts in the midfield, you get the feeling Robertson would slot into many on-ball units around the league, it’s just that Brisbane’s is currently stacked.
Hailing from Western Australia, it wouldn’t shock to see Robertson in Eagles or Dockers colours in 2024.
Lachlan Geleit
Paddy Dow
Carlton has the likely poster boy for this entire article in Paddy Dow.
The Blues appear to have put a line through playing the former pick 3, given their existing midfield unit.
Whether it’s simply because they have too much depth – Matthew Kennedy serving as the sub suggests that – or whether the coaches have simply given up on him at AFL level, Dow will certainly be at a new club next year.
The 23-year-old has been overlooked in the past given queries on his ball-use and defensive work outside of stoppages.
Dow has been a strong performer at VFL level and would be right up there in JJ Liston Trophy voting.
Nic Negrepontis
Fin Macrae
Collingwood youngster Fin Macrae couldn’t do much more to earn a senior opportunity.
Through five VFL games in 2023, Macrae has averaged 28.4 disposals, 7.6 tackles and has kicked four goals.
The former first-round pick has 11 AFL games to his name, and while he’s contracted until the end of 2024, he’d hope to make his way into the AFL side soon.
While the Magpies will no doubt want to keep hold of Macrae, particularly as the likes of Scott Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom near the end, no one would begrudge him if he went in search of more opportunities if he remains in the reserves.
In saying that, it would be surprising if he pushed for a move with a year remaining on his deal.
Lachlan Geleit
Kaine Baldwin
The developing forward joined Essendon as a pre-season supplementary selection player in 2021, but has failed to see any form of regular game time during his career so far.
The 193cm and 95kg forward has been highly rated, playing four AFL games last season but hasn’t featured at senior level this year so far.
The 20-year-old remains out of contract at the end of 2023 and his future at Essendon beyond this season remains clouded.
With the Bombers’ options up forward threadbare without Peter Wright and Harrison Jones for the moment, Baldwin will be hoping to perform well enough at VFL level to force his way into the senior selection frame.
But until that happens, his future remains a watch.
Laurence Rosen
Liam Henry
Former top-10 pick Liam Henry is now into his fourth season at the Dockers but hasn’t yet cemented a spot in Justin Longmuir’s best side, while he also comes out of contract at the end of 2023.
Originally drafted as a crafty small forward, Henry wasn’t able to impact the scoreboard enough for the Dockers through his first three years and so a move to the wing ensued last season.
Henry’s positional switch has shown potential as the Dockers try to utilise his speed, agility and football smarts, but the 21-year-old hasn’t been able to find any consistency with the role and played his last AFL match against the Crows in Round 4.
There is no doubt about Henry's talent and ability to generate excitement, so perhaps a move to a new club could be the best thing to re-invigorate his career.
Fremantle might be less enthused with Henry’s potential departure given their lack of wingmen and the fact a former top-10 pick would be walking out the door. But a trade could be beneficiary for both parties should the Dockers receive draft picks that could help them secure a much-needed key forward.
Marcus Beeck
Sam Menegola
It’s unclear when Sam Menegola will return from a knee injury, but he might be best placed to look for new opportunities in the twilight of his career.
A wingman who’s played 116 games for a very good team, Menegola is going to struggle to force his way into Geelong’s best 22 this season and next unless an injury crisis strikes.
He was one of several players Chris Scott flagged as unlucky to miss last year’s Grand Final, but with recent trade and draft acquisitions, Menegola may have fallen further down the pecking order.
But he’s still got a couple of years of footy in front of him and could be enticed to join another contender on the basis of a guaranteed best 22 spot.
Seb Mottram
Jeremy Sharp
Gold Coast staunchly held onto Jeremy Sharp in last year’s trade period, despite the speedster requesting a trade to Fremantle.
The Suns demanded a second-round pick for him, with the Dockers unwilling to pay the price.
Sharp has spent the season in the VFL, yet to play a game at AFL level. He has averaged 21.8 disposals per game at the second level to go with 8.5 marks per game.
Given he is now out of contract, it’s hard to imagine the wingman not making his way back home to a West Australian team in 2024.
Nic Negrepontis
Jake Riccardi
Now in his fourth year with the Giants, a change of environment could perhaps help spark Jake Riccardi’s career.
Over the course of his 33 AFL games he has shown glimpses of what he is truly capable of, but just cannot seem to string any continuity together.
Riccardi played the first four games of this season, returning two goals in Round 3 against Carlton, but went goalless in the other three. He was subsequently omitted ahead of Round 5 and has played the last three games in the VFL, kicking 11 goals.
There has been enough from Riccardi in his AFL career to date to suggest he can make it, but he just hasn’t been able to cement a spot inside forward 50 with the Giants.
Perhaps pastures anew and a fresh environment might suit the 23-year-old, who is out of contract this year.
Andrew Slevison
Denver Grainger-Barras
His best game for Hawthorn was arguably his first – a feisty, high-flying performance against GWS at the MCG in 2021 that made him an instant fan favourite.
But the sixth overall pick at the 2020 national draft also was subbed out with concussion that day and the Hawks have rarely had a game like it from him ever since. He played 16 games at AFL level last year but only two so far in 2023.
Sam Mitchell gets asked often about Granger-Barras and he says he is making excellent progress, working hard on the deficient areas of his game and that he absolutely figures in the club’s long-term plans.
But that hasn’t prevented rival clubs from scouting him closely and even with a year remaining on his contract his name is likely to feature prominently as trade talk heats up.
Ash Browne
Adam Tomlinson (Melbourne)
Melbourne defender Adam Tomlinson hasn’t been able to nail down a consistent spot since joining Melbourne ahead of the 2020 season.
After 140 games for the Giants from 2012 to 2019, Tomlinson has appeared just 31 times for the Demons in the last four years, including three games in 2023.
Playing most of his footy in the VFL, Tomlinson has averaged 24.5 disposals and 6.8 marks from four appearances in the state-league, showing that he still can play a level above the reserves.
At 29, Tomlinson still may think he has a few years of top-level football in him, and that doesn’t look like it’ll come in red and blue.
While he’s contracted until 2024, you wouldn’t expect the Demons to get in his way if he went elsewhere for more opportunity.
Lachlan Geleit
Hugh Greenwood
Hugh Greenwood has been in and out of the AFL side so far this season, with the Roos having a reasonably settled on-ball unit.
He and Ben Cunnington overlap in terms of skillsets, though the latter has been up and down in 2023.
At 31, Greenwood is out of contract and likely has more to offer at AFL level and could provide depth elsewhere in 2024.
The Roos are deep in a rebuild and having veterans around is important, but their midfield is already rather developed and they still must work top draftee George Wardlaw in there.
It’s hard to see how Greenwood has a role with North Melbourne beyond 2023.
Nic Negrepontis
Mitch Georgiades
Even before his injury, it was uncertain how much we would see of Mitch Georgiades at senior level this season.
The 21-year-old ruptured his ACL playing in the SANFL in late April, however had already seemingly fallen behind the young Ollie Lord in Port Adelaide’s forward line pecking order.
Georgiades was dropped after Round 2 this season, just two years removed from booting 32 goals in his 2021 campaign.
While he wasn’t setting the SANFL alight prior to his injury, the forward has already proven that he can perform at the top level when in form.
Georgiades is out of contract at the year’s end, and with West Coast already having voiced interest in arranging a return home for the West Australian, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he seeks a fresh start for his injury return.
Jack Makeham
Jack Ross
Jack Ross is one player at Richmond who could do with a change of scenery.
The 22-year-old has played 48 games across five seasons and is more often than not on the outside looking in.
That has only become more apparent since the arrival of Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper, and even with Trent Cotchin’s move forward opening a midfield slot, there have been few opportunities forthcoming.
Ross was drafted in 2018 and started his career in promising fashion in 2019 when he was played as a midfielder.
Over the last few years, however, he has often been used as a bit-part player who fills gaps when key Tigers on-ballers are out of the side. Even when that is the case, he is often deployed on flanks or the wing.
Ross is contracted with the Tigers until 2024, but could look elsewhere if he wants to become a permanent midfielder before he enters his prime.
Andrew Slevison
Tom Highmore
Taken with pick 45 in the 2020 National Draft, Highmore has really struggled to crack into St Kilda’s senior side the last few years.
Having played 13 AFL games in his first year in the AFL, Highmore has featured in the senior side just three more times in 2022 and 2023.
There’s no doubt Highmore can play at the elite level, but a lack of consistency last year has meant he hasn’t featured in St Kilda’s back six that has proven impenetrable this year.
Unfortunately for Highmore, players like Josh Battle, Ben Patton and Liam Stocker have gone past him meaning there isn’t a spot for him in Ross Lyon’s side.
Averaging 22 disposals and six marks for Sandringham this year, Highmore would be a good fit for a side that needs some help down back and he's gettable considering he's out of contract at the end of this year.
Hugh Fitzpatrick
Lewis Melican
Once a mainstay in the Swans' back-six, Melican hasn’t played for the senior side since their elimination final loss to GWS in 2021.
The introduction of Paddy McCartin to the Swans backline and positional change of his brother Tom has since resulted in limited spots for another key defender in the lineup.
Melican went from playing 17 games in 2017 and 2019 to just nine in 2020 and six in 2021.
When the McCartin brothers and co-captain Dane Rampe fell to injury, Melican was the obvious replacement, but he too has dealt with niggling injuries over the past few seasons which have kept him sidelined.
The 26-year-old is in the final year of his contract at Sydney and has made it clear to other clubs that he would be open for a trade. Every club is calling out for a key defender so Melican wouldn’t struggle to find a new home at the end of the season.
Charles Goodsir
While Callum Jamieson is under contract until 2025, he is struggling to break into the team despite gaps in West Coast’s available 22.
As Jamieson has been developing for the Eagles in the WAFL, Bailey Williams has cemented a comfortable ruckman role for the AFL squad as 33-year-old Nic Naitanui battles an Achilles injury on the sideline.
Jamieson has been performing strongly and proving his ability as a tall in the first few rounds of the 2023 WAFL season, with averages of 14 disposals and 22 hit-outs per game.
On top of Naitanui being sidelined, defender Harry Edwards and newly recruited forward Jack Williams have also suffered injuries in 2023, both of whom are over 197 centimetres tall.
This is a role that would suit the play style and ability of Callum Jamieson, but as the return of Edwards and Williams loom, his opportunity may be slipping.
At a time where the Eagles could benefit from the presence of height in the side, Jamieson is not getting opportunities despite proven ability, and could use a change of scenery when out of contract.
Ollie Williamson
Toby McLean
Toby McLean hasn’t been able to catch a break over the last few years.
Back-to-back ACL tears in 2020 and 2021 saw the Bulldog miss plenty of football in the prime of his career, finally getting back to a clean bill of health in 2022.
Since making his return via the VFL in June last year, McLean has appeared in just five games at senior level, primarily being named as the substitute whenever he does play.
In the absence of senior reps, the midfielder has dominated the VFL in every appearance, averaging 27 touches a game over the last two years, including a monster 47-disposal performance in April.
With the strength of the Bulldogs’ midfield, it’s not overly surprising McLean can’t break back into the squad, however he is simply too talented to be stuck in the reserves or as the sub.
Out of contract and set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the year, McLean could be on his way to a new home.
Jake Makeham