A mid-season trade period feels like an inevitability now and we could soon look back and wonder how we ever went without it.
Contending teams around the league might feel that way right now as they battle injuries and depth concerns, while struggling sides could see an opportunity to cash in players above their value to fill someone else’s short-term needs.
A hypothetical 2024 mid-season trade period could have been a key defender merry-go-round, with the likes of North Melbourne, Collingwood, Geelong, Hawthorn, Richmond and the Bulldogs all potentially in the need of a short-term fix to get through the year.
Ruck depth and key forwards would also be at a premium as injuries mount.
Could we see players about to come out of contract moved early? A Cam Zurhaar, perhaps? What about someone who requested a trade last year like a Harrison Petty or Elliott Himmelberg?
We’ve picked out 10 players from around the AFL who either would benefit from a fresh start or who could be in hot demand because of the positional hole they could fill.
Of course, we’re loading up with players who aren’t really getting opportunities at the current club. Their incentive to trade would be to cash in a depth role player above his value to a desperate team.
Jack Macrae (Western Bulldogs)
What can be made of the Jack Macrae situation at the Bulldogs? They left him in the reserves for three weeks before bringing him back in as the substitute.
Luke Beveridge has talked about how they need to change up their mix and do things differently – could that come at the expense of the All-Australian midfielder?
Would a team like Adelaide or Hawthorn or St Kilda offer up a second-round pick for the 29-year-old?
Or would he be stuck battling it out at The Kennel? He would certainly be a focal point of discussion either way.
Caleb Daniel (Western Bulldogs)
Caleb Daniel has been thrown around positionally this season after finishing fourth in their best and fairest last year.
Now Beveridge has omitted the former All-Australian leaving his future in doubt.
Kane Cornes made the case on Thursday night for Daniel being a perfect fit at the Crows, particularly with their issues moving the ball off half-back.
Brisbane could also use a half-back flanker of his calibre after losing Keidean Coleman for the season.
Ned Moyle (Gold Coast)
Ned Moyle feels like the most likely player to be traded in the upcoming trade period – based on vibes, not inside information.
The young ruckman has shown a heap of promise and should be starting at a club soon, but remains stuck behind captain Jarrod Witts, and now first-round pick Ethan Read looms as well.
A team like St Kilda could use additional ruck depth and could please Rowan Marshall and Moyle together, while Melbourne is crying out for someone as a back-up to Max Gawn, should an unfortunate injury occur.
Until then, Moyle will continue to dominate the VFL ahead of October.
Adam Tomlinson (Melbourne)
This one is quite simple. Teams like North Melbourne, Hawthorn and even Collingwood are crying out for a key defender to get them through this season.
Melbourne has a surplus of depth at the position and could cash in on a player like Tomlinson to a team willing to part with, say, a third round draft pick for the 30-year-old.
It would also allow Tomlinson to play a full season of footy rather than sitting in the wings for the best backline in the competition.
Levi Casboult (Gold Coast)
Despite being 34, Levi Casboult still has what it takes to be a bash-and-crash key forward who does some ruck work.
As mentioned earlier, the Suns have plenty of depth and Casboult would be able to fill the needs of a team in the premiership hunt for the next six months.
He could hypothetically return to the Bluebaggers, who have a lack of key forward depth. Even Richmond could look at him given their injury woes in that position.
Will Brodie (Fremantle)
Will Brodie has spent a lot of time in the reserves in recent years, despite thriving in every senior opportunity he has received.
While he might not be a superstar, he is a serviceable inside midfielder and someone who play 10 games for a Hawthorn or a GWS or a Richmond given injuries and depth.
Rory Lobb (Western Bulldogs)
Rory Lobb has quickly become surplus to needs at the Bulldogs, with the breakout of Sam Darcy and given the stars the Dogs need to re-sign, could they look to move Lobb’s salary off their books?
Adelaide, Carlton, Collingwood, North Melbourne and more could do with an additional forward-ruck in 2024, but given Lobb is a highly paid player and been quite inconsistent, it’s unlikely that they would part with a premium draft pick.
Still, a team like North Melbourne has the salary cap space and a need for mature bodies, particularly with Callum Coleman-Jones going down.
Peter Ladhams (Sydney)
Peter Ladhams is in an incredibly similar boat to Lobb. He’s clearly somewhat out of favour at the Swans, stuck behind Brodie Grundy and Hayden McLean, and could benefit from a third team.
The same lot of teams could be in the mix, but the question would be whether Sydney are comfortable parting with the depth.
Elliott Himmelberg (Adelaide)
Elliott Himmelberg falls into the category of player who requested a trade last year, but ultimately didn’t get his wish.
However, he is yet to get a look in this season despite the Crows’ key position stocks being thin. They have preferred Chris Burgess and Lachlan Gollant up forward so far this season.
Would GWS come knocking again to pair Elliott with his brother Harry at the Giants?
Trent McKenzie (Port Adelaide)
Teams are screaming out for reliable, ready-made key defenders and Port Adelaide now has a surplus thanks to their work in the trade period.
Someone like a North Melbourne would be a perfect home for McKenzie, who wouldn’t be a long-term solution, obviously, but could at least make them more competitive this year.
Collingwood could also use the depth given the question marks around Nathan Murphy.