With the 2024 AFL season complete, clubs, players, and fans turned their attention to the trade and free agency periods, with player movement the big focus ahead of the offseason.
Rumours were swirling in footy circles that a number of high profile players might be set to find new homes ahead of the 2025 season, and several of these came to fruition.
See what unfolded in the player movement space right here:
Key Dates
Friday, Oct. 4: Free agency period begins (9am)
Monday, Oct. 7: Trade period begins (9am)
Friday, Oct. 11: Free agency period closes (5pm)
Wednesday, Oct. 16: Trade period closes (7:30pm)
Wednesday, Nov. 20: National Draft -- Round 1
Thursday, Nov. 21: National Draft -- Round 2 until completion
Player movement tracker - every completed deal
Bailey Smith officially a Geelong player
It took until the final moments of the trade period, but the Bulldogs have accepted Geelong's offer of pick 17 for star midfielder Bailey Smith, with an array of later picks also included in a deal that also involved the Western Bulldogs, St Kilda, and Carlton.
Dogs land Kennedy for midfield aid
The Western Bulldogs have lost several players this trade period, but they were able to secure the services of former GWS and Carlton player Matt Kennedy. The versatile midfielder, who has shown an ability to also play at either end of the ground, was sent to the Dogs with pick 38 heading the Blues' way.
Parker, Konstanty join Roos
Swans pair Luke Parker and Jacob Konstanty have joined Clarko and the Roos, with North Melbourne sending over pick 44 to Sydney.
Stringer gets his move to the Giants
The mercurial forward-midfielder will head to GWS, with pick 53 going to Essendon.
Premiership Bulldogs Daniel, Macrae find new homes
The Roos have exchanged pick 25 for speedy Bulldog Caleb Daniel, while Jack Macrae has been traded to St Kilda for pick 45.
Peatling gets to the Crows
Versatile Giant James Peatling will play for Adelaide in 2025 and beyond. the Crows gave up a future second-round pick, with the Giants handing over Peatling, a future third, and a future fourth-round selection.
Peatling, 24, joins teammate Isaac Cumming who also joined the Crows during the free agency period.
Tom Barrass officially becomes a Hawk
Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell has landed his biggest trade target this offseason, securing the services of West Coast key defender Tom Barrass to bolster an already impressive backline, which also added free agent Josh Battle.
The Hawks handed over a future first, second, and third-round pick to get Barrass, with the Eagles sending a future fourth to Hawthorn along with the star defender.
Dan Rioli lands at the Suns
Gold Coast has secured the services of three-time premiership defender Daniel Rioli after striking a deal with Richmond in the final hours of the AFL trade period.
Rioli reunites with coach Damien Hardwick at the Suns, with the club trading picks 6 and 23 in return for the 27-year-old, as well as picks 51, 61, 70 and 76.
-- ESPN
Shai Bolton joins Fremantle
Richmond premiership winner Shai Bolton has become a Docker, but deals involving Bailey Smith, Tom Barrass, Luke Parker and Daniel Rioli are still being thrashed out.
Fremantle have agreed to a deal that will send picks No.10, 11 and 18 to Richmond in exchange for Bolton, pick No.14 and a future third-round selection.
The Dockers initially offered Richmond picks No.10 and 18 for Bolton, but the Tigers wanted picks No.10 and 11. West Coast put pressure on Fremantle by again inquiring about Bolton, forcing the Dockers into action.
Bolton is set to sign a five-year deal with Fremantle, and his impending arrival means the Dockers will start 2025 as one of the premiership favourites.
The 25-year-old won flags with Richmond in 2019 and 2020 during his 135-game career at the Tigers. Bolton kicked 43 goals and averaged 17.5 disposals and 3.6 clearances during his All-Australian year of 2022.
Bolton joins Liam Baker and Jack Graham in departing the Tigers, with Rioli desperate to follow them out the door after requesting a trade to Gold Coast.
-- AAP
Dan Houston signs with Magpies, five players involved in mega-trade
Dan Houston's move to Collingwood is confirmed as the AFL trade period finally kicked into gear on Tuesday.
The five-player mega trade, with Houston at its centrepiece, was finalised after Port Adelaide initially baulked at the deal on Monday night. It is essentially the same five-player deal that was revealed on Monday, with the two-time All-Australian defender as its key figure, plus Gold Coast sending an extra draft pick to the Power.
The main features of the trade involve Port sending Houston to Collingwood and receiving Gold Coast's No.13 draft pick, as well as Suns players Jack Lukosius and Rory Atkins and Magpies youngster Joe Richards.
Collingwood defender John Noble will also join Gold Coast, with several other current and 2025 draft picks also in the deal.
-- AAP
Demons land Brisbane youngster
Hard-running Lion Harry Sharp has been traded to Melbourne along with a future third-round pick, while the Dees have sent back pick 49 in this year's draft and a future third-round selection.
Saints, Lions swapping picks
St Kilda has traded pick 27 in this year's draft in exchange for Brisbane's second-round pick (currently 32) and third-round pick (currently 45).
Liam Baker traded to Eagles, Carlton score pick 3
Carlton have scored a massive win as the first major deal of the AFL trade period finally happened, with the Blues securing the No. 3 draft pick.
Richmond star Liam Baker has been granted his wish and will head to West Coast in the three-club deal, with Blues small forward Matt Owies also going to the Eagles.
As part of the deal, Carlton give up pick 12, plus the No. 14 selection they secured last Friday in a trade with Hawthorn.
That trade of pick 14 had put Baker's move to the Eagles in some doubt, with Fremantle making no secret of their interest in him.
But he will end up at his preferred destination -- the club Baker supported before joining Richmond -- with the Tigers receiving the 14th selection from Carlton.
The Eagles receive Baker, Owies, pick 12 and a later draft pick in return for sending the No. 3 selection to the Blues.
The Blues are expected to use the pick 3 to recruit midfielder Finn O'Sullivan, a highly-rated midfielder who has made a big impression on recruiters despite an injury-marred year.
Owies is another big winner in the deal, securing a multi-year contract, while the Eagles slide from No. 3 to No. 12 in the draft.
-- AAP
Magpies exodus continues as Brendon Bolton joins Saints
The exodus among Collingwood's hierarchy has continued, with former Carlton coach Brendon Bolton the latest to leave the Magpies after accepting an assistant's role at St Kilda.
Bolton coached Carlton from 2016 to 2019 in between separate stints at Hawthorn.
The 45-year-old spent the past three years as Collingwood's director of coaching, playing an important off-field role in the club's run to the flag in 2023.
Dees making moves to move up draft order
Melbourne improved its draft hand after getting busy on Monday morning, now holding picks 5 and 9 in next month's national draft. The Demons received Essendon's pick 9 -- a selection the club has been willing to part with to avoid it being eaten up by an Isaac Kako bid -- in exchange for picks 28, 40, 46, 54 and 65 in this year's draft as well as their first-round pick in 2025.
Earlier on Monday, Adelaide traded this year's pick 46 to Melbourne for a future third-round selection.
Hawks, Blues shake up the trade period
Hawthorn and Carlton have sprung the first surprise of the AFL trade period with a draft pick swap that has major ramifications.
After an uneventful opening five days, the trade period had a major shakeup on Friday when Hawthorn gave their first-round No.14 draft selection in return for Carlton's 2025 first and second-round picks.
The No.14 pick was expected to feature in Hawthorn's efforts to recruit West Coast defender Tom Barrass.
Richmond also added another first-round selection to its 2024 draft hand in a pick swap with reigning premier Brisbane, which has loaded up on points to secure gun youngsters Levi Ashcroft and Sam Marshall.
The Tigers landed pick No.20 from the Lions in exchange for two second-round picks (No.32 and 42) and two third-round picks (No.43 and 45).
-- AAP
Tigers given round-two AFL pick as Graham joins Eagles
Once touted as a potential Richmond captain, Jack Graham will earn the Tigers a second-round AFL draft pick with his move to West Coast.
Graham is the first of several expected player departures from Richmond, with Shai Bolton, Daniel Rioli and Liam Baker all in the trade period mix.
Graham, 26, is going to the Eagles as an unrestricted free agent on a four-year deal and the AFL announced on Tuesday that Richmond would have pick No.42 as compensation.
-- AAP
Jack Darling becomes a Kangaroo
The 2018 West Coast Eagles premiership player has made the move east, officially linking up with North Melbourne. North have sent their fourth round draft selection (currently 67, tied to Essendon) in exchange for the forward.
Darling played 298 games and kicked 532 goals for the Eagles after being drafted with pick No.26 in 2010.
Alex Neal-Bullen traded to Adelaide
Melbourne premiership player Alex Neal-Bullen will return home to South Australia, joining the Adelaide Crows after 176 games for the Dees. In exchange, the Demons have received pick 28.
"He is durable, classy with the ball and provides fantastic pressure as evidenced by him leading Melbourne for tackles this season," Crows general manager of list management and strategy, Justin Reid said.
"Having experienced a premiership, he knows what success looks like and will bring valuable leadership both on and off the field for us.
Josh Battle joins Hawks
St Kilda defender Josh Battle has officially joined Hawthorn as an unrestricted free agent. The 26-year-old decided to switch to the Hawks following 123 gams at the Saints, where he was initially drafted with pick No. 39 in the 2016 national draft.
Battle, who recently finished third in St Kilda's best and fairest count, adds further depth and important stability to Sam Mitchell's backline.
"We're thrilled to finally welcome Josh, his partner Casey, and children Bobbi and Billie to the Hawks," Hawks list manager Mark McKenzie said.
"Josh is someone we identified as a key acquisition for our club, and we're delighted he's chosen the Hawks in this next phase of his career."
St Kilda will receive a prized first-round draft pick as compensation for losing the key defender. That pick currently sits at No. 8 for the Saints, meaning theit first three picks for this year's national draft are No. 7, No. 8 and No. 25.
Nick Haynes to bolster Blues defence
GWS veteran Nick Haynes will join Carlton on a one-year deal as an unrestricted free agent following 211 games as an inaugural Giant.
Haynes, a 2020 All-Australian and once one of the best interceptors in the game, will look to become an important piece of the Carlton backline, which needs aerial support alongside star Jacob Weitering.
The 32-year-old has shown an ability to play in all areas of the ground, but struggled for consistent matches in 2024 whilst stuck behind Sam Taylor, Jack Buckley, and Harry Himmelberg.
Crows tall Elliott Himmelgberg officially joins Suns
Versatile key tall Elliott Himmelberg has joined Gold Coast after spending nine seasons with the Crows, where he kicked 49 goals and played 50 games after debuting in 2018.
The 26-year-old played nine matches in 2024.
"Elliott has the talent and experience to help us on the field in the coming years," Suns list boss Craig Cameron said on Friday.
"Our strategy for this trade period is to be targeted with the players we bring in, and Elliott's versatility will complement our existing mix of key position players."
Giants lose Harry Perryman to Magpies
Unrestricted free agent Harry Perryman will join Collingwood on Friday.
Perryman, who played 129 games for the Giants in eight seasons at the club, was reported to have several suiters this offseason, but chose the 2023 premiers as his preferred destination.
The 25-year-old has spent most of his career in defence, but is eyeing an opportunity in the Magpies' midfield.
"I'd like to thank the GWS Giants for presenting me with my first AFL opportunity," Perryman said.
"I will always remember my time at Sydney Olympic Park, and to the players and staff, I am so grateful for the friendships I formed along the eight-year journey.
"Collingwood is the right place for me to progress my football journey and I look forward to meeting the boys and the rest of the program.
"There's also something special about having the opportunity to play for the team you grew up supporting. I can't wait to get started."
Tom Campbell's AFL journey continues
Melbourne has secured free agent Tom Campbell, becoming ruckman's fourth AFL club.
Campbell, 32, was delisted by St Kilda following their season, but has signed a new deal with the Demons to lend a helping hand and act as a back up to star ruck and captain Max Gawn.
Campbell has played 58 games at the top level, having previously played with the Western Bulldogs and North Melbourne before joining the Saints
The 32-year-old has played 58 AFL games, previously featuring for the Western Bulldogs and North Melbourne before joining the Saints in 2022.
Free agent Isaac Cumming heads to Adelaide
Isaac Cumming officially got his wish of joining Matthew Nicks and the Crows on Friday morning.
The 26-year-old chose Adelaide as his preferred destination, with Port Adelaide also interested in the running defender's signature this offseason.
Cumming played 81 games after debuting in 2018, but was restricted to just six games for the Giants in 2024 -- including the side's two finals losses -- after struggling with persistent injury issues earlier in the season. The Giants will receive pick 21 in return -- end of first round compensation.