Season 2014 is still three months away, but recruiters and list managers across the country are already scouring rival clubs for potential Free Agency recruits, whist also trying to lock away their own out-of-contract stars.
In October, the Crows secured their first-ever Free Agent, successfully luring Carlton forward Eddie Betts to West Lakes. Hawthorn premiership player Lance Franklin, who joined the Sydney Swans, and new Blues midfielder Dale Thomas also moved clubs through Free Agency.
Now, AFL.com.au has compiled a more extensive list of next year's Free Agency pool.
Adelaide has two players, who could become Free Agents at the end of next season. Carlton and the Western Bulldogs each have seven prospective free agents on their lists.
The Blues set to become free agents at the end of next season include skipper Marc Murphy, 2006 No.1 draft pick Bryce Gibbs, 2013 best and fairest winner Kade Simpson and key defender Michael Jamison. The Bulldogs' prospective free agents include 2013 All Australian ruckman Will Minson and injury-prone pair Shaun Higgins and Tom Williams.
Other big-name players able to explore free agency next year include Magpies Dane Swan and Ben Reid, Fremantle midfielder David Mundy, Melbourne key defender James Frawley, North Melbourne ruckman Todd Goldstein, Port Adelaide key forward Justin Westhoff and West Coast playmaker Shannon Hurn.
But a number of the players on AFL.com.au's Free Agency list will be re-signed by the time the AFL releases its official list before the start of next season, with clubs already working feverishly to re-sign their star Free Agents.
2014 FREE AGENTS
The following is a preliminary list compiled by AFL.com.au of players set to become free agents:
ADELAIDE
Jason Porplyzia, Ben Rutten
AFL.com.au says: No major worries for the Crows. Porplyzia and Rutten were free agents this year and re-signed for 2014. Again, at the end of next season, both are likely to either re-sign or retire.
BRISBANE LIONS
Jonathan Brown, Ash McGrath
AFL.com.au says: A stress-free year ahead for the Lions. Brown will almost certainly call time on his stellar career at the end of next season, while McGrath could follow him into retirement, but if he plays on in 2015 should do so at the Lions.
CARLTON
Bryce Gibbs, Michael Jamison, Marc Murphy, Heath Scotland, Kade Simpson, Jarrad Waite, Andrew Walker
AFL.com.au says: Opposition teams will already be eyeing the Blues' smorgasbord of free agents, with Gibbs and Walker, in particular, likely to be heavily targeted. Skipper Murphy is going nowhere, while veterans Scotland, Simpson and Waite are extremely unlikely to leave at this late stage of their careers.
COLLINGWOOD
Tyson Goldsack, Nick Maxwell, Heritier Lumumba (formerly known as Harry O'Brien), Ben Reid, Dane Swan
AFL.com.au says: Swan and Reid are obvious opposition targets but the Pies have reportedly begun contract talks with both. Skipper Maxwell bleeds black and white, but Goldsack might appeal to clubs looking for a tall utility and Lumumba could decided he needs a fresh start after his reported issues with coach Nathan Buckley in 2013.
ESSENDON
Dustin Fletcher, Heath Hocking, Leroy Jetta, Jason Winderlich
AFL.com.au says: Given his importance to the Bombers' midfield, Hocking, 26 next month, looms as a priority re-signing for Essendon. Jetta fell out of favour in 2013 playing just eight senior games and if he continues to struggle for senior opportunities next year could look to move on. Fletcher will probably retire, while Winderlich resisted free agency in 2013 and is unlikely to be tempted in 2014.
FREMANTLE
Paul Duffield, Garrick Ibbotson, David Mundy, Luke McPharlin, Matthew Pavlich, Aaron Sandilands
AFL.com.au says: The Dockers re-signed Ryan Crowley on Tuesday and will be aware Victorian clubs are likely to make aggressive plays for Mundy after his key role in Fremantle's stellar 2013 season. But the Dockers will take heart that the former Murray Bushranger has resisted the temptation to return home in the past. Ibbotson, 25, is a classy player and also likely to attract interest, but elder statesmen Pavlich, Sandilands and McPharlin will only leave Fremantle if they retire.
GEELONG
Corey Enright, Steve Johnson, James Kelly
AFL.com.au says: Geelong signalled a changing of the guard with the delistings of veterans Paul Chapman, Josh Hunt and James Podsiadly at the end of this season, but Johnson and Kelly remain important players and should play on at the Cattery beyond 2014. Enright will turn 33 at the end of next season, but is such a class act he could easily continue in 2015.
GOLD COAST
Nil
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
Nil
HAWTHORN
Sam Mitchell, Brad Sewell
AFL.com.au says: After battling in vain to hang on to Lance Franklin throughout 2013, the Hawks look set for a far less stressful year with free agency in 2014. Former skipper Mitchell's body and form will dictate whether he plays on in 2015. The Hawks reportedly put Sewell up for trade in October, but the midfielder, who turns 30 in February, will earn a contract extension for 2015 if he satisfies a trigger clause next season.
MELBOURNE
James Frawley, Lynden Dunn
AFL.com.au says: Melbourne's track record of hanging on to its free agents is not good, with Brent Moloney (Brisbane Lions), Jared Rivers (Geelong) and Colin Sylvia (Fremantle) leaving in the past two years. Key defender Frawley will be heavily courted by opposition teams and his decision at the end of next year could come down to whether the Dees' on-field fortunes improve under new coach Paul Roos.
NORTH MELBOURNE
Leigh Adams, Michael Firrito, Todd Goldstein, Lachie Hansen, Brent Harvey
AFL.com.au says: North's priority re-signings will be Goldstein and Hansen. The Roos are already in talks with Goldstein, who told AFL.com.au recently he was confident of re-signing soon. Hansen's ability to play as a key defender or key forward will appeal to rival clubs, but he established himself as a key player in the Roos' backline in 2013.
PORT ADELAIDE
Travis Boak, Dominic Cassisi, Kane Cornes, Tom Logan, Paul Stewart, Justin Westhoff
AFL.com.au says: With skipper Travis Boak close to re-signing, key forward Justin Westhoff will attract the most free agency interest. But the Power will back themselves to hang onto Westhoff, who has become one of their most valuable players.
RICHMOND
Shane Edwards, Jake King, Chris Newman
AFL.com.au says: The Tigers are sitting pretty. Veterans Newman and King resisted free agency this year, both happy to re-sign for 2014. Edwards, 25, also seems unlikely to leave when the club appears on the verge of sustained success for the first time in decades.
ST KILDA
Sam Fisher, Jarryn Geary, James Gwilt, Lenny Hayes, Clint Jones
AFL.com.au says: The Saints took skipper Nick Riewoldt and star midfielder Leigh Montagna out of next year's free agency pool, re-signing them last week. Fisher, 32 next July, was linked with Greater Western Sydney in October's trade period but his appeal could be limited by his age.
SYDNEY SWANS
Adam Goodes, Nick Malceski, Ryan O'Keefe, Ted Richards, Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Nick Smith
AFL.com.au says: The Swans look well placed to continue their record of not losing a player to free agency. Four of the Swans' five free agents are premiership stalwarts who bleed red and white. Victorian Nick Smith will appeal to rival clubs in the market for a hard-nosed small defender.
WEST COAST
Sam Butler, Dean Cox, Darren Glass, Shannon Hurn, Matt Rosa
AFL.com.au says: Hurn, 25, looms as the prime target for opposition clubs, with Adelaide and Port Adelaide almost certain to try and tempt him back to his home state. However, the defensive playmaker has been a member of the club's leadership group since late 2009 and will be hard to shift from Perth. Victorian Rosa, 27, could also appeal to clubs looking for a running midfielder. The Eagles re-signed prospective 2014 free agent Matt Priddis for an undisclosed term last week.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Matthew Boyd, Daniel Giansiracusa, Shaun Higgins, Will Minson, Dale Morris, Robert Murphy, Tom Williams
AFL.com.au says: The Bulldogs faced a big decision with Adam Cooney this year and must make an equally tough call on Higgins next year. Cooney overcame a debilitating knee injury to earn a two-year contract extension this year after an outstanding 2013 season. You suspect Higgins, 25, will also have to put his injury problems behind him to play on at the Bulldogs beyond next season. Last year's All Australian ruckman Will Minson will be a priority re-signing for the Bulldogs.
