SOME of the competition's non-finalists have wasted no time in moving into the off-season, with recruiting and list managers meeting in Melbourne for another round of informal trade talks.

AFL.com.au understands approximately half of the League's clubs caught up at an inner-city hotel throughout Monday for discussions ahead of October's NAB AFL Trade Period.

Among the clubs whose seasons have ended, Adelaide, Fremantle and St Kilda were represented at the day of catch-ups, while finalists Collingwood, Greater Western Sydney, Hawthorn, Melbourne and Richmond are believed to have also been involved.

It follows a meeting day at the end of July when list bosses from 12 clubs held preliminary trade talks in an initiative brought on by former Fremantle list manager Brad Lloyd, who has started in his new role as Carlton's head of football.

It is commonplace for clubs to speak regularly in the lead-up to the opening day of the Trade Period, which this year will start on Monday, October 8 and runs through to Wednesday, October 17 in a slightly abridged format.

This year's Trade Period will also close in prime time, with clubs able to do deals until the new 8.30pm deadline.

However, they will also be able to swap draft selections through to Friday, November 16, as well as during the draft itself, which will be held over two days – November 22-23.

Clubs are expecting plenty of player movement in the off-season, with one industry source suggesting the number of players switching clubs would be "unparalleled". 

Ex-Gold Coast co-captain Tom Lynch is headed for a Victorian powerhouse, with Richmond, Collingwood and Hawthorn all vying for his services, while Sydney's Dan Hannebery, Collingwood's Darcy Moore, Port Adelaide speedster Jared Polec and Western Bulldogs free agent Luke Dahlhaus are among others who have been linked to switching clubs.