Kurt Tippett's move to the Sydney Swans at the end of 2012 aside, recent instances of a star player crossing from one top-four team to another have been rarer than poor games from Gary Ablett.
But last October, Lance Franklin stunned the football world when he left reigning premier Hawthorn for the previous year's premiers Sydney.
The footy public had been conditioned to seeing stars leave powerhouse clubs for multi-million salaries at cashed-up expansion teams, so largely expected Franklin to cross to Greater Western Sydney, just as Gary Ablett had left Geelong for Gold Coast.
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But to see one of the competition's best key forwards join a Swans' team already boasting spearheads such as Tippett, Adam Goodes and Sam Reid was a daunting thought for the rest of the competition.
Still, Swans coach John Longmire faces a challenge to fit Franklin, Tippett, Goodes, Reid and, possibly, Lewis Roberts-Thomson, into the same forward line. Especially in the tight confines of the SCG.
It was widely suggested over the pre-season that Reid would be the one to make way for Franklin, with the athletic 22-year-old seemingly capable of adjusting to life in defence.
But after kicking three goals in the Swans' NAB Challenge win over the Giants, Reid said he expected to remain predominantly in attack in 2014.
Whatever the case – and injuries aside – Longmire won't be short of tall chess pieces this season.
His former North Melbourne teammate Clarkson, on the other hand, will have to adapt to life after Buddy.
But to see one of the competition's best key forwards join a Swans' team already boasting spearheads such as Tippett, Adam Goodes and Sam Reid was a daunting thought for the rest of the competition.
Still, Swans coach John Longmire faces a challenge to fit Franklin, Tippett, Goodes, Reid and, possibly, Lewis Roberts-Thomson, into the same forward line. Especially in the tight confines of the SCG.
It was widely suggested over the pre-season that Reid would be the one to make way for Franklin, with the athletic 22-year-old seemingly capable of adjusting to life in defence.
But after kicking three goals in the Swans' NAB Challenge win over the Giants, Reid said he expected to remain predominantly in attack in 2014.
Whatever the case – and injuries aside – Longmire won't be short of tall chess pieces this season.
His former North Melbourne teammate Clarkson, on the other hand, will have to adapt to life after Buddy.
Footy experts predict the season ahead
The Hawks will inevitably be weaker. No team can immediately cover the loss of a player who kicked 528 goals over the past seven seasons – 146
more than the next best player, Brisbane Lions champion Jonathan Brown.
However, Clarkson has been preparing for the post-Franklin era since February last year when the two-time Coleman medallist told the Hawks he was putting contract talks on hold.
Sensing Franklin might only have one year left at Waverley, Clarkson recast him from the Hawks' star attraction in front of goal to a flanker.
Star forward Jarryd Roughead is now the No.1 go-to man in the Hawks' post-Buddy era. Picture: AFL Media
No doubt, Clarkson realised the Hawks had become overly reliant on Franklin to kick their goals in recent seasons.
In 2011, when Hawthorn kicked to a target inside its forward 50, it went to Franklin 45.7 per cent of the time, with Jarryd Roughead their next biggest target (14.6 per cent).
In 2012, the Hawks targeted Franklin slightly less often, kicking to him 40.3 per cent of the time and to Roughead on 15.4 per cent of occasions.
In both seasons, no other team kicked to their main spearhead as much as the Hawks did to Franklin.
It made the Hawks' inside 50 entries predictable. And as close as they got to adding to their 2008 flag, the fact remains the Hawks bowed out in 2011 in a preliminary final and lost the 2012 Grand Final, having led in the last quarter.
Last season, the Hawks went to Franklin with just 28.3 per cent of their inside 50 passes as the big man was given licence to roam further up the ground.
Roughead, a stronger contested mark, played as the Hawks' deepest target – they targeted him 21.9 per cent of the time – and won the Coleman Medal. Third tall Jack Gunston also became more influential as the season progressed, culminating with a game-high four-goal haul in the Grand Final win over Fremantle.
It will interesting to see whether Longmire follows Clarkson's 2013 blueprint, using Tippett, who like Roughead is a stronger contested mark than Franklin, as the Swans' primary stay-at-home forward.
Of course, the Hawks' 2013 flag was not built on the 'Buddy shift' alone.
Where Hawthorn deviated from its possession game under the pressure of the 2012 Grand Final – kicking the ball long 46 per cent of the time compared to their home and away season average of 37.3 per cent – just 30 per cent of their kicks were long in last year's premiership-decider.
Fremantle coach Ross Lyon tasted Grand Final defeat for the third time in that game.
Given the Dockers kicked just one goal in the first half and eight for the match, questions were inevitably raised about whether Lyon's fierce focus on defence had gone too far. Critics noted St Kilda had kicked just nine, 10 and seven goals under Lyon in the 2009 and two 2010 Grand Finals.
In fairness to Lyon, Freo had the same number of scoring shots as the Hawks in last year's Grand Final, but struggled to master the blustery conditions at the MCG, kicking 14 behinds and putting four shots at goal out of bounds on the full.
But the fact remains the Dockers were ranked 13th for scoring in the 2013 home and away season (92.5 points a game), and Lyon has set them the target of kicking two extra goals a game this season.
Freo forwards Chris Mayne, Zac Clarke, Hayden Ballantyne and Michael Walters. Picture AFL Media
Perhaps Lyon's most pressing task is to find additional aerial support in attack for his skipper Matthew Pavlich. Zac Clarke was an able sidekick at times last season and ruckman Jonathon Griffin (ACL) and recruit Scott Gumbleton (hamstring) could also help ease the load on Pavlich if they can return from injury and stay fit.
In what looms as a wide-open season there's no shortage of other possible top-four contenders, with Geelong, Collingwood, Port Adelaide, Essendon, North Melbourne and Richmond appearing to lead the chasing pack.
All will be looking for an edge to bring them up to the Hawks' level.
In particular, the Bombers will be hoping versatile tall Jake Carlisle can move from defence and carry their forward line alongside highly rated youngster Joe Daniher.
North Melbourne will be hoping the addition of ex-Saint Nick Dal Santo and a steelier defensive focus helps it convert more game-winning leads into wins.
In the wake of the disappointing finish to its first finals appearance in 12 years, Richmond looks prepared to tinker with its line-up in 2014.
Already the Tigers have floated moving Dustin Martin from the midfield to half-back and spearhead Jack Riewoldt to centre half-forward, while the acquisition of former Blue Shaun Hampson should ease the ruck load on Ivan Maric.
The Tigers know if you stand still in football you inevitably go backwards.
The problem for them – and every other team – is Hawthorn is just as aware of this football lore.
The Hawks will inevitably be weaker. No team can immediately cover the loss of a player who kicked 528 goals over the past seven seasons – 146
more than the next best player, Brisbane Lions champion Jonathan Brown.
However, Clarkson has been preparing for the post-Franklin era since February last year when the two-time Coleman medallist told the Hawks he was putting contract talks on hold.
Sensing Franklin might only have one year left at Waverley, Clarkson recast him from the Hawks' star attraction in front of goal to a flanker.
Star forward Jarryd Roughead is now the No.1 go-to man in the Hawks' post-Buddy era. Picture: AFL Media
No doubt, Clarkson realised the Hawks had become overly reliant on Franklin to kick their goals in recent seasons.
In 2011, when Hawthorn kicked to a target inside its forward 50, it went to Franklin 45.7 per cent of the time, with Jarryd Roughead their next biggest target (14.6 per cent).
In 2012, the Hawks targeted Franklin slightly less often, kicking to him 40.3 per cent of the time and to Roughead on 15.4 per cent of occasions.
In both seasons, no other team kicked to their main spearhead as much as the Hawks did to Franklin.
It made the Hawks' inside 50 entries predictable. And as close as they got to adding to their 2008 flag, the fact remains the Hawks bowed out in 2011 in a preliminary final and lost the 2012 Grand Final, having led in the last quarter.
Last season, the Hawks went to Franklin with just 28.3 per cent of their inside 50 passes as the big man was given licence to roam further up the ground.
Roughead, a stronger contested mark, played as the Hawks' deepest target – they targeted him 21.9 per cent of the time – and won the Coleman Medal. Third tall Jack Gunston also became more influential as the season progressed, culminating with a game-high four-goal haul in the Grand Final win over Fremantle.
It will interesting to see whether Longmire follows Clarkson's 2013 blueprint, using Tippett, who like Roughead is a stronger contested mark than Franklin, as the Swans' primary stay-at-home forward.
Of course, the Hawks' 2013 flag was not built on the 'Buddy shift' alone.
Where Hawthorn deviated from its possession game under the pressure of the 2012 Grand Final – kicking the ball long 46 per cent of the time compared to their home and away season average of 37.3 per cent – just 30 per cent of their kicks were long in last year's premiership-decider.
Fremantle coach Ross Lyon tasted Grand Final defeat for the third time in that game.
Given the Dockers kicked just one goal in the first half and eight for the match, questions were inevitably raised about whether Lyon's fierce focus on defence had gone too far. Critics noted St Kilda had kicked just nine, 10 and seven goals under Lyon in the 2009 and two 2010 Grand Finals.
In fairness to Lyon, Freo had the same number of scoring shots as the Hawks in last year's Grand Final, but struggled to master the blustery conditions at the MCG, kicking 14 behinds and putting four shots at goal out of bounds on the full.
But the fact remains the Dockers were ranked 13th for scoring in the 2013 home and away season (92.5 points a game), and Lyon has set them the target of kicking two extra goals a game this season.
Freo forwards Chris Mayne, Zac Clarke, Hayden Ballantyne and Michael Walters. Picture AFL Media
Perhaps Lyon's most pressing task is to find additional aerial support in attack for his skipper Matthew Pavlich. Zac Clarke was an able sidekick at times last season and ruckman Jonathon Griffin (ACL) and recruit Scott Gumbleton (hamstring) could also help ease the load on Pavlich if they can return from injury and stay fit.
In what looms as a wide-open season there's no shortage of other possible top-four contenders, with Geelong, Collingwood, Port Adelaide, Essendon, North Melbourne and Richmond appearing to lead the chasing pack.
All will be looking for an edge to bring them up to the Hawks' level.
In particular, the Bombers will be hoping versatile tall Jake Carlisle can move from defence and carry their forward line alongside highly rated youngster Joe Daniher.
North Melbourne will be hoping the addition of ex-Saint Nick Dal Santo and a steelier defensive focus helps it convert more game-winning leads into wins.
In the wake of the disappointing finish to its first finals appearance in 12 years, Richmond looks prepared to tinker with its line-up in 2014.
Already the Tigers have floated moving Dustin Martin from the midfield to half-back and spearhead Jack Riewoldt to centre half-forward, while the acquisition of former Blue Shaun Hampson should ease the ruck load on Ivan Maric.
The Tigers know if you stand still in football you inevitably go backwards.
The problem for them – and every other team – is Hawthorn is just as aware of this football lore.
