Kangas expected to be among most active clubs at 2023 AFL Draft.

North Melbourne, Geelong, St Kilda and West Coast are all expected to be among the most active clubs at next month’s AFL Draft.

After a trade and free agency period that saw 34 players find new homes, clubs are now focused on the November 20-21 draft and working through their hand of selections.

With the pick swaps window now open through to November 10, and then again once the draft begins, and available list spots likely still to be determined at some clubs, there is a minimum of 52 picks and a maximum of 62 anticipated in the national draft.

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This would continue a trend of low numbers of live draft choices used in recent years, with 59 picks in 2020, 65 in 2021 and 59 last year.

The Kangaroos could be the busiest, with North expected to use five or six selections, while the Cats, Saints and Eagles are all likely to use four or five picks.

Gold Coast has four Academy players in its sights and the Western Bulldogs appear likely to draft around four players, while Carlton, Hawthorn, Essendon, Fremantle and Greater Western Sydney are all expected to use three picks.

The ability to trade selections will impact some plans, but Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide are all likely to decide between having two and three draft choices.

A number of clubs will have a relatively small imprint on this year’s draft and look to upgrade rookies to fill senior list vacancies, with Sydney and Richmond likely to take two picks and Collingwood and Port Adelaide to choose between one and two selections.

The delisted free agency period starts next Wednesday, November 1, with clubs considering a number of options that could impact their draft hand.

Other clubs will look to go into next year with a lower number of primary listed players and keep spots available for the pre-season signing period or mid-season draft in 2024.