There are players that walked away at the right time and there are those who hung on for one season too long.
Remember the fateful last season of Tony Lockett? Most people have intentionally forgotten it, but the big fella trotted back out in red and white in 2002. He played just three games before he realised the game had gone past him, adding a total of seven disposals and three goals to his career totals in the process.
But there are others who went on a year too long. Remember Nicky Winmar at the Western Bulldogs? I can’t blame you for forgetting. Players think they have that last little bit to offer, even when their clubs no longer think they do.
Heading into the 2023 season, we have some players on the wrong side of 30; some by several years. The Mongrel takes a look at those striving for glory and just one more season as their careers either enter their twilights or come completely to a close.
ADELAIDE
RORY SLOANE 32
TAYLOR WALKER 32
BRODIE SMITH 30
PAUL SEEDSMAN 30
Can we put a line through Paul Seedsman yet? The poor bloke sat out the entire 2022 season after being the best wingman in the game in 2021 and these concussion-related absences usually don’t end well. Unless you’re Paddy McCartin, I suppose. I want him to get past it and give the Crows the great run and penetration he did in 2021, but the longer it goes on, the more I worry. In the end, he has to do what is right for his long-term health.
I’m not sure what to expect from Rory Sloane. He has played over 20 games in one of the last five seasons (I’m including the 2020 season, as he played 12 of 17) and is looking pretty banged up. Tex, on the other hand, flies when he can avoid injury, but I do worry that he will fall away rather suddenly should he sustain a soft tissue in preseason or early in the year. Needs a really clean run at it to be effective, and that’s what has occurred over 2021/22.
BRISBANE
DAYNE ZORKO 33
DANIEL RICH 32
JACK GUNSTON 31
JARRYD LYONS 30
RYAN LESTER 30
Jarryd Lyons hitting 30 kind of snuck up on me, but given his late-season relegation and the recruitment of Josh Dunkley, his “ageing out” of the team won’t hurt as much as it could have.
Gunston is a hit/miss prospect. The 2022 version is great. The 2021 version was all but broken down, so it will be interesting to see whether he can be the next player to have the warmer Brisbane climate act as the fountain of youth.
After the cries for Dayne Zorko to be stripped of captaincy, etc… (yet another overreaction from pearl clutchers before all the facts came out), his on-field performance certainly warrants his position in the team. Close to the best field kick in the game, whether he works in the middle or off half-back, he can still cut a team to ribbons. Combine that with the prowess of Daniel Rich and you have a pair of kickers I haven’t seen bettered since Tony Francis met Setanta O’Hailpin.
CARLTON
ED CURNOW 32
Makes ya think a bit about the Blues, doesn’t it?
Nic Newman will join Curnow in the 30+ club before the season starts, but the Blues have built this list to be in the position to contend for several years – not just 2023.
Not sure that Ed Curnow cracks the best-22 at Carlton anymore, but given his tank and his ability to play as a defensive mid, he might force his way in at some stage.
COLLINGWOOD
SCOTT PENDLEBURY 34
JEREMY HOWE 32
STEELE SIDEBOTTOM 31
MASON COX 31
JAMIE ELLIOT 30
That’s a pretty high-quality senior squadron.
Without looking it up, I wonder how many people would have picked Jeremy Howe as being 32? Mason Cox at 31, as well? I guess he had the later start.
In regard to Howe, his body has started to give him issues over 2020/21, but he bounced back strongly in 2022, playing 24 games. Pendles continues to produce and though I did see him get uncharacteristically caught with the footy a few times last season, the value his composure adds to Collingwood allows everyone else to make position knowing he will make the right decision.
Sidebottom started to drop away a bit in 2022, playing exclusively outside and adopting the defensive wingman role, which hurt his numbers, but his work on players such as Ed Langdon demonstrated his value.
And Jamie Elliott more than proved that he is worthy of his spot in the team with some stellar work in front of goals, and some great inside 50 pressure, as well.
Mason Cox will likely have more asked of him now, with Brodie Grundy clearing out and Darcy Cameron in need of some assistance. Pretty big test this year for the American.
ESSENDON
ANDREW PHILLIPS 31
DYSON HEPPELL 30
Even if we jump forward to the start of the season, only Dylan Shiel joins these two in the 30+ Club, which demonstrates that the Bombers have a list that could show plenty of improvement over the next two seasons.
Phillips will play backup to Sam Draper, who is apparently looking like Max Gawn. Which version of Gawn remains to be seen – remember, he used to smoke darts on the way to training – but Phillips is a cameo role in the movie of the Bombers’ season as long as Draper stays fit.
Rumours around Dyson Heppell heading elsewhere proved to be just that and I have to admit, I didn’t mind his work playing on the wing in 2022.
FREMANTLE
MICHAEL WALTERS 31
TRAVIS COLYER 31
NAT FYFE 31
This is the twilight for Michael Walters, who pulled a couple of valuable games out in the run home, but was mostly well below what Freo fans have come to expect of him. He’ll make a difference here or there, but the consistency he displayed a few years ago seems to be more a memory than something to look forward to.
The big question is around Nat Fyfe. His body betrayed him last season and he looked less than potent both on the ball and inside 50. If he gets a great preseason, he is highly capable of turning things around and Freo will be so much better for it.
That said, he has a long injury history and plays a style that lends itself to injury… I’d consider playing him off half-back for the first part of the year. Great overhead mark, creative with the footy… can’t kick for shit, at times. Hmmm, maybe up forward is a good idea, after all.
GEELONG
TOM HAWKINS 34
ISAAC SMITH 33
ZACH TUOHY 32
PATRICK DANGERFIELD 32
RHYS STANLEY 31
JONATHON CEGLAR 31
MARK BLICAVS 31
GARY ROHAN 31
MITCH DUNCAN 31
SAM MENEGOLA 30
CAM GUTHRIE 30
Jesus… they’ll add Jeremy Cameron and Tom Stewart to that list before the first month of the season is done, as well. Luckily, I wasn’t writing this by hand – I would have got writer’s cramp.
Looking at the list, who is genuinely past it?
Rucks tend to hang around a bit, so Stanley and Ceglar probably have a bit to give, even if the latter couldn’t do much in 2022. Menegola was a far cry from the player he was in 2020. Needs a clear run at preseason. Gary Rohan may have his position usurped by Ollie Henry before the end of the season.
Other than that… these bastards are going to be right around the mark again, making everyone eat their old-age jokes again, aren’t they?
GOLD COAST
LEVI CASBOULT 32
RORY THOMPSON 31
SAM DAY 30
JARROD WITTS 30
Jarrod Witts is the only one you’d look at here and think it is even a remote worry. If he gets hurt, the Suns are still painfully thin in the ruck (backup Ned Moyle needs time).
Outside that, Ben King’s return should allow some freedom for Levi Casboult. I’d genuinely love to see him moved into defence – he played his best footy there for the Blues and is a hard body to displace in marking contests.
Sam Day has been a warrior, but all warriors fall eventually if they keep fighting, and Rory Thompson is more of a “he’d be nice to have” type of player than someone the Suns can rely on. If he plays at all in 2023, we won’t play much.
GWS
CALLAN WARD 32
LACHIE KEEFFEE 32
PHIL DAVIS 32
DANIEL LLOYD 30
NICK HAYNES 30
ADAM KENNEDY 30
A bit of a changing of the guard coming up at GWS, you’d think?
I cannot see Phil Davis going around again in 2024, irrespective of what occurs in 2023. Cal Ward will still be handy, but I am not sure he gets another go-around after this coming season.
Daniel Lloyd has never quite got going to the level where he is an automatic selection, Lachie Keeffe has battled on, and so has Adam Kennedy, whilst Nick Haynes handed over the reins as the number one intercept defender to Isaac Cumming a while back. In truth, the Sam Taylor/Isaac Cumming/Connor Idun emergence from Phil Davis/Nick Haynes has been done pretty well.
HAWTHORN
LUKE BREUST 31
Well, they had their cleanout and Luke Breust is the last man standing.
Still has plenty to offer as his hands are as good as anyone in the game, he has a top-five fend off, and gets results on the scoreboard. The Hawks are all in with their youth movement… it’s a bold strategy, Cotton. Let’s see if it pays off for ‘em.
Only Chad Wingard and Sam Frost will join the 30+ club at Hawthorn during the 2023 season. They’re an incredibly young team.
MELBOURNE
MICHAEL HIBBERD 32
JAKE MELKSHAM 31
MAX GAWN 30
STEVEN MAY 30
TOM MCDONALD 30
Usually, I disregard the age factor when it comes to rucks, but in 2022, Max Gawn just started to look a little beaten up. Probably because he was beaten up by all the blokes jumping into his back when he stood in the hole and took intercept grabs, I guess. It’s the reason I love the Grundy acquisition – it may extend Max’s career by a couple of years in the end.
I love Michael Hibberd – heart and soul player – but he is starting to come to the end. Jake Melksham is probably a bit closer.
Steven May is not a worry at all – playing great footy, whilst Tom McDonald may have to devour several cattle to get his body right for 2023. It’ll be worth it, though – the Dees missed his presence last season.
NORTH MELBOURNE
TODD GOLDSTEIN 34
AARON HALL 31
JACK ZIEBELL 31
BEN CUNNINGTON 31
HUGH GREENWOOD 30
The most pressing concern, amongst quite a few pressing concerns, will be getting a good replacement for Todd Goldstein. He has been fantastic, but the all-time hit outs leader cannot go on forever and the Clarkson-led Roos need to plan for his departure now.
The next big concern would be the rebound 50 player. Aaron Hall was given the green light in that role over the past couple of years, and whilst he has been serviceable, he turns the ball over way too much in clutch situations. North really require a quality ball-user from half-back to replace Hall quickly.
Ziebell would not have felt 100% fit in years. He always looks like he is playing hurt and playing on heart, whilst Cunnington is getting his chance to make things right after missing almost all of 2022 due to his cancer issues.
And 12 months on, the Hugh Greenwood acquisition doesn’t seem as good, does it? He looked slow at points in 2022 and was left on the bench for long stretches. I wonder how he adapts to the new coach who will be well aware that Greenwood won’t be around when North climb the ladder?
PORT ADELAIDE
TRAVIS BOAK 34
CHARLIE DIXON 32
TOM JONAS 31
TRENT MCKENZIE 30
SCOTT LYCETT 30
Travis Boak does the work. There is no way you’ll find me saying that he won’t be right to be one of the best at the club again in 2023. He works harder than anyone else in the offseason, and seeing some of Port’s young guns accompanying him on his training camp… it bodes well for those blokes and sets a high standard for them to follow. One was Connor Rozee… I love seeing that.
Charlie Dixon needs an injury-free run into 2023. Was hurt for far too much in 2022, and once a bloke that size can’t get on the park, he is not going to have a huge impact when he does.
Scott Lycett’s absence forced Jeremy Finlayson to be deployed into the ruck last season, and whilst Champion Data claimed this made Finlayson elite, everyone with a brain knew that their system was broken and that Port were in desperate need of a genuine ruck. Lycett simply has to stay fit in 2023.
RICHMOND
JACK RIEWOLDT 34
ROBBIE TARRANT 33
TRENT COTCHIN 32
DUSTIN MARTIN 31
DYLAN GRIMES 31
MARLION PICKETT 30
DION PRESTIA 30
TOM LYNCH 30
That’s some pretty decent A-Grade talent in the older bracket. Had a few Tiger fans contact me following the article on Taranto and Hopper joining the club, and whilst we can see why the Tigers needed them, I do worry they’re giving up a bit in the next two years to get them onboard,
Realistically, how many of those listed go on and have a big impact following 2023?
Riewoldt and Tarrant will be done. Cotchin, as well. Dusty has some question marks now… it starts to hit home that the Tigers need to pin the ears back and make 2023 their season.
But with all those blokes on the wrong side of 30, and a couple of them with a history of soft tissue injuries… my jury is out until we see if they can get through the first six weeks without a serious interruption.
ST KILDA
TOM CAMPBELL 31
I was not expecting this.
The retirement of Paddy Ryder leaves the Saints with just one player – a backup ruck – in the 30+ club. It bodes pretty well, not just for this coming season, but for the next few, as Ross Lyon has a bit to work with in terms of the younger cohort.
Campbell will be joined by Seb Ross, Brad Hill, Jimmy Webster, and Mason Wood in 2023, but as of right now, the Saints, should they come together under Lyon quickly, are in a position to make some noise.
SYDNEY
LANCE FRANKLIN 35
DANE RAMPE 32
TOM HICKEY 31
SAM REID 30
LUKE PARKER 30
I love the Swans’ list – anyone who has read my stuff over the last couple of years would know this. They have a great balance between veterans and youth with players in the middle like Heeney, Papley, and Mills.
This’ll be Buddy’s last run around and should probably be nursed a bit to make sure he is right for inals. Rampe has been up and down for a couple of seasons, whilst Luke Parker is the type of player that will make age just look like a number – similar to Trav Boak in that regard, I reckon.
Sam Reid was valuable at points in 2022, but you’d like to see Logan McDonald move past him early in 2023, whilst Tom Hickey remains a better option than Peter Ladhams… for now.
WEST COAST
SHANNON HURN 35
NIC NAITANUI 32
LUKE SHUEY 32
JEREMY MCGOVERN 30
JAMIE CRIPPS 30
JACK DARLING 30
ANDREW GAFF 30
Again, some pretty high-profile names in the older age bracket.
Out resident West Coast Mongrel, Daniel Jon Kershaw is quite bullish about the Eagles’ chances of improving in 2023, but looking at the list of ageing legs, it is going to take something special.
Nic Nat has been on restricted minutes for years and that won’t change for the better – he’s a dad now… he’ll be feeling buggered all the time! Luke Shuey’s soft tissue injuries are a worry – not sure we can expect miracles from him. Hurn was touch and go for this coming season, and Jeremy McGovern… well, without a big preseason, I am afraid we may see another year where injury dictates how effective he is.
Andrew Gaff has been running up and down on one spot for a couple of seasons, whilst Jack Darling as the number one forward could be just what he needs, particularly if Oscar Allen returns and is successful as the second option.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
LIAM JONES 31
TAYLOR DURYEA 31
ALEX KEATH 30
TOM LIBERATORE 30
JOSH BRUCE 30
The core of the Dogs’ lineup are all in the perfect window to challenge for a while – Bont, Macrae, Smith, Naughton – but the club realises that the defence was a liability and the return home of the 31-year-old Liam Jones should go a long way to remedying that. It’s a win-now type of move.
Alex Keath has snuck up on 30 pretty quickly. A later starter in the AFL, he is a veteran after six seasons.
Libba at 30 will be the same as Libba at 28 and 29. His inside work should not suffer at all just yet, but I do worry for Josh Bruce, who was not the same after returning from his ACL injury, but an additional preseason should see him a lot more confident in his body.
So, there we go. Which of these players can delay the inevitable victory of Father Time? And which ones will fall to his influence the quickest?
If you’ve got your opinions, add them in the comments below, or hit us up on our socials as per usual.
