2024 was a great year for some, bad for others, and absolute crap for a few. With the incoming finals series just around the corner, I thought I’d take the time to do a recap of each sides scoring performance this year, highlighting some key players and stats of interest to show where teams can improve, where they have dropped off, and what we might expect in 2025. This article is purely focused on scoring, but there may be a few comments on pressure and score involvements. This is going to be a long one, so let’s get into it.
ADELAIDE CROWS:
Points for: 1906 (12th in AFL) down from 2193 in 2023
Leading Goal Scorer: Darcy Fogarty – 41 goals
Surprise Packet: Ben Keays – 34 goals
Club Coleman:
Darcy Fogarty – 41.16
Ben Keays – 34.20
Josh Rachele – 30.17
Izak Rankine – 29.9
Taylor Walker – 29.20
We all agree this season was a massive disappointment for Adelaide. Most assumed they’d rise up the ladder after last year’s unfortunate error (or major f*** up – whatever words you want to use are fine) but it was not to be.
Let’s start with the positives, Darcy Fogarty is finally delivering on the promise he’s shown for years. In my opinion he can still be lazy at times, but he’s clearly now on the path to putting it together. He took over as the main man, both through injury to other forwards and his own performance and appears to be truly settled now in his role.
Ben Keays had an incredible year no matter which way you slice it. I never would have thought he’d have a 34 goal season in him as a midsize forward but he proved to be ultra-reliable throughout the entire season. His improvement really glosses over some issues for the Crows this year. Without his output and general improvement, things would have been a lot worse.
The obvious and somewhat understandable fall off is from Taylor Walker. 76 goals in 2023 down to 29 in 2024. 18 matches in 2024 is enough to score more than 29 goals for a guy like Walker. Yes, he’s a year older, but such a dramatic drop off clearly isn’t helping.
Clearly Adelaide went backward in numerous ways this year, an almost 300 point drop off from last year is reflective of their general form throughout the year. Going forward, the hope will be that Thilthorpe takes the position of Walker and erupts next year as a gun power forward of the competition. Between him and Fogarty, there is a path toward having two guys kicking 50 plus in the same year, which goes a long way to making finals. For what it’s worth, I see Adelaide bouncing back next year and becoming a high scoring team once more.
BRISBANE LIONS
Points for: 2130 (5th in AFL) down from 2180 in 2023
Leading Goal Scorer: Joe Daniher – 50 goals
Surprise Packet: Kai Lohmann – 27 goals
Club Coleman:
Joe Daniher – 50.44
Charlie Cameron – 37.26
Eric Hipwood – 30.20
Kai Lohmann – 27.25
Cam Rayner – 25.18
Scoring wise, this season ran much the same as 2023, with only a 50 point drop off from 2023. Not a massive amount, but perhaps reflects their drop slightly down the ladder in 2023. Brisbane have some interesting scoring statistics this year that are both good and bad at the same time.
Joe Daniher takes out the club Coleman with 50 goals. Alarmingly, Daniher kicked a lazy 44 behinds to go with those 50 goals. Daniher has never been a dead-eye, but 44 behinds is just way too high. Bad kicking is bad football, and has cost Brisbane at times this year, and Daniher is definitely a culprit.
Kai Lohmann had a great year asserting himself in the side, much like Daniher, however, he kicked 25 behinds to go with his 27 goals. The kid had a fantastic year there’s no question, but he would want to tidy his kicking up quickly, Brisbane cannot afford to have more years of missed results thanks to inaccuracy.
While a few players dropped off, none fell off quite like Charlie Cameron. 59 goals in 2023, down to 37 in 2024. He’s one of the best small forwards in the competition, but he hasn’t been nearly as effective in 2024.
The pleasing aspect for Lions supporters is that the entire list is capable of goal scoring. They still finished fifth after all, and had a strong year despite their slow start. A lot of players hit the scoreboard, and many stepped up. The watch is simply the accuracy. It’s cost them games before, and unless they tidy it up soon, I don’t see anything changing.
A quick shout out to Logan Morris. 18 goals 12 behinds after 15 games in his first year. This kid has something about him and I’m excited to see where his career takes him. Lions have found one here.
CARLTON BLUES
Points for: 2151 (3rd in AFL) up from 1922 in 2023
Leading Goal Scorer: Charlie Curnow – 57 goals
Surprise Packet: Zac Williams – 15 goals
Club Coleman:
Charlie Curnow – 57.41
Harry McKay – 46.20
Matthew Owies – 33.13
Patrick Cripps – 16.6
Elijah Hollands – 16.9
Really interesting scoring year from Carlton. The Blues kicked 10 more goals in 2024 than in 2023 (306 to 316) and they are quite top heavy. Curnow, McKay and Owies did the heavy lifting, with McKay upping his tally from 29 to 46. They’re a fairly balanced side goal kicking wise, and with Curnow and McKay regularly missing through injury, a few goals were definitely left out there.
Curnow again threatened for the Coleman Medal before injury disrupted any potential run at the award. It should be noted, he also scored 41 behinds; room for improvement there. Matthew Owies is one who flew under the radar for me. 33 goals is a pretty good result for someone that, to me, presents as a flat out battler. Owies appears to get the absolute maximum out of his abilities, similar to a Ben Keays.
Zac Williams has found a home forward. He’s been disappointing since coming from GWS, and injuries also haven’t helped him, but when thrown forward this year, he took the opportunity with both hands. Really keen to see what he can do when he gets an entire season to have a red hot crack at bagging a few snags.
Are we all agreed that Fantasia just aint it, anymore? 14 games, eight goals for season 2024. He’s perennially injured, and when he is out there is nowhere near his best years back at Essendon. I’d move on from him if I were Carlton, as there’s better out there.
There is no doubt if Curnow and McKay stay healthy, they will be as big a threat in 2025 as ever. My only watch on them is if injuries strike again. Not many sides will ever be as strong without their key pillars, but Carlton appear to be especially vulnerable without theirs. It would be nice to see some guys kicking in the range of 20 goals as well to ease that reliance. You don’t want your fourth best goalkicker only having 16 for the year, and being a midfielder at that.
COLLINGWOOD MAGPIES
Points for: 1991 (9th in AFL) down from 2142 in 2023
Leading Goal Scorer: Bobby Hill – 30 goals
Surprise Packet: This space intentionally left blank.
Club Coleman:
Bobby Hill – 30.28
Lachie Schultz – 24.21
Jamie Elliott – 21.16
Nick Daicos – 20.14
Brody Mihocek 19.13
This is some rough reading for Collingwood fans. It’s quite apparent that the weakest line for the Pies is the forwards, but I didn’t realise the numbers were this low. Bobby Hill takes the club Coleman with 30 goals, a concerningly low total. Hill’s accuracy also wasn’t great, kicking 28 behinds to go with those goals.
Injury issues have certainly had an influence on the total goals scored by the usual Collingwood forwards, with Mihocek missing chunks of time, and Dan McStay also didn’t get a full season to have true impact. Across the board though, there is a general drop off in scoring, reflective in the fall from 2023.
A brief note on Lachie Schultz. Maligned almost all season by Pies fans, he kicked 24 goals for the year. I won’t compare him to his previous years at Freo as the system change takes time to adjust to. 24 goals isn’t brilliant, but it’s still good for second place for the year at the Pies. If he wasn’t there, how much lower do Collingwood finish on the ladder?
No one really jumped out as a surprise packet to me, and maybe I didn’t watch enough Pies games to have an obvious answer, so feel free to get at me in the comments if that is the case.
The positive? The game style at the Pies, at its best, is unstoppable, and it doesn’t necessarily matter who kicks their goals. They were pretty spread out for goalkickers last year, and although the numbers are generally lower, the same pattern exists in 2024.
2025 is a real watch here for Collingwood. Sides have caught up to them in regard to fast and direct ball movement, and in the past that factor negated the need for a dominant forward. I think something has to give for Collingwood. I don’t believe that McStay will make a huge difference with a full season (28 goals in a season is his career best). They need someone that can grab a game and tear it away from an opposition. Will they get busy this trade period? Let’s wait and see.
ESSENDON BOMBERS
Points for: 1892 (13th in AFL) up from 1838 in 2023
Leading Goal Scorer: Kyle Langford – 43 goals
Surprise Packet: Nate Caddy – 9 goals (let me explain)
Club Coleman:
Kyle Langford – 43.27
Jake Stringer – 42.25
Jade Gresham – 19.12
Peter Wright – 19.7
Harrison Jones – 18.11
A slight improvement, scoring wise, for Essendon, but not quite enough to make a major impact on the Bombers making finals. Kyle Langford continues to be the forward find of the last few years. He looks great ahead of the ball, kicks well, and is reliable for a couple a game. Essendon fans will be thanking God they’ve got him up there. A slight drop in his total of 51 in 2023, but none the less a great result.
Another disappointing year for Peter Wright. He looked great in 2022, but I think we can all agree that was a flash in the pan. He looks virtually ineffective these days, and it looks to me like Harrison Jones is coming on well enough that Wright likely doesn’t get a look in, unless Stringer decides to take off to a new club.
On Stringer, he doubled his output from 2023 to kick 42 for the year. If he’s kicking 42 and pinch hitting in the midfield effectively, then that’s a great result. The key is effectively, I often think he’s been wasted in his midfield stints, and I’d like to see that experiment ended from here on out. I hope he stays at Essendon; I think another club change won’t do him any good.
Jade Gresham was a handy little pick up with his 19 goals, but he’d like to be pushing that up near 30 and becoming a real presence. Essendon need to improve in a lot of areas, and their forward set up really isn’t terrible, so if he can increase his output, they’ll be going alright.
For what it’s worth, I believe that Essendon’s scoring will improve in 2024, and that’s because of Nate Caddy. This guy looks like he’s got a bit of presence about him. Yes, he’s still very young, but as he develops, I can see him turning into a very handy mid-size forward. Between Langford, Stringer (if he stays), Jones and Caddy, there are enough points of difference that mean they can be a tough match up. None of them are real A-Graders anymore, but they will more than do the job. There is definitely a bit to like about that forward line next year.
FREMANTLE DOCKERS
Points for: 1964 (10th in AFL) up from 1835 in 2023
Leading Goal Scorer: Josh Treacy – 45 goals
Surprise Packet: Sam Sturt – 21 goals
Club Coleman:
Josh Treacy – 45.15
Jye Amiss – 36.28
Michael Frederick – 23.17
Luke Jackson – 21.16
Sam Sturt – 21.7
Josh Treacy, what a player. Erupted this year as one of the most dominant players in the competition with his disregard for defenders anywhere in his vicinity. Injuries prevented a 50-plus goal season for the big man, but at his age it’s only a matter of time. He’s incredibly accurate as well going at about 70 percent, a huge bonus for any side. Could be a top five player in the comp in a few years’ time at this rate, unbeatable on his day. Great year.
Jye Amiss has had an unusual year. Broke out last year with 41 goals and 17 behinds. In my opinion there has been negative media talk around him in 2024, with some saying he hasn’t developed as much as he should have. The reality is that if it weren’t for a fall off in accuracy, he’d have beaten his total in 2023. He’s had a good enough year in my opinion, and like Treacy is super young. Once he bulks up a bit, you’ve got two 50 plus goal a year key forwards out at Freo.
The downside is that their general accuracy wasn’t brilliant, fifth in the competition for points kicked. We know how many close games Freo lost this year, and they fell one win short of finals. Bad kicking is bad football, and there’s no question that inaccuracy cost them at least one win this year. They’d want to rectify it moving into 2025.
Sam Sturt was a nice surprise for Fremantle fans this year. 21 goals 7 behinds are a good enough return, and his set shot kicking especially was excellent. He showed a bit at the back end of 2023 and established himself in that forward line this year. I think he carries on with it in 2025.
Generally, the outcome of 2024 wasn’t what anyone at Fremantle expected. Pleasingly though, the forward line looks in good touch moving forward for the first time since Pav retired. Add into the mix Shai Bolton if they can get it done, and suddenly it’s one of the best forward line set ups in the competition in my eyes. If Fremantle can tidy up their ball use, and continue to use the corridor like they clearly want to do, I expect their totals to rise in 2025.
GEELONG CATS
Points for: 2164 (3rd in AFL) up from 2088 in 2023
Leading Goal Scorer: Jeremy Cameron – 58 Goals
Surprise Packet: Oliver Dempsey – 21 Goals
Club Coleman:
Jeremy Cameron – 58.35
Tyson Stengle – 42.16
Oliver Henry – 32.15
Brad Close – 25.9
Oliver Dempsey – 21.11
The ever-reliable Jeremy Cameron leads Geelong in 2024 with 58.35 for the year. Terrific player, another fantastic season and deserves all the plaudits that come his way. Still a top five player in the competition in my eyes. With the way he plays, could kick 70 goals every year if he remained deep all game, but would be a disservice to the side by playing that way with how influential he is up the ground. What a player.
As a wider group, I found it interesting to note that after a twelfth place finish in 2023, an extra 80 or so points scored over the year has them finishing in third in 2024. Obviously, there are more reasons for ladder placement than points scored, but it certainly reflects how even this season has been, and the improvement in Geelong as a unit this year. Tyson Stengle bounced back, kicking 42 goals after 27 in 2023. One of the premier small forwards, and, apparently, a weapon on the turps.
The obvious disappointment, in a year with very few, for Geelong is the injury and decline of Tom Hawkins. Age has finally caught up to the great man and will pull the pin at the end of the year. It is often stated that the end can come incredibly quickly in AFL, and Tom Hawkins is a prime example of that, after a fantastic season in 2023. Congratulations to Tom on a fantastic career.
Oliver Dempsey, on the other hand, was one of the bigger wins for the side. The rising star winner erupted this year for 21 goals. largely from the wing. Perhaps I didn’t follow Geelong as closely as others, but I didn’t believe he would be the player he became this year. Geelong, as we all know, can find and develop players better than any other side, and Dempsey is another string to that bow. I think he has a big finals series; he seems like a guy that is entirely up for the fight. I think he goes from strength to strength and has a huge 2025.
Shannon Neale should be an interesting watch in the coming years. Appears to be the guy to take over from Hawkins and had some solid moments this year in important games. Geelong fans, get in the comments and let me know what you think this guy can develop into. If he does come on the way fans hope, I can’t see Geelong going backwards any time soon.
GOLD COAST SUNS
Points for: 1925 (11th in AFL) up from 1839 in 2023
Leading Goal Scorer: Ben King – 55 goals
Surprise Packet: Mac Andrew – 9 goals
Club Coleman:
Ben King – 55.26
Ben Long – 26.17
Jack Lukosius – 23.18
Ben Ainsworth – 16.9
Bailey Humphrey – 14.19
Gold Coast did, in fact, improve in 2024, if anyone other than Gold Coast fans care about that. I say that because it’s another failed season with very little gained, other than a best ever wins total. The interesting thing is Gold Coast are pretty balanced with their goal kicking list, a lot of guys bobbed up from time to time to impact the scoreboard, a good sign in my opinion. Despite the knocks on him, Ben King kicks 55 goals this year for the club Coleman, up from 40 in 2023 – a great result for the young bloke, the better of the Kings, quite comfortably.
Let’s get to the good bit, Mac Andrew. Great year for the gun defender, and then goes forward late in the season with great success. That Essendon game may have been enough to keep him forward for next season and may lead to the end of Jack Lukosius at Gold Coast (which we’ll get to). It’s so handy to have a guy that can dominate at both ends like Andrew clearly can. One of the most exciting players to watch these days, looking forward to his 2025.
On Lukosius, another middling year for the swingman. Kicked 23 goals and looked decent at times, but I think it’s time to cut the cord, and recent media reports seem to suggest that will be the case this year. At his best he looks really dynamic, it’s just too few and far between. For the sake of Gold Coast turning into a serious football club, I’d get rid of him. Brutal calls need to be made, and a high draft pick shouldn’t entitle a player to games. Better for all that he finds a new club.
Gold Coast appear to be a forward short to me when assessing their year end stats. Ben Long kicks the second most goals on 26 for the year. No disrespect to Ben Long, but I wouldn’t want him being the guy to finish second on my goal kicking list. I don’t see him doing it consistently moving forward, but he is doing a job right now. The watch is the development of Mac Andrew, Jed Walter, and Bailey Humphrey. If those guys can develop upward, there is your forward line for the next 10 years, although I like Humphrey more as a 70/30 midfielder.
GWS GIANTS
Points for: 2034 (7th in AFL) up from 2018 in 2023
Leading Goal Scorer: Jesse Hogan – 69 Goals – Coleman Medal Winner
Surprise Packet: Darcy Jones – 11 goals
Club Coleman:
Jesse Hogan – 69.25
Toby Greene – 41.30
Aaron Cadman – 26.11
Jake Riccardi – 26.12
Brent Daniels – 23.17
Is Jesse Hogan the feel good story of the year? He’s definitely my vote. Bloke was in the footy wilderness not long ago; his resurgence has been unreal to watch. Playing in a side like GWS is perfect for him, given the way they move the footy, hitting him on a lead and rewarding him for a bit of footy nous in his positioning. He’s added contested marking back to his game as well, he’s now the total package as a key forward. My only worry is that run up, historically guys with the stutter get found out eventually and have to change it up, I hope for Hogan’s sake he can make it work.
While Toby Greene didn’t get near his total of 66 goals last year, he’s still quietly had a very good year. He had a few games where he was virtually non existent this year, but 41 goals for a small forward is really all any team would ever ask for. I certainly didn’t think he kicked 41, I had him down low 30’s, so it’s a nice result for the captain in what may be considered a quieter year.
Darcy Jones has got that dog in him. The kid shows relentless pressure in his attack on the footy. 11 goals may not seem like much, but as a pressure forward, he’s got great potential. If he can mould his game on a Sam Switkowski with perhaps a higher ceiling, he’s going to make himself a lock in that GWS side. A small forward group of Toby Greene, Darcy Jones and Brent Daniels, all at top flight, would be an absolute nightmare matchup. Really liked what we saw from the kid this year.
On Daniels, wouldn’t every team in the competition love to have a guy like him. He’s that goal scoring, high half forward link up player that many players have tried to be, but few have pulled it off to the level of Daniels this year. If he’s not All Australian in 2025 I’ll be genuinely surprised. He’s finally healthy, he’s a very difficult match up, and has that innate ability to find the football and almost always use it as efficiently as possible. His game against Fremantle late in the season was a masterclass in how to play that position.
GWS will only improve further in 2025. They may win the flag in 2024, it remains to be seen, but they will certainly feature in a few over the next few years. I can’t see anyone in that forward list going backward. A lot to look forward to.
HAWTHORN HAWKS
Points for: 2090 (6th in AFL) up from 1686 in 2023
Leading Goal Scorer: Mabior Chol – 36 goals
Surprise Packet: Connor Macdonald – 26 goals
Club Coleman:
Mabior Chol – 36.20
Dylan Moore – 35.16
Jack Gunston – 28.17
Connor Macdonald – 26.18
Jack Ginnivan – 25.25
I’ll put my hand up and say I didn’t see this resurgence coming at all. I had Hawthorn finishing bottom four this year, and was fairly confident too. The scoring uptick, from 1686 points in 2023 to 2090 in 2024 is obscene behaviour. Every other side (barring Sydney and Geelong since they’re never bad) would give anything for a rebuild as fast tracked as this one. Must be nice to be a Hawthorn supporter.
Mabior Chol takes out the club Coleman with 36 goals. It really doesn’t matter who kicks the goals at Hawthorn, but someone had to get on the end of them more than others, and Chol was the winner this year. He’s often maligned, but he’s more than done his job this year. He’s carved out a really nice career for himself, and in the absence of the injured Lewis, has proved bargain buy of the year.
Connor Macdonald is my surprise packet purely because I didn’t think he had this level of play in him. Again, perhaps I didn’t see as much Hawthorn football in 2023 (could you blame me?) but I thought his ceiling would always be nice role player, but once the side develops, he’ll be on his way. Willing to admit I was wrong there. He seems to have innate goal sense and uses the footy really well. Third at Hawthorn for score involvements as well, which in a side like the Hawks, that rely on fast, direct ball use, is a major asset. This guy really proved me wrong, gun player.
The only real downside for Hawthorn which I briefly touched on was the injury to Mitch Lewis. There is no doubting Lewis has the potential to be a 50 goal a year key forward if his body will let him. Every time I watch him play, I feel like he’s going to kick a bag, we just aren’t getting to see it. I hope for his sake he can get himself right soon. He may not be absolutely necessary to flag, but he will certainly help.
inaccuracy was also a slight issue here, with the main offenders being Jack Ginnivan and Nick Watson, with 50 behinds between them. I have no doubt these guys will get this out of their game soon enough, they’re both young enough, and the fact that they’re getting shots on goal is the main thing, so it’s not a huge issue. The upside on both players lead me to not be overly bothered by the points, they’ll get there.
MELBOURNE DEMONS
Points for: 1785 (14th in AFL) down from 2079 in 2023
Leading Goal Scorer: Bayley Fritsch – 41 goals
Surprise Packet: Not overly thrilled about anyone here
Club Coleman:
Bayley Fritsch – 41.23
Kysaiah Pickett – 36.24
Jacob van Rooyen – 30.16
Kade Chandler – 18.9
Daniel Turner – 17.7
Alright let’s be honest, no one here is overly thrilled by the Melbourne forward line, and if you are, then I’m really happy for you, because I just don’t see anything here to get anyone’s hopes up about 2025.
Bayley Fritsch takes out the club Coleman with 41 goals – The ever reliable small forward puts up great numbers every year. Without him there, they would be much worse off, despite how often he burns his teammates. It’s a necessary evil for the Dees coaching staff to deal with, given the lack of output others provide.
Kozzy Pickett had a nice year, but probably a bit below what his talent suggests. I’d love to see him above that 40 goal mark. The trade speculation around him is interesting, Melbourne will be desperate to keep him, as there isn’t much on the list to make up for his scoring power. I’m in the Kane Cornes camp here (insert audible gasp) that he needs to do more.
Jacob van Rooyen continues his development and had some nice moments this year. He’s the shining light, as he has genuine potential to be a bit of a gun, although I think he’s a second or third tall, and needs someone else to take the pressure off him. As good as he can be, I don’t think he’s a number one key forward in any side. Kade Chandler and Daniel Turner round out the top five, both handy at times, but neither are anything close to world beaters.
I really don’t know what Melbourne do from here. They need a key forward, we all know it, they know it, the supporters know it, but there aren’t any available. Unfortunately for Melbourne supporters, I think you’re about to fall into a bit of a hole, which makes no sense in a side with names like Gawn, Petracca, Oliver, Viney, May, Lever, Fritsch and Pickett. The issue is the gulf in class between those names and the rest of the list is stark right now. Caleb Windsor is the only young kid on that list that I have any faith in.
Melbourne must nail this draft. Go after a key forward that the club are prepared to put time into and accept that they might just be a bad team for a few years. Things will get worse before they get better.
NORTH MELBOURNE KANGAROOS
Points for: 1619 (16th in AFL) down from 1657 in 2023
Leading Goal Scorer: Nick Larkey – 46 goals
Surprise Packet: Paul Curtis – 30 goals
Club Coleman:
Nick Larkey – 46.14
Paul Curtis – 30.21
Cameron Zurhaar – 29.18
Eddie Ford – 15.11
Harry Sheezel – 14.1
From bad to worse here, moving onto North Melbourne. They actually scored less this year than last, which makes almost zero sense. This club are up shit creek without a paddle when it comes to their forward set up right now.
Nick Larkey takes out the club Coleman (shock) with 46 goals but seriously declined from his 71 goals in 2023. There’s no question how good this guy is but he is being wasted at North. Wouldn’t the Dees love him right now? It’s actually a really good fit when you think about it, but I digress. I think his drop off from 2023 is a flash in the pan for what it’s worth. I’m hoping North finally improve in 2025, and his tally rises with them.
Positive: I enjoyed the year of Paul Curtis. The kid has genuine ability about him, he’s strong for a little bloke, and he can kick snags from anywhere. 30 goals is about right for the development path that he’s on. If he can go up next year to over that 40 goal barrier that would be a great result. He’s not going to be an All Australian type, but he’s going to crack in week after week, which you love to see.
Zurhaar was okay this year. I like that he showed some loyalty and re-signed, but I think we know now what Zurhaar is as a player. I don’t expect more than around 30 a year from him. In a better side, he’d be a nice side piece, and perhaps as North improve and Larkey rebounds, we see a bit more to his game. He had an okay season, but nothing to write home about.
The goal tally drops away quickly after Zurhaar. I don’t want to see Harry Sheezel being in your top five for goal scoring. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great he’s added that to his game, it just reflects poorly on the forward set up. Toby Pink was down there at times and if that doesn’t sum up North Melbourne then I don’t know what does. Zane Duursma probably didn’t have the year they would have liked, but he’s undeniably got the talent there, he’ll come good in a few years’ time. They had Brynn Teakle down there after his mid-season pick up, which also doesn’t bode well for them long term.
That’s enough on that lot, let’s move on.
PORT ADELAIDE POWER
Points for: 2011 (8th in AFL) down from 2149 in 2023
Leading Goal Scorer: Mitch Georgiades – 39 goals
Surprise Packet: Darcy Byrne-Jones – 26 goals
Club Coleman:
Mitch Georgiades – 39.22
Willie Rioli – 29.19
Darcy Byrne-Jones – 26.17
Jason Horne-Francis – 25.18
Charlie Dixon – 23.17
Port Adelaide’s forward combinations have been a watch all year, continuing to win games has overshadowed the makeshift, and potentially untrustworthy, forward line set up. Mitch Georgiades has broken out, albeit with only a 39 goal season, to win the club Coleman, and is clearly the dominant forward for the Power.
One victory for Port Adelaide this year has been the small forward mix. Willie Rioli has had a pretty decent year, although I would like to see him in that 35 goal-plus range, given his talent. The massive result has been Darcy Byrne-Jones. 26 goals make a pretty good year for a guy that seemed to be an afterthought down there at the start of the season. There are better small forwards out there, but his influence has been super important, just ask Hawthorn.
I love it when Horne-Francis rests forward. He’s a difficult match up given his strength and pace. His accuracy in the first half of the year left a bit to be desired, but he seems to have rectified this issue in the back half. I can see a Brownlow in his future, such is the way with players as eye catching as the Hornet. Port Adelaide’s finals hopes somewhat fall in his hands, such is his impact on games.
The issues Port Adelaide have been trying to work out is the tall forward mix. Dixon is well and truly cooked. He’s still doing a job down there, and I think he plays out the season, but there’s no chance he goes around in 2025. Todd Marshall has fallen off, he really needs to bulk up to assert himself a bit more on games, but I don’t see that happening. Finlayson can do a job, but his accuracy is suspect. Ratugolea is a big body and takes a defender, but his kicking is also dreadful. I’m not sure what 2025 will look like, but the coaching staff need to find a mix that works.
For what it’s worth, I’m concerned about this forward set up in 2025, as a Port Adelaide supporter. The goal kicking mids are holding the side together right now, which is unsustainable. I don’t know how they plan to solve this issue, but it needs to be done quickly to capitalise on the obvious talent in the side.
RICHMOND TIGERS
Points for: 1505 (18th in AFL) down from 1856 in 2023
Leading Goal Scorer: Shai Bolton – 34 goals
Surprise Packet: Mykelti Lefau – 14 goals
Club Coleman:
Shai Bolton – 34.26
Rhyan Mansell – 21.10
Liam Baker – 14.13
Mykelti Lefau – 14.5
Noah Balta – 12.3
Well, this is some rough reading. Richmond had a rough year, we all know that, but this goal kicking list is properly rough. Shai Bolton had a decent year with 34 goals, but by all accounts he’s out the door in 2025, so there’s a few to find there. Rhyan Mansell finishes second in the club Coleman, how depressing is that? There is almost nothing to like about the Richmond forward line right now.
Mykelti Lefau did some good things. He’s not your number one key forward, but I can see a spot for him as a third tall. I’d persist with him; I like what I see so far. Here’s hoping the Tigers can find a way to take a bit of pressure off the bloke.
Baker kicked 14 goals but he’s also out the door, so those snags become irrelevant as well. Tom Lynch can’t get on the park so don’t hang your hat on him coming back and dominating, his best is well and truly past him. Noah Balta, in my opinion, is better as a defender, the sooner he can get back down there the better for Richmond.
I really don’t have much more to say about 2024, so let’s look forward. The positive for Richmond is the million first round picks they’re going to end up with. If Richmond draft well, there is the possibility of a very quick rebuild ala Hawthorn. Whether they keep or trade the picks is irrelevant, just find a key forward or two and a small forward to replace Bolton above all else. The weaponry will be there, let’s wait and see what they do with it.
My total count is Richmond need to find 68 goals in 2025 from players who are leaving this year, just to level out with the goal tally in 2024, which I remind you was the worst in the competition. That is some brutal reading.
Thankfully, Richmond won three flags not long ago, so there’s always that to remember…
ST KILDA SAINTS
Points for: 1748 (15th in AFL) down from 1775 in 2023
Leading Goal Scorer: Jack Higgins – 36 goals.
Surprise Packet: Cooper Sharman – 18 goals.
Club Coleman:
Jack Higgins – 36.20
Tim Membrey – 30.9
Mitch Owens – 20.14
Max King – 19.12
Cooper Sharman – 18.12
Scoring wise this was a very similar year to 2023 for St Kilda, which is unsurprising given Ross Lyon is the coach. Jack Higgins leads the goal kicking with 36 for the year, which in my opinion is about as good as you can expect from Higgins. I do like him as a player, he’s a battler who always has a crack. Pleased for him having a decent season.
Tim Membrey kicked accurately again with 30 goals and only the nine behinds for the year. His best is past him, and he may not be at the Saints in 2025, although I think all Saints supporters would be grateful for what he’s given the club and would wish the best for him moving forward. If he does go, there’s a decent chunk of goals that need replacing.
Elephant in the room, Max King didn’t have a great one, before that season ending injury after the Port Adelaide game. I feel for the bloke, given how he copped it relentlessly week after week for his lack of effort at times. St Kilda have shown faith in him which is great, and they don’t have any alternatives so he’s still going to be their guy for a while . There’s no denying he’s got the talent, he just needs to find a way to mentally get the most out of himself. I hope he can work himself out, Saints fans will be praying he does.
Cooper Sharman looks a player. He’s shown a bit from time to time, but really broke out in the back half of the year. Perhaps he rises for a bigger year in 2025 to fill the potential Membrey void. It seems Sharman, Owens and Phillipou have a lot resting on their shoulders to carry this club forward.
It’s not entirely inaccurate to say that St Kilda are a pretty uninspiring side right now, and their forward line is no different. I don’t want this to be a Ross bashing session, but I would hate playing for him. I think there are players at St Kilda that aren’t given the freedom to play to their strengths. If the Saints don’t bounce back next year, questions need to be asked of Ross, and what the plan is moving forward. In my opinion, there isn’t really any plan in place, other than drag teams down to your level and win by a goal. We know that isn’t sustainable.
SYDNEY SWANS
Points for: 2242 (1st in AFL) up from 2050 in 2023.
Leading Goal Scorer: Joel Amartey – 39 goals
Surprise Packet: No one – although not a bad thing this time
Club Coleman:
Joel Amartey – 39.24
Will Hayward – 38.15
Logan McDonald – 34.22
Chad Warner – 32.17
Tom Papley – 30.29
Let me get it out of the way, there is no surprise packet for Sydney purely because everyone more or less did what they needed to do this year, which is the perfect result, and reflects Sydney’s ladder placement. At a stretch, Hayden McLean may be an option with his 26 goals, although again in the side he’s in, this about what I would have expected from him. There is no question this was a great year for Sydney’s goal kicking, but let’s dig a little deeper.
Joel Amartey takes the club Coleman with 39, helped by his nine goal game against the Crows. If Amartey can hit 40 goals a season, I’d say he’s more than done his job each year. I’ll be watching him closely in 2025, let’s see him back it up.
Will Hayward just knows how to get it done as a medium forward. 38 goals at a good rate, he always bobs up when he’s needed. So many sides are crying out for a guy like him that you can rely on. He’s a fan favourite at Sydney for good reason. Absolutely love the way he goes about his footy. Great year.
Logan McDonald is a question mark for me. 34 goals for the year, he’s not quite had the year I expected from him. I don’t see a 50 goal a year forward in McDonald, although at Sydney this year that’s been more than okay, given the goal kicking midfielders on the list. I think he’s reflective of a broader issue that a lot of people have identified with the swans.
Similar to Port Adelaide, if the midfield doesn’t fire, where are the goals scored? Sydney’s big three of Heeney, Warner and Gulden kicked 75 goals between them, which is obviously an incredible result for the club. If you take 25 goals off those three, which is still a great year for three midfielders, is Sydney as dominant as they were at times this year? I’m not sure they are.
The Sydney coaching staff are far more equipped than I am, and I’m sure they’ve acknowledged their forward line do need to improve somewhat, which is why I’m not worried about them moving forward at all. They’ll be guns again next year, which may defeat everything I’ve said above. It’s highly likely that what they’re doing now will continue to work for the next few years, they’re a great side after all.
WEST COAST EAGLES
Points for: 1594 (17th in AFL) up from 1418 in 2023.
Leading Goal Scorer: Jake Waterman – 53 goals
Surprise Packet: Jake Waterman – 53 goals
Club Coleman:
Jake Waterman – 53.23
Jamie Cripps – 27.27
Jack Darling – 22.12
Oscar Allen – 20.16
Jack Williams – 16.4
This summary may as well all be about Jake Waterman. What a year from the bloke. After his illness last year, and suggested unrest at the mismanagement of it, there were genuine question marks whether Waterman would remain at West Coast or play at all anymore. No one predicted him to break out the way he did.
53 goals earned him an All Australian blazer, and he missed a few games as well so that total could have been higher. He appears to have all the confidence in the world right now. His contested marking was a highlight for me, every time the ball went near him, I thought he’d grab it. His form gave West Coast fans a reason to watch even when all was going wrong this year. What a season, unreal scenes.
Elsewhere, Oscar Allen getting back out there was a great result. He worked into the season a little bit and took a bit of time to find some synergy with Waterman, which makes sense given the dominant nature of Waterman. He’s going to get back to his best next year, and suddenly West Coast have two 50 goal a year forwards on their hands. West Coast have never really been short of a key forward, and that appears to be the case moving forward.
Jack Darling appears to be out the door this season. 22 goals this year but fell out of favour late. There’s rumours of a two year offer at North for Darling, which I’d jump at if I were him. His time at West Coast is over, he’s been a great servant, and been much maligned for a guy that’s kicked over 500 goals for the club. I’ve been critical of him myself, but you can’t deny his career, and will always be a premiership player.
I think they improve goal-scoring wise in 2025. Between Allen, Waterman, Maric, Williams, and Noah Long, there are enough young guys that have genuine talent and room to develop further. Eagles supporters should be optimistic of their forwards next year. I think Cripps probably enters his last year, and he’s not the player he was, but will still kick a few. I think Liam Ryan is another who probably drops off a bit, and there are rumours of him heading off as well. Bringing in Liam Baker will offset this somewhat, so I think they’ll be fine next year.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Points for: 2171 (2nd in AFL) up from 1919 in 2023.
Leading Goal Scorer: Jamarra Ugle-Hagan – 43 goals
Surprise Packet: Rhylee West – 25 goals
Club Coleman:
Jamarra Ugle-Hagan – 43.34
Sam Darcy – 37.22
Aaron Naughton – 32.14
Marcus Bontempelli – 31.20
Cody Weightman – 27.16
Bulldogs really bounced back scoring-wise this year, and their big three key forwards lead the way. JUH leads the club with 43 goals, but I think he only holds that title for the one year. Sam Darcy is the guy that will take the mantle from him in 2025. He’s a massive bloke that can play anywhere on the ground, but his maximum influence will be found at full forward. 37 goals was a great return for the young bloke, and I have genuine fear about how much influence he will have over the coming years.
Aaron Naughton dropped off a bit with the 32 goals, He’s had a few knocks and niggles he might be carrying but clearly, he’s not had the year he would have liked. It’s incredible to think that in 2025, he could be the third key forward for the club, such is the emergence of Darcy and Ugle-Hagan. What a nightmare match up of a forward line for the next decade.
Loved the year of Rhylee West. A couple years back I had the opinion that he would be one of those players that can’t establish a spot in the seniors in his preferred midfield position, so he’s forced to play out of position before being delisted after a few years. To West’s credit, he’s adapted to that small forward role brilliantly. His attack on the footy is relentless, and between him and Weightman, it’s a great little small forward combo down at Footscray.
Not that he needs more praise, but Marcus Bontempelli has to be one of the best goal kicking midfielders of all time. Every year he fronts up and dominates both in the guts and up forward for the Bulldogs. With the emergence of that young forward line, he’s going to keep kicking goals at a great clip, as when he rests down there, he’ll have a pretty great match up. Gun player, gun captain, deserves a Brownlow.
So, there’s your scoring summary for the year. Get in the comments and let me have it if I’m dead wrong about your club, I can’t watch them all closely so I’m sure there’s some things I’ve gotten wrong, or players I’ve failed to highlight. Let us know who you think will break out in 2025, or who your club should go after this off season.
