Melbourne, Luke Beveridge, Alastair Clarkson: 10 burning questions that will define the 2024 AFL season
It’s a new era at both the Suns and the Tigers, so will Damien Hardwick take the Richmond glory up north, or can Adem Yze muster one last run? Check out the AFL’s biggest questions in 2024.
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The squads are almost set and the draw is out.
All eyes are now on the 2024 season.
Where are the Demons at? How much pressure is Luke Beveridge under? What can Alastair Clarkson do at North Melbourne?
Scott Gullan answers the big questions.
1. CAN CLAYTON OLIVER AND MELBOURNE GET THEIR MOJO BACK?
Get the popcorn ready because watching how Clayton Oliver and Melbourne go about life in 2024 is going to be interesting viewing. No matter how much they want to spin things, there was a disconnect at the Demons this season.
Oliver’s fall from grace was sad in many ways and obviously played a key part in Melbourne going out in straight sets for the second consecutive year.
Yes, if they’d kicked straight in a couple of those finals things might have been different but the bottom line is a fit, firing and happy Oliver (he was none of those) would have changed things significantly.
The Brodie Grundy experiment was also an unnecessary sideshow. It’s out of the way so there should be clean air for Simon Goodwin to work with.
Apart from getting Oliver on the straight and narrow, the coach’s first point of call is the forward line.
Landing Shane McAdam from Adelaide will help but a lot of Melbourne’s scoring will depend on how the Harrison Petty experiment goes.
He has shown glimpses at times as a forward but has never had a proper run at it. Petty and young gun Jacob van Rooyen need to own the forward line with McAdam, Bailey Fritsch and Kysaiah Pickett a dangerous support cast.
It all looks good on paper but if the Oliver situation isn’t resolved, watch for it all to fall apart.
2. CAN LUKE BEVERIDGE WIND THE CLOCK BACK?
The Western Bulldogs are backing in their coach after a horror 2023 and that needs to be more than just lip service.
Premiership windows are a dangerous topic and we try to steer away from them but it’s hard not to acknowledge the clock is ticking on the Dogs.
There are some who say the Dogs’ list is one of the best in the competition, that’s not right – the bottom end has some holes in it but the top end is elite and they shouldn’t be finishing ninth and they certainly shouldn’t be losing to West Coast in round 23.
That loss is still a head shaker but Beveridge, who enters his 10th year as coach in 2024, has to get back to what made him such a successful coach in 2016.
The connection he had with his players was the driving force behind that famous premiership victory. For whatever reason – not all of it his fault – that has drifted in recent years.
Beveridge is an excellent coach, he hasn’t always had the right support around him but it’s time everyone at the Whitten Oval sung some kumbaya and started pulling in the same direction before it’s too late.
3. HOW QUICKLY CAN ALASTAIR CLARKSON GET NORTH MELBOURNE GOING?
The master coach’s first season at Arden St was a write-off so it’s now all about what a fit and focused Clarkson can do for this team which had its moments this year but still finished 17th with just three victories.
In his absence some gold was uncovered.
Harry Sheezel won the best and fairest in his first season and George Wardlaw quickly became a cult hero. Tarryn Thomas put aside all sorts of distractions to show his elite talent late in the season while Nick Larkey incredibly finished third in the Coleman Medal race with 71 goals.
Add to that Luke Davies-Uniacke who showed he can be in the top handful of ball winners in the league, then there is a bit for “Clarko” to work with.
Obviously losing Ben McKay puts a sizeable hole in his defence, but after the Roos drafted Launceston midfielder Colby McKercher at No. 2, things could improve quickly between the arcs.
Watch for a full summer of a focused Clarkson to get the Roos jumping higher than many expect.
4. WHICH NEW COACH IS BETTER PLACED – ADEM YZE OR DAMIEN HARDWICK?
The initial focus of Hardwick’s shock departure from Punt Rd was on how burnt out the premiership coach was although just a couple of weeks later he surprisingly said he’d bounced back and was ready for a new challenge. Hmmm.
There was also a whiff that this once mighty outfit was about to hit the wall. Hardwick was on the money there as the Tigers limped into 13th on the ladder and spent most of the last month of the season planning the send-offs of champions Trent Cotchin and Jack Riewoldt.
Yze has been the next man up for a number of years so he more than deserved a senior gig and he’ll get the chance to throw a totally new look at the Tigers which is exactly what this team needs.
As usual a lot depends on Dustin Martin’s interest levels. He was engaged this year and was stiff not to make the All-Australian team. The fitness of Tom Lynch is the other key factor after a foot injury wiped out last season and still seems to be lingering longer than first thought.
If Martin and Lynch fire, and Yze finds a new exciting way to play, then the Tigers could still challenge. But if we had to pick between the two gigs, the sunshine of the Gold Coast looks damn good.
Hardwick takes over a team that is desperate for success and at various points across the past couple of years has shown it is capable of being a top-eight team.
The kids are now seasoned players who are approaching their “go-time” in terms of when AFL careers start to take off. Noah Anderson (23 in February) won his first best and fairest from defender Sam Collins and fellow midfielder Matt Rowell, 22.
Charlie Ballard, 24, emerged as an elite intercept defender, Jack Lukosius, 23, found his feet up forward while the key to the whole dance, full-forward Ben King, 23, made a good return from a year out, kicking 30 goals from 12 games.
The Hardwick bounce will be significant and if anyone can get the Suns earning respect from the rest of the competition it’s the three-time premiership coach.
5. DO WE DARE WRITE GEELONG OFF?
This is dangerous territory given Chris Scott has only missed the finals twice in his 13 years in charge but the premiership hangover in 2023 raised a few red flags.
There were circumstances which deserve to be looked at before we start asking in the priest to come in and deliver the last rites.
Gary Rohan accidentally knocking Jeremy Cameron out in round 15 against Melbourne summed up the season. Weird things kept happening to the Cats and before they knew it, the season was gone and they were suddenly 12th and on holidays in September.
Cameron wasn’t the same player after that incident and given he’s the key to the whole show, it’s no coincidence the Cats limped home, losing four of their last five games.
There were plenty of others who were off at various times. Captain Patrick Dangerfield had his moments, Tyson Stengle didn’t back up his All-Australian year (27 goals after 53 in 2022). Rohan’s return of 18 goals wasn’t enough while veterans Mitch Duncan and Zach Tuohy had their struggles.
The forgotten man in all of this was Cameron Guthrie who didn’t play after round 6 because of a toe injury. People forget he won the best and fairest in the premiership year and his absence was a massive hole.
Combine that with Joel Selwood’s retirement and suddenly the Cats were exposed at the coalface.
People like to bang on about the Cats’ ageing list but the real question is whether the youngsters coming through are of the same quality they’ve been previously. Ollie Henry (41 goals) was a great addition, fellow recruit Tanner Bruhn will be a player but the jury is out on ex-Sun Jack Bowes.
In one game young ruckman Toby Conway showed he looks to be the real deal while highly rated draftee Jhye Clark also only played one match before suffering a season-ending injury. They both need to come through to breathe new life into this team.
So back to the million dollar question? Have they fallen off the cliff? A fit Cameron, Guthrie back, Dangerfield inspired, further progression from Sam De Koning and the emergence of a couple of kids is enough to keep the priest on hold for one more season.
6. CAN CARLTON WIN THE FLAG?
At the 20-minute mark of the opening quarter of the preliminary final in the Gabba, that question was being asked in hushed tones.
The Blues had been unbelievable and while history shows the Brisbane Lions got them in the end and then lost to Collingwood the next week, that snapshot can’t be ignored.
They say you have to serve your apprenticeship in the finals before your number is called but now that Michael Voss’s team has the September monkey off its back, it can quickly leap to the next phase.
Don’t forget the Blues’ finals success was all done without their best player Charlie Curnow having a major impact. His season was still exceptional, with 81 goals and a second Coleman Medal, but his influence was minimal in September.
Sam Walsh was hurt for most of the year before unleashing an incredible finals series so back him for the 2024 Brownlow Medal now.
And one of the most important developments at Ikon Park was the emergence of Tom De Koning (and his signature on a new contract) in the second half of the year.
The addition of former top-10 draft pick Elijah Hollands from the Gold Coast will add depth to the Blues’ midfield which has the capability to be one of the best in the league.
Given how bad this club has been over the past decade, it would be a major shock if Voss allowed a let-down after their 2023 heroics.
7. CAN ESSENDON AND JAKE STRINGER GET IT TOGETHER?
It might sound like madness to think a 30-year-old coming off statistically the worst season of his career holds the key to Essendon breaking its finals drought. But if Jake Stringer is fit and engaged then everything changes.
History would say getting Stringer fit and engaged is particularly difficult but surely there is someone in the former Western Bulldogs premiership forward’s camp who can explain to him that the clock is ticking.
Brad Scott didn’t have a lot of luck getting through in his first year – Stringer looked banged up and unfit for most of the season which yielded just 21 goals from 17 games.
While others picked up the slack up forward, in particular Kyle Langford, it is Stringer’s aura and matchwinning ability which the Bombers crave.
If he fires, the Bombers have a freakish goalkicker and a brilliant centre-clearance player. But is that a fading memory?
The Bombers have made moves to improve after a disastrous finish to 2023 which saw them slip from fifth after round 17 to 11th at the end of season after a string of embarrassing performances. Losing by 126 points to Greater Western Sydney in round 23 was diabolical.
Recruits Jade Gresham, Xavier Duursma, Ben McKay and to a lesser extent Todd Goldstein will help, but while they don’t want to acknowledge it, the fact is a lot of the Bombers’ fortunes still rest with the enigmatic and unreliable Stringer.
8. WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM NEW AFL BOSS ANDREW DILLON?
It’s going to take a while to get used to life without Gillon McLachlan who was a larger-than-life presence and an absolute pro with the media. Dillon won’t be jumping in front of the camera or making headlines on radio every week so prepare for less rather than more from AFL House.
Dillon is making all the right noises early with his “footy first” focus and the appointment of rising star Laura Kane to the head of football showed he wanted to put his own stamp on the place.
At the top of the pair’s list should be an overhaul of the match review panel and the goal review process, both of which bordered on shambolic at times this year.
9. WILL PORT ADELAIDE’S NEW RECRUITS BE THE ANSWER?
You couldn’t say Port Adelaide have not tried to address its issues that led to a straight set exit in finals.
While the Power went on a club-record 13-game winning streak during the home and away season its weaknesses with height in defence and in the ruck were all too evident in September.
So Port’s list manager Jason Cripps went to work in the trade period bringing in key defenders Esava Ratugolea, Brandon Zerk-Thatcher and ruckmen Ivan Soldo and Jordon Sweet.
They aren’t stars of the competition but they do address what the Power needs.
After striking gold with Aliir Aliir the Power will be hoping this happens again with Ratugolea especially as a key defender, with the plan he and Zerk-Thatcher arriving as talls can free up Aliir to use his intercept abilities more than he did in 2023.
Just how the Power approaches its ruck situation now with both Soldo and Sweet having ambitions of being the No. 1 man will be fascinating but while Scott Lycett was courageous in 2023 as he battled injury, Ken Hinkley’s side is crying out for a more mobile ruckman to take advantage of their incredible midfield talent.
10. IS 2024 THE YEAR ADELAIDE ENDS ITS FINALS DROUGHT?
The Crows might still be having nightmares about the round 23 goal umpiring debacle against Sydney that, most likely, cost the club a top-eight spot.
Unbridled joy at a stunning fourth-quarter comeback and Ben Keays’s left-foot snap seemingly putting September on the horizon was quickly replaced by disbelief, anger and another season ending early.
Adelaide’s last final was its loss to Richmond in the 2017 premiership decider.
That is a long time ago. This past season, the Crows showed clear improvement in many facets, becoming the league’s highest scoring team, very difficult to beat at home, standing up against the competition’s best sides and winning both Showdowns. But a 2-8 away record proved costly. It needs addressing for Adelaide to make a September return next year.
The Crows swung from the fences during the trade period, only to lose one of their best defenders (Tom Doedee) and a first-choice forward (Shane McAdam) while bringing in a fringe swingman (Chris Burgess).
Adelaide is instead banking on internal improvement from a young list knowing the likes of Izak Rankine, Josh Rachele, Chayce Jones and Mitch Hinge are on sharp upward trajectories, Darcy Fogarty and Riley Thilthorpe have extra gears to reach, Wayne Milera should be better after a full season back, Max Michalanney and Daniel Curtin are exciting defensive prospects and captain Jordan Dawson is entering the prime of his career.
While Taylor Walker is unlikely to get to or exceed his 2023 tally of 76 goals, the team’s high scoring prowess and emergence of one or both Fogarty and Thilthorpe can make up for that.
No Nick Murray for half the season due to a knee reconstruction means the defence will look even more makeshift on paper.
But Adelaide has shown it can be highly competitive against the best sides with a no-name backline.
The Crows’ finals chances will boil down to how much they can improve on the road, injuries and how they deal with expectation.
With a 2024 fixture that includes fewer regional venues and the club already talking about the f-word publicly, not shying away from its ambition, Adelaide should enter the season well placed to end its lengthy major-round drought.
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