AFL 2022: The X-factor player key to every club’s success
Despite being on his last chance, Jordan De Goey can be the difference Collingwood in 2022. So, who is your club’s X-factor? Our experts look at 18 of the AFL’s most exciting players.
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There is nothing more exciting than watching a burst player take a game apart with moments of match-winning brilliance.
So our team of experts have combed through all 18 clubs and nominated who we expect to be your team’s biggest X-factor for the coming AFL season.
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ADELAIDE
Jordan Dawson gives the Crows an extra attacking weapon as a beautiful, booming kick who can play multiple positions. After being drafted to Sydney as a forward, Dawson starred across half-back for the Swans then moved to the wing this year – a season in which he finished third in the club’s best and fairest. Adelaide is looking to use him in midfield roles, where his delivery and long kicking can help create goals.
BRISBANE
It was one of the most heartbreaking moments for the Lions in 2021 and it wasn’t even during the regular season. Midfield talent Cam Rayner suffered an ACL rupture during a pre-season match - ruling him out for the entire season. The 22-year-old forward was tipped for a breakout season with Brisbane before the incident occurred but will now have the 2022 season to showcase his incredible talent. Starved of footy for 12 months, Rayner will no doubt be eager to get back onto the field to add an extra punch to the Lions premiership campaign.
CARLTON
An injury-cruelled year meant that Zac Fisher didn’t reach the heights we saw in 2019 but he’s a crucial cog in the Blues forward structure. In a tough half-forward position, Fisher has the tricks and speed to break lines, accumulate possessions and hit the scoreboard. There’s no reason he can’t average 15 disposals and two goals a game - he does that and the Blues make the top 8.
COLLINGWOOD
It has to be Jordan De Goey, despite his off-season setback. His inconsistency frustrates supporters, as well as his habit to pick and choose, but when he’s on he’s a genuine matchwinner and explosive midfielder-forward. His best football has been as a deep forward, but his shift to the middle in the second half of 2021 was a winner. It looms as a big year for De Goey, who is surely on his last chance at the Magpies. Oh, there is also a youngster by the name of Nick Daicos, who has arrived at Collingwood with huge hype surrounding him. If he’s not the best 18-year-old in the country, he’s in the top two. Former coach Nathan Buckley famously said early in 2021 Daicos was good enough to be playing AFL had he been eligible. A lock for Round 1, assuming he’s injury free.
ESSENDON
Off the back arguably his best season Jake Stringer has found perfect balance between impact and consistency in his new-look role. The centre-bounce specialist who then moves on into the forward line produced regular match-winning moments in the back half of the season and earned a healthy new contract. There’s all the talk about providing incentives to motivate but the fact is Stringer is as competitive as they come and a higher finish up the ladder will be enough of a carrot for the one they call “the package”.
FREMANTLE
Michael Walters didn’t have the season the AFL world knows he is capable of after spending more time forward. But Walters has so much talent that he can win the Dockers games off his own boot. He is also a chance to do the highlights double - mark and goal of the year.
GEELONG
Will the Cats unleash Esava Ratugolea in the ruck? The position has been the biggest headache for Chris Scott over the journey and this year the No.1 spot seems up for grabs between Rhys Stanley and former Hawk Jon Ceglar. But perhaps there is greater upside in throwing Ratugolea in there if he has the tank to compete for longer periods than previous seasons. He has so far had an impact in small goes and is always a handful for the opposition big man with his sheer size and jumping power. If there is a wildcard move in the engine room, this might be it.
GOLD COAST
Ben King was a shock omission from the top 10 placings in the Suns’ best-and-fairest award despite managing 47 goals last season. But despite the outrage from several commentators, the glass-half full view is that King, 21, nearly kicked 50 goals and still has more to give. Goals certainly weren’t an issue but it’s putting the whole package together consistently that the Suns will be after. They saw it in Round 6 when he took seven marks and kicked five goals in a big win over the Swans. They also saw it in Round 16 when King had a seven mark, four goal game in another upset Suns win. It’s no surprise his three best games all resulted in wins for his side.
GIANTS
It has to be Bobby Hill, who unsuccessfully requested a trade to Essendon this year. How that situation plays out will be fascinating. Hill’s highlight reel is a must watch, but whether he becomes more consistently impactful will be significant, especially with Greene out early in the season. We believe he will come to the fore.
HAWTHORN
Tyler Brockman turned heads with his speed, tackle pressure and creativity form the moment he arrived at Hawthorn with pick 42 a year ago. Averaged nine possessions and almost one goal a game in his first season when it was often hard going for the Hawthorn forwards. A bit like Hawthorn champion Cyril Rioli, Brockman can do some special things swerving on to the bouncing ball, plucking marks, or knocking over opponents in attack. Changkuoth Jiath stole the show in defence this year with his aerial work and line-breaking run and Brockman also has the x-factor.
MELBOURNE
Sam Weideman. After turning his back on interest from Collingwood, the 24-year-old recommitted to the Demons on a two-year deal in September. He played just the five senior games in 2021 and didn’t appear after Round 13 as Ben Brown, Tom McDonald and Luke Jackson were favoured ahead of him. Weideman has kicked 49 goals across six seasons with the Demons and will be fighting for a place in Simon Goodwin’s side, ready to pounce if Brown or McDonald’s form falls over.
NORTH MELBOURNE
He hasn’t played a senior game yet, but there is already plenty of buzz circling around No.1 pick Jason Horne-Francis, who respected recruiter Scott Clayton recently labelled “as good as any No.1 in years”. It comes off the back of an outstanding 20-game season in the SANFL. In the preliminary final against Glenelg, he kicked three goals from 24 disposals, which included 18 contested possessions, 11 clearances, 10 score involvements and 160 Champion Data ranking points. It is little wonder why the Roos reportedly knocked back two mammoth rival-club offers for its Pick 1. Known for a fearless attack on the ball in the style of a young Mark Ricciuto, Horne-Francis will have every chance to push for a Round 1 debut.
PORT ADELAIDE
There’s some talented players at the Power but Charlie Dixon is still Port Adelaide’s most important player. While he didn’t reach the same heights on the scoreboard than he did in 2020, in which he made the All-Australian team, Dixon still had a very good 2021.
He’s a contested marking beast, who can get the ball to ground level if he doesn’t clunk it, the Power need to provide him the support he needs in the forward line. Has had a pre-season injury setback, tearing ankle ligaments, but there’s plenty of time to get it right before the season starts.
RICHMOND
The obvious answer is the man with the trademark fend-off but it’s Shai Bolton who deserves this mantle now. Everything Bolton touches reeks of X-factor quality and we saw those glimpses start to become a more regular feature of his game in 2021. From his now infamous mark of the year to match-winning goals, Bolton looked like he was about to elevate his stance in the game even further before an incident in a nightclub during which he broke his hand and halted his momentum. Bolton wasn’t poor in the back half of the year but he didn’t reach the dizzying heights of his mark at the MCG or his form in the first half. But the platform has been created and there’s no reason the mercurial midfielder/forward can’t add an All-Australian jacket to his CV.
ST KILDA
Max King. The No.4 draft pick has all the makings of an elite forward and is a young player Saints fans can get excited about.The 202cm King shrugged off goal-kicking yips early in the year to boot 38 goals in his second season at the club, including a six goal haul against West Coast in Round 19. Mid-year recruit Cooper Sharman also impressed in the five games he played after the forward was taken in the mid-year rookie draft in June, kicking 10 goals in four games.
SYDNEY
Braeden Campbell might be the best kick at the club already and a big jump from him in season two would be huge for the Swans’ prospects. Can slot in at half-back or in the midfield but having sweet kicks like him and Errol Gulden in the same team is brilliant for ball movement purposes.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Luke Beveridge’s decision to hold back No.1 draft pick Jamarra Ugle-Hagan will be rewarded. A full pre-season coupled with more of an understanding of what is required at AFL level will see Ugle-Hagan accelerate dramatically. There were plenty of small signs during his five games (he kicked 7 goals) in 2021 to show the kid has something special but is a long way off physically. That moment when he led out from full-forward and received a beautiful right-foot pass from Bontempelli to kick a crucial goal late in the Round 19 victory over Melbourne is burned into the minds of all Dogs fans.
WEST COAST
Liam Ryan missed eight games in 2021 and finished with consecutive three-goal hauls, taking him to 24.10 for the season. The high-flying 25-year-old is electric in attack and works hard up the ground, but can he become a 40-goal small forward? We believe he can. His best effort so far is 30.19 in 2019.
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