AFL 2024: Predicted round 1 best teams for every club

There was plenty of movement in the trade period but how many players in fresh colours make the starting lineup for their new teams come round 1 next year?

Josh Barnes, Callum Dick and Will Hogan

2 min read

October 21, 2023 - 2:32PM

News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

Who will make your club’s round 1 side?

AFL

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All the way back in March, Collingwood handed jumpers to Tom Mitchell, Bobby Hill and Dan McStay before a round 1 win over Geelong.

The three recruits would go on to be integral parts of the squad that would win the premiership six months later, with fellow trade-in Billy Frampton also grabbing a premiership medal.

McStay was the only one of the four Magpies to miss out on a medal in September but was a major part in getting his side to the grand final.

All clubs are looking for that kind of immediate impact every trade period and some clubs believe they have found it.

Hawthorn may have turned over half of its forward six on the final day of the trade period, adding Jack Ginnivan, Mabior Chol and Jack Gunston to Sam Mitchell’s front half in place of Brandon Ryan, Jacob Koschitzke and Tyler Brockman.

Port Adelaide believes it plugged holes in defence – Esava Ratugolea and Brandon Zerk-Thatcher – as well as the ruck – Ivan Soldo and Jordon Sweet.

Ivan Soldo has moved to Port Adelaide. Picture: Michael Klein.

Meanwhile, other teams stood pat, with the likes of Geelong, GWS Giants, Fremantle and Gold Coast not bringing in any players over the last two weeks.

With the trade period over, we have sat down to gauge how your club will line up come round 1.

Some clubs will be missing injured players, such as Brisbane Lions pair Tom Doedee and Will Ashcroft, while Kysaiah Pickett will miss round 1 due to suspension.

The busiest clubs will look the most different, with Hawthorn and Sydney forecast to hand out four debuts each, while North Melbourne is looking at five new faces.

The Roos and Hawks, and current No. 1 pick holders West Coast, will be banking on a draftee forcing his way into the round 1 side.

Will any of those clubs replicate the instant success Collingwood managed, to put the icing on a premiership cake?

Taylor Adams has entered Sydney’s engine room. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos

The Swans have plugged crucial gaps with Brodie Grundy, Taylor Adams, James Jordon and Joel Hamling and look like the biggest improvers on paper of the contenders.

Melbourne was busy – for good reasons and bad – over the last two weeks but the Demons have only been projected to add fringe Crow Shane McAdam to their worrisome forward six.

A hot summer and lengthy pre-season will help decide if the Demons did enough to get back to the top of the pack.