Scott Gullan names the 24 moments which defined the 2024 AFL season
It will be remembered as the year of the Lion. But, there were so many moments that shaped the 2024 AFL season. SCOTT GULLAN relives them.
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It was the defining image of the AFL Grand Final.
Leigh Matthews, who would later present the premiership trophy, embracing another Brisbane premiership coach in Chris Fagan.
On a day with so many special moments for the Lions faithful, it was the one which stood out.
But in truth, it capped a season full of captivating moments.
From Carlton’s heroic Opening Round comeback to Joe Daniher signing off in style, 2024 was a season that had it all.
Think Dan Houston’s bump on Izak Rankine, Christian Petracca’s life-threatening injury and Patrick Cripps shattering the Brownlow Medal votes record.
SCOTT GULLAN names his top 24 moments that shaped the 2024 season.
Recap them below and have your say on the No. 1 footy moment of the year.
1. TEARY LIONS EMBRACE
It was the most poignant image from Brisbane’s stunning Grand Final victory. Lions coach Chris Fagan in tears as he hugged the club’s only previous premiership coach Leigh Matthews.
At 63 Fagan had just become the oldest coach to ever win an AFL premiership — and also the only premiership-winning coach in the modern era to have never played at the top level
Matthews, who coached the Lions to three consecutive flags, was the perfect choice to present the premiership cup.
2. WAY TO GO OUT, JOE
The reaction of his teammates told the story.
With just under two minutes remaining in the Grand Final, Joe Daniher received a handball from Zac Bailey in the forward pocket, propped to get around on his left foot to kick the final goal of the game. He then ran towards the crowd with arms widespread, jumped in the air and delivered a fist pump to the Lions faithful.
His teammates came from everywhere, even the defenders ran 100m to celebrate with him, and as Brian Taylor – who’d floated the rumour days earlier that this could be his last game – said in Channel 7 commentary: “Wonder what that means?”.
He was on the money BT as five days later Daniher announced his retirement.
3. WHEN WILL MET NORM
It’s still hard to get your head around. Playing game No. 31 in his second season at the age of 20, 434 days after he sustained a torn ACL, Will Ashcroft won a Norm Smith Medal.
As a general rule players take between 50 to 70 games to find their feet in the AFL, not this son-of-a-gun who shone brightest on the biggest stage, just pipping two-time Brownlow Medallist Lachie Neale for the best-on-ground honour.
The Brisbane wunderkind had 30 disposals, five clearances and a goal in the 60-point thrashing of Sydney to earn the award that alluded his father Marcus who was a part of the Lions star-studded sides which clinched three premierships in 2001-03.
4. BROWNLOW SHARK MOMENT
Patrick Cripps deservedly won his second Brownlow Medal, becoming the first Carlton player to do that at the Blues and just the 17th player in VFL/AFL history to win the game’s highest honour multiple times.
It couldn’t happen to a better person, his acceptance speech was warm, genuine and funny. BUT – we think it deserves capital letters – the fact he polled 45 votes is the league’s jump-the-shark moment for its prestigious best and fairest award.
We all know it’s a midfielders award but this was insane. Cripps beat the previous vote-getting record by nine votes and even second-placegetter, Collingwood young gun Nick Daicos, smashed it as well with 38 votes.
5. THE PETRACCA HIT
Who would have thought that a flying spoil by Collingwood captain Darcy Moore just before quarter-time of the King’s Birthday clash into the back of Christian Petracca would set off a chain of events that left the Melbourne superstar fearing for his life and looking to leave the Demons.
Despite being in severe pain, Petracca, with the blessing of Melbourne’s medical staff, continued playing in the second quarter but he was clearly struggling to the point where some Collingwood players were even concerned about him.
At halftime he was taken to hospital where it was revealed he’d suffered four broken ribs, a lacerated spleen and punctured lung. Over the next couple of days his condition deteriorated to the point where there were fears about him pulling through.
Petracca and his family were upset at how the Demons had handled the situation. He then retreated from the club with his frustrations getting to the point where in August he told his management that he wanted out from Melbourne.
6. NIGH NIGH PIES
Jack Ginnivan was one of the best stories of 2024. And he had his crowning moment in Round 19 at the MCG against Collingwood, the team who had pushed him out the previous year after he’d played in the premiership.
He found his calling at Hawthorn and with Pies fans booing his every move, the 21-year-old produced the best performance of his career, a career-high 31 disposals, a game-high 11 score involvements and two goals in the Hawks 66-point thumping.
His goal celebrations were the highlight, First he kissed the Hawthorn badge on his jumper and then he produced the sleep tight celebration in front of the Collingwood cheer squad in the last quarter.
7. HERE’S HARLEY
This was the moment Harley Reid mania all made sense.
The much hyped No. 1 draft pick inspired the Eagles to an upset win over Melbourne in Round 10. In the first quarter he produced the Goal of the Year, grabbing the ball directly from the centre clearance, taking three bounces and then drilling the shot from just inside 50m to send Optus Stadium into a state of delirium.
Then in the third quarter Reid – who had famously given Dustin Martin a piece of his own medicine with a fend-off in Round 5 – delivered a double whammy fend-off. The teenager gave both Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver the stiff arm in the same play with Petracca revealing afterwards he knew it would “go viral straight away”.
“He’s a generational talent; an absolute freak,” was Petracca’s sentiments after spending an afternoon chasing around the new Eagles megastar.
8. JUST IN HYPHEN TIME
It was the game Port Adelaide had no right to win a number of times yet somehow they did.
At one point in the third quarter of the Round 10 clash the Power trailed Hawthorn by 41 points with the Hawks lead still 28 points at the final change.
But even though Hawthorn hadn’t scored a goal for the entire final quarter, the home team were still 11 points down less than a minute remaining before Willie Rioli kicked his third goal with 22 seconds remaining on the clock.
Port then got the centre clearance and with the ball fumbled by a couple of Hawks defenders, Darcy Byrne-Jones seized on the moment, soccering through an extraordinary matchwinning goal from a tight angle with just two seconds remaining on the clock.
9. CAT ON A HOT FENCE
Jeremy Cameron has done a lot of freaky things in his career but he started the season in style with a unique goal celebration.
In the Cats’ Round 1 clash with St Kilda at a new fully developed GMHBA Stadium, Cameron gathered the ball on the wing and kicked it forward to his teammate Brad Close.
He then kept running for a return handball from Close. Despite heading towards the boundary line the superstar forward slotted the tough shot and then didn’t break stride, jumping up on the fence to celebrate with Cats fans.
10. EAGLE CLIPPED
The inevitable sacking of West Coast coach Adam Simpson finally happened after a heavy loss to Melbourne in Round 17.
Given how bad the Eagles had been in recent seasons, the axe came 12 months later than many thought for the man who had been at the helm since 2014.
Simpson had an immediate impact, guiding the club to the 2015 Grand Final and then winning the 2018 premiership.
But the fall had been mighty with the Eagles winning just eight of their past 57 games leading up to Simpson’s axing.
11. DUSTY’S FINAL SIREN
The size of the crowd told the story.
On a cold Melbourne winter’s Saturday afternoon 92,311 fans turned up to watch Dustin Martin play his 300th game against Hawthorn. The love for the Tigers great was overwhelming and as he has all his career, the three-time Norm Smith Medallist, delivered in the big moment.
Dusty kicked the first goal of the game, on the run from 50m, which sent the stadium into a frenzy. Unfortunately it was all downhill from there with the Hawks winning easily but it was a moment the premiership hero cherished.
“It was the best, old-school, I loved it,” he said.
He would only play two more games before calling an end to his 14-season career although there was speculation he would move to the Gold Coast to hook up with his old coach Damien Hardwick but that seems to have since been hit on the head.
Dusty returned for one last lap of honour after the final game of the season – a loss to the Suns which confirmed Richmond the wooden spoon – where he channelled a bit of Jeff Fenech saying “I love you all” to the Tigers faithful.
12. HOUSTON WE HAVE A PROBLEM
It turned out to be Dan Houston’s final act as a Port Adelaide player.
His old-fashioned bump on Adelaide’s Izak Rankine showed how much the game had changed with universal agreement; it was a “significant” breach of the new duty of care.
The tribunal didn’t miss Houston, suspending him for five matches which ruled him out of the Power’s finals series in a huge blow to Ken Hinkley. Imagine if the two-time All-Australian had been there in September, could they have gone one step better than a preliminary final?
Port fans have plenty of time to think about that one, particularly now that Houston is gone, moving to Collingwood in the trade period.
13. KENNY’S SPRAYS
It’s fair to say not many coaches experienced the full array of emotions which Ken Hinkley did in 2024.
He came into the season with question marks on his job and then in Round 15 had to deal with being booed by his own fans after Port were thrashed by 79 points at home against Brisbane.
Three months later Camperdown Ken was a hero, guiding the Power to a thrilling semi-final victory over Hawthorn but his emotions overflowed when he sprayed Jack Ginnivan as the two teams gathered to form a guard-of-honour for Luke Breust’s 300th game.
Ginnivan had posted on social media to former teammate Brody Grundy, now Swans ruckman, that he was looking forward to playing against Sydney in the preliminary final.
Hinkley used the boast as motivation for his side and wanted to let the cheeky Hawk know after the siren. It cost him a $20,000 fine with the AFL, and a number of hysterical former Hawthorn legends, not seeing the funny side of the interaction.
14. REGULATION JAMIE
The fact Jamie Elliott didn’t win Mark of the Year is a puzzling one although his teammate Bobby Hill’s grab against North Melbourne was also spectacular.
But Elliott’s leap on the top of Essendon’s Ben McKay shoulders during the third quarter of the Anzac Day clash was a classic hanger worthy of honour.
The Pies forward is known for his high-marking but afterwards rated it one of his best.
James Brayshaw in the Channel 7 commentary box summed it up perfectly: “Gee we’ve seen some big marks at this ground – none bigger than that … That is our game at its best.”
15. MASTERFUL BONT
How Marcus Bontempelli’s brilliant goal against Fremantle wasn’t a finalist in the Goal of the Year is one of the biggest anomalies of the season.
In the second quarter the Dogs captain won a contest against Fremantle skipper Alex Pearce and then with two other Dockers defenders joining in on the chase, he shrugged all three off and snapped an extraordinary goal over his shoulder.
Not many other players in the competition have the strength, poise and class required to deliver that passage of play which left those in attendance under no doubt it would take some beating for the best goal of ‘24.
“It has to be in contention (for goal of the year) … he refused to concede,” Melbourne legend Garry Lyon said in Fox Footy commentary. “Not only did he have three to beat … you needed a whole team there (to stop Bontempelli).”
16. BROTHERLY LOVE
It had got to the point where there were conspiracy theories that the McKay twins were actually just one person given they’d never been seen on the same football ground together.
In the first nine years of their careers, Ben and Harry had never played against each other. Untimely injuries and form had conspired against the pair to face off but finally in Round 13 it happened.
The build-up was better than the actual contest with Harry kicking one goal in Carlton’s 26-point win over Essendon with Ben taking four marks from his six possessions.
There was a lot more fire about the De Koning brothers coming together in Round 15 when Geelong coach Chris Scott threw up a surprise by putting Sam in the ruck against his older brother Tom.
While the regular defender didn’t disgrace himself, the Blues No. 1 ruckman enjoyed bashing up his sibling, collecting a career-high 20 contested possessions in the Blues 63-point win.
17. OH JACKY BOY
Jack Higgins is one of those players which opposition fans love to hate. Well, you can put Carlton at the top of that list.
The Saints goalsneak ended the Blues finals chances in the second last game of the home and away season for a few hours anyway – they later got back into the eight when Fremantle lost – by kicking a goal with 12 seconds remaining to get his team home by two points.
It was a typical Higgins goal, in the right place at the right time and a brilliantly executed snap over his shoulder.
A minute earlier Saints youngster Mattaes Phillipou had blown a chance to be the matchwinner, missing a set shot straight in front. This had come a few moments after Carlton’s Brodie Kemp missed an even easier shot to ice the game.
18. YEAR OF THE PENDLE
Collingwood great Scott Pendlebury broke through a couple of important milestones in 2024.
On Anzac Day a quick handball in the defensive half late in the opening term saw the 36-year-old become the first player in AFL history to record 10,000 disposals.
Then in Round 21, Pendlebury joined the elite 400-game club and the football gods smiled down on him again.
What had looked like the perfect celebration when the Magpies were 32 points up three minutes into the fourth quarter, turned into a nightmare with Carlton kicking the final five goals of the game.
Blues defender Mitch McGovern had a chance to ruin Pendlebury’s party with a set shot after the siren from 45m out but he missed.
19. BIG MAC TIME
Was this the moment Mac Andrew became one of the highest paid players in the game?
In Round 22 the young Gold Coast Suns defender was swung forward against Essendon, kicking four goals including the matchwinner after the siren following a spectacular pack mark.
It was the Suns first away victory of the season and for his efforts Andrew was presented with one of the biggest contracts in the game a few weeks later.
The 20-year-old agreed to a new mammoth deal that could be worth as much as $12 million over nine years. He knocked back a huge offer from Hawthorn, signing on with Gold Coast through to the end of 2030 with a trigger for four more years.
20. TOUCHING MOMENT
The death of former GWS Giant and Fremantle Docker Cam McCarthy rocked the football world.
In Round 11 Fremantle captain Alex Pearce gave a fitting tribute when he kicked a crucial goal during his side’s epic draw with Collingwood.
The regular fullback pointed to the sky in honour of his mate after kicking truly.
“I was nervous going back but I did think, I was like, ‘Cam would kick this’. I was happy to (kick it). It was for him,” Pearce said afterwards.
EXTENDED | Melbourne president Kate Roffey is asked about Christian Petracca's issues with the club and her role in repairing them. @WhateleySEN | #AFLpic.twitter.com/Hx4TTEuuWf
— SEN 1116 (@1116sen) August 29, 2024
21. TRAINWRECK RADIO
Melbourne president Kate Roffey signed her own death sentence with a horrible radio interview with SEN’s Gerard Whateley.
At the height of the Christian Petracca saga, Roffey admitted she had not spoken directly with Petracca and denied he was in a “stand-off” with the club.
It was so bad that a week later it was announced that Roffey was stepping down from the board.
She had joined the board in 2013 and had taken over as president from Glen Bartlett in 2021, overseeing the Demons drought-breaking premiership later that year.
22. OPENING STUNNER
The introduction of Opening Round ahead of Round 1 – don’t worry everyone is still confused – to capture the NRL shifting its focus to Las Vegas to start their season was a success.
Carlton fans certainly gave it a big tick after their side launched an incredible comeback against the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba.
After being beaten in a close fought preliminary final the previous year, the Blues found themselves 46 points down before going on a withering run to get up by a point.
It was the second biggest comeback in the club’s history and Brisbane’s first loss on their home deck for over a year.
Harry McKay was the hero, kicking his third goal of the night with just over a minute to go to put the Blues in front.
23. TASSIE BOY THROUGH AND THROUGH
The new Tasmania AFL team got the man they wanted with Richmond CEO Brendon Gale announcing in May that he would be taking up the job with the new expansion team in 2025.
A former Tassie boy, Gale has been one of the most successful chief executives in the game, guiding the Tigers to three premierships and the honour of being the first club to reach 100,000 members.
The Tassie Devils certainly hit the ground running with a brilliant marketing exercise of $10 memberships seeing them click over 200,000 members just a few months after the team was officially unveiled.
24. DAISY DELIVERY
The biggest coaching move in the AFLW’s history started off on a winning note with Daisy Pearce working her magic on the West Coast Eagles.
In a surprise to many Pearce, one of the best female players in the game’s history, turned her back on an outstanding commentary career with Channel 7 and an assistant coaching role at Geelong to take up the reins with the Eagles.
Since they came into the competition in 2020, West Coast have failed to win more than two games yet Pearce delivered instant results with the Eagles holding on to beat Richmond by a point in the season opener.
Originally published as Scott Gullan names the 24 moments which defined the 2024 AFL season
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