Do more: These stars must lift as the finals fight heats up

With six rounds remaining in the AFL season before the finals, the stakes have never been higher for the contending teams.

As we head into round 19, only two wins separate Carlton in second position from Hawthorn in 13th. This ladder logjam underscores the importance of key players finding their form at this critical juncture.

Jake Stringer, Darcy Moore and Charlie Curnow can boost their team’s performances in the push to September.Credit: Matt Davidson/Getty Images

For many teams, the difference between a deep finals run, an early September exit or missing out all together will hinge on key players stepping up and returning to form.

As we approach crunch time, let’s take a closer look at the players who need to lift.

Sydney

The only concern for the top-of-the-table Swans is the inconsistent form of their key forwards. Joel Amartey, who kicked a season-high nine goals against Adelaide in round 14, has struggled to make an impact since then. Amartey has been goalless in two of his past four games and taken only three contested marks in that time. Over the past month, he is rated the 251st player according to Champion Data.

Joel Amartey celebrates a goal.Credit: AFL Photos

Carlton

Charlie Curnow already has two Coleman Medals in his trophy cabinet and is four goals clear in the race for a third. Awards for the home-and-away season are nice, but reputations are built in finals. Curnow’s first finals series last year was lacklustre. His accuracy has slipped from 64.8 per cent in 2023 to 57.6 per cent this season, and his contested marking and inside-50 entries are also lower. Midfield teammate Adam Cerra also needs to find form in the next six weeks to lessen the burden on stars Sam Walsh and Patrick Cripps. Cerra is averaging a modest 21 disposals, three inside 50s, and just over three clearances per game. He needs to be stronger in the contest and win more of the football to rediscover his best form before finals.

Geelong

How deep the Cats can go this year will depend on their three most important players: Jeremy Cameron, Tom Stewart and Patrick Dangerfield. While the rest of the Geelong players fulfil their roles effectively, they lack the star power of that trio. One of the club’s most disappointing players this season has been 21-year-old forward Ollie Henry, who kicked 41 goals in just his third season in 2023. Henry has struggled this year and since coming back from injury in round 17, has started as the sub in the team’s past two matches. With Tom Hawkins absent, it is vital that Henry rediscovers form to reduce the reliance on Cameron.

Ollie Henry celebrates a goal.Credit: AFL Photos

Brisbane Lions

Cam Rayner burst back into form with a blistering two-goal performance against the lowly West Coast on Sunday. Rayner can inflict maximum damage at centre bounces and make an impact on the scoreboard, but he remains too inconsistent. If he can increase his disposal average from 14 to closer to 20, he shapes up as the ultimate September wildcard and is capable of winning a Norm Smith Medal.

Fremantle

Once-reliable midfielder Andrew Brayshaw has been disappointing in 2024. Brayshaw has declined in several key statistical areas, including disposals, tackles, and inside 50s, and he is kicking at just 53.5 per cent efficiency compared to 58.1 per cent in 2023. At times this season, Brayshaw has been forced out to a wing and half-forward, with Hayden Young emerging as the side’s most damaging midfielder. After being the heart and soul of the team for the past three seasons, Brayshaw’s form has become a giant elephant in the room, and he needs to lift.

Essendon

Only three weeks ago, the legendary Leigh Matthews said that at his best, Jake Stringer is a million-dollar player. Since that big call from Matthews, Stringer has booted just three goals, and the Bombers’ forward line has become dysfunctional. In the past month, Stringer is rated as Essendon’s ninth-best player. With his attributes and game-winning ability, he needs to be rated second only to captain Zach Merrett. If the Bombers are to qualify for the finals in the next six weeks and break their drought of finals wins, Stringer has to increase his work rate and intensity and have the impact on games he had earlier this season.

GWS

Onballer Finn Callaghan has a bright future, but the 21-year-old needs to improve if the Giants intend to replicate their 2023 success. Callaghan has developed a dangerous habit of preferring to handball over kicking, resulting in him averaging just over eight kicks per game this season. His kicking efficiency has also dropped from 66.3 per cent in 2023 to 60 per cent in 2024, and he has kicked just one goal. On a positive note, with more inside midfield exposure, his tackle and clearance rates have improved significantly. However, he needs to have more belief in his kicking, which was a major strength and one of the key reasons he was the third pick in the 2021 draft.

GWS’ Finn Callaghan.Credit: Getty

Melbourne

With six years remaining on a multimillion-dollar contract, the subpar season of four-time best-and-fairest winner Clayton Oliver is a major talking point. In the absence of Christian Petracca and with the Demons sitting in eighth after 18 rounds, Oliver needs to step up. The midfielder appears to have lost his ability to cover the ground fluently, resulting in his possession count dropping from 30.3 in 2023 to just 23.8 this year. Not since his first season in 2016 has he won fewer clearances than he has this year, and he has kicked only three goals. Given his disrupted pre-season and lack of physical conditioning, it is unlikely he can find touch between now and the finals, which is a significant blow to Melbourne’s chances of performing well in September – if they get there.

Port Adelaide

The Power lack talent in their forward half, and the focal point of their struggles in 2024 is Todd Marshall. In 2022, Marshall kicked 45 goals with a league-leading accuracy rate of 75 per cent. This season Marshall’s accuracy has plummeted to 54 per cent, and he has been plagued by kicking woes that have eroded his confidence. His contested marks and tackling have also declined, highlighting the need for him to improve his ability to win contests. The fate of the season and the future of coach Ken Hinkley may hinge on Marshall returning to his 2022 form.

Western Bulldogs

Reigning All-Australian ruckman Tim English returned to form in impressive fashion against Carlton rucks Marc Pittonet and Tom De Koning in last Saturday’s win. English, who may be distracted by the uncertainty over his future, has had a bitterly disappointing year. If he can replicate the same vigour he showed in his last start, the Bulldogs have the potential to surge up the ladder.

Gold Coast

Brutal midfielder Matt Rowell started the season with a record-breaking 20-clearance game against Richmond in the opening round. He followed this up with nine clearances against the Crows in round one. However, in the past three games combined, Rowell has managed only 13 clearances, and he hasn’t gathered more than 25 touches since round 13 against St. Kilda. Given his combative style, fatigue is understandable, but Gold Coast need strategies to freshen him up if the Suns are to make an unlikely finals appearance in 2024.

Star Suns midfielder Matt Rowell.Credit: Getty Images

Collingwood

If defender Darcy Moore wasn’t the captain and Collingwood didn’t have an injury crisis, coach Craig McRae would have a compelling case to send Moore back to the VFL to find form. Perhaps McRae could consider throwing Moore forward this week in a desperate effort to help him regain his competitiveness. The captain needs to stand up and make a statement because Collingwood’s season is on life support.

Hawthorn

Defender and wingman Changkuoth Jiath has played eight games since returning from a long lay-off due to repeated soft-tissue injuries. At his best, Jiath is explosive, slicing through opposition defences, and excelling as an intercept marker. This season, however, his ball-handling has been sloppy, and he has made simple errors under no pressure. Jiath is averaging just 11 disposals and three marks per game. If he can rediscover his best form in the next six weeks, the upside for him and the team could drive Hawthorn towards an unexpected finals berth.

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