Here is a list of the top 5 Biggest Disappointments so far of the 2024 Season in no particular order.
The Rising Star Debacle
Rules are rules and it is understood why they are in place that a player who receives a suspension is not eligible for the Brownlow or the Rising Star Award, but it is a shame especially when the top two contenders for the prize will miss out.
The class of Harley Reid has lived up to the hype in 2024 and was a dominant favourite with all betting sites. The West Coast midfielder has starred for the club at just 19 years of age, with an average of 17.8 disposals, 4.9 clearances and 0.7 goals per game. Those numbers are great for a rookie but they don't do the kid justice.
His ability to make seasoned professionals look like it is their rookie season with a stiff-arm or a shimmy is incredible and it is a real disappointment that the young gun from Tongala won't get the honour of the Rising Star Award, because of a single brain explosion in a long and hard season for a teenager.
The Crash of the Crows
Following a poor performance in the 2023 season, mainly due to injuries and a bit of bad luck, there was a lot of expectation on the Crows' shoulders this season to turn things around.
It took them until Round 5 to get their first win of the year which then saw them win 3 and draw 1 in their next 6 games. Since then though the wheels have again fallen off the train being clearly outplayed by their opponents across the field.
Adelaide are allowing their opponents to dominate clearances and are getting mauled in contested possessions all over the park.
With a tough schedule to round out the year the Crows fans are probably already looking to 2025 and possibly a high draft pick to try to turn their fortunes around.
The Melbourne Demons Decline
The Dees have been a finals contender for the past three seasons and if they could have sorted out the finals chitters over the past two seasons they could have added to the Premiership they won back in 2021.
This season started well but there has been a vast decline for the Demons who have slid out of the top eight, but more concerningly don't look like a team that will be competing for the Premiership Trophy, with the favourites in another league to the Dees.
Melbourne were one of the best teams last season in the midfield but have not been able to have the same impact this season.
In 2023 the Demons were ranked in the top-eight in clearances, midfield contested possessions, midfield ground balls and midfield pressure rating, however, in 2024 they are ranked 10th or worse in all of those categories.
If Melbourne can't sort out the middle of the field there is going to be some very disappointed Demons fans come September.
The Port Adelaide Goalkicking
Port Adelaide are the most inaccurate team in the AFL so far this season converting their chances only 43% of the time. This has a lot to do with their underperforming forward line who have taken a combined 206 Shots at Goal so far this season for only 95 Goals.
To further drive the point home, for all players that have taken at least 10 Shots on Goal this season the combined number of Shots is 309 with only 137 Goals being scored (44%)
To put this number in perspective the North Melbourne Kangaroos are the most accurate team in the league and their forwards have kicked 93 Goals from only 163 Shots (57%).
The stability of the roster is also at play with injuries, suspension and form causing a number of changes from week to week.
The Boredom of Bye Rounds
There is obviously a lot of good with each team getting a mid-season break. They get the chance to freshen up, spend time working on the niggling injuries and reset their game plans for the second half of the season.
But jeez it is a tough slog with so few games each weekend. In a normal round of footy there is always going to be a couple of games between less interesting teams or teams that are going through a rough patch. Those games are now primetime matchups through Round 14-15 when we have six teams each having a rest.
It is definitely an ideological question, do you rip the bandaid off and get as many teams a break as possible in the shortest possible time span or do you plan for fewer teams taking a rest each week but over a longer period? Either way, we want more footy!!
