No.1 rookie unveiled as final order is set: AFL Rookie Rankings – Round 24

Our final Rookie Rankings for the 2024 AFL season, with the top eight for the year unveiled after 25 weeks and plenty of changes.

This year's rankings underwent constant alterations throughout the home and away seasons, while the top few contenders often held their own toward the summit.

Taking into consideration each player's impact, consistency, longevity and roles after making their debuts this year, our top eight rookies for the year have been decided.

And before we delve into our final rankings, we must credit the bevy of young players who fell just short...

2024 Honourable Mentions:
Calsher Dear
Logan Evans
Harvey Thomas
Joel Freijah
Joshua Draper
Darcy Jones

Selection Criteria: For our Rookie Rankings, we are ONLY selecting players who have made their debut this season.

Other players who may still be eligible for a Rising Star nomination but have already made their debut before the 2024 season will not be considered. I.e. Rising Star eligible players such as George Wardlaw, Angus Sheldrick and Sam Darcy are ineligible, having already played an AFL match before Round 1, 2024. 

Sam Clohesy (-1)

Stunningly, Clohesy is one of two members from last year's Werribee side that reached the VFL Grand Final, with the flanker recruited as a matured-aged selection by the Suns after taking out the Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal.

The former Suns Academy member had an instant impact on Damien Hardwick's side from his debut in Round 4 against GWS, with Clohesy collecting 22 disposals, eight marks and five inside 50s to go with a goal in his maiden match.

His next two months would excite many, with Clohesy containing to put up strong numbers on the wing for Gold Coast and play every game for the rest of the year.

A great recruit for the Suns, Clohesy has looked at ease at the higher level and could be a pick-up many other clubs will be frustrated they didn't move for.

The 21-year-old had a slower second half but remained an important cog in Hardwick's side throughout and held off a heap of young stars of the competition to take out the eighth spot in our Rookie Rankings.

Nick Watson (+1)

The late bloomer this year, with Watson coming into our Rookie Rankings deep into the season off the back of some hot form that has continued through to the end.

The Hawks livewire has kicked 18 goals and assisted a further 12 to amass 89 score involvements in his 16 appearances for 2024. He also averages 10.94 disposals and 2.50 tackles per game to offer plenty in the front half.

He ended his maiden home and away campaign with a pair of three-goal hauls after finding his shooting boots in the second half of the season.

The Pick 5 selection is now a staple on Sam Mitchell's side, along with fellow Hawks forward Calsher Dear, who was also a member of our rankings for periods of the season.

Both Watson and Dear will hold down key roles in the Hawks' premiership push, which starts with an elimination final against the Western Bulldogs in September.

Logan Morris (-)

A stunning debut story for Morris, who suited up as the sub for Brisbane in their Round 8 QClash at the Gabba after playing four quarters of VFL footy earlier in the day.

Morris had even picked up some post-game McDonald's before getting the call-up for his first game, which was forced after the Lions were hit with several late injury concerns.

It took almost no time for Morris to come into the game, with further setbacks forcing Brisbane into an early sub-change. The Werribee Districts product had no issue on debut, though, booting a goal from four scoring shots and five disposals in just over a half of action.

He managed to hold his place in Chris Fagan's side for the next nine games and had 13 games to his name after his first seven matches.

Morris' form would drop off and the Lions soon had their first-year forward back in the VFL, but not for long as he booted a bag at the state league level and returned to the AFL side the week after.

He has since returned to the form that has added another layer to Brisbane's lethal attacking unit, ending his home and away campaign with 18 goals and an average of 8.33 disposals and 3.40 marks per game.

Shaun Mannagh (-)

A Cinderella story for the Cats' mature-aged recruit, who was drafted to the club last November as a 26-year-old off the back of a stunning season with VFL outfit Werribee.

Mannagh made his debut in Round 1 as the tactical sub and held his spot for one more week, managing to boot his first AFL goal from 13 touches in a win over Adelaide before falling back out of the side.

The lively midfield-forward would earn a recall in Round 17 and hasn't looked back since, booting ten goals and not going under 12 disposals to hold his spot for the rest of the season.

Mannagh ranks eighth in the competition for goals per game from midfielders at 1.10 per game, coming behind the likes of Chad Warner, Marcus Bontempelli and Shai Bolton, among others.

He booted two goals in four straight games and ended that streak over the weekend with one major from an equal career-best 21 disposals against West Coast.

Mannagh is another member of our Rookie Rankings who will suit up in September, with Geelong set to head to Adelaide Oval to face the Power in a qualifying final.

Darcy Wilson (-)

Wilson's first year was up and down, but thankfully, it was mostly the former. The aerobically gifted winger played all 23 games for the Saints in his first year - the only rookie on our list to do so.

He averaged 15.35 disposals, 4.26 marks, 2.09 tackles and 2.43 inside 50s per game in his first season while also contributing 15 goals for the year.

The Murray Bushrangers product has looked comfortable in the top flight, slotting into midfield and forward roles under Ross Lyon. Lyon has allowed the first-round draft selection to use his running skills in space.

Wilson had several standout performances across the season, perhaps none better than his Round 8 outing against North Melbourne, in which he netted three goals from 21 disposals, eight marks, and 11 contested possessions.

While Wilson had a drop in form in the second half of the season, he bounced back late with a 25-disposal and two-goal outing against Geelong to be among his side's best in an upset win.

He had his fifth 20-disposal game to end his year in the win over Carlton on Sunday but fell narrowly short of a podium finish in our Rookie Rankings.

Caleb Windsor (-)

Despite missing the last month of the season, the Demons young gun just manages to hold off Darcy Wilson for third spot in our rankings.

Both Windsor and Wilson were neck and neck for most of the year, flexing their speed and ball use on the outside of their respective midfield groups.

Windsor gets the nod for third spot after a stellar debut season that saw him play all 19 games before his year was abruptly ended by an ankle injury.

The Pick 7 selection kept the likes of Lachie Hunter and Jack Billings out of the Demons' side for most of the year on his way to averaging 14.47 disposals, 3.00 marks, 2.58 tackles and 2.32 inside 50s per game.

On a number of occasions this year Windsor stood up in key moments for Melbourne, whether that be winning the ball on the wing or going forward and booting a late goal.

He recorded eight goals for the year, one of which came in a 25-disposal outing against the Eagles in Round 17 that also saw the teenager collect seven marks, five tackles, four rebound 50s, four clearances and 10 contested possessions.

Colby McKercher (-)

The Kangaroos young gun shook off a niggling foot injury to end his rookie season on a high.

McKercher seamlessly slotted into Harry Sheezel's free-flowing defensive role and really found his groove by the midway point of the season, recording 22 or more disposals in nine straight games from Round 7 onwards.

Six of those performances included of 30 or more disposals, with the Tasmanian speedster amassing a career-best 37 touches on two occasions.

McKercher was relied on as the Roos' ball user from the last line, often taking kick-outs to source attacking avenues for Alastair Clarkson's side.

He was an early leader in our Rookie Rankings but soon fell several spots due to a foot injury, which kept him on the sidelines for a large portion of the year.

McKercher returned for the last month of the home and away season and found himself further up the field to show off his attacking nous and ball-winning ability in the front half.

Harley Reid (-)

The Eagles' teen sensation takes out the No.1 spot in our Rookie Rankings for 2024, following past winners Nick Daicos (2022) and Harry Sheezel (2023) in doing so.

Reid took pole position in Round 5 after a brilliant few weeks to end his opening month in the league, and he hasn't looked back since - staving off the form of Colby McKercher, Caleb Windsor and Darcy Wilson for the top spot.

The Tongala teenager put up performances we haven't seen from a first-year player for some time, perhaps none better than his debut Derby performance in the Round 6 upset win over rivals Fremantle.

His bursting goal on the run against Melbourne in Round 10 was among the many highlights for Reid this year, with the high-flying midfield also earning a Mark of the Year nomination here and there.

He had ten games with at least ten contested possessions - and never dropped under six for the stat all year - while also putting up big tackle and clearance figures to stamp his authority on the contest.

He also stuffed the stat sheet in his other game against the Dockers, recording 29 disposals, 15 contested possessions, ten clearances and six inside 50s in a fiery Derby affair.

While he may be ineligible for the Rising Star Award, Reid takes out the first spot in our Rookie Rankings for the 2024 season.