Glorifying the AFL's ball-winners and goalkickers is commonplace across the footballing landscape, but as the age-old adage goes: 'defence wins premierships'.
The club that holds the silverware aloft at the end of a season typically boasts a backline consisting of immovable key defenders, eagle-eyed interceptors and attack-minded flankers.
Last year's grand finalists, for example, each possessed stingy, impregnable defensive units, comprising stars such as Darcy Moore, Harris Andrews, Brayden Maynard, Brandon Starcevich, Isaac Quaynor and Keidean Coleman, among others.
So, taking into account last year's performance, current personnel and injuries, where does each club's defence rank as we prepare to embark on the 2024 season?
We've ranked every AFL club's backline from worst to first. Here's 18 through 13.
*Asterisk denotes a current injury to the player.
6. (13th) Gold Coast Suns
Core personnel: Charlie Ballard, Sam Collins, Mac Andrew, Caleb Graham, Wil Powell, Jy Farrar, Connor Budarick, Lachie Weller, Bodhi Uwland
Gold Coast's backline, like its list as a whole, is ascending. Ballard and Andrew โ the Suns' key-defending future โ impressed as last year went on and they shape as integral assets in the coming seasons.ย
The same should be said for seventh-year defender Powell, whose 2023 disposal (20.3) and marking (6.4) averages smashed his career means, while the returning Budarick โ who's managed just 13 games across the last three years due to injury โ adds dash and distribution.ย
While the Suns finished fifth-worst in goals allowed (12.8) and shots at goal conceded (26.3) per game last season, the overarching arrow is pointing up at Carrara, with plenty more growth to come from their youthful contingent.ย
