There's nothing quite like finals footy.
This time of year offers a chance at immortality and glory for a handful of the competition's best. Perhaps just as importantly, it offers a chance at icon status for a rare few who appear pre-destined for the bright lights.
Every club has players primed to explode in September, we know who to keep an eye on this year, it's one of the joys of the business end of the season, seeing individuals embrace the spotlight and elevate their game.
One of the other joys is seeing a young player come of age and have an impact. The entire point of rebuilds and the draft is to see the next generation flourish, to put a club on their back and inspire their teammates to go the extra mile.
We marvelled at Nick Daicos' impressive finals campaign in his debut season (where he averaged 24.3 disposals and 5 rebound 50's per game) and at Marcus Bontempelli's phenomenal finals series in 2016 where, in just his third year, he dominated the finals, winning a best and fairest in a premiership season.
His team mate Bailey Smith, in just his third year, was immense in 2021, putting together four games of the highest quality, including an unforgettable Semi-Final against the Lions where he had 27 disposals and kicked 3 goals. Slotting the match-winner from deep in the pocket earned him instant icon status, if not that, then his celebration certainly did.
As with every Finals series, this year's provides us plenty of candidates who can shape the fortunes of an entire club. To help narrow down the field, we've opted to go for players who have played under 50 AFL games, yet may just be built for September.
2. Collingwood - Jack Ginnivan
The livewire forward has had a rough second year in the AFL yet has fought his way back and re-established himself in the Collingwood forward line just in time for finals. After a quiet debut season which saw him play 5 games, Jack Ginnivan found himself in the spotlight early in 2022.
Once centre stage, he thrived, enjoying the attention, both positive from Magpies fans and negative from large sections of the football-attending public. There's a hint of Stephen Milne about him, seeming to enjoy getting under the skin of opposition players and fans alike, which appears to help drive his performances.
Following an impressive season 2022 where he kicked 40 goals, he found this year a bit tougher, and while he only managed 11 games, he managed to work his way back into form late in the season, particularly in the final game of the year against Essendon, where he had 17 disposals and kicked 3 goals.
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A player that opposition fans love to hate, he is built for big games and bigger crowds. His Anzac day medal would attest to that. Ginnivan seems to elevate his game in crucial moments, using his goal nous and reading of the play to great effect. He will undoubtedly relish the September spotlight and the chance to rile all outside of the Magpie community.
