As the 2025 AFL season nears, there will be players training ferociously throughout pre-season to perhaps finally break loose from the shackles of years of average performances and officially reach their potential.
Perhaps it's a top draft pick finally coming of age, as Mac Andrew and Tom De Koning showed glimpses of in 2024.
Or maybe it's a player nearing the age of their prime who has teetered on the edge of mediocrity for a while but finally excelled at the top flight. Think Tristan Xerri and Jake Waterman.
Last year, the hype around the potential of De Koning and Ben King ultimately delivered, while players such as Paddy Dow failed yet again to reach their potential estimated in their draft year.
A club's success is often off the back of unheralded players having surprisingly good years.
Hawthorn was fortunate to be on the end of multiple players enjoying breakout seasons in 2024, including first-time All-Australian Dylan Moore, trade recruit Massimo D'Ambrosio and veteran Sam Frost.
Likewise, premiers Brisbane enjoyed the sudden emergence of Kai Lohmann and the eventual fruition of Callum Ah Chee and Ryan Lester's potential.
Those clubs that struggled found their players with glimpses of stardom did not reach their potential. Max King was on and off the field with injuries which again hurt St Kilda's finals chances, while the ineptness of Collingwood's young talent failed to fill the holes of out-of-form veterans, resulting in a failed flag defence for the Pies.
So ahead of the new season, we've named eight players who will be desperate to have a breakout year to either save their career or propel their club further up the ladder in 2025.
Nik Cox
Essendon fans have been patiently awaiting the arrival of Cox, a 204cm 'unicorn' as a 2020 draftee that could allegedly play anywhere across the ground.
However, despite the luxury of his versatility, Cox has failed to star at AFL level, with injury and form hindering his performances.
Cox has been criticised for his lack of toughness to become a major ball-winner for the Bombers, and averaged just 12 disposals per game last season. Although he featured in 20 games, Cox didn't captivate audiences as he did before he joined the Bombers.
Essendon, who remain stuck in mediocrity, are crying out for an X-factor talent to break games open and inspire their team. Cox has the skills, talent and athleticism for that role, but whether he realises that potential is a story we'll have to wait to watch unfold in 2025.
