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.
After being left out of the 2024 premiership side and failing to find a viable trade package out of Springfield, Robertson will be desperate to not have another year stuck playing in the VFL after enjoying a solid 2023 season which included 16 games and a grand final appearance.
However, in 2024, Robertson played just twice at the elite level as he fell out of favour with the team.
A midfielder by trade, Robertson will have a hard time cracking into the side in 2025 if he does not reach his full potential. Brisbane's midfield is stacked with talent, including dual Brownlow Medallist Lachie Neale, Norm Smith medallist Will Ashcroft, his brother and top-five draft pick Levi Ashcroft, Hugh McCluggage and Josh Dunkley.
Robertson's contract ends at the conclusion of the 2025 season, suggesting a breakout year is necessary with the former Pick 22's AFL career on the line.
Tipped to flourish in 2024, Macrae contrastingly struggled to find a consistent patch of form at AFL level. Macrae played just nine games for the Magpies - five of which he was subbed off or the starting substitute - at an average of just 10 disposals per game.
Collingwood holds the title for the AFL's oldest list, with midfielders Scott Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom reaching their mid-to-late-30s as they play through their twilight years. It means they will soon be handing over the reins, and besides Nick Daicos and Jordan De Goey, no other inside midfielder has fully staked their claim to become part of the next midfield brigade.
Macrae tore up the pre-season fixture last year and it will be intriguing whether he can show glimpses of his breakout form yet again. Macrae has been a VFL star for some time, averaging 27.5 disposals per game and 25.5 disposals in 2024 and 2023 respectively.
If he can take his game to the next level and help propel the 'Pies back into premiership contention, Macrae's end of the bargain will be met after Collingwood extended his contract to 2026 early last year.
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.
Callaghan is on the cusp of becoming an AFL superstar and leading the charge of a Giants premiership push. The 2021 Pick 3 is albeit just 21 years old but has already been a consistent part of GWS' midfield.
Behind the media attention of Toby Greene, Jesse Hogan and Tom Green, Callaghan quietly increased his output in 2024, with improvements in disposals, tackles, inside 50s, clearances, and contested possessions per game.
After a heartbreaking finals campaign, Callaghan should be burning to exact revenge on the competition in 2025 with a breakout campaign finally worth taking note of.
The Giants seem to be missing just one piece to the puzzle to break through for a second grand final appearance, and an All-Australian year for Callaghan could be the big difference-maker come September this year.
Ward, likewise to Callaghan, seems to be on the cusp of reaching his draft potential. Viewed as a Sam Walsh prototype in his draft year, Ward has displayed occasions of mass disposals, but his impact has not been as significant as his draft comparison.
The 21-year-old had a down year in 2024 too, averaging six fewer disposals than 2023. His elimination final selection paid dividends when replacing the injured Will Day, but his semi-final performance was one of his poorer outings for the year.
A top-five pick, Ward should be a consistent member of Hawthorn's midfield but has found himself dropped multiple times since his debut in 2022, often making way for the likes of Day, Jai Newcombe and James Worpel.
Similar to Robertson, Ward will need to produce a consistent breakout year to earn a regular spot in the side in 2024, as he tussles with talented teammates for a selection in the middle. With Finn Maginess and Cam McKenzie also viable options for Sam Mitchell, Ward will need to capture form from his Talent League days, where he averaged over 30 disposals per game, to hold a spot in Hawthorn's best 23.
Petty needs a breakout year for no reason other than to prove his own worth to the Demons.
After being swung from defence to the forward line, a return of just nine goals from 20 games in 2024 sees Petty move back into the backline in 2025.
Despite requesting a trade in 2023, the Demons, who are no stranger to playing hardball with their talent, re-signed Petty last season for another three years.
Now Petty has plenty to prove.
Without a definitive position and glimpse of good form, Petty will be eager to release the shackles of intense media criticism for his lacklustre years gone by with a breakout year in defence to aid Steven May and Jake Lever, and potentially help the Demons with a resurgent 2025 back into finals contention.
Pick 3 in the 2020 draft, Phillips has been out of favour with the Kangaroos as the young brigade that has joined since has stormed past him. Harry Sheezel, George Wardlaw, Colby McKercher, and now Finn O'Sullivan are all fighting for midfield minutes as North Melbourne aim to finally finish their years of rebuilding.
Potentially on the cusp of being axed, Phillips was offered a one-year contract extension until the end of 2025. Hence, Phillips now more than ever needs a breakout year to keep his AFL career alive.
Phillips emerged as a tagger last season, potentially revitalising his career. Whether he is solely used as such in 2025 remains unknown, but becoming the league's best tagger is a surefire way to earn a new deal. It reignited Hawk Finn Maginness' career, perhaps that route could be the unorthodox way Phillips becomes a breakout Roo.
After falling behind Jordon Sweet in the ruck rankings at Port Adelaide and a potential trade request swept away, Soldo is under pressure to perform in 2025.
Soldo has been a solid ruckman for multiple years since his AFL debut, but has never become one of the league's best. With Sweet dominating in the latter stages of 2024, Soldo needs a breakout year to ensure he continues playing AFL, or else he will play as an understudy to Sweet or ply his trade in the SANFL.
Despite Sweet's eye-catching form, a breakout year is not out of reach for Soldo. He enters 2025 as a 28-year-old, effectively in his prime years as a footballer, after having a season where he averaged the second-most hitouts in his career.
It will be a tight battle for the number one ruck spot, and all eyes will be on Soldo to put away the negative media attention by starting to play his best football.