2024 is almost over, with the year - from an AFL lens - packed with drama, excitement and controversy.
Reflecting on the year that was, we've listed our biggest moments and stories from the past 12 months that combined to make 2024 a memorable one for the AFL.
From in-game drama to off-field headlines, these are the nine biggest AFL stories of the year...
What turned out to be a prequel to an entertaining semi-final, the Round 10 clash between Port Adelaide and Hawthorn at Adelaide Oval had everything.
The Power were out to consolidate a positive start to 2024, whilst the Hawks had begun to turn around their disappointing 0-5 start.
A young and brash Hawthorn outfit stormed out to a 41-point lead late in the third term thanks to Blake Hardwick's five goals.
However, a pair of majors from Willie Rioli and Dan Houston before three-quarter time reduced the margin to a manageable 28 points.
As the heavens opened up and the rain started to descend onto Adelaide Oval, the comeback feat looked more and more farfetched, especially as Port Adelaide kicked the ball on either side of the goal.
With less than a minute remaining and an 11-point margin keeping the home side at bay, the commentator's curse struck Hawthorn as fans witnessed something historic.
Rioli's second major trimmed the deficit to single digits before a Zak Butters clearance set up a Darcy Byrne-Jones strike off the ground, breaking the hearts of Hawthorn fans.
Byrne-Jones' heroics weren't the only dramatic dying-minutes moment of the 2024 campaign.
In Round 22, Gold Coast wunderkind Mac Andrew joined the rare club of slotting match-winning goals after the siren, putting Essendon's finals chances in jeopardy.
A fortnight later, St Kilda small forward Jack Higgins put the club on his shoulders in the dying moments of their Round 24 clash with Carlton, snapping a goal with seconds to go.
But for all the heroics during the long and arduous season, there's also the failure that comes with it. Let's set the scene...
Scott Pendlebury's 400th AFL game. Collingwood-Carlton at the MCG. The Pies had taken a commanding lead and looked all but certain to secure the four premiership points against their arch-rivals.
However, the Blues willed themselves back into the contest with five unanswered goals to trail by three points before a Mitch McGovern mark inside 50.
From a similar spot seven years before, McGovern had slotted the goal to draw with Collingwood when he played for Adelaide.
This time, he wasn't able to. Pendlebury celebrated his 400th game in style as the Blues squandered and began to consider what their September would look like.
Sport can be pretty un-serious a lot of the time, so it's easy to forget that athletes are quite literally putting their bodies on the line for our entertainment.
In 2024, the AFL saw four players make the tough decision to hang up their boots following medical intervention due to repeated head knocks that began to impact their daily lives.
Melbourne premiership player Angus Brayshaw was the first to medically retire following a history of concussions and an unfortunate and controversial knock from Collingwood defender Brayden Maynard that sparked nationwide discourse and a rule change.
Maynard's teammate Nathan Murphy lived a similar fate after coming into contact with Brisbane's Lincoln McCarthy in the 2023 decider prior to further setbacks over the pre-season.
Collingwood's Josh Carmichael was another player to put an end to his footballing days after multiple training incidents that left him fragile.
The mid-season pick-up had started to impress his Pies coaches, but he was unable to solidify his progress with consistent appearances on the football field.
And finally, Western Bulldogs youngster Aiden O'Driscoll, who'd been in the AFL system for six months after being drafted in 2023, suffered a concussion during pre-season training in January and, after consultation with the AFL's medical panel, decided to care more for the later than the now.
The 2024 Brownlow Medal will be remembered for its record-breaking amount of votes accomplished by Carlton star Patrick Cripps.
The Blues skipper toppled the previous record (36 votes) by a whopping nine votes, finishing the AFL's night of nights with 45.
Ironically, fellow contender Nick Daicos also broke the record (38) but was unable to get near Cripps as he stormed toward his second 'Charlie'.
But as it is every year, the build-up to the Brownlow Medal count is just as exhilarating as the evening itself.
Sydney's Isaac Heeney looked to be a runaway winner, quickly becoming the frontman for the Swans' surge toward the minor premiership.
Albeit competing with fellow teammates Chad Warner and Errol Gulden for maximum votes, Heeney jumped out to 21 votes by Round 11.
However, his efforts were to be to no avail before the event began.
In Round 17, Heeney was suspended for one match for his errant arm strike on St Kilda's Jimmy Webster, ultimately ruling him out of the Brownlow Medal race.
After a failed attempt at the Tribunal to eradicate the week off, the Swans headed to the Appeals Board, which found no issue with the Tribunal's decision.
The so-called football act Heeney displayed caused a furore among the community, dividing many given how substantial the punishment was.
Calls for the rules to be re-written to accurately reflect the modern game have been put forward, which the AFL refused to entertain.
Adam Simpson's tenure as West Coast head coach reached the highest of highs, but as the football world witnessed, the lowest of lows.
The proud Western Australian club hadn't dipped below ninth position under Simpson between 2014 and 2021, but what happened next ultimately dictated the narrative.
Following the implementation of COVID-19 strategies to continue playing football in 2020, all clubs agreed to top-up players to ensure the competition survived.
However, the Eagles, who were decimated by an unfathomable amount of injuries, were also hit with persistent virus-related absences, resulting in the use of 47 players in 2022.
West Coast finished 17th that year after winning two games, the least in their history.
Ironically, the following season saw an increase of victories by one; however, it saw the club drop further down the ladder to secure its second wooden spoon.
The tabloids were coming for Simpson as questions about whether he was the right man to steer the battling club into clearer waters.
Despite finishing in 18th position, the Eagles board emphatically endorsed the continuation of Simpson's tenure into 2024, with his contract expiring at the cessation of 2025.
But, given the heightened sense of urgency for a change, both West Coast and Simpson called it a day midway through the most recent campaign, handing the reins over to caretaker coach Jarrad Schofield for the remainder of the year before Andrew McQualter was appointed.
Simpson ended his coaching career at the Eagles with a premiership (2018) and a winning record (122-1-119) after 242 games.
As soon as three-time premiership coach Damien Hardwick landed the head job at Gold Coast, you could almost predict the narrative coming from up north.
Dustin Martin has achieved all that you can in our great game: Premierships (x3), a Brownlow (2017) Medal, a Norm Smith Medal (x3), MVP honours (2017), All-Australian selections (x4), best and fairests (x2) and longevity (302 games).
Since Richmond's triumphant dynasty, Martin hadn't put together a full season, missing 32 games across the past four campaigns.
Injuries had caught up to the Tigers superstar as father time started to wane on Martin, putting his future up for debate: Will he stay at Richmond, retire or head north to the Suns?
As he did throughout his entire career, Martin remained an enigma, allowing the public world to fall into chaos about what was going on inside his mind.
Throughout the entirety of 2024, fans were blessed with consistent and persistent updates of the comings and goings of the three-time Norm Smith's medallist's future.
The narrative continued to build in Martin's silence while Hardwick's coy ploy of suggesting "every single club would be crazy if they didn't" go after him added fuel to the fire.
In August, Martin announced his retirement from the game after struggling to return from his back injury.
But that didn't stop the media speculation, with a door still slightly ajar for a reunion with Hardwick on the Gold Coast.
Stalked like a hawk, Martin's only response to the obsessive conjecture that lasted the entire 12 months came in October, saying: "Happily retired, brother."
However, a line through the 33-year-old's future could not be put through until the completion of the draft periods.
Martin, if he were nominated for the drafts, would still be eligible to play in 2025, but by 3:00pm on November 13, his name wasn't seen, therefore wiping it from the possibility of playing AFL next year.
The year-long tirade went late into 2024, something a superstar would warrant.
Former Sydney coach John Longmire had already begun thinking about his future long before the shock grand final loss to Brisbane.
The Swans' power figures had met throughout 2024 to see whether the man they call 'Horse' still had fire in the belly, which was met with energy and a zest for the game as the club stormed toward the minor premiership.
Lingering in the background was the persistent noise surrounding Dean Cox, and whether he'd reunite with the club he played 290 AFL games - West Coast - following the sacking of long-term coach Adam Simpson.
Cox categorically, and respectfully, denied the advances from the Eagles on multiple occasions, which offered two lines of thinking.
One - the Swans were still in flag contention, and the champion ruckman didn't want to add another distraction before he headed west, or;
Two - Something was cooking between Cox, Longmire and Sydney in the near future.
The latter, albeit confirmed well after the 2024 campaign had ended, proved to be true.
The Swans denied the notion of a succession plan, affording 'Horse' the right to put his hand up when he was ready.
But with one year remaining on his deal, and four grand losses in his kit bag, Longmire admitted he "needed to stop and rest and reset and regenerate", opening the door for Cox to succeed him.
The latter had been earmarked to take over from Longmire as the leading candidate for Sydney's top job for some time, and 2025 will see Cox finally get his moment.
Despite Longmire stepping aside, he will remain at the club in the new role of executive director of club performance.
The Demons' 2024 season was one from hell as a fall from grace was marred by multiple off-field issues.
After a second consecutive straight-sets exit, which also resulted in the loss of Angus Brayshaw to retirement, Melbourne was immediately on the back foot.
Joel Smith's probable long-term ban for testing positive for an illicit substance hung over the club like a dark cloud, while Clayton Oliver's admission to hospital amid a tumultuous time for the star midfielder rolled the cloud into a storm.
Smith's ongoing investigation resulted in a four-year suspension from the AFL and Sport Integrity Australia as Oliver attempted to return to his best but ultimately failed to reach the heights he'd met before.
But the worst of it came from the annual King's Birthday clash against Collingwood, when a Darcy Moore knee came into contact with Christian Petracca's ribs, causing far-reaching complications.
Bravely, Petracca re-entered the field following the contest but was rushed from the ground and put in the back of an ambulance.
From then on, the 28-year-old faced life-altering injuries, revealing the horrific time he and his family endured through the recovery process.
But from Melbourne's perspective, once Petracca's health had improved, the reality of the situation hit them.
The star midfielder floated the idea of playing for another club, flagging his intention to move as the relationship between him and the Demons was allegedly "beyond repair".
Bounded by a long-term contract, Melbourne was always going to stand firm, denying any possibility of seeing Petracca in a rival jumper.
Around the same time, Oliver was also considered as a trade option, with Geelong players meeting with the onballer.
Ultimately, the length of the contract and subsequent dollar figure attached to it made it difficult for any club to enter a meaningful conversation.
Due to the upheaval at the club, more change was destined for Melbourne.
President Kate Roffey and CEO Gary Pert departed the Demons as an external review from All Blacks leadership guru Darren Shand attempted to realign the club ahead of the 2025 season.
The stakes in games rise tremendously during the month of September as a victory gets you one step closer to the ultimate goal.
Hawthorn's storied run to the semi-final had to be seen to be believed, with many tipsters believing in 'Hokball' lifting the premiership cup a fortnight later.
After the Hawks dismantled the Western Bulldogs in the elimination final, a date was set with Port Adelaide, who most would remember, had already put together one of the games of the season in Round 10.
As it has been for many decades, the brown and gold outfit exuded a healthy arrogance and swagger that rubbed rivals the wrong way, and the Jack Ginnivan's Instagram activity was the cherry on top.
The contentious small forward has made a name for himself by skirting the rules when he was at Collingwood, combining entertainment and theatrics with football IQ, and was topped off by pompous celebrations.
But Ginnivan's "see u in 14 days" comment on the post of Sydney ruckman and former teammate Brodie Grundy implied that Hawthorn would bounce in and out of Adelaide with a victory before heading to the SCG for the preliminary final.
Naturally, the Power cohort didn't take too kindly to that notion.
Port Adelaide was fresh off an 84-point thrashing by Geelong, and a straight-sets exit loomed for the second year running.
Ken Hinkley - who'd been batting away the critics all year - opted to buy into Ginnivan's comments in the lead-up to the do-or-die semi-final, flagging the words as "disrespectful".
As it was in Round 10, the clash between the Hawks and Power had everything an on-looker could ask for, including defining shots late in the game.
Port Adelaide led for the majority of the evening but held on for dear life, thanks to a James Sicily shot that hit the post with 34 minutes on the clock in the final term.
As emotions ran high, leaving commiseration for the Hawks and jubilation for the Power, Hinkley was seen taunting Ginnivan about his mid-week comments.
"I'll be honest. Jack said what he said through the week, and I just told him after the game, he wasn't going anywhere," Hinkley said on Channel 7 after the three-point win.
"I don't know social media, I just do what I do, I probably shouldn't have done it, I should apologise to the boys, I shouldn't have probably done it. But the reality was, you throw something our way, we're gonna throw something back occasionally."
It prompted intervention from Sicily on the field and an aggrieved Sam Mitchell in the post-game press conference, who was visibly seething with the actions of his coaching counterpart.
"I can only speak on my club's behalf. And if I think about how my club, the Hawthorn Football Club, dealt with the post-game," Mitchell said post-match.
"We have a very young player who was having some very aggressive words said to him by a much older man, who's been in the game for a long time. And the captain of my club stood up for him."
Asked whether he would seek to speak with Hinkley, Mitchell said: "Absolutely not."
The AFL handed Hinkley a $20,000 fine for breaching AFL Rule 2.3(a), conduct unbecoming.
The story of a club's rise to premiership glory is usually one where all stars align.
But Brisbane's 2024 season was anything but and yet culminated in one of the greatest flags in the modern game.
Beginning 12 months earlier, the Lions suffered a heartbreaking defeat to Collingwood in the 2023 decider, losing by an agonising four points after a quartet of seasons left with nothing but disappointment.
The club was filled with stars across the entire board, and critics started to believe that Chris Fagan wasn't the right man for the job despite the talent walking the halls at Brisbane.
That notion was fuelled more when the Lions suffered a 0-3 start to the year as the wretched run of injuries began.
At Round 14, sitting in 13th position with a casualty catalogue as long as a shopping list, all hope had been dashed.
But a stoic nine-game win streak placed the 2023 runners-up back in contention, placed second and two points off of the top spot.
A dip in form saw the Lions lose two of their past three matches, claiming fifth spot and a home elimination final.
Brisbane dismantled Carlton to a point of embarrassment and quickly set their sights on GWS, who narrowly lost to premiership favourites Sydney.
The Giants stormed out to a 44-point lead midway through the third term, and it looked like the final four was set.
However, some Joe Daniher heroics snatched the victory away from GWS, putting the Lions in the penultimate weekend once again.
A clash with Geelong descended onto the MCG, having the makings of what would be one of the best games of 2024.
The Cats' cream rose to the top, and, following an early major in the third quarter, led the Lions by 25 points as the heavens opened up.
Only seven days earlier had Brisbane been in this position and knew exactly what to do, with a spot in the grand final against Sydney on the line.
Fagan's men narrowly claimed the lead heading into the final change but were forced to wrestle back the advantage following brilliance from Jeremy Cameron and Ollie Henry.
Enter Callum Ah Chee and Cam Rayner. The Lions needed someone to stand up, and their dynamic forwards answered the club's prayers.
Brisbane would get the chance to redeem their hard luck from 12 months earlier.
A hot start to the 2024 decider gave fans an inkling that another classic would be on its way, with pressure getting to all 44 players.
But unlike their previous two weeks, the Lions would be the ones to take a commanding lead, only this time, the opposing side was unable to run it down.
Brisbane led by 34 points at half-time, then extended it past 10 goals as Fagan delivered one final message.
Daniher put a full stop to the day with the final goal of the match, aligning perfectly with his shock retirement.
Star midfielder Will Ashcroft toasted his success with a Norm Smith Medal, joining his father (Marcus) as a Brisbane premiership player.
Fagan defied all the odds to become the first AFL premiership coach who did not play at the top level.
There are storylines across the entire board for Brisbane.
But from where they were at the start of the year: the poor form, countless injuries and external noise, the Lions' 2024 premiership ranks among the top in the modern game.