Footy fans are more blessed than any other in the world of sport.

No sport combines such astonishing physical feats with such chills of euphoria, heartbreak, and everything in between the way Aussie Rules does.

2024 has already provided its fair share of thrilling plays, profound performances and memorable matches, this list will go through only a fraction of them during the season so far.

Records have been set and players have broken out into AFL stardom with performances from the top shelf.

Before we go through the subjective list, let's take a look the current in-season record holders for each major statistical category:

Disposals:ย 46 - Caleb Serong (Round 1 vs Brisbane)
Marks:ย 18 - Luke Ryan (Round 12 vs Melbourne)
Goals:ย 6 - 6x (Jeremy Cameron, Jake Waterman, Aaron Naughton, Jesse Hogan, Cody Weightman, Eric Hipwood)
Goal assists:ย 6 - Lachie Neale (Round 10 vs Richmond)
Tackles:ย 16 - James Rowbottom (Round 10 vs Carlton)
Hit-Outs: 56 - Reilly O'Brien (Round 9 vs Brisbane)
Contested Possessions:ย 28 - Tom Liberatore (Round 4 vs Geelong)
Contested Marks:ย 8 - Jake Waterman (Round 5 vs Richmond)
Clearances:ย 20 - Matt Rowell (O-Round vs Richmond)
One-percenters:ย 17 - Jack Buckley (Round 8 vs Sydney)
Score Involvements:ย 17 - Sam Walsh (Round 6 vs GWS)
Intercepts:ย 16 - Mac Andrew (Round 4 vs GWS)
SuperCoach:ย 197 - Luke Ryan (Round 8 vs Richmond)

Here is our mid-year list of the top 10 player performances of 2024...

Honourable Mentions:

  • Nick Vlastuin (Round 3 vs Sydney)
    • 29 disposals @ 100% efficiency
      15 intercepts
      13 marks
      7 score involvements
      167 SuperCoach points
  • Patrick Cripps (Round 6 vs GWS)
    • 39 disposals
      24 contested possessions
      11 score involvements
      13 clearances
      7 tackles
      142 SuperCoach points
  • Connor Rozee (Round 4 vs Essendon)
    • 36 disposals
      3 goals
      8 score involvements
      7 inside 50s
      152 SuperCoach points
  • Blake Hardwick (Round 10 vs Port Adelaide)
    • 23 disposals
      5 goals
      9 score involvements
      6 marks
      180 SuperCoach points

8Jake Waterman (Round 5 vs Richmond)

  • 18 disposals
    6 goals
    11 score involvements
    13 marks
    8 contested marks
    8 marks inside 50
    176 SuperCoach points

While a few Eagles enjoyed a day out in their first win of 2024, Jake Waterman was the surprise packet of the day, bagging a career-best six goals and a league season-high eight contested marks in a nostalgic display of power forward footy.

Like the greats of the 90s and early 00s, Waterman just needed the ball kicked on his head inside 50, where he would out-muscle his opponent and reel in contested grabs time and time again.

So far, it is the most powerful performance of his breakout campaign, finally relishing his chance to be the main man after years of injury and playing third fiddle behind Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling.