From Brisbane saluting after a dominant Grand Final display to Patrick Cripps' astonishing 45 Brownlow Medal votes, and more tribunal drama, there was no shortage of monster storylines throughout the 2024 AFL season.
Here are the 20 biggest, and most compelling, of the year:
20. Collingwood land their man, Dan
Seeking a return to his home state of Victoria, Dan Houston was the biggest fish in this year's trade and free agency period. The 27-year-old two-time All Australian had no shortage of suiters, but ultimately it would be Collingwood who secured his signature. Houston departed Port Adelaide having played 168 games for the club since 2017. Of course, Houston will miss the first two games of 2025 as he continues to serve his five-game suspension for a high hit on Adelaide's Izak Rankine.
READ: Every club's trade and free agency graded
19. Mac Andrew makes it his moment
We witnessed just one goal after the siren in 2024 and it came, perhaps surprisingly, from a man who has played the early part of his career almost exclusively as a key defender. With the Suns trailing the Bombers by five points at Marvel Stadium, Mac Andrew clunked a contested pack mark 35 metres from goal, moments before the final siren sounded. The 20-year-old went back and nailed the set shot, though he later admitted it didn't look great off the boot. "As soon as I kicked it, it looked like it was hitting the post. But then it came back late," said a jubilant Andrew.
READ: Ranking every AFL after-the-siren winning goal since 2000
18. Sam Lalor goes pick No. 1 in stacked draft
Could the 2024 AFL draft be footy's latest super draft? It's certainly what the experts are saying. Richmond scooped highly-touted Victorian Sam Lalor with the first selection in November's draft, one of six players the Tigers picked up in what was an enthralling first round at Marvel Stadium. North Melbourne secured the services of Finn O'Sullivan at pick No. 2, while Carlton will be thrilled to have landed ball magnet Jagga Smith at three. Sid Draper, Levi Ashcroft, Josh Smillie, and Leo Lombard, just to name a few, all have the tools to be future stars of the game. Watch this space...
READ: Every club's draft haul rated
17. Tasmania releases its inaugural jumper, logo, and colours
We already knew Tasmania would be entering the competition in 2028, what we didn't know was what the AFL's newest club would be named and what it would be wearing. In March, on the eve of the season, the club announced it would be known as the Tasmania Devils -- after a brief legal battle with Warner Bros. -- and sport myrtle green, primrose yellow, and rose red - an acknowledgement of the state's rich football history. Amazingly, the club sold more than 40,000 foundation memberships in the two hours after revealing its mascot and team colours.
16. The polarising Opening Round
It was Round 1, except it wasn't. Opening Round, an AFL initiative for 2024, saw four games open the season outside of football heartland Victoria. Two games were played in New South Wales and the other two in Queensland, as supporters of the other 10 clubs were forced to wait patiently for another week. The concept was met with widespread criticism, as it created unnecessary early bye rounds and completely made a mockery of each round's naming convention, as Round 1 became Round 2, 2 became 3, and so on. Still, the AFL announced late this year that it will remain in 2025.
15. The tragic passing of Cam McCarthy
The football world was rocked ahead of Round 9 when news hit that former Giant and Docker forward Cam McCarthy had died aged just 29. McCarthy, who played in the league between 2014 and 2020, was found dead at Lake Coogee in Perth on May 9, 2024, just 36 hours out from Fremantle's home clash against Sydney. Tributes flowed for McCarthy in the days that followed, and a minute's silence prior to the Dockers' game was observed to honour his memory. Rest in peace, Cam.
14. Welcome to the big time, Harley
Round 10, 2024. Mark it down as it will forever be remembered as the week Harley Reid announced himself to the football world. The No.1 pick from the 2023 draft came to the Eagles with an enormous amount of expectation, and, for the most part, delivered in his debut season. His goal against the Demons at Optus Stadium, which would ultimately take out the AFL Goal of the Year award, justified the hype. Reid snatched the ball from the centre square, streaked away from Christian Petracca, before slotting it on the run and celebrating with Eagles fans. He's going to be something special.
13. Christian Petracca's traumatic injury on King's Birthday
On the stroke of quarter time of this year's King's birthday clash, Melbourne star Christian Petracca was met with a heavy hit to the ribs from Collingwood skipper Darcy Moore. The 2021 Norm Smith medalist winced in pain as he made his way to the Demons huddle, and while he attempted to play on, the pain proved too much. That would be the last time we saw Petracca in season 2024, an injury he would later describe as "the most traumatic thing I've experienced". Melbourne would win just four games for the remainder of the year as the club fell to a disappointing 14th-placed finish.
12. Jimmy Webster's horror hit on Jy Simpkin
One of the biggest moments of 2024 occurred long before the home-and-away season had actually gotten underway. Saint Jimmy Webster's late, high bump on North Melbourne co-captain Jy Simpkin was as ugly as it gets. He jumped into the air, elected to bump, and, thus, had to face the harsh consequences. It was no surprise Webster copped a mammoth seven-game suspension by the AFL tribunal, the harshest sanction handed down by the league in six years. "I wish to reiterate my remorse and again apologise to Jy for my actions," Webster said after the hearing.
11. Jamie Elliott's Anzac Day hanger
The footy public is seldom in agreement, but when Jamie Elliott soared into the clouds and brought down the Sherrin on Anzac Day, everyone was comfortable acknowledging the Mark of the Year race had been run and won by the Collingwood star. Elliott has taken his fair share of hangers throughout his career, but this one, on the shoulders of Ben McKay, was easily the pick of the bunch. Amazingly, Elliott did not win Mark of the Year. Instead, teammate and 2023 Norm Smith Medal winner Bobby Hill took home the honour. Still not sure how that happened.
10. Eagles, Adam Simpson part ways
Given the Eagles' struggles in recent years, the decision by the club to move on from long-time coach Adam Simpson didn't exactly come as a surprise, at least not for the players and the general footy public. But Simpson himself appeared to be somewhat ambushed by the decision, giving the impression at a frosty exit press conference that he had the board's full support. The 2018 premiership coach turned down a farewell game, bowing out (somewhat) on his own terms after 242 games at the helm.
9. The Giants' inexplicable finals capitulation
There's one question I've pondered several times since the night of the Grand Final: if the Giants don't combust against the Lions in that famous semifinal, are they premiers in 2024? GWS was 44 points up on Brisbane midway through the third term and appeared to be cruising into a preliminary final. But one Brisbane goal became two ... then three and four. In the blink of an eye the margin was halved. Then, in the final quarter, with some Joe Daniher brilliance, it was gone completely, the Lions pulling off one of the greatest finals escapes in league history and leaving Adam Kingsley and his troops to wonder what may have been.
READ: Clutch Joe brings Lions back from the brink
8. The finish to top ALL finishes
With 40 seconds remaining between Port Adelaide and Hawthorn in Round 10, the Hawks held a seemingly unassailable 11-point lead. Yet somehow, remarkably, they wound up departing Adelaide Oval with zero premiership points. Goals by Willie Rioli and Darcy Byrne-Jones turned what looked to be a certain loss into one of the most improbable and unexpected wins in recent memory, sparking wild scenes in the city of churches. Not only had Port erased that near two-goal lead in the blink of an eye, but Byrne-Jones' quick thinking in the goal square completed a truly mind-boggling 41-point comeback.
7. John Longmire steps down
The news that long-time Sydney coach John Longmire would be stepping down from his post effective immediately came as a surprise to many. The Swans had faltered in this year's Grand Final but there was no indication 'Horse' would be walking away from the position he had held, and excelled in, since 2011. Longmire hangs up the coaching boots, at least at the Swans, with a record of 208-3-122 and five Grand Final appearances, including the famous triumph in 2012. Long-time Swans assistant Dean Cox was given the reigns to lead the club in 2025 as Longmire slots into the role of executive director of club performance.
READ: Horse has bolted: Longmire's Sydney legacy
6. Isaac Heeney's finals stunner
It's actually criminal that Isaac Heeney was ineligible to win the Mark of the Year award given his screamer occurred in finals, not the home-and-away season. Now I could be wrong, but isn't finals a part of the season? Anyway, I digress. Heeney's mark against the Giants was one of the greatest we've seen this century. The star Swan launched himself onto the shoulders of Jack Buckley and defied gravity as he clunked the Sherrin in both hands before crashing back down to the SCG turf. Truly remarkable. The goal he kicked to seal the win, from 65m out, wasn't too shabby either.
ISAAC HEENEY OH MY WORD 😱😱#AFLFinals #AFLSwansGiants pic.twitter.com/F4N2WLGUaz
— AFL (@AFL) September 7, 2024
5. Scott Pendlebury's 400th game
It's a big deal when someone plays game 400 in the AFL. When that man is Collingwood icon Scott Pendlebury, it's all anyone seemed to able to talk about. When you think longevity and consistent excellence in football, no player fits the bill more than Pendles. It always felt as if he would reach the ridiculous milestone -- joining a club of just Brent Harvey, Michael Tuck, Shaun Burgoyne, Kevin Bartlett, and Dustin Fletcher -- and for it to be against arch-rival Carlton at the MCG only added to the glorious occasion.
4. Patrick Cripps' record Brownlow haul
The total votes over-under on Brownlow Medal night was 31.5. Amazingly, almost unexplainably, Carlton captain Patrick Cripps polled a ridiculous 45 votes to win 'Charlie' for the second time in his career. Cripps shattered records left, right, and centre, as viewers watched in amazement as Andrew Dillon seemingly announced 'three votes, P. Cripps' for every Blues game. The star midfielder polled in 17 of a possible 23 games and was viewed as the best player on the ground in 12 of them. An outrageous season.
READ: ESPN predicts Cripps' Brownlow Medal win
3. Fiery Ken Hinkley and the Hawks
Was Ken Hinkley in the wrong or was he just showing his passion? Either way, his post-semifinal antics at Adelaide Oval caused one of the biggest stirs of the year, and certainly rubbed Hawthorn the wrong way. Hinkley targeted Jack Ginnivan, telling him he "wasn't flying anywhere", a reference to the young Hawk's cheeky midweek comment on social media that had caused a monumental media firestorm. Hawthorn skipper James Sicily then got involved in a heated exchange with Hinkley, all while the two teams were busy preparing for Luke Breust's 300 game guard of honour. Bizarre stuff, indeed.
2. Farewell, Dustin Martin
It's always tough to say goodbye to an all-time great of the game and in recent years we seem to have done it quite a lot. First it was Gary Ablett. Then Lance Franklin. This year it was time to farewell Richmond icon Dustin Martin. After 302 games, 338 goals, three premierships, a record three Norm Smith Medals, and a Brownlow Medal, Martin called time on his illustrious career. His 300th game, against the Hawks in Round 14, had more than 92,000 fans pouring into the MCG. Who knows if Martin will play again, but what we do know is that no matter what he has cemented himself as one of football's greatest servants.
1. Brisbane's brilliant Grand Final day
It was as close to a 50-50 as you could get. Sydney, the best team of the year, and Brisbane, the most in form side, battling it out for flag supremacy. But it didn't take long for the Lions to flex their muscle and begin running rings around the Swans. The 120-60 final score was fitting, highlighting Brisbane being twice as good on the most important day of the year. And with it, Chris Fagan's revenge arc was complete, Lachie Neale's legacy grew, and the long-standing myth premierships cannot be won from outside the top four was busted once and for all.