A burgeoning star become the youngest Norm Smith winner in history, and he wasn't the only young Lion to step up. But John Longmire made a grave selection error -- again. Here's whose stocks are up and down after the 2024 AFL Grand Final.
Our footy experts cast their eye over the week's action to find out whose stocks are up -- whether it's a coaching masterstroke or a player having a blinder -- and whose are down.
Brisbane
Stocks up: It's tough to rely upon youth in big games, but the Lions have found a handful of young stars who relished the big stage. Kai Lohmann tore the game apart early with his three goals in the first quarter and a half of the Grand Final. He was dynamic, running in patterns, and in addition to his own majors, he set up another in a blistering first half to help the Lions gain the ascendency. He ended the match with four goals. Teenager Logan Morris was important in the front half, taking six marks, and kicking two goals on the big stage. To add these players (and our next Stock Up) to the Lions' 2023 Grand Final losing side is a luxury Chris Fagan is fortunate to have.
And Will Ashcroft. At just 20 years of age, he is already a star of the competition. He's also now the youngest player to win a Norm Smith Medal. His impact was immediate, tallying three touches in the first minute of the game, staggering for someone who only returned to the fold midway through the season after 12 months out with a knee injury. He kicked a goal among 30 disposals and five clearances. To think the Lions will have him for another decade, and have his brother, Levi, on the way in the draft. Special.
A lot of credit rightly goes to Brisbane's star midfielders and the forward who were able to do the damage on the scoreboard, but Brandon Starcevich played a pivotal role -- especially early -- in defence. Tasked with stopping dangerous Swans forward Tom Papley, Starcevich was also one of the key interceptors, especially early when the Swans were generating repeat inside 50s. Starcevich finished with eight marks, a game-high eight intercepts, and 16 disposals as he kept Papley to just 10 touches and minimal influence.
Stocks down: It seems there is always at least one hard-luck story, and this year, it's Brisbane ruckman Oscar McInerney. He was colossal for the Lions all season but misses out on a premiership medallion after dislocating his shoulder twice against Geelong last week. The 'Big-O' played 25 matches this season and has featured in 14 finals for the Lions since Chris Fagan led them back to September in 2019.
Sydney
Stocks up: Fair play to Swans veteran Luke Parker. Yes, his three goals all came in junk time of the final term, but since entering the team from Round 18 he has been a massive part of the Swans and their forward-midfield mix. He had 14 disposals and a team-high six tackles on Grand Final day, his effort always undeniable.
The same can be said about Robbie Fox, who was entrusted by John Longmire to come into the starting line up and play a role after starting the previous two finals matches as the sub. He's the right player to use in that role, to be fair, having an ability to play anywhere on the ground. But it also wasn't the wrong call to play Fox, who found himself both in attack and in defence throughout the afternoon, for four full quarters, picking up 21 disposals, six marks, three tackles and a goal, netting him 124 ranking points -- the second most of any Swan.
Stocks down: It was a sense of déjà vu for the Swans in many ways, but quite noticeably about John Longmire's decision to gamble on naming an injured forward in a Grand Final. Early in the third term with the game all but over, Longmire subbed out key forward Logan McDonald -- who had just one kick to his name -- because his ankle was no good. McDonald ended the preliminary final on the bench, with that ankle in ice, and Swans fans desperate for their team not to 'do another Sam Reid'. Reid, you'll remember, was named in Sydney's 2022 Grand Final team despite being under a significant injury cloud. He too was subbed out after making no impact, re-injuring his adductor. Déjà vu on the scoreboard, déjà vu in the mistakes made in the lead-up.
And it was a poor afternoon for the forward trio of Joel Amartey, Logan McDonald, and Hayden McLean. There were concerns coming into the decider about their ability to impact on the big stage, and as a collective, they flopped. McDonald was subbed out, McLean played okay as a backup ruck but didn't impact the scoreboard, and Amartey had just seven disposals and no scoreboard impact. It's clear where Sydney needs to improve heading into next year, and it's in the key forward department.