Rookie Review – 2024

What a season it’s been with just 1 week left for 2024. We have been very blessed this season with a huge amount of rookies performing well and increasing in value greatly along with some extra trades. This year has seen a massive 162 rookie priced players play this season, players under the Reid Line of $207,300.

As always there are a lot of rookies that have played only a few games as teams give their rookies a taste of AFL action before hopefully, come next year they slot into the best 22 or maybe 23 next season.

This was a very hard team to select due to large number of great rookies and that rookies can be classed as a success in a number of different ways. Points, price increase and job security are the main 3. Not everyone will agree but below is the selected 23 and generally in their playing positions. Let me know below who you would have in your Rookie 2024 team and who your favourite rookie was for the year.

SCT All-Rookie Team of 2024

FB:	Alex SEXTON	Bodhi UWLAND	Lawson HUMPHRIES
HB:	Matt ROBERTS (VC)	Blake HOWES	Colby MCKERCHER
C	Sam CLOHESY	Riley GARCIA	Jeremy SHARP
HF	Darcy WILSON	Kai LOHMANN	Oliver DEMPSEY (C)
F:	Darcy JONES	Sam DARCY	Harvey THOMAS
R:	Jordon SWEET	Harley REID	Shaun MANNAGH
IC:	Jase BURGOYNE	Ned MOYLE	Caleb WINDSOR
	Joel FREIJAH	Bruce REVILLE

DEF

What a season Roberts has had in a new role across halfback. His price increased by 259k before a role change and some games as the sub saw a big drop in price. He has since bounced back including a massive 161 a couple of weeks ago to increase by another 240k. McKercher has missed a few games through injury but has been super consistent otherwise with only 2 scores from full games under 74 as he racks up possessions at will. Sexton has had an up and down year but during the middle part of the year he was an excellent rookie showing why he was a popular pre-season pick in a new role. Uwland has flown under the radar but has been great after a slow start to reach a max increase of 319k with some big scores. Howes stood up early in the year when we were struggling for defenders, perfect timing for us with early cash gen and points. Humphries has been a late bloomer but has provided some much needed cover with some great scoring at a crucial time.

MID

Last years number 1 pick Reid has shown his class this year with a couple of nice ceiling scores from his inside mid role. He averaged 85 until his bye and if he maintains his forward status next year he could be an option to start, with our options looking slim once again. Mannagh played the 1st 2 games before a long hiatus but has been excellent on his return to the side. His ownership looks to have been over 30% for the entire year rewarding those that held him throughout. Garcia timed his run perfectly averaging 70 and increasing by close to 200k across 8 games. Clohesy started like a house on fire with back to back 100s in his 1st 2 games which saw him rise by close to 180k in 2 weeks. A very popular rookie this year and for good reason. Sharp has played every game this year and been a great performer. If you traded him out at his bye you only got the best from him at a 76 average and 280k increase with him dropping off slightly since.

RUC

Sweet has increased over 300k after a couple of rough weeks early on after just 1 price rise saw him miss 2 games, 1 with illness and 1 for form. He was heavily traded out but since then he hasn’t missed a beat and for the coaches that were able to hold, a perfect late trade to get maximum cash.

FWD

Dempsey has been excellent this year and is the front runner to win the rising star. He has played every game playing well throughout with an almost 300k increase at his peak this year. Darcy has kicked 35 goals this year and been one of our best rookies with consistent on field scoring. After kicking 7 goals on the weekend he has reached his peak price and set for another rise this week. Lohmann is probably the rookie we all missed with his ownership never reaching 3%, largely thanks to starting as the sub the 1st 3 games. Excluding those games he has averaged 77 and kicked 24 goals this season. Wilson has played every game this year and was another rookie that started the year well and peaked around the byes. He could very well find his way into our sides in a couple of years. Thomas hasn’t been the highest scorer but has been serviceable playing all but 1 game. Jones has been a great scorer although his best scores have come later in the year. If it wasn’t for a hamstring injury he could’ve been one of our best.

INT

Burgoyne is unlucky to not be an on field starter after such a great year. With his elevated starting price he was never really considered but has shown why we should have all had him. Moyle showed he is ready to take the number 1 ruck role whenever Witts retires. When playing solo he averaged 93 and gave coaches some quick cash increases. Windsor was another rookie that was better early in the year when needed the most. Extremely popular and timed his run well. Freijah popped up at a great time and was a very consistent scorer. He didn’t show it early but last week he showed a nice ceiling with a 136. Reville was similar to Freijah as he debuted a week earlier and scored well straight away. He stepped up when the Lions were struggling with injuries.

Honourable mentions to Graham who was good early in the year and to Dowling and Evans who have been great scorers to finish the season.

Nick Daicos Rookie of the Year Award 2024:
15 – Oliver Dempsey
11 – Colby McKercher
10 – Matt Roberts
9 – Harley Reid
9 – Sam Clohesy

Congratulations to Ollie Dempsey who has taken out the SCT Rookie of the Year for 2024! With 1 game remaining he can’t be caught.

Thanks everyone for reading the Rookie Review this season, it has been a pleasure and I look forward to doing it all again next year.

---

Leave a comment / Scroll to bottom