Each year it seems AFL fans are banking on a different player to rise above expectations to cap an All-Australian level season after years of middling performances.
High draft picks, adjusted roles or players in their early 20s showing glimpses of being elite create the most off-season buzz from December to March, and this summer is no exception.
In years past, pundits have pre-empted the breakout of Jake Stringer, Cameron Rayner, Errol Gulden and Charlie Curnow just to name a few. Some rise with the pressure, while others succumb to it.
In 2024, the fate of many teams rests primarily on the improvement of their young guns, some are hoping to fill a void left by departing greats and some are looking to bolster an area of the field for a particular team.
We've named five players who need a breakout campaign this year for the sake of their teams and their own career arcs.
2. Ben King
Gold Coast is under more pressure than ever before to make the eight in their first season under three-time premiership coach Damien Hardwick.
Their most glaring weakness since the departure of former captain Tom Lynch has been their key forward production, with Ben King and Mabior Chol filling that hole occasionally.
Fully fit and entering his fifth year at the Suns, 202cm King has shown glimpses of stardom as the primary forward option for Gold Coast but simply doesn't touch the footy enough to inflict real damage.
1.8 goals and 3.5 marks is a good strike rate from less than eight touches a game, but highlights his susceptibility to going missing for long periods of play and failing to impact four quarters consistently.
Turning 24 in July, King should enter the season fresh off a full pre-season and rejuvenated under an established coaching great. 2024 could be the year he breaks into All-Australian discussion while helping the growth of prized draft pick Jed Walter.
