There's no doubting Sydney recruit Brodie Grundy is having a positive influence on the Swans' premiership hopes this year, but the former Demon and Magpie are leading multiple unwanted statistics to start the season.

Grundy's move to the red and white has helped the New South Wales side sit second on the ladder after seven matches, but could the Swans be even stronger if the two-time All-Australian was a little less careless around the contest and with the ball in hand?

After his first seven games at his third club, Grundy, unfortunately, leads the league for free kicks against, recording 22 for the year so far at an average of 3.1. His season tally is six more than the next highest in Richmond counterpart Toby Nankervis.

Grundy also sits first overall for clangers per game at 6.1, having totalled 43 clangers in 2024 already, and is leading the competition for the lowest kicking efficiency among players to have used the ball by foot at least 50 times this year, going at 35.2%.

Grundy also ranks second worst in the competition for disposal efficiency (57.6%) among players to have gathered at least 100 disposals.

While ball movement isn't the leading trait that has seen Grundy become one of the best ruckmen of his era, a rise in his efficiency - and fewer free kicks against - could see the Swans go a step above in the final three-quarters of the season.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 07: Brodie Grundy of the Swans runs the ball during the Opening Round AFL match between Sydney Swans and Melbourne Demons at SCG, on March 07, 2024, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

The Swans recruit isn't the only one leading the league's unwanted stats, with St Kilda's Riley Bonner (turnover rating), Melbourne's Christian Petracca (shot on goal inaccuracy) and North Melbourne's Toby Pink (contested defensive one-on-one loss rating) also needing to change areas of their game.

Bonner has recorded 40 turnovers from 134 possessions during his time with the Saints, which equates to a rate of 29.9%. That figure comes ahead of Essendon pair Ben Hobbs (28.9%) and Nik Cox (27.9%), and Brisbane's Darcy Wilmot (28.2%).

Petracca, perhaps already known for his wayward kicking in the front half, has correctly converted just five of his 17 shots on goal to start the 2024 season - a rating of just 29.4%.

That rating falls below the next worst in GWS captain Toby Green (33.3%), young Cat Ollie Dempsey (33.3%) and Brisbane ace Charlie Cameron (35.7%)

At the other end of the field, Kangaroos recruit Pink has lost 60% of his defensive contested one-on-one contests so far this year, having conceded in nine of his 15 contests against a direct opponent.

GWS pair Harry Himmelber and Harry Perryman, as well as Eagle Tom Barrass, trail Pink for the metric, having lost exactly half of their defensive contested one-on-one contests.

The AFL players leading unwanted stats in 2024

Free Kicks Against

Player Games Free Kicks Against Avg. Free Kicks Against
Brodie Grundy 7 22 3.1
Toby Nankervis 6 16 2.7
Toby Greene 6 14 2.3
Harrison Petty 5 11 2.2
Kieren Briggs 7 15 2.1
Jordan De Goey 7 15 2.1
Tristan Xerri 7 15 2.1

Players leading for turnovers per game as of Round 7 (minimum 4 games played)

Clangers

Player Games Clangers Avg. Clangers
Brodie Grundy 7 43 6.1
Patrick Dangerfield 4 24 6.0
Tim Taranto 5 29 5.8
Toby Nankervis 6 33 5.5
Jordan De Goey 7 38 5.4
Hayden Young 7 37 5.3
Reilly O'Brien 7 37 5.3

Players leading for clangers per game as of Round 7 (minimum 4 games played)

Lowest Disposal Efficiency 

Player Disposals Effective Disposals Disposal Efficiency (%)
103 59 57.3
Brodie Grundy
 132 76 57.6
153 89 58.2
115 68 59.1
103 61 59.2
108 64 59.3
Toby Nankervis
 100 60 60.0
114 69 60.5
Tim Taranto 125 76 60.8
119 73 61.3

Players leading for lowest disposal efficiency rating as of Round 7 (minimum 100 disposals recorded)

Lowest Kicking Efficiency 

Player Kicks Effective Kicks Kicking Efficiency (%)
Brodie Grundy
 54 19 35.2
58 24 41.4
Ollie Wines 60 25 41.7
55 23 41.8
Jordan De Goey
 78 33 42.3
52 22 42.3
63 28 44.4
54 24 44.4
Tim Kelly 80 36 45.0
62 28 45.2
63 29 46.0

Players leading for lowest kicking efficiency rating as of Round 7 (minimum 50 kicks recorded)

Turnovers

Player Possessions Turnovers
Turnover Rate (%)
134 40 29.9
Ben Hobbs 104 30 28.9
110 31 28.2
Nik Cox 104 29 27.9
153 42 27.5
104 28 26.9
102 27 26.5
123 32 26.0
Connor Macdonald
 118 30 25.4

Players leading for turnover rating per possession as of Round 7 (minimum 100 possessions)

Shot On Goal Inaccuracy

Player Shots On Goal Goals Goal Rating (%)
17 5 29.4
27 9 33.3
15 5 33.3
28 10 35.7
24 9 37.5
21 8 38.1
23 9 39.1
30 12 40.0
Max King 15 6 40.0

Players leading for lowest shot-on-goal rating as of Round 7 (minimum 15 shots on goal)

Defensive One-On-One Losses

Player Contested Defensive One-On-Ones Contested Defensive One-On-Ones Losses Contested Defensive One-On-Ones Losses Rating
Toby Pink 15 9 60
Harry Himmelberg
 12 6 50
10 5 50
10 5 50
11 5 45.5
16 7 43.8
12 5 41.7
15 6 40
10 4 40
10 4 40
10 4 40
10 4 40

Players leading most contested defensive one-on-one lose rating (Minimum 10 contested defensive one-on-one contests)