Every club houses a player whose career has not unfolded as expected after a bright start or top draft billing.
We take a look at one from all 18 clubs that has failed to live up to expectation so far...
ADELAIDE
Troy Menzel
Hard to believe that a first round draft pick from five years ago spends his time languishing in the SANFL but that’s the predicament the 22-year-old finds himself in.
Menzel has played four senior games since joining the Crows at the end of 2015 after looking every bit the top-end draft pick after 40 games and 47 goals at Carlton.
Of most concern is that after the left-footer was publically called out by coach Don Pyke in the pre-season of 2016, he enjoyed a strong summer in the lead up to 2017 but still can’t break into the side.
Admittedly the Crows’ forwardline is a tough one to break into but the fact the silky forward remains no closer to doing so is a huge concern.
BRISBANE
Sam Mayes
Has there been a more nondescript 86 games from a top 10 draft pick?
While the 23-year-old has been marginally better in 2017 – he averages 21 disposals – an inability to impact games in any meaningful fashion has dogged the South Australian. Some would argue that had he been drafted to any other side than the Lions he’d be nowhere near approaching 100 games given his on-field struggles.
Mayes appears to have a beneficiary of the string of departures from the club given they offered him a three-year deal tying him to the Lions until the end of 2019. At that point any singing was a positive one for the embattled club.
Taken with the eighth overall selection in 2012 Mayes has time on his side, but given those drafted around him include Ollie Wines, Brodie Grundy and Jack Macrae, the skilled right-footer will need to get cracking.
CARLTON
Dylan Buckley
A career that promised much is fading faster than acid wash jeans.
Buckley has not played senior football since Round 23 last year and appears very much on the outer with coach Brendon Bolton. It’s head scratching stuff for a player with speed and guile, but reaching a point where its hard to see the son of former Carlton star Jim being at the club beyond 2017.
Part of the reason has been the development of Sam Docherty, the recruitment of Lachie Plowman and the stability of Kade Simpson, but at some point excuses run out.
If Buckley was good enough, and the coaching staff thought as much, he’d be a senior player after six years in the system. The reality is he’s not and faces a very uncertain future.
COLLINGWOOD
James Aish
Tough call on a player in his fourth season, but as it stands right now there are huge question marks on the South Australian’s ability to make good on his top 10 draft status.
The 21-year-old was dropped following Round 2 and spent five weeks in the VFL before earning a recall for the Round 9 loss to GWS. He copped a cheekbone injury against the Hawks and was serviceable in loss to the Demons.
Aish is probably a victim of not commanding a frontline midfield position given the presence of Adam Treloar, Scott Pendleburuy and Taylor Adams, but its one he’s going to have to earn given the trio aren’t going anywhere in the short-term.
If a year similar to this one unfolds next season alarm bells will be ringing.
ESSENDON
Jackson Merrett
While his brother Zach goes from strength-to-strength the older of the Merrett boys spends his weekends running around in the VFL.
A former second round pick in 2011 the young Bomber appeared to be forging a career after playing 43 games in his first four seasons. But with the arrival of John Worsfold the outside playmaker’s career has gone south.
Dropped twice in 2016, Merrett has not been sighted at all in 2017 and has slipped so far off the radar its hard to see his future being at the club.
Over the past two years Merrett has watched the likes of Orazio Fantasia, Anthony McDonald-Tipingwuti and Travis Colyer take their chances. Merrett’s contract expires in a little over four months.
FREMANTLE
Zac Clarke
Injuries explain part of the 203cm Docker’s inability – he has not played at all in 2017 because of a knee injury – but the writing was on the wall well before 2017.
Bar 2014, the 27-year-old has spent his career oscillating between WAFL and AFL while teasing fans with the capabilities of his supremely athletic frame.
Name has been thrown up at each of the past three trade periods and expect the same this time around. Given his size and age likely to get a crack elsewhere.
GEELONG
Jordan Murdoch
Never been able to establish himself as a senior player despite six years and 81 games to his name.
On face value boasts the physical tools (2.8 second speed for 20 metres), height (190cm) and pure strength that affords teammates a wide berth in grappling drills, but the South Australian lacks the ingredients that bring the package together – footy smarts, awareness and poise.
A get-it and kick-it player the 25-year-old is limited in positions he can play because of an inability to read the game consistently.
Murdoch has a year to run on his contract but could be used as trade bait if a suitor can be found.
GOLD COAST
Trent McKenzie
Almost from the instant Rodney Eade took the helm at the Suns the booming left-footers career took a turn for the worse.
Dropped after Eade’s first game as coach, and again four weeks later, the 25-year-old has not been sighted at senior level since Round 14, 2016.
Hamstring injuries have played their part but it’s been a momentous fall from grace for a player once considered to boast the game’s most damaging left boot. It’s that left-boot that will likely attract interest from rivals at this year trade period given McKenzie’s two-year deal expires at the conclusion of this season.
The 17-year-old zone access selection from the 2011 draft is stranded on 99 games and might very well play his 100th in another strip next season.
GWS GIANTS
Matt Buntine
Hard to see the wood for the trees in terms of analysing the infinite number of top-end draftees taken by GWS, but Buntine’s career hasn’t unfolded as planned for a top five draft pick from six years ago.
Not played more than 12 games in any one season for a career total of 40 and is currently sidelined with a knee injury.
Prior to 2017 spent the latter part of last year in the NEAFL and was overlooked for finals while in 2015 bookended the year in the second tier competition.
HAWTHORN
Taylor Duryea
Duryea will point two his 2014 and 2015 premiership medals as development enough but when the side has needed him to stand up the Caulfield Grammar boy has fallen flat this year.
He spent half of the season in the VFL after being dropped following the Round 1 loss to Essendon and has been below average in four games since returning in Round 9.
Is Duyrea a player who needs others to elevate him without the arsenal to elevate others? Right now that’s a case that can be made against the 26-year-old who will be feeling a little nervous given his two-year deal expires at the end of this season.
MELBOURNE
Ben Kennedy
Almost the forgotten man of the 2012 draft – Kennedy was taken first round pick 19 by Collingwood – after crossing to the Demons at the end of 2015 after 25 games with the Pies.
After playing 15 of the opening 16 games for Melbourne in 2016, the 175cm ball winner has not been sighted again at senior level despite starring at VFL level.
Every week on the sidelines make it tougher to see the South Australian lasting the distance at the Dees given the continued development of teammates, including Christian Petracca, Mitch Hannan, Jeff Garlett, Jayden Hunt, Clayton Oliver, Christian Salem, James Harmes and Tom Bugg.
NORTH MELBOURNE
Majak Daw
The great ‘story’ is surely about to end.
In a year fans and the club hoped the 26-year-old has played one senior game – 10 disposals and one goal – before being returned to sender in the VFL. Form since at the lower level has been up and down like the bedsprings on a Spaniard’s honeymoon.
Its clear Daw’s game is severely lacking in a number of departments that have not developed sufficiently for the Sudanese product to be considered a bona fide senior player.
He averages three games a season and has not played anymore than nine matches in a single year. It is hard to fathom the club’s decision to sign the underperforming forward to a three-year deal tying him to the Roos until the end of 2019.
PORT ADELAIDE
Jimmy Toumpas
Despite getting senior opportunities in recent weeks the former No. 4 draft pick from 2012 has struggled to reach a level commensurate with his draft billing.
Since debuting in Round 1, 2013 the 23-year-old has played 37 games in five years and only 19 in the last three years. If Ken Hinkley and his coaching staff thought they could turn the former Demons’ fortunes around they might be thinking twice.
Physicality and aggressiveness, at man and ball, have never been Toumpas’s strong suit, but the Power felt that his running capabilities were back to where they were as an elite junior.
There is a very real possibility the South Australian, who is out of contract at season’s end, goes from toast of the draft to football’s scrapheap in the space six years.
RICHMOND
Reece Conca
Started this year in fine fashion but on the full body of work four good games does not make a career that for the most part has spluttered after the Tigers made the Western Australian the sixth overall selection at the 2010 national draft.
Had his mental toughness questioned by former development coach Mark Williams after a litany of hamstring injuries thwarted the 181cm Tiger’s attempts to get his career started. But even when fit and firing exactly where does Conca fit in?
Is tough and works hard, which is good in leagues with half-time oranges and post-game certificates.
In the AFL, players are generally in trouble when coaches start talking about how hard they played. Still has time to produce but right now stands in a group of players taken at recent drafts that produced too many excuses and not enough players.
ST KILDA
Nathan Wright
Saints fans were buoyed about Wright, taken with the 24th overall selection at the 2012 national draft, after an impressive first season that netted eight games playing predominantly across half back.
He has not topped more than 10 games in a single season since and has been dropped following all three senior appearances this year. When a player is five years into his career and is still the fall-guy for poor team performances, it does not bode well.
Wright has been hurt by the fact others have developed around him which forced coach Alan Richardson to deploy the 23-year-old as a defensive forward after showing promise early in his career as a defender. Inconsistent disposal has not helped the Dandenong Stingray product’s cause.
He signed a contract extension tying him to the Saints until the end of 2018.
SYDNEY
Harry Cunningham
After playing every game in Sydney’s 2014 runner-up campaign the playmaking Swan followed up with 21 games a year later and appeared to have established himself as a regular senior player.
Fast-forward to 2017 and the 23-year-old has taken a back seat as the likes of Isaac Henney, Callum Mills, Tom Papley, George Hewett, Will Hayward and Nic Newman take centre stage.
Already dropped once this season Cunningham has been sidelined by a foot injury but with form of the team right now is unlikely to earn a recall unless injuries strike.
It is hard to pinpoint exactly why the Swans’ career has stalled, but a lack of versatility and x factor for the roles he’s asked to play don’t help the cause. The Wagga product is tied to the Swans until the end of 2019.
WEST COAST
Jack Redden
Recruited by the Eagles to add icing to a seemingly stacked midfield but has fallen flat since being swapped for the 21st pick at last year’s draft.
Redden has been dropped twice in past 12 months and is currently out of favour as coach Adam Simpson remodels his midfield without the 26-year-old in it.
A lack of leg speed hurts the former second round draft selection of the Brisbane Lions who is competing with the likes of champions Matt Priddis, Sam Mitchell, Dom Sheed and Liam Duggan for a spot in the side.
Other issue for the former Croweater is his inability to hit the scoreboard – he has never kicked more than 14 goals in a season and has not topped double figures since 2012.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Tom Boyd
Boyd is an easy target given draft status and pay packet, but in the wake of last year’s finals heroics the 21-year-old has seemingly regressed in 2017.
He is averaging 11 disposals and two marks per game this year, and in seven of his 11 appearances this season the 200cm Bulldog has failed to top 12 disposals.
Part of the issue for Boyd is the fact the Dogs are asking him to play ruck when Eastern Ranges coach Darren Bewick maintains his former charge is a key forward.
Wherever he plays the Dogs would like to be getting a better return their fourth-year charge. Last year’s Grand Final is getting further away by the minute for one of the game’s scrutinised players.