With two (or three) games to use as a snapshot, what has and hasn't worked at your club in the engine room?
We've looked at your clubs' centre bounce attendances (CBAs) after Round 2 to gauge what they're trying to do and who your club trusts get the ball going their way.
Some clubs have to adjust their mix on-ball, while others will be hoping the form of key players improves. Others might just have nailed it out of the gate!
You can see all your club’s CBA numbers round by round here – they lay it out better than we ever could, so scroll through them alongside this one!
Adelaide
What’s worked?
Matt Crouch is back to his best form, finding 37 disposals and winning nine clearances on the weekend against Geelong.
He’s attended 77% of Adelaide’s centre bounces this season after being in and out of the team across the last few seasons.
There’s probably a few teams out there kicking themselves that they didn’t make a move for him when he was on the market.
What hasn't?
While it’s great for Crouch to be back on-ball and playing good footy, the question at Adelaide is the mix.
Jordan Dawson, Matt Crouch and Rory Laird have done the vast majority of work in the middle so far this season, with Sam Berry the next highest.
That quartet feels a bit one-paced. They may need to inject a bit more of Izak Rankine, Jake Soligo and Luke Pedlar in there to provide a different look.
Adelaide however is the number one team in the competition in terms of clearances per game. The issue has been the quality of those clearances.
Brisbane
What’s worked?
The Lions have a settled group. Lachie Neale, Josh Dunkley, Hugh McCluggage and Jarryd Lyons with sprinkles of Cam Rayner, Zac Bailey and Dayne Zorko.
They’ve clearly thrown Lyons back into the mix to offset the loss of Will Ashcroft and have pushed him ahead of Jarrod Berry in the pecking order.
Brisbane know what works for them, particularly when Neale is out there.
What hasn't?
We got a look at the Brisbane group without Lachie Neale against Fremantle and they were comfortably beaten by the likes of Caleb Serong and Andrew Brayshaw.
They cranked up Dunkley and McCluggage’s time on-ball, while Bailey and Deven Robertson also saw increased CBAs.
The Lions clearly missed their star ball-winner, but it was interesting to see them spread the load in his absence rather than give the opportunity to Rayner or Bailey to really step up and play on-ball.
Carlton
What’s worked?
With Sam Walsh and Sam Docherty out of action, plus the loss of Paddy Dow in the trade period, Carlton has turned to young midfielder Jack Carroll.
After having a big impact as the sub in Opening Round, Carroll attended 52 per cent of centre bounces in Round 1 and was the clear fourth banana behind Patrick Cripps, George Hewett and Adam Cerra.
He absolutely looks like a player worth persisting with.
What hasn't?
Adam Cerra sat around the likes of Andrew Brayshaw, Zach Merrett and Connor Rozee last year when it came to winning clearances, highlighting the great 2023 season he had.
His start to 2024 has been tough by his standards, which the Blues can’t afford given Walsh and Docherty aren’t around to help.
Carlton will be hoping he hits his stride as the season goes on.
The Blues are ranked 16th for clearances per game after two games, which feels like an anamoly at this stage.
Collingwood
What’s worked?
Collingwood feels like a team trying to work out what their best mix is and you have to give them some credit for experimenting.
Jordan De Goey has consistently attended 75 per cent of CBAs across three games, while the numbers for the likes of Nick Daicos, Scott Pendlebury, Jack Crisp and Tom Mitchell have fluctuated up and down.
Do they need to get some more speed around the ball with the likes of Josh Daicos and Crisp? That feels like the tweak they need to consider.
What hasn't?
Tom Mitchell feels a bit off the pace to start 2024. His ball-use has been poor and he doesn’t have the speed to keep up with his opponents.
He attended 57 per cent of centre bounces against St Kilda after being ‘managed’ the week prior.
Those attendances would likely be better served by a more dynamic player, especially at this early stage of the season.
Mitchell will have a role to play as the season goes on and the weather gets colder, but he hasn’t got the job done so far this season.
Essendon
What’s worked?
Archie Perkins has looked fantastic playing a heavy on-ball role in the absence of Darcy Parish.
Perkins has attended 80 per cent of Essendon’s CBAs across the first two rounds and was best on ground in their win over Hawthorn.
Will Setterfield has been equally effective, again proving that he is an AFL capable player whenever given the opportunity.
This Dons group is ranked second in the competition for clearances per game.
What hasn't?
How do the Bombers balance Todd Goldstein and Sam Draper?
Goldstein was excellent in Round 1 as the sole ruckman, but with Draper back for Round 2, the pair split the CBAs 51-49.
Is that simply how it will be all year? Can they be effective up forward when not in the ruck? These are the questions Brad Scott will be asking himself.
Fremantle
What’s worked?
Nathan Fyfe is a great centre bounce player – who knew!
Fyfe has played almost entirely on-ball for the Dockers so far this year, providing a big body for Caleb Serong and Andrew Brayshaw to work off.
They subbed him out against North Melbourne to manage his minutes which also feels like savvy management, particularly with Jaeger O’Meara able to come on.
Luke Jackson doing 84 per cent of the centre bounce ruck work is also an enormous win.
What hasn't?
Hayden Young hasn’t quite shown the same form we saw at the back-end of 2023 as an on-baller, but it’s only been two weeks and he should be given more time to work it out. He has attended 66 per cent of centre bounces so far.
With O’Meara back however and players missing down back, you could understand if Justin Longmuir shifted Young into defence going forward.
Will they give Matthew Johnson more opportunities if so? The talented youngster needs a chance to learn the craft at the top level.
Geelong
What’s worked?
Paddy Dangerfield has held the Geelong midfield together so far, playing 78 per cent of centre bounces.
The Cats lost Tanner Bruhn and Tom Atkins for Round 2, but Dangerfield led the way and kept them competitive.
Jhye Clark also stepped up in his first real opportunity and showed some signs.
What hasn't?
Well now Dangerfield has a hamstring injury, coupled with Cam Guthrie, Atkins and Bruhn’s absences.
If none get up for Easter Monday, how does Geelong combat this given their depth isn’t strong to begin with?
Could we see Mitch Duncan, Max Holmes and Mark O’Connor called upon? We’ll likely see a heavy workload for Clark and Brandan Parfitt once again.
Gold Coast
What’s worked?
Matt Rowell has had an enormous start to 2024 and has attended 83 per cent of centre bounces for the Suns so far.
He is a contested bull who wins clearances for fun and his one-on-one clash with Tom Liberatore on Sunday was outstanding to watch.
His usage in the centre is higher than the back-half of 2023 under Stephen King, with Hardwick very clearly wanting Rowell on-ball as much as possible.
What hasn't?
It’s interesting that Damien Hardwick has come to the same conclusion as Stuart Dew when it comes to the Suns’ on-ball mix – Rowell, Touk Miller and Noah Andeson doing at least 75 per cent of the work and everyone else plugging in around that.
Sam Flanders has bobbed up for 48 per cent of CBAs so far this season, a number that dipped in Ballarat against the Bulldogs when the game was slipping away from them.
You have to wonder whether the Suns can put this heavy of a workload on these three players across an entire season.
GWS Giants
What’s worked?
Tom Green, Brownlow Medal favourite, has arrived and to the surprise of nobody.
He ranks third amongst midfielders for centre clearances so far this season and that’s despite only winning one against West Coast.
When fully fit, the Giants boast one of the more dynamic and devastating midfield mixes in the league with Stephen Coniglio, Josh Kelly and Callan Ward paired with Kieren Briggs.
What hasn't?
The Giants, however, need more depth.
Similarly to the Suns, it feels like they’re leaving too much to too few, particularly in the absence of Ward.
Green and Coniglio have attended 88 per cent of centre bounces so far this season. No other midfielder is above 60 per cent.
They may need to trust guys like Finn Callaghan, Xavier O’Halloran and even a Toby Bedford as the season goes along just to give Green and Coniglio a chop out.
Hawthorn
What’s worked?
Not a whole lot, to be honest.
What hasn't?
James Worpel is Hawthorn’s leading centre clearance winner so far this season with four, Ned Reeves has three, Josh Ward has two and Jai Newcombe, somehow, has only won one.
Conor Nash has attended 70 per cent of centre bounces so far this season and hasn’t looked like a centre bounce midfielder either.
Sam Mitchell needs to go back to the drawing board because this on-ball mix hasn’t worked and they have been battered by Essendon and Melbourne respectively.
Maybe it’s a Dylan Moore or a Henry Hustwaite that needs to be called upon to change up the mix.
They are ranked a distant 18th for clearances per game after two games.
Melbourne
What’s worked?
The Dees are clearly incrementally increasing Clayton Oliver’s workload on-ball as he continues to build-up after an interrupted off-season.
He attended 63 per cent of centre bounces in Opening Round, 69 per cent in Round 1 and 77 per cent in Round 2.
This is a great sign for Dees fans as Oliver continues to look like the superstar midfielder of previous years.
What hasn't?
After using Christian Salem on-ball over the pre-season and putting him at 76 per cent of CBAs in Round 1, the Dees completely cut the cord on his midfield minutes in Round 2.
They essentially gave his midfield minutes to Tom Sparrow, with Salem returning to his half back role.
Is this the end of the midfield experiment for Salem or simply a one-off for Round 2? It’s one to watch.
North Melbourne
What’s worked?
Tom Powell looks like he’s established himself as a key part of this North Melbourne on-ball rotation.
He has attended 84 per cent of centre bounces for the Roos so far this season, including 93 per cent in Round 2.
He rewarded them with 28 disposals, eight clearances and two goals against Freo.
What hasn't?
The Roos are ranked 13th in the competition for clearances per game after two games, but they’ve come up against two powerhouse midfield units with GWS and Fremantle.
It will be interesting to see them up against a Carlton midfield unit equally struggling at the contest early in the season.
It presents an opportunity for them after a so-so start overall to the 2024 season.
Port Adelaide
What’s worked?
In the absence of Jason Horne-Francis in Round 2, Willem Drew stepped up and filled the void.
Drew had arguably a career best game against Richmond, finishing with 27 disposals, nine inside 50s and a goal.
It highlights the depth the Power have in the midfield, particularly with Ollie Wines still able to go in there and win contests.
What hasn't?
Interestingly, the Power rank 14th for clearances won so far this season, with Connor Rozee and Zak Butters having only won nine centre clearances combined.
While the pair have been devastating around the ground, they have a bit of work to do at the source.
Wines has won eight himself despite only attending 56 per cent of Port centre bounces so far this season.
Richmond
What’s worked?
It appears using Shai Bolton as a small forward hasn’t lasted long for Adem Yze, with his on-ball usage increasing each week.
He attended 61 per cent of CBAs in Round 2 and immediately looked dangerous, winning 22 disposals and kicking 2.2.
Given the injuries to Dion Prestia and Jacob Hopper, Bolton should remain in the middle.
What hasn't?
It’s odd that Adem Yze was so adamant that Dustin Martin would spend the majority of this season on-ball because … he hasn’t?
Martin has attended 18 per cent of Richmond centre bounces and even with Hopper and Prestia out of the team, he was barely used in the middle against Port Adelaide.
Did something change on the eve of the season or did Yze just fib to the media? Either way, it seems odd.
St Kilda
What’s worked?
Marcus Windhager stepped right up in Brad Crouch’s absence in Round 2, essentially taking his on-ball rotations.
The young midfielder looks ready for high usage at centre bounces and a chance to really establish himself at AFL level.
He was used sporadically in 2023, but should be set for a breakout 2024 season.
What hasn't?
St Kilda needs to find a better backup ruck solution than Mitchito Owens.
Collingwood had too big an advantage in the centre whenever he was in there in Round 2, something other teams will also exploit.
Owens is a versatile piece and a future star, but he is not a ruckman in any way shape or form.
Whether it’s Anthony Caminiti or Cooper Sharman or a returning Jack Hayes, they just need to try something else.
Sydney
What’s worked?
Isaac Heeney filling the Mills-Parker-Adams void has absolutely worked. He might be leading the Brownlow after three games.
The mix with Heeney, Chad Warner, James Rowbottom and Errol Gulden with sprinkles of Tom Papley and Justin McInerney has been a perfect blend of inside and outside and set up Sydney’s start to the season.
Brodie Grundy is the mature head in the ruck that stabilises everything around him as well.
What hasn't?
The question now is – what do you do when Taylor Adams, Luke Parker and Callum Mills are fit?
Do you change what’s working? Do you force Parker forward and Mills into defence?
What role does Adams play? Is he simply the substitute? The Swans have some magnets to move around.
West Coast
What’s worked?
Elliot Yeo as a full-time midfielder has been outstanding. His body is finally fit and he has clearly been the Eagles’ best on-baller after two rounds.
He ranks first at West Coast for centre bounce clearances after two games, double the next highest.
Yeo deserves a fair crack at it after some injury interrupted seasons.
What hasn't?
Overall, the Eagles rank 15th for clearances won per game so far this season.
Their issues are wide ranging, but the midfield should be the strong point of this team, with Yeo, Tim Kelly, Harley Reid, Reuben Ginbey and Liam Duggan all more than capable.
Given their problems everywhere else, they simply can’t afford to continue being beaten at the coalface.
Western Bulldogs
What’s worked?
The Bulldogs have their quartet on-ball and they will back them in head-to-head against any group in the competition.
Marcus Bontempelli, Tom Liberatore, Adam Treloar and Tim English all attend the vast majority of the Bulldogs’ CBAs, with the club ranked fourth for clearances per game.
Bontempelli, Liberatore and English have combined for 22 centre clearances already this season.
What hasn't?
As we’ve mentioned a few times, the Dogs need to trust a few more players at centre bounces.
Ryley Sanders was incredibly impressive in Round 2, attending 32 per cent of CBAs.
The question will be what they do if one of their main guys suffers an injury, particularly with the Dogs’ once vaunted midfield depth now depleted.
Josh Dunkley is in Brisbane, Bailey Smith is out for the season and Jack Macrae can’t get into the team.