Which player at your club has gone to a new level in 2024?
They might be young players who are flourishing with more opportunity or established role players who are stepping up by taking more responsibility.
When pondering the above question, one player in particular came to mind for Western Bulldogs great Brad Johnson.
He has been loving what Alex Neal-Bullen has been doing for Melbourne so far in 2024 as a hard-working high half-forward who is arguably in career-best form.
Champion Data has the 28-year-old rated as the best general forward in the AFL right now, further highlighting his influence on Simon Goodwin’s Demons.
“Alex Neal-Bullen is a player that has been in the system for some time now,” Johnson said on SEN’s Sportsday.
“But it's probably been his last couple of years that he started to just be more consistent in his performance. Simon Goodwin has given him a role that he can play well and he's got the endurance to get up the ground and come back.
“Even the start of this year, I think it has gone to another level again. I was talking to ‘Hoyney’ (Champion Data’s Daniel Hoyne) about Alex Neal-Bullen and I asked, ‘Where does he sit in the competition at the moment from a forward point of view?’.
“When we look at the general forward it is based on your position played and where and how you win your ball.
“Neal-Bullen is doing it in a number of ways at the moment. He's doing it inside forward 50 where he can float back through, he's doing it through the wings, handball receives linking up well, and then he's also supporting defence, getting back and being the high half-forward to be able to play that role.
“He sits number one in the competition as a general forward this year so far. He’s having an impact on where Melbourne are going this year.”
Neal-Bullen is averaging a career-high 19 disposals across four games in 2024, picking up 12 coaches votes for his troubles (including eight against Port Adelaide in Round 3).
According to Champion Data’s rankings, Neal-Bullen sits ahead of Liam Baker (Richmond), Jack Higgins (St Kilda), Jade Gresham (Essendon), Tom Berry (Gold Coast), Tom Papley (Sydney), Jye Caldwell (Essendon), Izak Rankine (Adelaide), Rhyan Mansell (Richmond) and Darcy Byrne-Jones (Port Adelaide) in the top 10 for general forwards.
Another hard-working forward who has caught the eye of Johnson is Carlton’s Lachie Fogarty.
The 25-year-old has forced his way into Michael Voss’ outfit this year with a high-pressure style which has helped the Blues to an unbeaten start.
He is in a group of players who Johnson believes have gone to a new level in the early stages of the 2024 season.
“One that sticks out for me is Lachie Fogarty at Carlton, I think he's gone to a complete new level, really consistent in his performance,” he added.
“Tom Powell at North Melbourne, Matty Johnson at Fremantle, Archie Perkins at the Bombers has been sensational, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera at St Kilda, Lachie Bramble for the Western Bulldogs - who would have thought he would have the start of the year that he has had off the half-back line.
“Matty Roberts at the Swans was playing in the twos all last year. He couldn't get a look in and now all of a sudden he's getting 20 plus (disposals per game) and having a huge say on where the Swans are going.
“You go through a couple more as well - Thomson Dow (Richmond) and Tanner Bruhn (Geelong) are a couple of others that have had a great start to the year.”