The returning players who could have a major impact in the back half of the season

There are several players who have barely played in 2024 who can still have an impact in the back half of the season.

Injuries sustained last year, in pre-season or earlier in the campaign have sidelined these players for the large majority of 2024.

But they are all planning to return in the second part of the season which could have a positive impact on their respective clubs.

SEN Breakfast’s Garry Lyon and Tim Watson went through who they believe can still have a say this season.

Will Ashcroft (Brisbane)

Watson: “He’s a bit forgotten.”

Lyon: “Not so much forgotten, but Brisbane are now gathering and getting some momentum.

“They’re going to have to do everything right in this back half of the year, but now they’re going to add this young kid, who took us all by storm last year, potentially in the next week or so.

“How good is that.”

Callum Mills (Sydney)

Lyon: “Sydney sitting clear on top of the ladder, they’ve got Callum Mills - their captain - who hasn’t played because of injury.

“They’re going to inject him into this side that is three games clear (on top).”

Watson: “We keep raving about their midfield. Who goes out? What role does Mils play?”

Lyon: “Whatever he wants.”

Watson: “Is he that good that he just walks straight back in?”

Lyon: “He is, and the other one is Luke Parker who is a different conversation.

“I don’t think he’s a walk-in automatic, whereas Callum Mills is.”

Riley Thilthorpe (Adelaide)

Lyon: “Adelaide aren’t going to be competing in the finals, but Riley Thilthorpe.

“Everyone told me he was about to emerge, he’s apparently looking a million dollars.

“He’s going to come back, so how exciting.”

Sam Draper (Essendon)

Watson: “We haven’t seen much of him at all this year.

“He had an interrupted pre-season, came back and played.

“I would have said this time last year that he was Essendon’s most important player and he’s hardly played this year.

“That’s a lot to look forward to. They’ve got a number of players to come back, Mason Redman will be back this week, Xavier Duursma will be back, Draper, Ben Hobbs and Darcy Parish another few weeks.”

Dan McStay (Collingwood)

Watson: “Collingwood can get him back too. That would be great for their forward line.”

Lyon: “Potentially, late.”

Mitch Lewis (Hawthorn)

Lyon: “What about Hawthorn who are taking all before them and they’re going to get big Mitch Lewis who has hardly fired a shot.”

Watson: “That’s going to be interesting because the way they play and the way they’ve been able to organise themselves without him, it just creates a whole different dynamic.

“Sam Mitchell has done a magnificent job of being able to manoeuvre the players he’s had available into positions to make them such a dangerous outfit.”

Brennan Cox (Fremantle)

Lyon: “Now that teams are going to zero in on Luke Ryan a bit, then Cox coming back is going to help him out.”

Griffin Logue (North Melbourne)

Watson: “Charlie Comben has come along really well and Aidan Corr has started to settle down and find his role there.”

Lyon: “For North supporters the back half of the year, they could have Comben, Logue and Corr maybe just settling them down.”

Oscar Allen (West Coast)

Lyon: “Clearly he’s not going to drive the Eagles into finals contention, but Oscar Allen is the captain of that side.

“He is a star key forward who goes back into that group with Elliot Yeo playing his (best) footy, Harley Reid comes back this week.”

Watson: “What does it do to Jake Waterman’s spot in the side?”

Lyon: “Well, Allen works in around Waterman.

“He has to because Waterman’s been outstanding.”

Watson: “Waterman has been the key forward there and now they’ve got to try and integrate somebody else and find a way of working.

“Sometimes it doesn’t happen straight away, there’s a little bit of shifting that needs to take place.”

Jake Melksham (Melbourne)

Lyon: “Melksham is another one I’ve written down.

“He’s not at the leave of Callum Mills and Oscar Allen, but he was a pretty important goal kicker for Melbourne and we know they’ve got their issues there.”