Stocks up, stocks down: Harry McKay an unlikely hero, foolish Mason Cox

In Opening Round of the 2024 AFL season Carlton proved they’re a legitimate flag chance, Mason Cox looked a total fool, and those same old demons came back to haunt Melbourne. Here’s whose stocks are up and down.

Editor’s Picks

Our footy experts cast their eye over the week’s action to find out whose stocks are up — whether it’s a coaching masterstroke or a player having a blinder — and whose are down. Every club features, so jump ahead to your team below (desktop only).

Jump to your team:

BRIS | CARL | COLL | GC | GWS | MEL | RICH | SYD

Harry McKay starred for the Blues in Opening Round. ESPN/Getty Images

Brisbane

Stocks up: It’s tough to remain competitive at AFL level as a 35-year-old, but Dayne Zorko makes it look easy. The former skipper was dynamic for the Lions, providing energy and pressure around the contest, and pushing forward and hitting the scoreboard as well. His final stat line of 19 disposals, six tackles, and two goals was indicative of a complete performance. He remains a crucial cog in this team.

Stocks down: Stocks were sky high for emerging star Keidean Coleman following back-to-back standout performances in last year’s preliminary final win over Carlton and Grand Final loss to Collingwood, but unfortunately his 2024 is already over. Coleman appeared to hyperextend his knee on the stroke of halftime against the Blues. He was subbed out of the contest at the main break, but scans revealed the damage was far worse with the talented Lion suffering a torn ACL. Simply a massive blow for the Lions.

Keidean Coleman of the Lions suffered an ACL injury against the Blues. Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Carlton

Stocks up: Where do we even begin?! Credit has to go to Michael Voss and his coaching staff for turning things around in such dramatic fashion when all appeared lost, while maligned key forward Harry McKay rightly deserves his plaudits for coming up clutch in the dying moments to win the game for his club. But it has to be the resilience of this side which gets the biggest tick. Trailing by 46 points at a venue where visiting teams simply don’t win, they could have easily folded like a house of cards. Instead, they flipped the game on its head and proved they are legit in 2024.

Stocks down: Coleman wasn’t the only player to suffer a season-ending ACL injury in Opening Round, Carlton’s Sam Docherty was also handed the horror news on Saturday morning, souring what was one of the club’s best wins in recent history. And while we’re on the topic of the game, if Voss’ stocks rise on the back of the comeback, it’s only fair they fall back to some sort of parity given Carlton’s abysmal start to the game. The Blues had six months to prepare for their first clash of the season, solve the issues that plagued them at various stages of 2023 and work toward making a statement that they would be a force this year. They were totally outplayed and made to look pedestrian for the first 45 minutes, and that has to fall on Voss.

Collingwood

Stocks up: If you thought Nick Daicos peaked in 2023, think again. Collingwood’s young maestro picked up exactly where he left off last season playing somewhat of a lone hand in his side’s disappointing 32-point loss to the Giants in their season opener. Daicos tallied a game-high 34 disposals, a game-high 16 contested possessions, a game-high 10 clearances, a game-high eight inside 50s (noticing a pattern?) and booted a goal in yet another impressive outing.

Stocks down: Sorry, Mason Cox, but when you criticize the Giants and make fun of their home ground, you simply cannot go and lay a total egg the next time you play them there. Cox didn’t register his first touch of the Sherrin until midway through the third term, and finished the game with just two kicks, in what was a night to forget for the reigning premier. Is it a flag hangover? We’re not going that far right now but it’s certainly a watch this space situation…

Gold Coast

Stocks up: At halftime on the Gold Coast, Matt Rowell had more centre clearances than the entire Richmond team. The contested beast was putting on a clearance clinic, winning the ball at the coalface and setting up his runners on the outside as the Suns opened up a 10-goal margin before the main break. Rowell’s productive outing continued throughout, despite Richmond’s spirited comeback, his ridiculous final stat line of 33 disposals, 26 contested possessions, 20 clearances (the equal second-most in a game) and 10 centre clearances sure to pocket him three Brownlow Medal votes.

Matt Rowell starred for the Suns in Opening Round. Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Stocks down: Those in the Alastair Clarkson is the best coach in footy camp might need to rethink their stance if Damien Hardwick’s Suns play more footy like their first half against Richmond throughout the season. The triple premiership coach heaped enormous expectation and pressure on his new club, but there’s no denying he’s made an immediate impact. The Suns are off to a flying start. Can they keep it going?

GWS

Stocks up: When the 2024 Brownlow Medal odds went live late last year, some bookmakers were offering a generous $41 on Tom Green to win the award. After one game, that price has been slashed into $11, with GWS’ midfield star carrying his sublime late 2023 season form into this campaign and picking up 30 disposals, nine clearances and kicking a goal. But it wasn’t just Green, the entire Giants midfield totally outclassed the Magpies. Josh Kelly (32 disposals, 10 score involvements), Stephen Coniglio (28 disposals, 11 contested possessions), Lachie Whitfield (33 disposals, 14 marks), and Lachie Ash (25 disposals, 507 metres gained) will all be in consideration for the votes.

Stocks down: As good as the Giants were to kickstart their 2024 campaign, the same cannot be said for the turf at Engie Stadium and the stadium’s curators really have some explaining to do. Patchy, mismatched and a total eyesore for both fans at the ground and those watching the broadcast. Players from both clubs were slipping over and unable to keep their feet all night long. It’s simply not good enough when you have over six months to prepare for the opening game of the season.

Melbourne

Stocks up: Could the Swans have won by eight goals if Steven May didn’t play? Probably. The reliable key back, who entered the season as the 32nd-best player in the league, showed no signs of rust in the opening game of the season. May saved at least three certain goals on the night, and read the ball in flight superbly well to pick up nine intercept possessions. Jack Viney also proved his sensational 2023 campaign was no one-off, tallying an equal game-high 30 disposals and kicking two goals.

Stocks down: It was a sloppy display from the Demons, one that cannot inspire much confidence for improvement on 2023. Dropped chest marks, fumbles at ground level, and horror foot skills marred the contest for Simon Goodwin’s side, but the inability to score … once again … has to be the most concerning part of the loss. The Demons had ample opportunity in the front half but could not capitalise, both through inaccuracy and inefficiency. Just before halftime the Dees had kicked 1.8 (16). They finished the night with nine goals and 10 behinds, but the comeback was never really on.

Richmond

Stocks up: At halftime, things were looking quite bleak for Adem Yze in his first game in charge of the Tigers. And while they still fell well short of the four points, there were some encouraging signs to take away. Nick Vlastuin was a standout in the backline with a game-high 12 intercepts, 20 disposals and over 600 metres gained. Jacob Hopper also worked his way into the game, finishing with 23 disposals and kicking two big goals.

Stocks down: The comeback was well and truly on. The Tigers had taken every one of Gold Coast’s punches and, like the Blues the night before, had slowly started to wrestle back the momentum. A 62-point lead was cut to 25 to start the final term but then came Dylan Grimes’ major brain fade. The veteran defender kicked the ball out on the full from the back pocket and reacted by dumping Tom Berry into the turf, which led to a 50m penalty and a certain goal for the Suns. They then kicked three of the next four goals to kill off the comeback once and for all.

Gold Coast defeated Richmond by 39 points in Opening Round. Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Sydney

Stocks up: Now at a third club in three years, and facing his most recent former employer in the season opener of 2024, it’s fair to say the pressure was on Brodie Grundy to deliver. Not only did Grundy play a starring role and completely nullify Max Gawn in Sydney’s stirring win over Melbourne, he reminded the footy world of his talents that led to back-to-back All-Australian selections in 2018 and 2019. Grundy finished the night with 23 disposals, 15 contested possessions, nine clearances, six tackles and seven score involvements.

Stocks down: The pool of Sydney naysayers and skeptics has to be shrinking dramatically after Opening Round. Not only did they beat one of the premiership fancies and flex their muscle when the game was on the line, they did so without two staples of the side in Luke Parker and Callum Mills. Add these two back into the fold, as well as off-season recruit Taylor Adams, and who knows just how far this team can go in 2024. They’re only 18 months removed from playing in a Grand Final and everything suggests they’re a better side now.