SANFL Top 10 in 2024 – Forwards

The best Hostplus SANFL League performers in 2024 are being unveiled through the SANFL Top 10 rankings.

SANFL Media Producer Zac Milbank will reveal his high performing midfielders, rucks, forwards and defenders now that the dust has settled on this year’s exciting campaign.

Form across the 2024 season was used as the chief factor in the ranking process, with selection in The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year and West End State team weighing heavily, together with placings in the Magarey Medal, Shearman Medal, Club best-and-fairest awards and strong performances in finals matches.

High rankings in statistics such as total disposals, marks, contested marks, goals, clearances and tackles were also taken into account, along with Champion Data ranking points.

Find out who were the most influential forwards in 2024.

Finn Heard’s persistence paid off in 2024 after he enjoyed a breakout season with the Redlegs inside 50m.

Having previously been stuck in the Reserves, the younger brother of premiership defender Jack Heard sprang to life with his energetic crashing of the packs to ranks inside the top 10 in the competition for contested marks.

Finished the season with a total of 17 goals per game from as many appearances while also not being afraid to lay defensive pressure, averaging nearly four tackles.

The 22-year-old was in the conversation for the Powerade Breakthrough Player Award, which was ultimately snared by teammate Izaak Twelftree.

The successful reinvention of Connor McFadyen continued in 2024 when Sturt’s swingman spent the entire campaign in attack.

After beginning his SANFL career in 2023 as a key defender, the 23 year-old finished with 35 goals from his 17 outings as he made his strong presence felt at half-forward.

Booted at least a goal in every game at an average of more than two to display his consistency. Could have been even more damaging considering his accuracy was at 56 percent after booting 15 behinds in his last four outings.

Should benefit even more with the presence of returning Fremantle Docker Tom Emmett alongside of him in 2025.

Callow was like a virtual recruit for Norwood in 2024 and a major reason why his team finished minor premier.

The West End State player endured a nightmare 2023 with injury, reflecting in his team also missing the major round after claiming the 2022 flag.

But the strongly-built 22 year-old rebounded nicely this year to finish with a total of 31 goals from 17 matches to work in well with fellow forwards Finn Heard and Izaak Twelftree.

Hauled in the second-most contested marks in the competition with 36 while averaging an impressive 4.8 marks per game to give his team a genuine target inside 50m.

The third beacon inside Norwood’s 50m arc was rewarded for his eye-catching campaign with the 2024 Powerade Breakthrough Player Award.

Izaak Twelftree – fifth in the Michael Taylor Medal – featured in all 20 matches this season to boot a total of 26 goals playing as a roaming half-forward.

The 23-year-old wasn’t afraid to work hard up the ground to earn possession before also ducking back into an attacking option, booting a career-best six goals against South Adelaide in Round 17.

Averaged more than 13 disposals and four marks in his breakout campaign, providing him with a solid platform to build on in 2025.

Glenelg’s Mr Consistency shows no sign of fading after earning his third premiership medallion in 2024.

Reynolds booted 41 goals after featuring in all 22 of the Tigers’ matches, only failing to join the goal kickers list on three occasions.

The 29-year-old goes about his business with minimum fuss, dealing admirably with the extra attention given to him with Lachie Hosie missing with injury for much of the season.

Featuring in the West End State team’s win against the VFL, he averaged 11 disposals and more than five marks to earn a top 10 placing in the Bays’ best-and-fairest award.

The centre half-forward of The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year certainly made his hefty presence felt in 2024.

Connor Ballenden took the most contested marks in the Hostplus SANFL League, 42, while averaging a competition-best seven grabs per game.

Woodville-West Torrens extracted a total of 34 majors from the 25-year-old, who measures in at an imposing 200cm and 106kg.

Expect the former Brisbane Lion – runner-up in the Eagles’ Club Champion award – to benefit greatly from the return of Jack Hayes in 2025, particularly if Hayes is stationed inside 50m.

Selected at half-forward of The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year, James Rowe had yet another productive campaign for Woodville-West Torrens.

While the former Crow did spend time through the midfield for the Eagles, he was equally influential inside 50m where he booted more than a goal per game, for a total of 19.

Averaging 22 disposals, four marks and four tackles, the passionate 25-year-old produced a stunning display in Round 18 against South, which yielded 29 disposals, four goals, eight marks, six tackles and seven clearances.

A proud participant in the West End State team program, Rowe placed third in the Eagles’ Club Champion count.

It was hard not to share in the joy of Mitch Harvey winning his first Ken Farmer Medal in 2024.

A loyal servant of North Adelaide and the Hostplus SANFL League, Harvey became the first Rooster since Daniel Hargreaves in 2002 to win the award for the competition’s leading goal kicker at the end of the minor round.

Finishing with a total of 45 majors for the season, the 29-year-old’s accuracy – particularly from set shots – was noticeable after booting just 19 behinds at 70 per cent efficiency.

Rewarded with his first selection in the West End State team, Harvey was also a natural fit at full forward of The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year.

It’s not often a forward wins a club best-and-fairest but that’s exactly what Aiden Grace achieved in 2024.

The Tasmanian earned his first Norm Russell Medal as the Bulldogs’ Club Champion, whilst also being selected in the forward pocket of The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year.

Earning his first West End State team guernsey this year, Grace booted a total of 47 goals from his 22 appearances as he registered on the Dogs’ goal-kicking list in all but one match.

The 27-year-old put his match-winning talent on display in the Qualifying Final when he booted three goals in a low-scoring affair as Central overhauled Sturt in a dramatic final-term comeback.

The Hostplus SANFL League’s best forward produced one of the greatest grand final performances when he almost single-handedly hauled Glenelg over the line against Norwood.

Bays skipper McBean booted a flawless 7.0 to claim the 2024 Jack Oatey Medal in emphatic fashion, showing great poise and composure with his set shot kicking in the title-decider.

Vice captain of The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year, where he was named in the forward pocket, McBean booted the most goals in the competition inclusive of finals, finishing with 55 at an average of 2.6 per game.

Also vice-captain of the West End State team against the VFL, the 30-year-old booted a total of 17 goals during the major round to stamp himself as the greatest in 2024.