This story was produced in partnership with Kennedy – The official timekeeping partner of the AFL.
Forget about perpetual calendars; for Australian football fans, the only calendar that matters has just begun — the 2024 AFL season. Over the next 25 weeks, 18 teams will fight it out week by week for the top spot on the ladder.
Right now, it’s anyone’s game — can Collingwood go back-to-back? Or has GWS coach Adam Kingsley honed his team into a well-oiled machine of goal-kicking fury? Only time will tell.
What we do know, though, is that the 2024 season will mark a number of milestones, with coaches and players racking big numbers. We’ve put together the likely major milestones and made some humble suggestions as to what watch from Kennedy, the official timekeeper of the AFL, they could get to mark the moment.
50 Game Milestone Watch – Under $6,000
1/6
Grand Seiko Heritage Quartz SBGP013, $3,895
While no one can predict how the season will pan out, Crows Midfielder Jake Soligo has 37 games under his belt and has been playing well enough that he should hit the big 5-0 midseason. Essendon’s own Nic Martin is much closer to the milestone, with only six games remaining.
For the watch that marks this major early career moment, we’d suggest this all-rounder from Grand Seiko, the SBGP013, an ultra-precise option from their heritage collection. This perfectly sized quartz option boasts one of Grand Seiko’s famously exceptional dials in blue, and will serve them faithfully for seasons to come.
100 Game Milestone Watch – $6,000 – $10,000
2/6
Omega Seamaster Diver 300mm, $9,850
The average player’s career in AFL is a little over six years, or just under 140 possible games. This means that players who make the 100-game milestone are truly remarkable, playing longer and better than most. This year, Richmond’s Tom Lynch has to play 15 games to hit the century, while Cam Rayner from the Brisbane Lions only needs to play 13.
Regardless of who gets there first, 100 games is a significant moment that deserves an equally major celebration. The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M is one of the genuinely iconic dive watches, as reliable as it is rugged. Plus, it’s guaranteed to add a little James Bond charm to any Brownlow outfit.
200 Game Milestone Watch – $10,000 – $15,000
3/6
Hublot Classic Fusion Titanium Green 42mm, $11,800
Hawks defender Jarman Impey has played 172 games, with 28 to go until 200. Likewise, Patrick Cripps from Carlton should hit the double century in the 18th round, unless injuries slow him down.
To honour this moment, we’d suggest something from Hublot, a brand that has redefined the modern sports watch. This 42mm titanium Classic Fusion in green has plenty of personality and offers a modern reinterpretation of classic elegance.
300 Game Milestone Watch – $15,000 – $25,000
4/6
Franck Muller Vanguard, $16,400
Just over 100 players have played over 300 games, and this year, a few more are set to enter these hallowed ranks. One of the recent inductees is Roo ruck Todd Goldstein, the sixth North Melbourne player in history to hit the milestone and the first since Drew Petrie. However, this season, he’s swapped the blue and white for Essendon’s black and red.
If there’s any time to go all out on a watch, it’s now. And Franck Muller knows how to go all out. The Vanguard is instantly recognisable thanks to its tonneau-shaped case and bold blue hour markers. It’s a design that screams sporty casual.
The Premiership Watch – $25,000 – $50,000
5/6
Cartier Santos De Cartier Watch, $49,500
All eyes are on reigning champions Collingwood this year, and not just to see if they have what it takes come September. Scott Pendlebury is also set to become the sixth player in history to play 400 games, so the pressure for him to bring home the medal and hit the milestone is immense.
Regardless of who brings it home, it’s the sort of career highlight that needs commemorating. Cartier’s Santos de Cartier is exactly the classic sports watch that has stood the test of time, and this skeleton model isn’t one you’re likely to see anywhere else.
The Exit Watch – Over $50,000
6/6
Piaget Polo Skeleton Watch, $53,500
The greatest milestone of all may well be the end of a career full of ups and downs. In 2023 we saw Trent Cotchin hang up his boots, with three premierships and a Brownlow to his name. Buddy Franklin also called a day on a remarkable career as one of the most outstanding forwards of all time, playing an impressive 354 games. Franklin is known to wear a Zenith, but both players deserve to celebrate with a capstone piece for the collection.
We’d suggest the ultra-slim Piaget Polo in steel. At only 6.5mm thick, this remarkable feat of engineering is an excellent pick for a remarkable athlete.