ADELAIDE
Jason Porplyzia, the clever and straight-kicking forward, managed just two goalless games this year before being dropped to the SANFL. And he hasn't looked like reclaiming his place in the senior side. At his best, Porplyzia was one of the best small forwards in the competition but injury has cruelled his career at crucial times. He responded well from shoulder surgery to play 22 games in 2012, before ankle surgery and a stomach ulcer set him back in 2013. This year it has been the 29-year-old's back that has limited his output. Out of contract at season's end, and with several small forwards ahead of him, including high-profile recruit Eddie Betts, it appears 2014 will be Porplyzia's last season at West Lakes. - Harry Thring

BRISBANE LIONS
Justin Leppitsch has showed his hand early by leaving a number of senior players in the reserves despite the Lions' struggles. Brent Moloney (below) is the man most in the gun, with the former Melbourne midfielder absent from the past five matches and not looking like getting a recall any time soon. Moloney is off contract and would be much happier plying his trade at AFL venues rather than at NEAFL level in front of a handful of spectators. Ash McGrath is about to return from a long-term calf injury and needs to impress, while Andrew Raines and James Polkinghorne also need to find form to save their careers. - Michael Whiting

CARLTON
Having played just 40 AFL games in his four and a half seasons with the Blues, Kane Lucas (below) is certainly under pressure to keep his spot on the list. Adding to that pressure, he is out of contract at the end of the season. The 22-year-old has not fulfilled the hopes of the Carlton recruiters, who used the No. 12 pick to snare him in the 2009 NAB AFL Draft. Lucas has played just five games this season, the most recent against Collingwood in round seven. – Adam McNicol

COLLINGWOOD
If Martin Clarke gets another opportunity, he needs to grab it. Out-of-contract and dropped after round one, the 73-game, 26-year-old recruit from Ireland is in the last chance saloon. Caolon Mooney is another Irish import struggling to find a spot. He has great pace but he is still learning where to run. Both could be acquisitions for other teams but at a strong club with plenty of depth like Collingwood, they need to hang in there and hope luck falls their way in finals. A broken leg has cruelled Quinten Lynch hopes of regaining his spot but he was struggling anyway. After such a fine career, it's no knock on him. - Peter Ryan

ESSENDON
Therewere murmurs last year that Leroy Jetta (below) wanted out of Essendon, but he wascontracted to the end of 2014 and he ended up staying. So far this year Jettahas played just two games – both Essendon losses – and also struggled forconsistency in the VFL. Jetta, who turns 26 next month, has played 93 games ineight seasons, with his best season coming in 2011 when he played23 games and kicked 27 goals. But in the last two years he has been supersededby a number of other small options in attack and defence. If he doesn't staywith the Bombers at the end of the season Jetta may get a chance elsewhere asan unrestricted free agent. – Callum Twomey

FREMANTLE
Selected with pick No.17 in the 2012 NAB AFL Draft, Josh Simpson has struggled to adapt to the demands of elite-level football and has played just two games. The midfielder was fined in April and sent on leave for failing to board the team's flight to Sydney as a travelling emergency. It remains unclear when he will be available for senior selection as he serves his penance in the WAFL. Simpson's no-show in April was due to a number of issues, according to his manager, and the Dockers say his future at the club is in his hands. – Nathan Schmook  

GEELONG
Now in his fifth year with the Cats, speedy SA midfielder Jesse Stringer (below), who is out of contract at the end of the season, has been unable to cement his place in the team. Injuries have been a major problem for Stringer. He battled knee and hip problems while he was on the club's rookie list in 2010 and '11. Promoted to the senior list in the lead-up to the 2013 season, he played only seven senior games last year. When he spoke to AFL.com.au in the pre-season, Stringer said: "I feel like I've really got to put the foot down and give Scotty and the other coaches a reason to keep me." However, the 23-year-old's only AFL appearances in 2014 have come in the past two weeks, so he needs to step up in the next three months. – Adam McNicol

Jesse Stringer in action during the Cats' shock loss to the Swans at the SCG. Picture: AFL Media

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
The Giants' list is such an intriguing prospect, with so many youngsters filling up the senior side, and so many more waiting in the wings. There is a bunch yet to taste senior football in 2014, including Mark Whiley, Tim Golds, Tom Downie and Nathan Wilson. All four are talents and just 21 years old, but the time is looming for them to make more of an impact. But the player in the biggest spotlight is probably defender Stephen Gilham. Arriving with big raps following 99 games and a flag at Hawthorn, he was added to the GWS leadership group this year. Persistent injury and form issues, however, have resulted in just one senior game this season and he really needs to lift. - James Dampney

GOLD COAST
Two of the players most respected at the Suns areclinging on by a thread. Karmichael Hunt (below) is out of contract, and withouta senior game to his name this year is at serious risk of being luredback to rugby league. Hunt is now over his terrible run of injuries andneeds to command a regular senior spot to stay in the AFL. Vice-captainNathan Bock is also battling to keep his career going. Since breakinghis leg two years ago, Bock has had an awful time trying to get anycontinuity in his training, and even after having the steel rod removed,battles to play successive weeks at reserves level. His body needs tohelp him out – and in a hurry. - Michael Whiting

HAWTHORN
Matt Spangher (pictured below) is no stranger to living his AFL career on the edge. The talented but injury-plagued big man is at his third club after being delisted by West Coast and traded by the Sydney Swans in 2012, when Hawthorn offered the relative security of a two-year deal. He remains valued at the Hawks, but with his contract set to expire the 27-year-old needs to get out on the park. Calf and ankle problems have restricted him to two games this year and he's only played six for Hawthorn in his 38-game career. – Travis King

NORTH MELBOURNE

Liam Anthony was impressive as North's substitute against West Coast last Sunday, but it was his first senior game since round 13 last year and just his sixth in the past two seasons. Anthony could scarcely have played better in the VFL during his time on the outer and, with his contract expiring at the end of the year, probably needs to produce an extended run in North's senior team to earn a new deal. Taylor Hine is another out-of-contract player needing a strong finish to the season to play on in 2015, with the run-with midfielder yet to break into North's team this year. Experienced defenders Scott McMahon and Sam Wright have been out of favour for most of this season, but both are contracted to the end of 2015. - Nick Bowen

Liam Anthony celebrates a goal during North's win over West Coast. Picture: AFL Media

PORT ADELAIDE
Port has maintained its enthusiasm for popular club figure Brendon Ah Chee but he hasn't developed the consistency required for an AFL debut. The 20-year-old is out of contract at season's end and would want to demonstrate he can perform week-in, week-out to lock in another extension. In his six SANFL performances this year he's yet to be named in the club's best, averaging 12 possessions a game. Cam Hitchcock is also out of contract and an untimely shin injury means he is unable to prove that he can add value to an attack already bulging with talented small/medium forwards. - Harry Thring

RICHMOND 

Sidelined since round six with a foot injury – and still up to six weeks away from returning –popular small forward Jake King (below) has had few opportunities to press claims for a contract extension. Indeed, King has made more headlines for his associations off-field than his football this season, leaving his future in doubt as the Tigers prepare to make tough decisions on an underperforming list. Key forward Ty Vickery, half-back Bachar Houli and midfielder Shaun Grigg are others who could come under pressure if their form doesn't turn in the second half of the season. – Nathan Schmook  

  

ST KILDA

Veteran defender Sam Fisher has endured a rotten run of luck in recent years with persistent problems with his foot, and this season, his hamstring. He played one VFL game in May after the injury flared in the pre-season, where he hurt it again and has been sidelined since. At almost 32 and with emerging defenders Luke Delaney and Josh Bruce now at the club, Fisher will need to get back and really stand up if he's any chance of extending his career. Tom Lee is another who needs to show he wants to play at AFL level but he will likely get an opportunity to show if he's learnt from his extended VFL stint when he plays seniors in the coming weeks. - Jennifer Phelan

SYDNEY SWANS

Alex Johnson is preparing for his third knee reconstruction, but he is greatly admired at the club and will be given all the time in the world to recover. Adam Goodes could have been a worthy candidate here, but he has conquered his knee issue to play the past five games, indicating his future may still lie in his own hands. Lewis Roberts-Thomson is currently stuck in the seconds, while Tommy Walsh is also on his last chance to prove he can offer something following a terrible hamstring injury. But the man under the most pressure would have to be Ryan O'Keefe. At 33 years of age and with a host of youngsters ahead of him in the queue, father time may have caught the Norm Smith medallist. - James Dampney

WEST COAST
Josh Hill (below) is at the crossroads. The recycled Western Bulldog booted 36 goals in his first season as an Eagle and 28 last year, but has only kicked three majors in four games this season. Last Sunday, Hill was used as the sub against North Melbourne, gave away a free-kick with his first involvement and only had one kick in more than a quarter of game time. Defender Ashley Smith is another Eagle in need of a career-salvaging second half of the season. Despite having 43 games under his belt in four seasons, the soon-to-be 24-year-old hasn't been able to break into the senior side this year. – Travis King