Over the last two years, he leads the competition in disposals (over 32 per game) and, amazingly, has tallied at least 28 touches in 83% of his games in that stretch. Last year, he earned All-Australian selection for a season in which he tallied 43 goals, 41 behinds and averaged over 17 disposals and four inside 50s per game -- just outrageous numbers. When you look deeper, Cripps is the only player to have collected over 1,500 contested possessions within his first 100 games. On average, winning the inside 50 count also translates to a 15-point victory. There aren't many players with more potential than Jordan De Goey. Warner is already averaging 23 disposals and nearly a goal per game as well as over four clearances, tackles and inside 50s, playing a brand of football that's drawing comparisons to the likes of prime Dustin Martin and Patrick Dangerfield. Young on-ball bulls Tom Green (31 disposals, 13 tackles) and Chad Warner (29 disposals, one goal) were engaged in an enthralling duel in a pointer to a match-up to watch for years to come. There were 12 players aged 30+ who made the top 50, while the majority (54%) fell in the 25-29 age bracket, including the entire top seven. Just five men have reached 400 games in the history of the V/AFL. Here's a crazy stat for you, only three players in the league have averaged 20 disposals and a goal per game over the last two years: Dustin Martin, Marcus Bontempelli and De Goey. He is, without question, the most underappreciated player in the AFL, as evidenced by the fact he failed to receive a single best-on-ground in last year's Brownlow Medal. Some numbers, though, are incomplete. Picture: AFL Photos, Ben Cunnington attempts to shrug off Toby Nankervis in the R8 clash between North Melbourne and Richmond on May 13, 2018. Gary Ablett managed 46 possessions aganst Adelaide in 2008 Stephen Malaxo's accumulated 48 possessions against St.Kilda in late 1987. At just 23 years of age, he has a ridiculous amount of unearthed potential, and with a little more consistency, is more than capable of joining the ultra elite group of key position players in the AFL. It's actually crazy that of Cripps' 159 games, zero have been finals. No other player in recent history has come close to this type of production so early into their career. It's also worth remembering McKay is just 25 years of age! He ranks elite amongst key forwards in just about every imaginable category; goals, score involvements, disposals, marks, contested possessions and inside 50s. Ratten for the most 10-clearance games in AFL history when he . At his best, Fyfe is still a top 20 player in the game, but there's just so many unanswered questions surrounding the former Dockers skipper that it would be unfair to stick him there purely on legacy and his resume. Your email address will not be published. Daicos had 26 disposals but his impact was quelled to an extent by Keays' close marking, with the 2022 AFL Rising Star having 53.8 per cent disposal efficiency and 468 metres gained, which is below his usual output. Ashcroft's effort likely upstaged teammate Charlie Cameron's similarly freakish goal a week earlier, while it also had a higher degree of difficulty than Daniel Wells' much-celebrated 2004 goal of the year for North Melbourne. May just doesn't get beaten in one-on-one contests, using his size and strength to unsettle forwards. Check out the tables below to see the rest of the records that players and teams could chase. It was the age of the contested possession, and the biggest and strongest of AFL mids were in high demand. I'd be shocked if he wasn't universally considered a top 50 player until the day he hangs up the boots for good. That's why we haven't seen, and won't see, his production drop off drastically, like some of the game's other veterans. 2 in the league for score involvements last season, behind only Tom Hawkins). Jack Steven and Leigh Montagna finished with 47 touches apiece. In the spirit of reconciliation the AFL acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. I must admit, I always find myself laughing when commentators seem surprised by his elite passing, particularly when going inside 50m. The top 25 postseason performances in NFL history - ESPN Darcy Moore might be Collingwood's most valuable player. 00:00:00 Forward 15 seconds Back 15 seconds Share Subscribe Description As the conversation petered out and a number of keen observers meandered back to their desks, I began to wonder where exactly Bolton would rank? Last season, Taylor saw his reputation skyrocket, providing the steadiest of defensive hands for a team that ultimately won just six games. Tackles per opposition possession is a much more useful metric, as it takes the number of tackling opportunities into account, albeit crudely. On a team front, St Kilda set a record of 520 disposals in winning against a Fremantle team that rested 11 of its players ahead of the finals in the last round of the 2013 home and away season. Last year, he had more metres gained than any other midfielder and was the fourth-highest rated mid for score involvements. Last year, De Goey upped his defensive pressure immensely, and had a career-best campaign in contested possessions and clearances as he spent more time around the ball. >>SEE ALL THE KEY TEAM AND INDIVIDUAL RECORD-HOLDERS BELOW. Toby Bedford made an immediate impact in his GWS debut after 16 matches with Melbourne, taking a diving mark in the forward pocket then nailing the set shot for the opening goal of the game. Overall, AFLWs most pivotal metrics are very similar to those of the AFL. The 50 best players in the AFL ahead of season 2023 So if you're one of them, I've got two questions for you. Top 10?! So what was it that made him so great? Each of the ten teams won the game by 20 points or more. In 2022, he ranked eighth in the league for pressure acts. Albert Perez/Getty Images. The Western Bulldogs ensured captain Marcus Bontempelli celebrated his 200-match milestone in positive fashion, grinding out a 29-point win over Hawthorn. But when he's kicked 47 and then 51 goals over the last two years, it feels impossible to remove him from the forward line, no matter how tempting it may be for Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge. He just doesn't miss targets, or make mistakes, for that matter. One chapter, to which Matter of Stats editor Tony Corke contributed, explored the importance of various statistics in AFL games. Jack Macrae is one of the best ball-winners in the AFL. But for all Adelaide's early dominance, the Crows were left to rue inaccuracy, including a run of three missed set shots, to only hold a 22-point quarter-time lead. That all equated to 15-5 inside 50s and a wealth of opportunity which they finally capitalised upon, albeit with only 30 seconds left. For context, peak Dustin Martin (2017-18), when his standing as the best player in the game wasn't even a debate, was 27, 12, 460m and 1.4 goals per game. His previous career best was a seven-goal haul against the Western Bulldogs in 2019. Second in the AFL for contested possessions (average 15.9 a game) behind Clayton Oliver, and second in the league in centre clearances (behind Dylan Shiel), there is no doubting Neale's quality . Among all players who have played at least 50 AFL games Kennedy ranks fourth all-time in average clearances and average contested possessions. Lachie Neale had a day out but teenager Ashcroft was the talking point after surpassing his own incredible expectations with a stunning second-quarter effort. Last year, Parish was in a select club with only Clayton Oliver, Lachie Neale, Patrick Cripps, Touk Miller, Rory Laird and Tom Mitchell as the only players to average 13 contested and 13 uncontested possessions per game. Taylor also ranked second in the league in spoils and gave away just 12 free kicks for the entire season, while also managing to draw 31 of them. Last season, Gawn took the second-most contested marks, had more clearances than any non-midfielder, kicked 13 goals and was the only ruck to rank top 50 in score involvements. Last year, Cameron was also the league's best pressure player, laying more tackles than anyone else inside forward 50. The 400-Club may see others join over the next few years. When he pushes forward, he hits the scoreboard and sets up scoring chances better than literally any other midfielder (he ranked No. contested touches, still play that game with the missus sometimes ! Here he is! And mind you, this was no Tigers fanatic. Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images. In fact, he has been out-marked in just seven of his last 196 one-on-one contests. This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. Will Day (30 touches, six clearances, one goal), James Worpel (25, eight, one) and Jai Newcombe (24, 10, two) took up the fight with the Bulldogs' engine room and veteran forward Luke Breust (three goals) was a handful in attack before half-time. In the votes Jordan Dawson (30 touches) and Rory Laird (29 disposals) were both brilliant in the midfield, while Chayce Jones (20 possessions, 2.2) had one of his best games at the top level and it could've been even bigger had he converted more of his opportunities in front of goal. In 142 AFLW games, the winner of the rebound 50 count has won just 46 times, losing by eight points on average. Paul Kane/Getty Images. What can you say about this man that hasn't already been said? The 50 best players in the AFL ahead of season 2023 - ESPN The Swans spearhead joined the 1,000 goals club last year and ended the season with another haul of 52 - the 13th time in his illustrious career he's reached a half century of majors. Dylan Burns/Getty Images. The greatest players in the history of the Australian Football League. Franklin is an undoubted member of the AFL's post-2000 Mount Rushmore and continues to prove that he can never, ever be written off. It's very well deserved. With 425 in 2016, 423 in 2012, and 410 in 2013, Kennedy made an art form of winning the hard ball and dishing off to a teammate. That average of 2.7 per outing ranks him fourth in the league. The Bulldogs owned the scoreboard for most of the second half but struggled to shake off the gallant Hawks. The numbers that prove this Roo is one of the game's best Some of his last-gasp tackles in 2022 were borderline heroic. Bolton is the ultimate match-winner and his elusiveness, speed, skill and the fact he's also a constant aerial threat make him an impossible match-up, either in the midfield or when he pushes into the forward-line. On Monday mornings at ESPN Australia headquarters, football debates and hypotheticals provide as much energy as the 9:30 a.m. coffee run. He orchestrates all of Brisbane's play out of the middle and at stoppages, tackles hard and is constantly working up and down the ground. This year's instalment brought out the best of both sides, with a cracking contest in front of just shy of 84,000 in the traditional Anzac Day . If that's you, please get familiar with him! Jeremy Cameron celebrates after winning the 2022 AFL Grand Final. RORY Laird's incredible 20-tackle performance at the weekend set a new benchmark for AFL players to chase. Curnow took eight contested marks among his 14 grabs in a dominant display up forward, with the 26-year-old brushing aside four opponents on the way to 9.3 in the 23.14 (152) to 6.8 (44) rout. It's a real shame his 2023 season is set to be hampered by a persistent back injury, as another leap was certainly on the cards. Not the most valuable. 2-ranked interceptor, No. NAME. Rob Gronkowski (98), 5. With three games remaining in the 2021 season (plus at least one final for the Dees), Oliver sits at 327 contested touches. Jul 16, 2008 1,721 77 WA. He lowered his colours in Round 6 in the Grand Final rematch against Geelong. If it is a valid email, your password will be reset and emailed to you. As expected, the Magpies responded in the second, willed on by Moore who had six first-half intercept possessions, with ex-Crow Billy Frampton slotting their first, while Adelaide continued to spurn set-shot opportunities. Would you believe me if I told you that no player has booted more goals than him since the beginning of 2012? Last season, he was the only player in the league to average eight tackles and eight clearances and ranked fifth overall for contested possessions. Like many great small forwards, Cameron only needs a handful of touches to leave his stamp on a game. Emails will only be used for identification purposes and for the resetting of forgotten passwords. 200. Tell me why it's egregious and how I got it catastrophically wrong. I think there's plenty more awards coming his way, too. So what is it that makes Cameron so dangerous? Yes, I know Brownlow votes aren't everything, but the fact Liberatore has polled just 14 -- seven of them coming last year -- since the Bulldogs won the flag in 2016 is downright criminal. 2 last season for inside 50s. Last year, Anderson upped his disposal numbers to 26 per game, to go along with six clearances and six inside 50s (the third-most in the league). with a few colleagues, I was quite surprised with how little pushback I received. Are his midfield days over? No joke. Check. I expect him to hit the ground running in 2023 and quickly get back to his best. Please enter the email you registered your account with. Stewart is the heartbeat of Geelong's backline and one of the main reasons Chris Scott's side continues to be ranked as the best defence -- it conceded just 66 points per game last season -- in the competition. Martin still gets the ball in dangerous areas and playing as a permanent forward he is rated elite by Champion Data for disposals, contested ball and contested marks despite only kicking 4.4 this . When you add in the fact Cameron's one of the best kicks for goal (either from a set shot or on the run from open play) in the game and has a willingness to work up the ground and provide the bail out option for his defenders, he's a no-doubt top five player. Forget top dozen inside midfielders, you can easily make the case Liberatore deserves to be considered among the top six. 1 Leigh Matthews. AFLW: Advanced stats - All-stars - North Melbourne Football Club The 10 best AFL players at quarter time of the 2023 season Rory Sloane lays a huge tackle on Beau McCreery and makes no mistake in front of the big sticks. If this was a measure of footy IQ and on-field intelligence, Greene would be top of the list. Check out who's leading the way in every major statistical individual and team category since 2000. AFL Club West Coast Other Teams Golden State Warriors . MOST CONTESTED TOUCHES IN A SEASON THE 400 CLUB, 400 clubClayton OliverJosh KennedyPatrick CrippsPatrick DangerfieldTom Mitchell. Quinn Rooney/Getty Images. Plenty of Demons fans would argue May's the club's most important player, and with that list, that's certainly saying something. Sydney v GWS Sydney Chad Warner has averaged the second most disposals per game, as well as the most contested possessions per game of any of Sydney player. Riewoldt has also moved into second place all-time behind Matthew Richardson for most games with at least four contested marks. Bayley Fritsch kicked a match-high four goals for the Demons and Cameron Zurhaar managed three for the Kangaroos. Dylan Burns/Getty Images. There's really no better way to describe Cameron, who, at this point, is practically a walking highlight reel. I'm not sure there were many footy fans who had Hewett as a top 100 player heading into 2022, let alone top 50. As much as I believe Chad Warner is a future top three player, he's obviously not there yet, and will be ranked accordingly. Dangerfield also had 388 contested that season. By Sarah Black - womens.afl on Oct 29, 2020, 9:55pm. The star Cat now has a premiership medal to go along with his Coleman Medal and trio of All-Australian blazers. Greatest AFL Players of All Time - Top Ten List - TheTopTens He is one of the league's real sharpshooters, rarely missing from a set shot or open play. Without any shadow of a doubt, Merrett is one of the best dozen midfielders in the AFL. Lachie Neale (35 disposals, 15 clearances) was everywhere for the Lions, while small forward Lincoln McCarthy kicked three goals to break the shackles of a quiet season. A Above Average: Top 11% to 35% of the statistical category. Collingwood trailed 118-107 in contested possessions at three-quarter time, until reversing that with a 35-26 win in that category in the final term. Fyfe has taken 299 contested marks in his career, which ranks 39th all-time and is the most of any non-ruck or key position player since the statistic was recorded. Patrick Dangerfield has won everything in the game. His masterpiece performance might well have been his effort on Sydney spearhead Lance Franklin in their qualifying final, holding him to just two kicks and no score, albeit in a loss. Contested footy and tackling became the skills most likely to see a team contend for a flag, and with that came the necessity for the onballers to be bigger, stronger and more durable. Dustin Martin at 75% is still one of the best players in the AFL. Barely got a touch after 1/4 time IIRC. And at age 21, he is easily the youngest player on this entire list. Actual Hit Rate: How often a player hits the intended target (including50/50 contests) when attempting a kick. Taylor Walker is one of the best attacking weapons in the AFL. The team that wins the clearance count is victorious in just over half of AFLW games, winning by a goal on average. . The Top Ten. Chargers RB Keith Lincoln vs. Patriots, 1963 AFL championship game. Since contested possessions were recorded, just three men have been able to record 400 contested touches in a season, and Clayton Oliver is on track to do it for a second time in 2021. The average age of the players selected (at the time of publishing) is 27.3 years. Glossary - AFL - Champion Data The slippery conditions provided a truly scrappy contest - but one player wasn't fumbling that day. In my mind, he's the league's most complete player. Albert Perez/Getty Images. So, as teams searched for players to contest in the middle of the ground and at stoppages all over the park, no longer were they looking for simply the best-skilled practitioners. No non-key forward averages more goals per game than Greene over the last two years. Michael Willson/Getty Images. Pies from the skies again: Collingwood edges Crows in thriller Here's one for you; how many players have kicked 30 goals in each of the last two seasons? Top 20? Dylan Burns/Getty Images. Amixture of bewilderment and sheer disgust was plastered on the face of an ESPN colleague after I had casually noted Richmond livewire Shai Bolton was not a top three player in the AFL. In the early days of Steele's career, I just couldn't see him developing into a fully fledged A-grader. All of a sudden, my mind was constructing something which half resembled an ordered list. Imagine if he was converting even 60% of his shots! Graham Denholm/Getty Images. If you're playing a Grand Final tomorrow, and have first crack at drafting anyone in the league, there aren't many you're picking ahead of him if any. Sydney Derby specialist Luke Parker looked set to inspire the hosts to their own comeback victory as he was crucial early when the misfiring Swans battled to stay with the Giants through the first half. Noah Anderson celebrates a goal after the siren. He also still happens to be one of the best players. Last year, Toby Greene averaged seven more disposals per game and Isaac Heeney took twice as many contested marks. No surprise, he got it. The unassuming Oliver does the second of those better than anyone else in the game. He regathered in mid-air and while under pressure put the ball to the outside of his right foot and somehow squeaked through a goal from the tightest of angles. Let me preface this entry by making it clear Sicily's ranking is not a wild overreaction to what was, quite frankly, an objectively mortifying snub from last year's All-Australian team. Last year, he was one of just 12 players in the league to average seven score involvements per game. Curnow has that Jeremy Cameron-esque ability (anyone seen him yet?) Do I need to remind you of his match-winning after-the-siren goal against the Tigers last year? Harry McKay also booted two early goals to give the Blues a 21-point lead at quarter-time and Curnow had four goals to his name by the main break as the lead swelled to 40 points. COLLINGWOOD has produced another trademark final-quarter charge to claim a thrilling one-point victory over Adelaide on Sunday to move into outright top spot on the ladder. His first 400+ season came when he was just 21 years old. That's a phenomenal effort for a full back! When you consider Dunkley was more often than not played out of his preferred position by Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge, his output seems even more impressive. There's no reason he can't replicate his sublime 2021 form this season, but even last year's version of Wines is good enough to be a top 20 player in this league. Melbourne midfielder Clayton Oliver impressed with 37 disposals, while Christian Petracca and Angus Brayshaw in his 150th match also shone. Even still, he's flirting with the top 10. I've got a little confession. AFL Player Ratings: The official AFL player ratings as seen on AFL.com.au using location and the result of events to measure a player's performance. That game? And what's even more unfortunate is that it's one of my favourites (yes, we're allowed to have our favourites!) Champion Data class Stewart as a 'general defender' but you feel 'the general' would be a far more appropriate title for him. 7? One other interesting note (and I don't think this counts as a spoiler), Dunkley is the only player on this list who will play at a new club in 2023. We question, we discuss, we wonder, and, most enjoyably, we debate; doing so as if our lives are at stake. But with that said, there's no denying Gawn has set and continued to re-raise the benchmark for what we now expect from all rucks. Aaron Naughton (four goals), Caleb Daniel (27 disposals, six clearances) and Jack Macrae (26, six) were all influential in the victory, which put the Bulldogs ahead on the win-loss ledger for the first time this season. He looks a certain future skipper of the Dockers and I don't think anyone would be surprised if he's pushing for the top 15 come season's end. Macrae has been an absolute constant in the Bulldogs engine room for close to a decade now and each and every game you know what you're getting; fast hands in-tight at stoppages to set up teammates on the outside as well as the ability to become that outside player and drive the ball forward. He now has back-to-back years with 50+ goals (it's crazy neither of those seasons have yielded All-Australian selection), one of only two general forwards in the game to achieve the feat. Dunkley is a great ball user and the ultimate team man, unafraid of the dirty work -- ranking top 10 in both tackling and smothers since 2019 -- that others often shy away from. Ruby Schleicher, Collingwood - intercept possessions. However, it is possible to give the tackle count some relevance. At his current average of 17.2 contested possessions per game, it is reasonable to assume that he will clear the 400-mark around the first week of the finals, however, itll be touch and go if Melbourne somehow end up a one-and-done team, after such a solid season. Imagine every player is lined up in the schoolyard and you can take your pick of the crop. Robert Cianflone/Getty Images. The undoubted king of the contested possession is undoubtedly the Swans Josh Kennedy, who has made the 400-club on three separate occasions. Now at 33 years old, the body cannot stand up to that type of punishment week after week, and JPK has gracefully stepped back to allow Luke Parker and George Hewett the opportunity to be the best ball winners in close. AFL news 2023: Round 7 Report Card, highlights, grades, analysis, every 1 draft pick from 2018? Passwords are encrypted before being stored in our system . No surprise he had the fourth-most kicks of anyone last year, as well as the most rebound 50s. That was never more evident in 2018, when he broke Patrick Dangerfield's home-and-away record for most contested possessions in a season with 388. Petracca was the first player to ever get 40 touches in a Grand Final in an absolutely titanic performance . At just 26 years of age, he already leads the league in shots at goal per game and it's safe to say he hasn't yet hit his peak. I want to make it crystal clear that if this was a ranking of the 'most valuable' players, then Gawn is pushing for the top 10. The Swans co-captain gathered 33 disposals and booted an important final-term goal, but lacked support around the stoppages to stem the flow of goals as the Giants stormed home. Lynch. Boy, was I wrong. ABC sports journalist James Coventry brought mainstream AFL analysis into the 21st century when his groundbreaking book, Footballistics, was released in 2018. Disposals; Player TM Years # GM Ave. Last season, Moore had the third-most intercept possessions and the fourth-most one-percenters. Its not too difficult to win a game without winning the clearances, however. Sam Taylor led the AFL in intercept possessions last season. He has also averaged the most centre clearances per game of any Sydney player per game so far in season 2023. But at his best, Grundy is the complete package. Through last year's injury interrupted season, Martin averaged 18 disposals and 1.3 goals per game, playing predominantly in the forward line. PODCAST: Click here to listen to the '50 best players' special episode, embroiled in an off-field racism controversy, floated the idea of a Curnow trade back in 2020, Miller is the most difficult player to match up on, The enduring magnetism of Scott Pendlebury. Brisbane, Carlton, Melbourne, Sydney and Western Bulldogs each had five players, while reigning premier Geelong and Collingwood both had four selected. On average, the team that registered more marks inside 50 has won by 15 points. Even with three All-Australian blazers proudly hanging in his wardrobe, Macrae somehow remains criminally underrated. Nobody puts their team on their back quite like Cripps. In that stretch, he's led the league in disposals and ranks top five in clearances. In fact, there's really no weakness to his game. He was initially in the top 10, then he dropped out of the top 20. The Demons killed off the contest with the first six goals and gave their percentage a healthy boost with the 22.7 (139) to 7.7 (49) win. However, considering the advantage fantasy points possess, their superiority over kicks is not very significant.