Champion Data's numbers would suggest he is. and, at least in my mind, you've got the best defender in the competition. That's not prime LeBron James' per-game averages, but Laird's numbers from an ultra impressive, yet totally underrated 2022 -- the story of his career, right? Send us feedback or report a mistake on this page. 2 for fewest one-on-one contest losses over the last five years -- but when freed up he is as damaging as just about any defender in the game. Naughton's mobility also makes him far more dangerous than the average key forward, given he can still impact the play when the ball hits the deck. Lynch ended the season as arguably the most in-form player in the competition, booting 24 majors in his final five games. It's not easy! 2-ranked interceptor, No. Anzac Day Eve has brought out the best and worst of both Richmond and Melbourne for the last eight years. Johnson assisted an incredible 10 goals that Saturday afternoon at GMHBA Stadium three more than any other player in history and had 26 score involvements, three more than Brad Johnson's effort from five years earlier. The modern game of football changed drastically in the early 2000s. Perhaps. 33-8-8. 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? Not the most valuable. All data entered is sent securely via SSL to our system. If he's in the midfield, he'll destroy you at the contest, breaking tackles with ease and always searching for his trademark burst play. Even still, he's flirting with the top 10. The differential for this statistic explains 31 percent of the variation in margins. And mind you, this was no Tigers fanatic. Another player who felt impossible to rank. Schoenberg averaged 27 disposals, 12 contested possessions, five tackles and five marks during the Under-18 Championships and 21 disposals, 10 contested possessions and five tackles in the SANFL . Curnow really is one of only a handful of players (okay, maybe two handfuls) who can literally take the game away from you in the space of 15 minutes. So go ahead, mock and ridicule me. The Magpies ramped that up around clearances, claiming a lopsided 16-4 final-quarter count with 4-1 at centre clearances. At age 32, Walker's winning more contested ball and taking more contested marks than ever before. Marcus Bontempelli celebrates with fans after a win. It's very well deserved. Quinn Rooney/Getty Images. It is important to note that, of these players, Oliver is performing at an amazing clip. Daniel Pockett/Getty Images. 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. What can you say about this man that hasn't already been said? Contested possessions: 13.2 (9th) Inside 50s: 6.2 (2nd) Clearances: 6.7 (11th) AFL Player Rating points: 16.4 (8th) v West Coast, Round 1, 2023 Disposals: 32 (8th) Contested possessions: 19 (=2nd) Inside 50s: 7 (10th) Clearances: 10 (2nd) AFL Player Rating points: 24.2 (3rd) Statistics: Champion Data IT'S GREATER THAN JUST A SEAT AT THE GAME 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. Top 20? Carlton spearhead Charlie Curnow has put on a marking masterclass on his way to kicking a career-high nine goals in the Blues' 108-point trouncing of West Coast in Perth. At the other end of the ground, Steve Johnson had a field day in Geelong's record-breaking 186-point win over Melbourne in 2011. Melbourne triumphed in a mismatch marred by a horror leg injury sustained by Kangaroos youngster Charlie Comben. He also rates higher than most forwards in the finishing department, having kicked 85.49 over the last two seasons. He also ranked 13th in 2022 for score involvements, the eighth-highest rated midfielder in the category. Plenty of Demons fans would argue May's the club's most important player, and with that list, that's certainly saying something. Toby Greene will captain the Giants in 2023. 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. The 26-year-old is a contested beast, and now he's at the Lions, he should receive greater midfield opportunity and can finally show just how damaging he can be. Passwords are encrypted before being stored in our system (we cannot see what . It's no surprise he ranked No. 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. Club: Collingwood Position: Midfield. But the one player ranking most seemed to have an issue with was Wines being in the top 20. He lowered his colours in Round 6 in the Grand Final rematch against Geelong. Parker's career arc has been relatively flat, but that's not a knock on him, rather it highlights his consistency over the journey. Playing for a team that have not been part of finals, Cripps missed out on topping the mark by just 13 contested touches in 2018, and possesses the second-highest average of any player in the top ten, with 17.59 contested possessions per game. You see, Martin's bar was set so high throughout his stellar career that we'll always unfairly compare him to what he once was. to dominate on the lead as well as at ground level, making him a nightmare one-on-one match-up for any defender, especially when you consider only four players took more contested marks than him last year. Comben was hospitalised with a suspected broken leg. The slippery conditions provided a truly scrappy contest - but one player wasn't fumbling that day. Darcy Moore might be Collingwood's most valuable player. But the Brownlow Medal fancy finished with a match-high four goal assists to make his presence felt as the Bulldogs kicked seven goals to two after half-time. Tackles per opposition possession is a much more useful metric, as it takes the number of tackling opportunities into account, albeit crudely. Daniel Pockett/Getty Images. 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 . I mentioned Warner in my introduction and that no forecasting was taking place when devising this list. Cookies will be used for the identification of users if the "Remember me on this computer" option is checked. Are his midfield days over? Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images. That's too low. All-Time Passes Completed Leaders. Bayley Fritsch rarely plays a game without kicking a goal. 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. He's never had trouble hitting the scoreboard -- his goal tally has reached double figures in nine of the last 10 seasons -- something which gives him an edge over some of the league's other midfielders. Meanwhile, Melbourne hammered the Kangaroos by 90 points at the MCG in the other evening match, while GWS, the Brisbane Lions and Western Bulldogs all enjoyed wins earlier on Saturday. No surprise he ranked No. The Magpies, who had won nine of their past 12 games after trailing at three-quarter time, had been behind by 16 points at the final change but edged ahead with Steele Sidebottom's set-shot point with less than 30 seconds left. His first 400+ season came when he was just 21 years old. Dangerfield's list of accomplishments are as long as anyone in the game, but he doesn't make this list (nor achieve a top 20 ranking) through legacy. Tensions boil over after the Crows get stuck into Nick Daicos following Taylor Walker's goal, The Pies lose Nathan Kreuger to injury after the utility receives an inadvertent knock to the knee from teammate Jamie Elliott, Brody Mihocek punishes the careless Crows with these two goals to trim the margin, Josh Daicos edges the Magpies one step closer after finding himself in the right spot at the right time, Collingwood small defender John Noble drifts forward and nails this mighty kick on the run late in the game, Watch Collingwood's press conference after round seven's match against Adelaide, Watch Adelaide's press conference after round seven's match against Collingwood, Extended highlights of the Crows and Magpies clash in round seven, ADELAIDE 3.6 3.10 6.15 7.16 (58)COLLINGWOOD 0.2 3.4 5.5 8.11 (59), GOALSAdelaide: Pedlar 2, Jones 2, Walker, Sloane, RankineCollingwood: Mihocek 3, Noble, Johnson, Hoskin-Elliott, Frampton, J.Daicos, BESTAdelaide: Dawson, O'Brien, Laird, Soligo, Murray, DoedeeCollingwood: Moore, J.Daicos, Mihocek, N.Daicos, Sidebottom, McCreery, Murphy, INJURIESAdelaide: NilCollingwood: Kreuger (ribs), SUBSTITUTESAdelaide: Harry Schoenberg (replaced Jake Soligo in fourth quarter)Collingwood: Will Kelly (replaced Nathan Kreuger in first quarter), VFLW superstar Sergeant Rhiannon Busch joins the crew for Yokayi Footy's Anzac Day special, highlighted by Charlie Cameron's incredible haul, From college basketball to the biggest stage in the AFL, enjoy Mason Cox's career highlights, Conor Nash has enjoyed a meteoric rise under Sam Mitchell, forcing opponents to take notice, Join Damian Barrett and Nat Edwards for AFL Daily, Top draft hopeful Nick Watson tells the Gettable crew many have questioned whether he's too small to make it to the AFL, Access All Areas look at the contentious decisions during Collingwood's miracle win over the Crows, thanks to Crypto.com, Roy, Calvin and Warnie reveal their early trades for round eight, Round seven AFL Rising Star nominee Finn Callaghan discusses his season so far with Cal Twomey, Watch the highlights and find out why Finn Callaghan gets the AFL Rising Star in round seven, Tom Hawkins booted four goals in the first 20 minutes, and finished with a career-best eight - in Geelong's win over Essendon. Popular young livewire Arthur Jones kicked the sealer his first AFL goal to spark celebrations in the final few minutes. Among all players who have played at least 50 AFL games Kennedy ranks fourth all-time in average clearances and average contested possessions. Believe it or not, ruck contests appear to be almost entirely irrelevant in AFLW. Fine-tune your AFL footy tipping ahead of the 2022 season. 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. Pretty similar, hey? Eventually, I settled with him at No. If it is a valid email, your password will be reset and emailed to you. Dylan Burns/Getty Images. 'I LOST MY MIND' McRae stunned by late call, Nicks laments inaccuracy. He remains one of the top inside-midfielders in the league, but also has an underrated ability to find the ball in space, averaging 16 uncontested possessions per game over the last two years. Tom Hawkins continues to perform at an elite level. Youngsters Jake Soligo (24 disposals and seven score involvements) and Riley Thilthorpe (seven marks including six contested) were excellent contributors, while Nick Murray continued to emerge as a reliable key back alongside Tom Doedee (14 intercept possessions). I'm thrilled Merrett has been appointed Essendon skipper for 2023. Aaron Naughton might be an even better defender than forward. A touch more consistency this season and fewer frees against (he gave away the fourth-most of any player last year) and he's almost certainly climbing into the top five. Daniel Pockett/Getty Images. Last year, only Tom Hawkins, Christian Petracca and Jeremy Cameron averaged more score involvements per game, while nobody launched a higher percentage of their team's scores than Walker. Brayshaw averaged a tick under 30 disposals, six tackles and four clearances (all career highs) per game last year, while also adding 12 goals. In 1991, the big man grabbed 50 possessions against Brisbane in 1991. Lincoln's incredible all-around performance in a 51-10 win over the Boston Patriots in the 1963 AFL title game came before . Some might even believe he deserves to be ranked higher. Last season, he was the only player in the league to average eight tackles and eight clearances and ranked fifth overall for contested possessions. 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. Curnow has that Jeremy Cameron-esque ability (anyone seen him yet?) 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. Whilst others were bigger and stringer at that point, Olivers ability to read the ball and put himself in the right spots to win the footy saw him simply beat his opponents to the right spot. Whilst Kennedys three 400+ contested possession seasons reign supreme, the chase from Oliver is well and truly on. Dylan Burns/Getty Images. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. He reads the game better than anyone else and has the skills to match. Darrian Traynor/Getty Images. 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. . Tahlia Randall, North Melbourne - spoils The Dockers looked down on confidence and direction as they lost an 11th-straight first quarter. He had the venue record of nine goals when he pushed off Bazzo to take a mark in a pack near the goal square. And what's even more unfortunate is that it's one of my favourites (yes, we're allowed to have our favourites!) Midfielders and mid-forwards made up 64% of the list, followed by key forwards at 16%. Albert Perez/GETTY IMAGES. You've got to hand it to Cripps. 1. Izak Rankine produced a moment of magic to shrug off Brayden Maynard's tackle, evade Nick Daicos and checkside kick his side's second major. Key defenders and general forwards had 8% each, while just one ruck and general defender were featured. 9 with the Swans! No surprise he had the fourth-most kicks of anyone last year, as well as the most rebound 50s. The Rozee vs. Sam Walsh debate raged on during the pair's debut season, but by the end of year three the consensus seemed to be that Carlton's top pick was the clear-cut superior selection. All of a sudden, my mind was constructing something which half resembled an ordered list. scooterselwood Club Legend. I'll even answer them. He's well and truly over the hump, having played 358 games, but I bet there's not a single person who will disagree with the smooth-moving Pendlebury making the top 50. The loss comes ahead of a difficult month that includes away games to Geelong and the Western Bulldogs and the visits of St Kilda and Brisbane, but there were plenty of positives for the Crows which shouldnt be lost in the final result. De Goey has the enviable quality of being as effective forward as he is in the middle and is capable of winning any game off his own boot. Of course, we all know he ranks in the top three for just about every ruck category, but it's the other things he does which make him a top 50 player in the league. Perhaps the biggest tease in the AFL over the last three or four seasons. I'm going to be honest, the Giants skipper is my favourite player in the league to watch (narrowly edging out Sicily). Andrew Brayshaw enjoyed a breakout season in 2022. Darrian Traynor/Getty Images. Bailey Smith (24 disposals, six clearances) made a successful return after two weeks out with a calf injury but the Bulldogs missed concussed midfielder Tom Liberatore's grunt around the ball. In fact, the Lions score a goal from 26% of McCluggage's forward 50 entries, the highest rate of any of the top 50 players for inside 50s over the last two seasons. Forty disposals, 24 of them contested, two goals, nine tackles and four clearances. But I bet you knew that already, right?! It's his ability to play as both a traditional lead, mark and set-shot key forward as well as a hybrid small, winning the ball at ground level and using his size, speed, skill and craftiness to outfox defenders. Ashcroft kicked another goal from a set shot soon after that and finished with 28 mostly silky disposals. 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. Through last year's injury interrupted season, Martin averaged 18 disposals and 1.3 goals per game, playing predominantly in the forward line. Stream every game of the 2023 AFL season live and ad free. 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. 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. From lock-down midfielder to one of the game's ultra elite, it's been an incredible rise for Miller over the last two years. The news wont be welcomed by Gold Coasts Lauren Bella, who recorded the most hit-outs of the 2020 season, but sadly, there is virtually no correlation between the hit-out differential and the margin. And those in the second camp, I want to share some numbers with you. He was initially in the top 10, then he dropped out of the top 20. Greene sparked the fightback with the first of those four goals, while versatile midfielder Harry Perryman also added two as the Giants surged late. So impressive was Rozee from Round 5 onwards -- averaging 26 disposals, four clearances, four inside 50s, four tackles and just about a goal per game -- that he was awarded an All-Australian blazer. As much as I believe Chad Warner is a future top three player, he's obviously not there yet, and will be ranked accordingly. There are at least four others who play a very similar role and have stronger numbers over a greater period of time (keep reading, I'll prove it), they just don't get a fraction of the credit. ABC Sport on Grandstand it's 100% Pure Footy. That's a phenomenal effort for a full back! The Giants' captain was the quickest to react when the ball fell free after a throw-in deep in the forward pocket, but needed the composure to get it to his boot for the major that sealed the stirring 17.5 (107) to 16.10 (106) comeback win. And with an ability to push up the ground when required, Heeney's just about the complete football player. Lynch. Is Christian Petracca now the best player in the AFL? It's just a shame his ball use (particularly around goal) often lets him down. In fact, there's really no weakness to his 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. In fact, Lions recruit Josh Dunkley told ESPN in 2021 that Miller is the most difficult player to match up on in the midfield, given his speed, endurance and ability to lay bone-crunching tackles. It holds him in good. players with the most 100 or more reception seasons in NFL history. Only two teams weren't represented on the list; North Melbourne and West Coast. 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. It should be no surprise that forward 50 entries are one of the competitions most important metrics. The clinical Mihocek snapped truly on his left and capitalised on Jordon Butts' defensive gift to close the gap to one goal by half-time. In that stretch, he's led the league in disposals and ranks top five in clearances. 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. Riewoldt has also moved into second place all-time behind Matthew Richardson for most games with at least four contested marks. In just his seventh match, the midfielder anticipated the tap from a bounce close to goal, running down the short side and tapping the ball to himself with his right hand. Daniel Pockett/Getty Images. Crazy, I know. Most Possessions in a Quarter. There aren't many players with more potential than Jordan De Goey. Picture: AFL Photos, BARRETT: Woeful West Coast entering Fitzroy territory, McRae stunned by late call, Nicks laments inaccuracy. Michael Willson/Getty Images. And you certainly can't fit 21 into the top 10. The once seemingly unassailable mark, set by Kevin Bartlett in 1983 has now been surpassed by Burgoyne, Michael Tuck and Brent Harvey (who still had a bit of gas in the tank when he finished up). What's more impressive is that in no way whatsoever does he appear to be slowing down, playing more minutes than anyone else in the competition last year en route to another premiership. 1. However, the mark differential explains only 13 percent of the variation in margins, and the contested mark differential appears no more important than the uncontested mark differential, with each explaining just 10 percent of the variation in margins. Will Russell/Getty Images. Cameron is the highest-ranked non-midfielder on this list. Travis Boak finished with 30 disposals, 11 of them in the final term when . I'm expecting another epic season from the three-time All Australian, as he hunts a piece of silverware that's missing from his trophy cabinet a premiership medallion. One aspect of Crisp's game that generally goes unnoticed is his elite pressure. He was also the safest ball user of any midfielder in the game, turning it over just once every nine disposals. Those who do it better than 99.5% of players in the sport deserve credit for it. 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. Overall, AFLWs most pivotal metrics are very similar to those of the AFL. In my mind, he's the league's most complete player. . 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. 200. In reality, he's a key forward trapped inside a small's body. Some of his last-gasp tackles in 2022 were borderline heroic. Jul 16, 2008 1,721 77 WA. The most notable of those was inside 50s, where he finished the season with the second-most in the league. He won the club's best and fairest and earned All-Australian selection last season with averages of 24 disposals, six tackles, four inside 50s and four clearances per game. Both have a long way to go to be in the same ballpark as Oliver. 1-ranked marker in the game, No. Combine that with the fact he's the No. Who knows, maybe even the top three! Is May the best pure defender in the game? Something else which was glossed over was the fact he played four games fewer than Curnow and still only lost out on the Coleman Medal by four goals. Thats not because a rebound 50 itself is harmful, but instead because teams that win the rebound 50 count tend to have lost the inside 50 count. One of the great midfielders of the modern era and still with plenty left in the tank, despite the fact he's already amassed 260 physically-demanding games. Consistent? 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 . Fritsch booted six goals in that 2021 Grand Final triumph over the Bulldogs, the most by any player in the 'Big Dance' since Darren Jarman in 1997. In the early days of Steele's career, I just couldn't see him developing into a fully fledged A-grader. 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 . Last year, Toby Greene averaged seven more disposals per game and Isaac Heeney took twice as many contested marks. Overall, the team that gathers more possessions wins 7 in 10 matches. It's actually crazy that of Cripps' 159 games, zero have been finals. The rock-solid Taylor became the No. Melbourne midfielder Clayton Oliver impressed with 37 disposals, while Christian Petracca and Angus Brayshaw in his 150th match also shone. Cameron also deserves credit for his unselfishness, contributing 35 direct goal assists for his Lions teammates over the last two years. In fact, only once in the last two seasons has he dipped below the 25 disposal mark. There is a weak negative correlation between the rebound 50 differential and the margin. He was held goalless just once and was a multiple goal kicker on 14 occasions. Jack Crisp is an elite line-breaker and midfield runner. Callum Mills is one of the most versatile midfielders in the AFL. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. READ: The enduring magnetism of Scott Pendlebury, Scott Pendlebury is one of the all-time greats of the AFL. In the previous eleven seasons, more than three quarters of sides that had won the kick count in a game had also won the game itself. My slight knock on 'the Bont' is that he's prone to having too many quiet quarters (at least compared to those ranked above him on this list), but enough with the negatives, a top seven rank should be celebrated. Brown Marshall Welker Johnson Fitzgerald Adams Diggs Allen Hopkins Wayne Harrison Rice Kelce Thomas Jones Moore Hill Jefferson McCaffrey Landry Thomas Edelman 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6 6 5 5 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2. Look, I get it, but he only misses out on a higher rank after somewhat of a down 2022, a year where several others really bolstered their own standing in the game. Not too shabby, by any means. Some might even go so far as to say he's one of the most underrated players going around (yep, I'm one of them). Zach Merrett will captain Essendon in 2023. However, he only played 15 games last year and as impressed as I've been, we don't have a huge body of work from him just yet. One chapter, to which Matter of Stats editor Tony Corke contributed, explored the importance of various statistics in AFL games. No doubt the first of many 'controversies' on this list. Rory Sloane lays a huge tackle on Beau McCreery and makes no mistake in front of the big sticks. I had absolutely no hesitation in making that declaration following Petracca's 2021 Grand Final heroics. 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. Despite the colourful tattoos and retro moustache, 'Libba' flies totally under the radar and has done so for the bulk of his career. Unfortunately, that means one of them has to be ranked fourth. As one of the great runners and line-breakers in the league, Crisp offers a totally different package to the average AFL midfielder. His 103 goals over the last two seasons is the equal fifth-most in that time. 2 last season for inside 50s.

Shell Centre London Telephone Number, George Ross Family Tree, Red Elephant Tomato Soup Recipe, Articles M