Just five men have reached 400 games in the history of the V/AFL. Andrew Brayshaw enjoyed a breakout season in 2022. I love watching him at the contest and am convinced he's the best in-tight ball user I've ever seen. Last year, Toby Greene averaged seven more disposals per game and Isaac Heeney took twice as many contested marks. 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. Heeney averaged two goals and 16 disposals (with an even split between contested and uncontested ball) per game as well as ranking second in the league for tackles inside 50, numbers which led to him being awarded a maiden All-Australian blazer. 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. The win was Carlton's second biggest over West Coast, falling just short of the 119-point triumph in their first meeting in 1987. At the halfway point of the year, Crisp was firmly in the All-Australian discussions, however his form did tail off in the back half, which probably cost him a blazer and a higher rank here. Tom Lynch is one of more underrated forwards in the league. Even if I expect Dunkley to be challenging for the top 20 by season's end, we're basing this ranking off what we've seen thus far. For this exercise, I'm looking at the 50 best players heading into season 2023. Patrick Dangerfield has won everything in the game. In the early days of Steele's career, I just couldn't see him developing into a fully fledged A-grader. Crazy, I know. I really don't think anyone is going to debate me here and say he isn't the best forward in the game. With three games remaining in the 2021 season (plus at least one final for the Dees), Oliver sits at 327 contested touches. We question, we discuss, we wonder, and, most enjoyably, we debate; doing so as if our lives are at stake. No surprise, he got it. Lynch ended the season as arguably the most in-form player in the competition, booting 24 majors in his final five games. Not too shabby, by any means. There's really no better way to describe Cameron, who, at this point, is practically a walking highlight reel. Franklin will still burn you on the lead as well as at ground level and is more than capable of winning any game off his own boot. 7? The Magpies have flown home again, beating the Crows in an incredible contest. What can you say about this man that hasn't already been said? Daniel Pockett/Getty Images. 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. 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. Teams that won the hit-out count have, in fact, lost the game more often than theyve won. April 25, 2023. Thread starter Belnakor; Start date Apr 5, 2010; Tagged users . And if the Coleman Medal is any indicator (of course it is! 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. Most Disposals In A Season Player TM GM Ave. Year Player TM GM Ave. Year Jack Macrae WB 880 26 33.85 2021 Dane Swan CW 769 25 30.76 2009 Tom Mitchell HW 848 24 35.33 2018 Jack Macrae WB 767 23 33.35 2019 Matt Crouch AD 825 25 33.00 2017 Terry Wallace HW 765 25 30.60 1983 Dane Swan CW 820 26 31.54 2010 Steele Sidebottom CW 764 26 29.38 2018 The Giants finished the afternoon with 41 more contested possessions than Essendon, a . 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. The Top Ten. In 1991, the big man grabbed 50 possessions against Brisbane in 1991. Over the last two seasons, he has averaged 7.5 clearances per game (top five in the league), and ranks 'elite' with Champion Data in contested possession, tackles, ground ball gets and score involvements. His previous career best was a seven-goal haul against the Western Bulldogs in 2019. The tense contest continued in the third, with the Magpies resolute amid pressure with Adelaide winning the inside 50s 17-9. Bolton hasn't just taken the torch from Dustin Martin as Richmond's dynamic mid-forward threat, he's ensuring the flame will continue to burn brightly for years to come. Bailey Smith has one of the best engines in the AFL. 2022 AFL League Total Contested Possessions Leaders (Minimum 5 Games Played) Rank: Player: Team Games: Total: 1: Clayton Oliver: Melbourne: 23: 409: 2: Lachie Neale: Brisbane: 25: 400: 3: Touk Miller: Gold Coast: 22: 334: 4: . Unfortunately, that means one of them has to be ranked fourth. It got us thinking about which of the other individual and team records might be attainable in the near future. Even still, he's a clear top 25 player, and only rising. Daniel Pockett/Getty Images. Leigh Mathew's is definitely a top 5 player and arguably the greatest. So what was it that made him so great? 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. But last year we saw that number jump up . With such impressive numbers, you could certainly make the case Hewett deserves to be higher on the list. 1-ranked marker in the game, No. Rebound 50s do have some relevance, but only in relation to inside 50s. Scary stuff. He's such a valuable asset for the Swans, given his ability to control games in the midfield and then seamlessly drop back into defence when required. Both have a long way to go to be in the same ballpark as Oliver. Albert Perez/Getty Images. Check out the tables below to see the rest of the records that players and teams could chase. 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. 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. 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. Paul Kane/Getty Images. The greatest players in the history of the Australian Football League. Rotham was finally relieved of the job on Curnow when the spearhead booted his sixth goal at the nine-minute mark of the third quarter. But like I mentioned in the introduction; no forecasting is allowed here. Ratten for the most 10-clearance games in AFL history when he . 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. Mark Brake/Getty Images. Not at all. Last year, Parker kicked 14 majors, including a bag of five against the Giants in Round 1 which netted him three Brownlow Medal votes. Dangerfield also had 388 contested that season. It's very well deserved. established stars, regardless of how spellbindingly-brilliant his game on the weekend had been. Over the last two years, Walker has booted 95 goals from just 35 games. 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. It makes sense, given he's one of the best kickers going around, hitting targets by foot 70% of the time, a ridiculously high number for a midfielder. Approximately two thirds of matches are won by the team that records more rebound 50s per opposition inside 50 than its opponent. In the spirit of reconciliation the AFL acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. Matt Roberts/Getty Images. I really don't think Hawkins gets enough credit for the level of quality he's produced over the past decade and change. It was evident early on that Laird was much more than a rebounding half-back, and he has flourished ever since receiving his first midfield opportunity in 2020. I think there's plenty more awards coming his way, too. 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. Like Dangerfield, some would argue Martin is still amongst the best players in the league, while others believe his best days are long behind him. In 142 AFLW games, the winner of the rebound 50 count has won just 46 times, losing by eight points on average. Robert Cianflone/Getty Images. Curnow jumped onto Shannon Hurn's shoulders to take a spectacular high grab before wheeling onto his right boot to snap his eighth. Win the Brownlow Medal and still fall short of top billing. So why doesn't he rank higher? I mean, seriously; that was embarrassing. 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. The 31-year-old is a six-time All-Australian, two-time club best and fairest, premiership captain and later this year should play game No. Naturally, teams that generate more scoring opportunities are more likely to win. He has the versatility -- able to play small, tall as well as float in the backline -- and has some of the most exquisite foot skills you'll ever see. He was held goalless just once and was a multiple goal kicker on 14 occasions. In reality, he's a key forward trapped inside a small's body. Charlie Curnow was the 2022 Coleman Medal winner. Add in four inside 50s, a couple of clearances and tackles per game and you've got yourself a very, very nice player. Clutch Collingwood does it againIt's hard to explain Collingwood's final quarters, but the team's belief no matter the margin is apparent for all to see. 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. He was also the safest ball user of any midfielder in the game, turning it over just once every nine disposals. One of the more dynamic and dangerous key forwards in the competition, and yet some remain adamant that Naughton is an even better key defender. Very impressive numbers for a full back. CP=Contested possessions UP=Uncontested possessions CM=Contested marks MI=Marks inside 50 1%=One percenters BO=Bounces GA=Goal assist %P=Percentage of game played SU=Sub (On/Off) =subbed on =subbed off: Team Totals For KI MK HB DI GL BH HO TK RB IF CL CG FF BR CP UP CM MI 1% BO GA; Adelaide: 4389: 1642: 3335: 7724: 249: 178: 908: 1487 . The true reason, of course, is that it is better to have possession of the ball than it is to be tackling an opponent who has the ball. But let me tell you, if 2022 'Dusty' is what we get from here on out, that's still easily good enough to be a top 20 player in the AFL. The 400-Club may see others join over the next few years. That average of 2.7 per outing ranks him fourth in the league. So if you're one of them, I've got two questions for you. More than a third of teams that have lost the handball count still managed to win the game. If youd like to help achieve this, please feel free to pitch an article via email to australiazone@protonmail.com we accept submissions from anyone. On Monday mornings at ESPN Australia headquarters, football debates and hypotheticals provide as much energy as the 9:30 a.m. coffee run. With respect to Scott Pendlebury, Neale has the best balance of any player in the league, particularly around stoppages, and a crazy ability to weave his way out of traffic before finding a target. The unassuming Oliver does the second of those better than anyone else in the game. you would see a team who wins the contested possessions win about 70 per cent of the time. Travis Kelce (133), 3. The intercept possession differential explains 25 percent of the variation in margins, uncontested possessions explain 28 percent, and contested possessions explain 39 percent. I love how Anderson plays with speed and is always looking to kick rather than handball, doing so at the rare midfielder rate of 2.25-1. And would I be surprised if he's once again a consensus top five player by season's end. I'm not sure what it is but the Richmond spearhead always seems to be forgotten when we debate the great forwards in the AFL. CROWS v MAGPIES Full match coverage and stats. Among all players who have played at least 50 AFL games Kennedy ranks fourth all-time in average clearances and average contested possessions. Cameron Spencer/Getty Images. On average, the team that wins the tackle count wins the game by a few points, but the correlation between the two is very weak. Most Goals in AFL/VFL history 1,360 Tony Lockett is the league record-holder for the most goals kicked in the history of the VFL/AFL, with 1,360 goals in a career of 281 games, starting in 1983 with the St Kilda Football Club and ending in 2002 with the Sydney Swans. 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. Touk Miller is one of the elite two-way players in the AFL. Even Luke Davies-Uniacke may eventually give it a shake, but as of right now, we are witnessing something special from Clayton Oliver, and anyone who criticises what he doesnt do, or what he could do, should take a bit of gander at what he does do. It is important to note that, of these players, Oliver is performing at an amazing clip. However, considering the advantage fantasy points possess, their superiority over kicks is not very significant. A Above Average: Top 11% to 35% of the statistical category. The Lions (5-2) notched a fourth-straight win, untroubled in a 17.13 (115) to 10.7 (67) Gabba cruise that plunged the Dockers to 2-5. Callum Mills is one of the most versatile midfielders in the AFL. Even still, he's flirting with the top 10. project. His 2022 campaign produced 67 goals, including three in the Grand Final, to take his career tally to 732. Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images. Dylan Burns/Getty Images. Picture: AFL Photos, Joel Bowden celebrates a goal during the R5 clash between Richmond and North Melbourne on April 25, 2009. That's eight and a half seasons! Perhaps Chad Warner. 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. Let's hope he can keep it going. Michael Willson/Getty Images. The slippery conditions provided a truly scrappy contest - but one player wasn't fumbling that day. 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. Kick goals and win the ball. Plenty of Demons fans would argue May's the club's most important player, and with that list, that's certainly saying something. Not at all. Of course, a player's body of work impacts their ranking but I want to hammer home the fact this is not a legacy piece. Riewoldt has also moved into second place all-time behind Matthew Richardson for most games with at least four contested marks. Carlton's dynamic forward snagged 64 goals -- crazy when you consider he was sharing the forward line with a guy who kicked a league-best 58 goals the previous season -- to not only land the Coleman Medal and stake his claim as the best young forward in the AFL, but leave me looking a total fool (yes, I floated the idea of a Curnow trade back in 2020). Supporters and commentators love to discuss controversial umpiring decisions, but the free kick differential explains just nine percent of the variation in AFLW margins. With more time in the midfield, and some further development as a player, I expect Rozee to begin pushing himself towards the top 20. His finishing rarely lets him down, either. The focus for the remainder of the match was on whether Curnow could make it a magical 10 goals, but West Coast double teamed him at times to ensure it did not happen. It all bodes well for a career-best 2023, and the bookmakers agree, installing him as the pre-season favourite for this year's Coleman. Daniel Pockett/Getty Images. 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. How he's managed to not only resurrect his career, but re-establish himself as one of the competition's premier forwards -- all during a time where he became embroiled in an off-field racism controversy -- is something that deserves a huge amount of credit. 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. Anzac Day Eve has brought out the best and worst of both Richmond and Melbourne for the last eight years. The 32-year-old no longer brings his devastating game week-in, week-out -- mainly because he doesn't have to anymore -- but when he needs it, it's there. It's also worth remembering McKay is just 25 years of age! Champion Data has trawled through its data to make an "advanced stats AFLW all-stars team". But at his best, Grundy is the complete package. I bet you wouldn't have picked that, huh? It's pleasing to see the super-likable Miller finally receiving his plaudits and continuing to shine now he's reached the point in his career where opposing coaches are doing everything they can to try and limit his influence. Another player who felt impossible to rank. You'd also be hard pressed to find a more reliable set shot for goal, particularly on or outside the 50m arc. He's a sneaky great ball user, too. Isaac Heeney celebrates a goal in the 2022 AFL Grand Final. They explain 55 percent of the variation in margins, slightly above the 51 percent explained by the kick differential. 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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. The 10 best AFL players at quarter time of the 2023 season - ESPN Skip to main content Skip to navigation > Search You have come to the Philippines Edition, for other ESPN editions, click here. Surely Bolton hadn't just leapfrogged two dozen (maybe more?!) I'm convinced that if Parish's numbers were even just 10% lower he'd receive far less (unjust) criticism. Don't get me wrong, Mills is a tremendous player but what he's lauded for most -- his work-rate and two-way running -- is just a tad overhyped. The potential was always evident and Curnow well and truly delivered on it in a breakout 2022. AFL Club West Coast Apr 12, 2010 #6 lenny hayes' first quarter maybe 2008 or 2009. then got . We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. The Dockers looked down on confidence and direction as they lost an 11th-straight first quarter. One of the premier defenders in the league, the athletic Moore continues to be as solid as a rock for Collingwood. As much as we should marvel at as his work-rate and on-field skills, his maturity for a 23-year-old might be his greatest asset. Joe Daniher also booted three majors, with Ashcroft, Cameron, Zac Bailey, Eric Hipwood finished the match with doubles. As a combination of several weighted statistics, fantasy points have an extremely unfair advantage over the single statistics, and as expected, they explain more of the variation in margins than any one stat. Heeney has well and truly lived up to the hype and continues to develop his game each and every year. But the dynamic Pie has developed into a far more settled and consistent player -- last year's preliminary final against Sydney notwithstanding -- over the last two 18 months. He averages six tackles per game for his career and last season ranked fourth in the league for pressure acts. Carlton captain Patrick Cripps starred with 33 disposals, eight clearances and a goal, while Nic Newman, Adam Cerra, Blake Acres, George Hewett and Sam Walsh all racked up 30 or more possessions. The 50 best AFL players heading into season 2023. How Macrae hasn't polled 16 Brownlow votes in any of the past three seasons actually defies belief. 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. The only thing that gets in the is that he never won a Brownlow otherwise he would be labeled the GOAT like Michael Jordan of the AFL. Would you believe me if I told you that no player has booted more goals than him since the beginning of 2012? 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. Darrian Traynor/Getty Images. Passwords are encrypted before being stored in our system . The intercept possession differential explains 25 percent of the variation in margins, uncontested possessions explain 28 percent, and contested possessions explain 39 percent. Greene sparked the fightback with the first of those four goals, while versatile midfielder Harry Perryman also added two as the Giants surged late. That in itself highlights just how exceptional the young Docker was in 2022, providing a much-needed spark in a year where former skipper Nat Fyfe just couldn't get on the park. 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. The Bulldogs (4-3) were well beaten in clearances and contested possession before half-time but gradually tilted the match in their favour to secure a 14.10 (94) to 9.11 (65) victory at Docklands. Tom Mitchell was also close, 12 possessions away from joining the club in his 2018 Brownlow year as the Hawks went out of the finals in straight sets. Midfielders and mid-forwards made up 64% of the list, followed by key forwards at 16%. All data entered is sent securely via SSL to our system. 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. Aaron Naughton might be an even better defender than forward. I just don't think it's that clear cut. At times he looks like a man vs. boys; good luck bringing him down as he charges forward from a contest. Brownlow medallist Tom Mitchell set the standard for most disposals in 2018 when he famously ran around without a tagger to gather the ball 54 times against Collingwood. 1 ruck in the AFL. 2 last year in direct goal assists, highlighting just how selfless he is. Handballs, however, are not so important. Greene still finished with four goals and had just as much impact further afield to gather 22 disposals. 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.
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