That miniscule 3.6% loss rate is easily the best of any defender in the league. WATCH: Will Warner be a top three player in 18 months' time? Andrew Wu, Damien Ractliffe, Andrew Stafford, Tom Decent, Marnie Vinall, Peter Ryan, Marc McGowan and Steve Barrett . The average Victorian-based footy fan might not be overly familiar with Anderson. 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 . 1. Over the past 24 months, Petracca has averaged 28 disposals, 12 combined clearances and inside 50s, 500m gained and a goal per game. With such impressive numbers, you could certainly make the case Hewett deserves to be higher on the list. Darrian Traynor/Getty Images. He had the venue record of nine goals when he pushed off Bazzo to take a mark in a pack near the goal square. But Lynch really is the ultimate, efficient key forward; mark the ball, turn around and bang it through at a higher clip than just about anyone else (last year, 70% of his shots resulted in six points). Are his midfield days over? AFL 2023: What are the roots of the Tigers' struggles in 2023? Dylan Burns/Getty Images. I bet you wouldn't have picked that, huh? It got us thinking about which of the other individual and team records might be attainable in the near future. And if the Coleman Medal is any indicator (of course it is! No surprise he had the fourth-most kicks of anyone last year, as well as the most rebound 50s. The potential was always evident and Curnow well and truly delivered on it in a breakout 2022. 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. 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. The 20-year-old Magpies young gun also spent time off the ground in the second term with a calf issue troubling him, but played on and played his part as Collingwood surged home. I'm convinced that if Parish's numbers were even just 10% lower he'd receive far less (unjust) criticism. The win was Carlton's second biggest over West Coast, falling just short of the 119-point triumph in their first meeting in 1987. Sam Taylor led the AFL in intercept possessions last season. Picture: Getty Images, Nine wins in three seasons: Why Roos are applying for a priority pick. Paul Kane/Getty Images. Consistent? Dangerfield also had 388 contested that season. Will Ashcroft put forward a goal-of-the-year contender as the Brisbane Lions sunk Fremantle's season to further depths. 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. 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). Daniel Pockett/Getty Images. Dylan Burns/Getty Images. The Dockers looked down on confidence and direction as they lost an 11th-straight first quarter. NAME. Impressive Kangaroos youngster Harry Sheezel and Aaron Hall each had 30-disposal matches. 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. 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. 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. Teams were aware of this for years, but now they were getting the hard data to back up their game style. Dustin Martin at 75% is still one of the best players in the AFL. 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. Twist in Blues contract saga, Saints need a King: Key takeouts from round seven. CROWS v MAGPIES Full match coverage and stats. Kick goals and win the ball. Marcus Bontempelli celebrates with fans after a win. Last season, he was the only player in the league to average eight tackles and eight clearances and ranked fifth overall for contested possessions. The rising Pie finished just behind McDonald in the intercept possession stakes, averaging 8.1 per match, and also tied for the most intercept marks a game, with 2.6 a game. He also possesses elite acceleration and top speed, allowing him to break lines for the Bulldogs and launch attacking thrusts. Often at the bottom of a pack or having to deal with two opponents hanging off him, he never fails to hit a target with his lightning-quick hands, setting up more attacking thrusts from midfield than any other player. We've seen Bontempelli dominate games of football with only 20-25 touches of the Sherrin, and he still finds a way to average five clearances, inside 50s and tackles, as well as a goal assist and contested mark per game. Don't @ me. Room for improvement Do we even need to say it? It's even more impressive when you consider Steele's numbers dipped a little in 2022, but backing up a ridiculous 2021 -- where he finished tied-fifth in the Brownlow Medal -- was always going to prove difficult. I really hope the answer to all three is 'yes' and we see Fyfe back on a footy field doing what he does best. Nic Caruso-Wishart on Twitter: "The slippery conditions provided a AFL 2022 Champion Data Deep Dive - which Adelaide Crows and Port Most Possessions in a Quarter | BigFooty Forum 'I LOST MY MIND' McRae stunned by late call, Nicks laments inaccuracy. 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. Sam Walsh has been a star ever since he entered the AFL. Very impressive numbers for a full back. I expect him to hit the ground running in 2023 and quickly get back to his best. This revelation might lead you to wonder, What about AFLW? Presently, womens football has its own unique characteristics tackles are more common; uncontested possessions are less common and thus, there is no reason to presume that its most pivotal statistics would be exactly the same as those of the top-flight mens competition. In the spirit of reconciliation the AFL acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. 7? 1 intercept man in the league, averaging 9.5 per game (the next best had 8.5), and took more marks than any other defender. Win the Brownlow Medal and still fall short of top billing. Here's one for you; how many players have kicked 30 goals in each of the last two seasons? I'm thrilled Merrett has been appointed Essendon skipper for 2023. Just remember, it's not easy to find the footy. But enough of that -- ranking in the top 30 is some achievement, so let's celebrate Mills. Luke Parker is the heart and soul of the Swans. There's really no better way to describe Cameron, who, at this point, is practically a walking highlight reel. 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. And who led the league in contested marks? 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. Anzac Day Eve has brought out the best and worst of both Richmond and Melbourne for the last eight years. Lions fans knew early on that they'd secured a jet with McCluggage -- who was famously drafted third in 2016 behind Andrew McGrath and Tim Taranto -- but over the last two years he's developed his game further than anyone could have hoped. I wasn't looking to be provocative with my claim, but I'd clearly struck a nerve with this particular colleague. 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. There's an argument to be made he's already the league's second-fittest player (behind Ed Langdon), spending more minutes and covering more turf than literally any other midfielder (Langdon is classified as a winger). It seemed everyone had already crowned him the next well, insert literally any AFL legend! Player TM Years # GM Ave. Robert Harvey: SK: 1988-2008: 9656: 383: 25.21: Simon Black: BL: 1998-2013: 7580: 322: 23.54: Scott . These are the 50 best, in order. Cripps never had trouble winning the ball at the contest -- consistently ranking as a top five player in clearances and contested possessions -- but last year he became a much more complete footballer. Club: Collingwood Position: Midfield. Emails will NOT be used for the sending of unsolicited, spam or promotional materials. I've had a few dud calls over the past couple of years but picking Neale to win the 2020 Brownlow Medal at the beginning of the season feels like it makes up for them all. Averaging 32 disposals over his last 50 outings, Laird is one of the game's most prolific and consistent ball winners. 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. Riewoldt has also moved into second place all-time behind Matthew Richardson for most games with at least four contested marks. Michael Willson/Getty Images. After the halcyon days of the 80s and 90s, where the style of footy largely remained open and free-flowing, teams started to focus more on defence first and everything else second. 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. If this list was constructed at the beginning of last year, Brayshaw's not on it. The greatest players in the history of the Australian Football League. 2021 AFL League Contested Possessions Per Game Leaders (Minimum 5 Games Played) Rank: Player: Team Games: Average: 1: Clayton Oliver: Melbourne: 25: 17.44: 2: Ben Cunnington: North Melbourne: 15: 15.60: 3: . 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. JACK CRISP. Izak Rankine does what he does best in this mesmerising goal. Nobody puts their team on their back quite like Cripps. Fellow Kangaroos forward Callum Coleman-Joneswas also forced from the match in the third term after coming off second-best in a marking contest with Demons defender Steven May. Greatest AFL Players of All Time. Crisp's insane durability also has to be factored in, given he is currently riding a league-longest streak of 188 consecutive games played. He's played just three seasons but each year we've seen a giant leap and right now he's on a trajectory to becoming a top 15-20 player by the end of 2023. Not the most exciting. Positives among negatives for CrowsAdelaide will be lamenting this loss, given its general dominance, inaccuracy and the final-quarter chaos. Not the most valuable. Except you aren't picking a team, you simply want the best player available. He also ranks higher than many of his fellow small forwards given his ability to be equally as damaging in the midfield when deployed there, something I believe the Giants have significantly underutilized in recent times. Dane Swan equalled the feat with 48 against Port Adelaide in 2008 Tony Shaw still had lots left in his tank in his 13th year. It's also made ranking him amongst his contemporaries a near impossible task! . Collingwood trailed all game except for the final 30 seconds after Sidebottom's behind. 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. 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. 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. While his shooting for goal has at times been a little underwhelming -- he's kicked 43.61 since the beginning of 2020 -- his ball use going inside 50 is as good as it gets. Lynch. No surprise, he got it. 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. Don't forget, he's still only 27 years old, so there's absolutely no reason to believe his slight regression will be anything of a trend. Required fields are marked *. Whilst reaching 400 games remains an incredibly rare occurrence, the other 400-Club boasts just three players. Last year, he was one of just 12 players in the league to average seven score involvements per game. Collingwood booted three goals to one in the final term, rallying after Chayce Jones extended the home side's lead to 22 points early in the last. 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. Melbourne v Richmond - The Doc's Autopsy - The Mongrel Punt 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. Who was the only player to average three goals per game last year? Not only is he every bit a star of the AFL but also an underrated candidate for best skipper. Noah Anderson celebrates a goal after the siren. Cameron Spencer/Getty Images. May just doesn't get beaten in one-on-one contests, using his size and strength to unsettle forwards. Who are the best players in the AFL and how would you go about ranking them? The method used in Footballistics reveals how often the winner of a certain metric also won the game, but this doesnt take into account the margin by which the metric was won or the margin by which the game was won. After a down couple of years in 2020 and 2021, some were beginning to wonder if Carlton's skipper was still the best player on his team, forget the competition! And had the Suns not fallen away in the back half of last season, something which has become a worrying trend, he very well may have won the Brownlow Medal. There is a weak negative correlation between the rebound 50 differential and the margin. By now, I'm sure you're fully aware of the types of players I rate higher than others. Still, Miller finished third -- behind winner Patrick Cripps and pre-count favourite Lachie Neale -- but will be sure to give the award a shake again in 2023 if he maintains his ridiculous numbers of 28 disposals, 15 contested possessions, eight clearances and six tackles per contest. Over the last two years, Walker has booted 95 goals from just 35 games. Most Possessions by a Player [Game] - BigFooty Forum 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. AFL Grand Final player ratings: Christian Petracca the king, several Teams that won the hit-out count have, in fact, lost the game more often than theyve won. in Neale. Jul 16, 2008 1,721 77 WA. Pretty similar, hey? Pies from the skies again: Collingwood edges Crows in thriller Dylan Burns/Getty Images. 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. So if you're one of them, I've got two questions for you. As with rebound 50s, there is little benefit to winning the tackle count, but not because a tackle itself is worthless. Watch the best highlights from an eventful round. 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. Moore was outstanding with 23 disposals, including nine intercept possessions and six marks, while Josh Daicos had a game-high 31 touches and had his moments in the tense final term. When Greene's one-out in the forward 50m, you just feel sorry for his opponent as it seems like he wins those contests at least 80% of the time. Can he be a successful forward? Last season, Moore had the third-most intercept possessions and the fourth-most one-percenters. . The Magpies ramped that up around clearances, claiming a lopsided 16-4 final-quarter count with 4-1 at centre clearances. After the Blues' heartbreaking pre-finals exit last season, I'm expecting a hungry and determined Cripps to hit the ground running this year and finally lead his side into September. 1 Leigh Matthews. 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. Mark Brake/Getty Images. Key defenders and general forwards had 8% each, while just one ruck and general defender were featured. The 24-year-old splits his time almost 50-50 between the wing and pure midfield and is one of the great link players in the competition, doing most of his damage on the outside with 16 uncontested possessions per game over the last two seasons. Anderson is one of the brightest young stars in the AFL and his game is developing at breakneck speed. 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.