An aspect of Oliver's game which I believe is completely underrated is his pressure. you would see a team who wins the contested possessions win about 70 per cent of the time. They explain 55 percent of the variation in margins, slightly above the 51 percent explained by the kick differential. Dylan Burns/Getty Images. 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. The 10 best AFL players at quarter time of the 2023 season - ESPN Tahlia Randall, North Melbourne - spoils Just remember, it's not easy to find the footy. Who are the best players in the AFL and how would you go about ranking them? players with the most 100 or more reception seasons in NFL history. But enough of that -- ranking in the top 30 is some achievement, so let's celebrate Mills. 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. I just don't think it's that clear cut. Supporters and commentators love to discuss controversial umpiring decisions, but the free kick differential explains just nine percent of the variation in AFLW margins. On average, the winning team has received 17 free kicks and given away 16 hardly a significant difference. It seemed everyone had already crowned him the next well, insert literally any AFL legend! Curnow has that Jeremy Cameron-esque ability (anyone seen him yet?) 3-ranked for metres gained, has an off-the-charts footy IQ and an unmatched appetite for the contest (how can you not love watching him play!) Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images. Cookies will be used for the identification of users if the "Remember me on this computer" option is checked. Lynch. But May does a whole lot more than just lock down the league's best key forwards. If it is a valid email, your password will be reset and emailed to you. Heeney has well and truly lived up to the hype and continues to develop his game each and every year. He rarely gives away free kicks and is always able to get his hands, or at worst, a fist, on the ball, snuffing out opposition attacks in the nick of time. Twist in Blues contract saga, Saints need a King: Key takeouts from round seven. Patrick Cripps shows off his 2022 Brownlow Medal. I wasn't looking to be provocative with my claim, but I'd clearly struck a nerve with this particular colleague. Ash Johnson and Josh Daicos both goaled, before John Noble's running goal from 50m out with 2:52 left cut the margin to one point. 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 highest number of contested touches ever recorded comes from Patrick Dangerfield, who crashed and bashed his way to 430 from 24 games back in 2017. 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. In round two this year, Fremantle recorded seven clearances fewer than West Coast in the AFLWs inaugural western derby, but the Dockers still managed to cruise to a 45-point victory. All-Star stats team: Shock leaders, lone Lion makes the cut - AFLW Only two teams weren't represented on the list; North Melbourne and West Coast. Last season, he was the No. 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. 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. The tense contest continued in the third, with the Magpies resolute amid pressure with Adelaide winning the inside 50s 17-9. Top 10?! ABC Sport on Grandstand it's 100% Pure Footy. That miniscule 3.6% loss rate is easily the best of any defender in the league. 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. Overall, the team that gathers more possessions wins 7 in 10 matches. 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. No surprise he had the fourth-most kicks of anyone last year, as well as the most rebound 50s. Charlie Curnow bags nine goals in Carlton's 108-point AFL win over West 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. Check. Australia Zone is committed to covering womens sport, sports analysis and gender equality. The intercept possession differential explains 25 percent of the variation in margins, uncontested possessions explain 28 percent, and contested possessions explain 39 percent. Collingwood players fume at the non free kick awarded after this hit on Nathan Murphy, before Jordan de Goey is pinged for a contentious deliberate call. As it turns out, kicks are (arguably) the most important statistic in both AFL and AFLW the kick differential has a stronger correlation with AFLW margins than any other. He had the venue record of nine goals when he pushed off Bazzo to take a mark in a pack near the goal square. Michael Willson/Getty Images. WATCH: Is Anderson the most underrated player in the Top 50? Unfortunately, that means one of them has to be ranked fourth. AFL Tables - 2022 Team Stats & Season Highs 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. 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. Matt Roberts/Getty Images. Jack Macrae is one of the best ball-winners in the AFL. 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. Jack Steven and Leigh Montagna finished with 47 touches apiece. 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. Darrian Traynor/Getty Images. It's all the proof anyone needs that he's still undoubtedly one of the best players in the AFL. 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). ), McKay was the best forward 12 months prior, leading the competition with 58 majors, again, from only 19 appearances. In the spirit of reconciliation the AFL acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. Paul Kane/Getty Images. Rob Gronkowski (98), 5. 20. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Glossary - AFL - Champion Data Don't @ me. Melbourne midfielder Clayton Oliver impressed with 37 disposals, while Christian Petracca and Angus Brayshaw in his 150th match also shone. Nic Caruso-Wishart on Twitter: "The slippery conditions provided a Pies from the skies again: Collingwood edges Crows in thriller I'd be shocked if he wasn't universally considered a top 50 player until the day he hangs up the boots for good. The 22-year-old is yet to dip below the 28-disposal mark and has had 16+ contested possessions in each of the past four games. READ: The enduring magnetism of Scott Pendlebury, Scott Pendlebury is one of the all-time greats of the AFL. In my mind, he's the league's most complete player. Lynch ended the season as arguably the most in-form player in the competition, booting 24 majors in his final five games. Best of the best: The AFL all-time records that will blow your mind 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. Lachie Neale is chaired off the Gabba after his 200th game. Will Russell/Getty Images. Through last year's injury interrupted season, Martin averaged 18 disposals and 1.3 goals per game, playing predominantly in the forward line. 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. By Sarah Black - womens.afl on Oct 29, 2020, 9:55pm. I'm thrilled Merrett has been appointed Essendon skipper for 2023. Most of us would consider it a clear down year for the three-time Norm Smith medallist but if anyone else had that type of output -- admittedly, over a full season and not the nine games Martin managed -- they wouldn't just be in All-Australian general forward discussions, they'd have the blazer. Graham Denholm/Getty Images. He's never afraid to take on the game with his pace, run-and-carry and dare, and with more time in the midfield last year was able to enjoy career-highs in most statistical categories. Most Possessions in a Quarter. The commentary around Parish reminds me a lot of when Tom Mitchell was racking up 50-disposal games and subsequently getting crushed for "low impact," when if he'd had, say, 44 touches, he'd probably have received a heap of praise for it. A Above Average: Top 11% to 35% of the statistical category. And mind you, this was no Tigers fanatic. Eventually, I settled with him at No. 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. 2 last season for inside 50s. Handballs, however, are not so important. In fact, there's really no weakness to his game. His unmatched speed, silky skills and elite finishing inside 50m allow him to flip games on their head in the space of minutes. No surprise, he got it. AFL 2023 round seven: Twist in Carlton Blues contracts saga, St Kilda 'I LOST MY MIND' McRae stunned by late call, Nicks laments inaccuracy. But the one player ranking most seemed to have an issue with was Wines being in the top 20. Check out who's leading the way in every major statistical individual and team category since 2000. Here he is! When he pushes forward, he hits the scoreboard and sets up scoring chances better than literally any other midfielder (he ranked No. 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. The 400-Club may see others join over the next few years. in Neale. 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. The Demons kicked their highest score this season and were on track to record their biggest winning margin against North Melbourne, before the Kangaroos kicked the last three goals of the match. Me? He is without question one of the hardest-working midfielders in the competition, constantly running and spreading all over the ground to always provide his teammates with an option. It's very well deserved. 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. Bontempelli continues to be one of the best goal-kicking midfielders in the AFL, booting 55 majors over the past two seasons. Gary Ablett managed 46 possessions aganst Adelaide in 2008 Stephen Malaxo's accumulated 48 possessions against St.Kilda in late 1987. I don't reckon many non-Crows fans will believe some of these numbers. Among all players who have played at least 50 AFL games Kennedy ranks fourth all-time in average clearances and average contested possessions. Collingwood trailed all game except for the final 30 seconds after Sidebottom's behind. Forget top dozen inside midfielders, you can easily make the case Liberatore deserves to be considered among the top six. Albert Perez/Getty Images. 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. Club: Collingwood Position: Midfield. Albert Perez/GETTY IMAGES. Adelaide's Rory Laird tackles Collingwood's Patrick Lipinski in the round 18 match at the Adelaide Oval on July 16, 202. His 2022 campaign produced 67 goals, including three in the Grand Final, to take his career tally to 732. As one of the great runners and line-breakers in the league, Crisp offers a totally different package to the average AFL midfielder. Bailey is definitely someone to keep an eye on in 2023 as the Lions look for a deep September run. Tell me why it's egregious and how I got it catastrophically wrong. If you find yourself at a Dockers game this season, just lock your eyes on No. This was the third time this season they've won from a three-quarter time deficit. Popular young livewire Arthur Jones kicked the sealer his first AFL goal to spark celebrations in the final few minutes. 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. 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. You are advised to change this password after using it to sign in again. 1. 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. Combine that with the fact he's the No. . Curnow missed a shot on the run in the final quarter that would have given him 10 goals. 2-ranked interceptor, No. AFL 2022: Footy tipping, statistics, Champion Data, help The Magpies have flown home again, beating the Crows in an incredible contest. Jeremy Cameron celebrates after winning the 2022 AFL Grand Final. Then the second selection, and third, and so on. Disposals; Player TM Years # GM Ave. Petracca kicked 19.31 last season but 29.19 the year before. Enjoy the thrilling final moments between Adelaide and Collingwood in round seven. 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. Who was the only player to average three goals per game last year? Elite? It's not easy! Positives among negatives for CrowsAdelaide will be lamenting this loss, given its general dominance, inaccuracy and the final-quarter chaos. But Smith's running gifts extend beyond endurance. His contested ball, marking, rebounding from defensive 50 and tackling numbers all continue to rise. Take a look at his last two games; a clear best-on-ground performance in a preliminary final rout of Brisbane and a Grand Final display which was worthy of a Norm Smith Medal (sorry, Isaac Smith). James Sicily might be the best defender in the AFL. Even with three All-Australian blazers proudly hanging in his wardrobe, Macrae somehow remains criminally underrated. 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. Actual Hit Rate: How often a player hits the intended target (including50/50 contests) when attempting a kick. 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. Perhaps Chad Warner. The result snapped a two-match losing streak for the Blues, who improved their win-loss record to 4-2, in addition to one draw. In 142 AFLW games, the winner of the rebound 50 count has won just 46 times, losing by eight points on average. Picture: AFL Photos, Tom Mitchell kicks the ball during the R1 clash between Hawthorn and Collingwood on March 24, 2018. 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. Even still, he's a clear top 25 player, and only rising. 1-ranked player last year in clearances, contested possessions and ground ball gets?! As well as discovering the proportion of games in which the team that won a statistic also won the match, its also useful to examine the average margin by which the aforesaid team won, and the correlation between the statistics differential and the games final margin. He's a sneaky great ball user, too. Brody Mihocek kept Collingwood in the contest with three goals. 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. His set shot kicking has been a bit iffy at times -- having kicked 12.25 over the last two years -- but he's always had exceptional hands, particularly for a midfielder. Technically, he's a small or general forward, but his supreme aerial ability combined with a 1980s-esque swagger means he plays so much bigger than that. Last season, Taylor saw his reputation skyrocket, providing the steadiest of defensive hands for a team that ultimately won just six games. 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.