most contested possessions afl all time

You might also be surprised to hear Merrett averaged the fifth-most kicks of any midfielder last year, so enough of the 'cheap handballs' narrative. Michael Willson/Getty Images, Club: Western BulldogsPosition: Mid-forward. George Hewett was the best recruit of the 2021 off-season. 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. Plenty of AFL teams have received a rude wake-up call by means of a thrashing to start a new season. Ashcroft kicked another goal from a set shot soon after that and finished with 28 mostly silky disposals. And at age 21, he is easily the youngest player on this entire list. 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. Dylan Burns/Getty Images. Dangerfield also had 388 contested that season. Bailey Smith has one of the best engines in the AFL. NAME. Lynch. A career-best season from Schleicher finished in All-Australian selection. 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. Julian Edelman (118), 4. AFL Report Card, Round 6 2021: AFL analysis, every club graded, best Michael Willson/Getty Images, Club: Western BulldogsPosition: Key forward. It holds him in good. Curnow missed a shot on the run in the final quarter that would have given him 10 goals. 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. 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 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. Smith's greatest asset is his stamina and running power. Darrian Traynor/Getty Images. He had the second-most rebound 50s and eighth-most intercept possessions last season, as well as averaging a shade under 20 disposals per game. Darrian Traynor/Getty Images. 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. Those who do it better than 99.5% of players in the sport deserve credit for it. Last season, Moore had the third-most intercept possessions and the fourth-most one-percenters. A ball winner and clearance getter, first and foremost, a great link man between defence and attack, but someone who is also willing and able to do the dirty work. Except you aren't picking a team, you simply want the best player available. 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. But last year we saw that number jump up . The 10 best AFL players at quarter time of the 2023 season Forty disposals, 24 of them contested, two goals, nine tackles and four clearances. In the spirit of reconciliation the AFL acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. Don't count him out for the Brownlow Medal, either Shai Bolton's star continues to rise in the AFL. 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. Charlie Curnow was the 2022 Coleman Medal winner. I'm not sure there were many footy fans who had Hewett as a top 100 player heading into 2022, let alone top 50. Period. The undoubted king of the contested possession is undoubtedly the Swans Josh Kennedy, who has made the 400-club on three separate occasions. Picture: Getty Images, Steve Johnson in action during the R19 clash between Geelong and Melbourne on July 30, 2011. Handballs, however, are not so important. With such impressive numbers, you could certainly make the case Hewett deserves to be higher on the list. Then the second selection, and third, and so on. On average, the winning team has received 17 free kicks and given away 16 hardly a significant difference. It is important to note that, of these players, Oliver is performing at an amazing clip. There is a weak negative correlation between the rebound 50 differential and the margin. And who led the league in contested marks? 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. Nic Caruso-Wishart on Twitter: "The slippery conditions provided a Last season, he was the No. Michael Willson/Getty Images. Top 10?! 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 . Ask anyone to list the best dozen inside midfielders in the league and I'd be shocked if Liberatore's name is mentioned. Required fields are marked *. 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. By the numbers: Cripps' magic milestone - Carlton Football Club The Magpies ramped that up around clearances, claiming a lopsided 16-4 final-quarter count with 4-1 at centre clearances. He also rates higher than most forwards in the finishing department, having kicked 85.49 over the last two seasons. AFL Stats - AFL.com.au NFL Receptions Career Playoffs Leaders - Pro-Football-Reference.com They needed size, they needed power, and they needed players with the ability to take a hit and still have the core strength to release the footy to a teammate. 1-ranked marker in the game, No. In fact, one could argue Pendlebury was still the Magpies' best player last year, a season which very nearly landed the black and white army in a Grand Final. An aspect of Oliver's game which I believe is completely underrated is his pressure. 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!) Petracca was the first player to ever get 40 touches in a Grand Final in an absolutely titanic performance . As with rebound 50s, there is little benefit to winning the tackle count, but not because a tackle itself is worthless. I'm sure he has another gear to reach but that slow burn with De Goey looks like it's about to pay some serious dividends for the Magpies as the club looks for another deep September run. Impressive Kangaroos youngster Harry Sheezel and Aaron Hall each had 30-disposal matches. 1 ruck in the AFL. Whether he's playing as a midfielder or in the forward line, Dangerfield is still fully capable of producing the same output as literally anyone else on this list. Daniel Pockett/Getty Images. 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. Dangerfield was one of the most difficult players to rank. Believe it or not, ruck contests appear to be almost entirely irrelevant in AFLW. He's a sneaky great ball user, too. Jack Steven and Leigh Montagna finished with 47 touches apiece. Will Russell/Getty Images. That's now one selection each for both Rozee and Walsh, if you're counting. He could have easily added a second 'Charlie' to his resume after a remarkable 2022, where he ranked top two in disposals, contested possessions and clearances, as well as top 10 in score involvements. 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). Another player who felt impossible to rank. Anderson always seems to lift in the clutch moments, playing his best footy late in games. Cookies will be used for the identification of users if the "Remember me on this computer" option is checked. He has also averaged the most centre clearances per game of any Sydney player per game so far in season 2023. Last year, Cameron was also the league's best pressure player, laying more tackles than anyone else inside forward 50. And mind you, this was no Tigers fanatic. You'd also be hard pressed to find a more reliable set shot for goal, particularly on or outside the 50m arc. 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 looked a shell of himself and his production had fallen off a cliff. So what is it that makes Cameron so dangerous? Some numbers, though, are incomplete. It is the Kangaroos' biggest losing margin under new coach Alastair Clarkson, after they won their first two matches, and also Melbourne's fourth 100-plus score this season. MOST CONTESTED TOUCHES IN A SEASON THE 400 CLUB, 400 clubClayton OliverJosh KennedyPatrick CrippsPatrick DangerfieldTom Mitchell. 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. Top 20? But Smith's running gifts extend beyond endurance. How Macrae hasn't polled 16 Brownlow votes in any of the past three seasons actually defies belief. 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. Dylan Burns/Getty Images. He was held goalless just once and was a multiple goal kicker on 14 occasions. Bontempelli continues to be one of the best goal-kicking midfielders in the AFL, booting 55 majors over the past two seasons. Dylan Burns/Getty Images. Daniel Pockett/Getty Images. Was it premature? No surprise he ranked No. Albert Perez/Getty Images. But the Magpies' final-quarter record is well known and they were always coming, so Jones' early fourth-quarter goal helped settle the home side's nerves, only for Johnson to respond immediately. 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. 7? 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. 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. 20. The rock-solid Taylor became the No. More than a third of teams that have lost the handball count still managed to win the game. Share 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. What are the two most valuable things a player can do in football? Picture: AFL Photos, Shane Mumford competes with Callum Sinclair in the R6 clash between GWS and Sydney on April 27, 2019. Curnow jumped onto Shannon Hurn's shoulders to take a spectacular high grab before wheeling onto his right boot to snap his eighth. By season's end he felt like the unanimous choice for the All-Australian full back position. Picture: Getty Images, Nine wins in three seasons: Why Roos are applying for a priority pick. If it is a valid email, your password will be reset and emailed to you. 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. 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. One of the premier defenders in the league, the athletic Moore continues to be as solid as a rock for Collingwood. At that moment, this bold idea was born. Disposals; Player TM Years # GM Ave. West Coast (1-6) has now lost five matches on the trot and face a huge fight to avoid the wooden spoon this year amidst a devastating injury toll. His rise from South Barwon to Geelong is well documented but it's even more remarkable now he's become a premiership player, four-time All-Australian, club best and fairest winner and the undisputed best mid-sized defender in the game. There was a recognition that a kick was more than just throwing the ball on your boot and hoping for the best, and that clearance work was extremely valuable in winning the footy for the team and feeding the outside runners. Olivers best is 405, back in the 2018 season, where the Dees looked as though they may give their long-suffering supporters some respite before they headed west and fell to the Eagles in the prelim. Callum Mills is one of the most versatile midfielders in the AFL. Daniel Carson/Getty Images. Zac Bailey is one of the league's best young mid-forwards. Riewoldt has also moved into second place all-time behind Matthew Richardson for most games with at least four contested marks. Over the last two years, Walker has booted 95 goals from just 35 games. Luke Parker is the heart and soul of the Swans. 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. 25. With respect to the dynamic Toby Greene, Taylor is proving to be the most valuable Giant. Curnow started the match with undersized Eagles defender Josh Rotham for company, and the Carlton star burst out of the blocks with three contested marks and two goals in the first quarter. He manages all of that while working as hard as any midfielder on the defensive side of the ball (and yes, that includes Callum Mills). Who are the best players in the AFL and how would you go about ranking them? Lachie Neale is chaired off the Gabba after his 200th game. 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. . ), McKay was the best forward 12 months prior, leading the competition with 58 majors, again, from only 19 appearances. Send us feedback or report a mistake on this page. Brisbane, Carlton, Melbourne, Sydney and Western Bulldogs each had five players, while reigning premier Geelong and Collingwood both had four selected. Quinn Rooney/Getty Images. Hawkins' set shot kicking, particularly from long range, continues to be a hallmark of his game, and one-on-one he seems to have a physical edge over literally any defender who stands alongside him. I love watching him at the contest and am convinced he's the best in-tight ball user I've ever seen. Rozee is a clever, elusive, highly skilled player who kicks goals (aka the dream midfielder) and his positional switch was the main driver behind the Power turning its season around, improving from the horrific 0-5 start to finish a respectable 10-12. 3-ranked player in the league for pressure acts (26.8 per game). 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. There's really no better way to describe Cameron, who, at this point, is practically a walking highlight reel. Check. 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. Very impressive numbers for a full back. Stream every game of the 2023 AFL season live and ad free. Josh Dunkley will play for the Lions in 2023. The Swans' dashing halfback Ollie Florent was a curious match-up on Greene for much of the contest and was mostly able to nullify the Giants' dangerman near goal. In my mind, he's the league's most complete player. 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. The Magpies have flown home again, beating the Crows in an incredible contest. 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. Dylan Burns/Getty Images. Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images. Anderson is one of the brightest young stars in the AFL and his game is developing at breakneck speed. All of a sudden, my mind was constructing something which half resembled an ordered list. >>SEE ALL THE KEY TEAM AND INDIVIDUAL RECORD-HOLDERS BELOW. 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. 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. Thread starter Belnakor; Start date Apr 5, 2010; Tagged users . I've got to be honest, I was totally convinced Walker's career was finished about two or three years back. 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. 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). 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? On average, the team that registered more marks inside 50 has won by 15 points. In the early days of Steele's career, I just couldn't see him developing into a fully fledged A-grader. 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. Ruby Schleicher, Collingwood - intercept possessions. 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. He's also taken the third-most contested marks inside 50m in that period. He reads the game better than anyone else and has the skills to match. He defended the most leads in the competition (80) yet conceded a mark just 56% of the time, the third lowest rate of anyone. Marcus Bontempelli celebrates with fans after a win. However, his marking, contested marking and raw disposal numbers did tail off compared to 2021, the main reason he didn't secure a top 30 ranking here. But enough of that -- ranking in the top 30 is some achievement, so let's celebrate Mills. So yes, I truly believe he is already amongst the top 25 players in the AFL, with just 39 games to his name. 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. Key forward Logan McDonald and high-flying Will Hayward also finished with three majors, but the Swans will rue missed opportunities near goal that could have put the margin out of reach. Using accumulated stats from across the four home and away seasons of the competition (excluding finals), 21 players have made the cut, including the recently retired Jess Foley, with a minimum 10-game . Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images. Rory Sloane lays a huge tackle on Beau McCreery and makes no mistake in front of the big sticks. Is he finally over the injuries? There might not be a better mid-sized marking threat in the entire league than sticky-hands Heeney, who can pluck the ball when in a pack or take it on the lead at full tilt. It's also made ranking him amongst his contemporaries a near impossible task! Kick goals and win the ball. 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. But I bet you knew that already, right?! In that stretch, he's led the league in disposals and ranks top five in clearances. 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. Even at age 36, you can bet your last dollar that his name will feature prominently when asking defenders who keeps them up at night. 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. Dustin Fletcher completes the quintet of players to make the 400-Club, but there is another version of this elite company that no one really speaks about perhaps for good reason, but I will let you be the judge. I'm thrilled Merrett has been appointed Essendon skipper for 2023. players with the most 100 or more reception seasons in NFL history. He enjoyed a career best goalkicking season with 20 majors and found more uncontested ball than ever before (13 per game). In 1991, the big man grabbed 50 possessions against Brisbane in 1991. Johnson rushed a behind to square the game up, before Sidebottom marked on a 45-degree angle 30m out in the final minute and got the vital score to earn the lead. 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. 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. Great goalkicking midfielders and/or productive high half-forwards are like gold dust and the Lions have one of the best in the business with Bailey. He just doesn't miss targets, or make mistakes, for that matter. 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. Over the past 24 months, Petracca has averaged 28 disposals, 12 combined clearances and inside 50s, 500m gained and a goal per game. 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. Build your own custom leaderboards with Stathead Football. But at his best, Grundy is the complete package. . 24 against the Saints in Round 10 last year. I've got a little confession. 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. 1-ranked player last year in clearances, contested possessions and ground ball gets?! Cameron Spencer/Getty Images. For this exercise, I'm looking at the 50 best players heading into season 2023. Each of the ten teams won the game by 20 points or more. 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. The Bulldogs owned the scoreboard for most of the second half but struggled to shake off the gallant Hawks. I really don't think Hawkins gets enough credit for the level of quality he's produced over the past decade and change. His contested ball, marking, rebounding from defensive 50 and tackling numbers all continue to rise. Picture: AFL Photos, Tom Mitchell kicks the ball during the R1 clash between Hawthorn and Collingwood on March 24, 2018. 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. Warner produced a masterpiece in last year's Grand Final demolition at the hands of Geelong -- 29 disposals, 18 contested possessions, 10 clearances, six tackles and two goals -- to cap off a phenomenal third season at the Swans (in reality his second, having played just two senior games in year one). As one of the great runners and line-breakers in the league, Crisp offers a totally different package to the average AFL midfielder. No other player in recent history has come close to this type of production so early into their career. 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). That's why we haven't seen, and won't see, his production drop off drastically, like some of the game's other veterans. 1 draft pick from 2018? The modern game of football changed drastically in the early 2000s. 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. It highlights just how much of a potent attacking force he really is. Greene still finished with four goals and had just as much impact further afield to gather 22 disposals. 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.

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