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The Roar's top 50 AFL players: 21-30

24th March, 2015
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24th March, 2015
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Before we get into my bracket of the Roar Top 50, I just wanted to say I’m a huge fan of what this column, and the discussion it’s creating, represents.

Almost every other published top 50 comes from ex-players or full-time footy journos. They reflect hidden agendas, nostalgia for the way the game used to be played, and the complex, intricate web of how relationships and politics purvey the AFL.

Ours is a list of the people – well, five people – and is shaped in the context of people who like their footy just a little bit too much. So, thanks to The Roar’s AFL Godfather Cam Rose for bringing this together, and to our fearless editors for making it happen.

The Roar‘s top 50 players – 1-10
The Roar‘s top 50 players – 11-20

Without further ado…

21. Bryce Gibbs (Carlton)
I had him at 14, so I can live with at 21st on the list.

Here’s a fun fact: Gibbs has played 177 of a possible 180 games for the Blues since being taken as the overall number one pick in the 2006 draft.

Maligned to this point in his career, Gibbs is just about to enter his prime. A move to a more traditional centre position last year paid off, with Gibbs lifting his contested possessions to 10.7 a game while maintaining his outside presence.

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Will he be around when the Blues are next contending?

22. Ryan Griffen (GWS)
Don’t I already look like a moron. I had him at 45th, mostly for karmic reasons after taking the coward’s way out of the Bulldogs, and being a lead contributor to the downfall of one of my favourite AFL figures.

He seems set to add to GWS’ relatively bare stable of geldings among a midfield full of young stallions. Still I’d like to think the footy Gods will intervene and bring the Cup to Footscray before Parramatta.

To me 22 is slightly overs, but let’s see how 2015 goes.

23. Trent Cotchin (Richmond)
Gee you’d think these midfielders were important or something. Cotchin is the glue that holds the Richmond midfield together, and shoulders arguably the biggest fan-base burden now that the Tigers are up and about.

The 24-year-old, now in his eighth season in the league, has become one of the more consistent players in the league, averaging more than 25 disposals a game for the past three years. At his peak in 2012 – when runner up in the Brownlow – he kicked almost a goal a game.

Richmond Tigers Trent Cotchin Richmond’s Trent Cotchin (Photo: Lachlan Cunningham/AFL Media)

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Getting back to that level would see him join the elite at the top of the list (for what it’s worth, I had him 15th).

24. Aaron Sandilands (Fremantle)
So this one is controversial, for mine. Cam and I had him out of the top 50, but the others had him 15th, 16th and 21st. It’s easy to see why: the bloke is a hit out machine, and has taken on a very important offensive anchoring role as a resting ruckman.

But the ruckman role is changing, and Sandilands represents more of the old rather than the new.

I prefer Mumford, who crashes contests like Godzilla (third in tackles at GWS last year), and Ryder who is much more flexible and effective in attack (I can’t wait to see how he figures in Port’s offensive schemes). I reckon if Gold Coast wanted to trade one of their up-and-comers, Fremantle would be all over it.

25. Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda)
Don’t kill me, Saints fans! I didn’t put Riewoldt in my top 50, but his ratings from three other Roarers meant he’s ended up in the middle.

The guy is a marking machine, averaging almost nine per game over his career, the second most of all time behind some mug named Gary Dempsey.

The biggest knock has always been his goal kicking – and unfortunately for mine there’s not much use being really good at loading a gun if you can’t shoot it. His longevity and stature earns some points, as will passing the 300 game milestone this season.

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Nick Riewoldt of St Kilda St Kilda’s Nick Riewoldt. (Photo: Darrian Traynor/AFL Media)

26. Kieren Jack (Sydney)
Hasn’t this bloke’s rise been meteoric?

Another one of the Paul Roos’ unpolished diamonds, Jack was taken in the ’05 rookie draft and slogged away for three years before making it into the full-time side.

Every time he comes on the telly we’re reminded he’s got a ‘rugby league background’ despite not playing the game for almost 15 years (apparently).

Jack started out as a tagger, but has become one of the game’s premier inside midfielders/rovers – and is now co-captain of a perennial contender. Sits just right in the AFL pecking order, for me.

27. Dustin Martin (Richmond)
Martin is a top 10 player. That’s what my list says, anyway. This is a 2015 list by the way, not a 2012 list or a career achievement list.

I reckon Dustin Martin is on the cusp of the AFL’s elite, right now. His preseason form is sketchy at the best of times, but his performance against Port Adelaide a couple of weeks back was noticeable – to steal a line from a baseball movie.

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Seven clearances on 27 possessions, with a very typically skewed kick-to-handball ratio, should be a baseline performance for number four this season. He’s primed to monster the AFL, just watch.

28. Brent Harvey (North Melbourne)
How many 37-year-olds are still the best and most reliable options through the middle in their AFL side? As far as I can tell, there’s one: Brent Harvey.

You could twist that as something of an indictment on the North hierarchy, but I’d like to think it’s because Harvey is one of the greats – reinforced by the fact that all five experts in this list had him in their top 50, one of only 17.

Harvey is a career 20/1 midfielder (20 disposals and one goal per game), still wins games off his own boot and is still the first tagged. He’ll deservedly become either third or fourth player to reach 400 games this season.

Brent-Harvey-North-Melbourne-Kangaroos Brent Harvey for the Roos. (Photo: Lachlan Cunningham/AFL Media)

29. Steve Johnson (Geelong)
The mercurial Cat had a widely divergent distribution of opinion: 11th, 29th, 39th, 43rd and a DNQ from the selection panel.

I had him 39th, and again I think this may be a case of career achievement versus value right now. At the peak of his powers, Johnson was the best half forward in the game, capable of quarters and whole matches of absolute brilliance.

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But in more recent times he’s lost some of his trademark agility, and now relies on clever kicking to keep up. I think he should move back to the forward line – as his teammate J…Bartel, three votes, did a couple of years back – to have more of an impact.

I’d love to see him get back to 2+ goals per game, as he did over Geelong’s premiership run (2.3 between 2006 and 2011, versus 1.0 since).

30. Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn)
Rounding out my contribution is Sam Mitchell at number 30.

His was an underrated performance in the grand final, overshadowed by Luke Hodge’s perfect game. Another player that is still contributing manfully past his absolute – and very high – peak, Mitchell averaged 28 possessions per game in 2014 playing through the centre and off half back.

He’s never been a goal kicker, but when your team is so full of offensive talent, who cares?

In his purple patch (2011 and 2012) Mitchell was dual runner up in the Brownlow and averaged almost 30 possessions and five tackles a game. Still a super handy player, and will be crucial to Hawthorn’s looming three-peat.

The Roar‘s Top 50 (so far…)
1. Gary Ablett (Gold Coast)
2. Nathan Fyfe (Fremantle)
3. Lance Franklin (Sydney)
4. Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood)
5. Joel Selwood (Geelong)
6. Josh Kennedy (Sydney)
7. Luke Hodge (Hawthorn)
8. Travis Boak (Port Adelaide)
9. Jarryd Roughead (Hawthorn)
10. Dyson Heppell (Essendon)
11. Patrick Dangerfield (Adelaide)
12. Robbie Gray (Port Adelaide)
13. Tom Hawkins (Geelong)
14. Tom Rockliff (Brisbane)
15. Matt Priddis (West Coast)
16. Jobe Watson (Essendon)
17. Luke Parker (Sydney)
18. Jordan Lewis (Hawthorn)
19. Dayne Beams (Brisbane)
20. Rory Sloane (Adelaide)
21. Bryce Gibbs (Carlton)
22. Ryan Griffen (GWS)
23. Trent Cotchin (Richmond)
24. Aaron Sandilands (Fremantle)
25. Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda)
26. Kieren Jack (Sydney)
27. Dustin Martin (Richmond)
28. Brent Harvey (North Melbourne)
29. Steve Johnson (Geelong)
30. Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn)

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