The Roar
The Roar

AFL
Advertisement

Eddie Betts is the greatest small forward of the modern era

18th August, 2016
Advertisement
Eddie Betts shows his pace. (AAP Image/Ben Macmahon)
Expert
18th August, 2016
74
1387 Reads

Eddie Betts plays his 250th game on the weekend. After a slow, Carlton-inflicted start to his goal-kicking career, can he overcome Stephen Milne to become the greatest small forward in AFL history?

Betts is a magician; capable of bending the ball to his will like Lionel Messi.

His career highlight reel is already an all-timer, and at 29 years of age, with an excellent injury history – he’s played 17 games or more in every season, and hasn’t missed a single hit out since joining the Crows – he could play for many years yet.

It’s incredible to think of it now, but when Adelaide signed Betts for a reported $500,000 per year on a four-year deal in 2013, it was considered a humungous risk on the part of the Crows.

Betts had kicked 1.6 goals a game for almost 200 games, and spent patches of games completely out of the play. Carlton refused to pay anything close to that amount, reportedly lobbing a $300,000 per annum deal.

Well, it has paid off for the Crows. From here it is difficult to say what has driven the invigoration, but Betts has put together a stupendous three years of football at the Adelaide Oval.

Advertisement

The Crows are the league’s most potent offence this season, kicking 115 points per game in what will be one of the AFL’s more impressive marks in recent times. What’s more, they’re doing it at home (118 points per game) and away (112).

They’re set to enter September in at least the top four, and most probably with an inside track in the top two.

Betts’ role in this output can’t be overstated. Small forwards are often skittish, and prone to falling in and out of the play. Not Betts – or at least, not the Adelaide iteration of Betts.

He commands a direct match-up, and has added a tactical string to his bow at centre bounces in recent years. It means he’s a constant threat – when the ball comes in high he’s got the chops to crumb or take the big mark.

Indeed, his play has gone to another level in the past three seasons; Betts has been goal-less in just five of his 65 in this time, while he’s averaged more disposals per game in each of his three years at Adelaide than but one year at Carlton.

More importantly, he has kicked a remarkable 2.7 goals per game, which is over 50 per cent more than he kicked as a Blue.

His 250th game means he has just 25 more until he plays the same number as the man regarded as the best small forward of the AFL era, Milne. But due to Betts’ career start, Milne is way ahead of him in terms of goals kicked in 249 games.

Advertisement

By 249 games, Milne had 515 majors, whereas Betts has booted a comparatively meagre, but still many, 460. Indeed, Milne has headed Betts at every major milestone thus far.

Image 1

It means Betts is well off Milne’s career pace – Milne was kicking two goals a game after just 35 games, and continued at that mark for much of his career. Meanwhile, Betts was bubbling along at a goal a game, or indeed below that, in his early years. His career-long mark did begin to lift in his time at Carlton, but 65 games at Adelaide have powered his goals per game higher.

Image 2

He’s set to break the two goals per game mark at some point in the next couple of years, but will it be enough to see him overtake Milne for the most goals as a small forward in the modern era?

It could be: the final chart shows what the remainder of Betts’ career may look like from a goal-kicking perspective if he can keep up his Adelaide performance for another two seasons (42 games).

Image 3

Advertisement

Should he make it to 300 games, projecting out at the 2.7 goals per game mark he’s hit so far, Betts will just breach the 600 goals kicked threshold – another seven would see his enter the top 30 for goal kickers in VFL/AFL history. You would be brave predicting he doesn’t claim both titles.

Many say Stephen Milne is the best small forward in the modern era. Eddie Betts, with his whimsy and wonder, is putting in a solid case to claim that crown.

close