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Have Port Adelaide youngster Chad Wingard’s first 50 AFL games been as good as competition legend Chris Judd’s? Statistically, yes.
The Port Adelaide dynamo dissected Fremantle in his 50th match last week, producing one of the grandest displays of his infantile career as he slotted five goals to be best afield.
Wingard’s performance was as fine as you would see from a 20-year-old footballer, particularly considering the quality of opposition he faced in last year’s grand finalists.
When Fremantle were surging he kept Port in touch with his knack for finding space and clinical execution around goals. Then, when the momentum shifted, he was on hand to help finish off the flagging Dockers.
Analysing Wingard’s career purely on numbers it compares favourably with Judd’s after 50 games:
Wingard – 70 goals, 17 disposals per game, 3.24 inside 50s per game, 2.28 tackles and 1.86 clearances.
Judd – 58 goals, 17 disposals per game, 3.82 inside 50s per game, 3.16 tackles and 4.2 clearances.
The Port Adelaide dynamo is already ahead of Judd by one measure, having won his first All-Australian berth last year, in just his second AFL season. Judd’s breakout year was his third in the competition in 2004 when, as a 21-year-old, he snared the first of his two Brownlow Medals and earned his debut All-Australian guernsey.
With 18 goals from seven games this season, Wingard looks on track to match the latter of Judd’s feats. But it would be a monumental achievement for him to buck recent history by winning this year’s Brownlow while operating mainly as a forward.
The game’s most prestigious medal has become exclusively one for midfielders. Not since Gavin Wanganeen in 1993 has it been claimed by a player who did not spend a large amount of their game time as an on-baller.
You have to go back even further to find the last forward to take home ‘Charlie’ – then St Kilda spearhead Tony Lockett in 1987. Even then, Lockett had to share the award with Hawthorn rover John Platten.
Wingard does, however, seem likely to spend more time through the middle of the ground as he matures. He is too swift and skilful not to be utilised as an on-baller in the future.
Who knows what sort of damage he could do with 25-30 touches a game rather than 15-20?
One striking similarity between Wingard and the young Judd is their ability to wield enormous influence on games without racking up a huge possession count. In Judd’s Brownlow Medal year in 2004 he averaged just 22 disposals a match, despite largely playing as an on-baller.
He maimed opposition sides with his dynamism – bursting through and then away from packs, bouncing the ball before delivering it to teammates with startling precision.
Wingard showed once again last weekend that he, too, can skewer opponents with less than 20 touches. He needed only 17 to take apart Fremantle. In doing so he also highlighted another admirable similarity with Judd – both are big-game performers.
In his early years, Judd frequently saved his most devastating efforts for encounters with heavyweight adversaries. He famously ran rampant against the best side I have ever seen, the Michael Voss-led Brisbane Lions, in just his second season. Judd booted five goals in the first half as the Eagles upset the reigning premiers at the Gabba.
Wingard’s masterclass against Fremantle continued a trend of shining on the big occasions. His next-best displays this season have been in the showdown and the blockbuster against premiership fancies Geelong.
In last year’s elimination final against Collingwood, Wingard was a major reason Port triumphed, booting three goals from 19 touches. He also notched eight goals and 49 disposals across the two derbies against Adelaide last season. Like Judd, the kid loves to turn it in on when it counts.
Can he be as good as the former West Coast and now Carlton champion? Probably not. But right now he is the best 20-year-old player in the competition and one of the most influential footballers in the country.