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The explosive midfielder. Every team in the AFL wants one. And if you don’t have one, you’re trying to stop one.
If you are the coach, you’re looking for a player who can dominate in the midfield, burst through congestion, use strength and speed to take on tacklers and can be pushed deep into the forward line when you’re looking for a goal or two.
That brings us to the best three explosive midfielders in the AFL.
Who would you rather have: Patrick Dangerfield, Nat Fyfe or Dustin Martin?
Patrick Dangerfield
Patrick Dangerfield is dangerously dangerous when he is at the peak of his powers. And unfortunately for every club other than Adelaide, he is at his peak right now. He’s explosively explosive. He’s destructively destructive.
He’s a match-winner. He’s unstoppable and unmatchable at times.
He’s known, as the ‘raging bull’ in Adelaide and it’s not hard to see why. Danger will do what he needs to do to win the ball, whether it’s diving on it, stealing it out of an opponent’s lap or even out sprinting others to a contest.
The most breathtaking thing Dangerfield can do (and he does it often) is break away from a stoppage with exhilarating speed and power, bounce the ball two or three times and kick the goal from 50 metre on the run. We’ve all seen him do it and we’ve all been in awe of his ability to do it a couple times a game.
His mixture of speed, strength, skill and x-factor make him one of the best players, let alone midfielders in the AFL right now.
Dangerfield can run all day long and will often be pushed forward when the Crows need goals. He’s a reliable mark and a great one-on-one player. Not many midfielders can defend him in the forward line.
He hasn’t even played 150 games, currently sitting on 135, having kicked an awesome 148 goals in his career.
He averages 20 disposals, 3 tackles, 3 marks and a goal a game. He’s already a two-time All Australian, club co-captain (2014) and Adelaide’s match-winner.
Victorian clubs, get your chequebooks ready.
Nat Fyfe
Nat Fyfe has become the most talked about superstar in the AFL. And that’s saying something considering Gary Ablett and Lance Franklin are still in the picture.
Backing up last years form, he and Fremantle have had the most stunning start to the 2015 season.
I had Fyfe in my tall midfielder ‘who would you rather’, but he suits this category perfectly.
Fyfe is using his height, his strength and his athleticism to absolutely tear the AFL a part right now. He is the best over head, contested marking midfielder in the game, he is an elite runner, and like Dangerfield, is unapologetic on his attack on the contest.
He is being branded as ‘virtually untaggable’ and as the prototype, perfect AFL footballer.
Like Dangerfield, fans come to see Fyfe play football. He keeps his feet brilliantly when being tackled, and is creative and composed when in a high-pressured situation.
Fyfe is dynamic. He knows where the goals are; he can have a spell across half back, as well as going third man up in the ruck throughout a match.
He’s played 96 games, kicking 83 goals. Fyfe has averaged 24 disposals, 4 tackles, 5 marks and almost a goal a game. He’s already a 2-time best and fairest winner, an All-Australian in 2014 and the AFL’s MVP. Polled second in the Brownlow last year; but will he be finishing first in 2015?
Now remember, just because he is the man of the moment, doesn’t mean the other two players should be dismissed. Although he may be the best in the AFL right now, is he still the best explosive midfielder in the game?
Dustin Martin
Martin was picked in the same draft as Nat Fyfe (2009), and those two are by far the best players to come out of the draft. Martin is plays like a bomb ready to explode.
He’s played 112 games, kicked 121 goals and has been incredibly durable and consistent since his start in the AFL. He plays with a chip on his shoulder. He plays angry at times. He plays like he’s going to burst through anything you throw at him.
Martin has the best ‘don’t argue’ in the game. He uses pure strength to break away from any tackler, whether you’re a key defender, power forward or strong midfielder.
He’s a bulldozer. He’s at his best when he is on the run kicking goals. His set shot is his weakest avenue to goal, but he is dangerously dynamic when given an inch of space in the forward 50.
Martin is known for his one-on-one dominance in a contest. Put him isolated in the forward line and you will have any opposition coach pulling their hair out.
He plays with such electricity that – like the other two players in this category – you feel like he can tear any game apart off of his own boot.
Martin is a match-winner and he has proven that game after game. Whether it be him kicking the sealing goal in the final minutes or doing one of his characteristic ‘don’t argues’ to break away from a pack – he is the boss.
Martin is fast, powerful and lively. He’s an x-factor sort of player and one of the most exciting midfielders in the AFL.
Off-field behavioural issues may affect how people view him as a footballer, but be assured, Martin is elite.
He’s averaged 23 disposals, 4 marks, 3 tackles and a goal per game and should be adding some best and fairest medals and All-Australian selections to his resume in no time.
The decision
Each of these players is dynamite. Each of these players holds the x-factor. Each of these players can dominate.
You’re looking for one explosive midfielder.
Who would you rather: Patrick Dangerfield, Nat Fyfe or Dustin Martin?
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