The 50 best players in the AFL (Sportsfan/afl site)

[one-eyed]

Ranking the AFL's best players is always going to cause plenty of debate. Sure, knocking together a top 10 is fairly straightforward, but where do you go after that? How do you compare midfielders with key defenders, or ruckmen with small forwards?

That said, we've had a decent go at it. Our list is based largely on a player's performances and influence this year, with a smattering of past performance taken into consideration. Put simply, our contributors asked themselves: "Who would you pick next in your team, regardless of position, if you wanted someone to help win you a game of footy?"

The top 10s from our writers were reasonably similar, but there were significant differences after that. Some preferred the dour work of key defenders, while others stacked their list with ball-winners and goalkickers.

As is always the case, plenty of good players missed out. Jay Schulz, who finished fourth on the goalkicking table, couldn't make the grade, while Brownlow Medallist Matt Priddis only just made the cut, squeaking into the list at No.50.

50. Matt Priddis (WCE)
49. Stephen Hill (Fre)
48. Alex Rance (Rich)
47. Matthew Pavlich (Fre)
46. Eddie Betts (Ade)
45. Steele Sidebottom (Coll)
44. Hayden Ballantyne (Fre)
43. Luke Parker (Syd)
42. Todd Goldstein (NM)
41. Josh Gibson (Haw)

40. Chad Wingard (PA)
39. Tom Liberatore (WB)
38. Nick Dal Santo (NM)
37. Brendon Goddard (Ess)
36. Sam Jacobs (Ade)
35. Cale Hooker (Ess)
34. Kieren Jack (Syd)
33. Luke Breust (Haw)
32. Ryan Griffen (GWS)
31. Trent Cotchin (Rich)

30. Michael Walters (Fre)
29. Marc Murphy (Carl)
28. Nick Malceski (GC)
27. Daniel Talia (Ade)
26. Callan Ward (GWS)
25. Dyson Heppell (Ess)
24. Harry Taylor (Gee)
23. Jack Gunston (Haw)
22. Nick Riewoldt (St K)
21. Dayne Beams (Bris)

20. Aaron Sandilands (Fre)
19. Rory Sloane (Adel)
18. Jobe Watson (Ess)
17. Tom Hawkins (Gee)
16. Sam Mitchell (Haw)
15. Jordan Lewis (Haw)
14. Steve Johnson (Gee)
13. Robbie Gray (PA)
12. Brent Harvey (NM)
11. Luke Hodge (Haw)

10. Tom Rockliff (Bris)
9. Patrick Dangerfield (Adel)
8. Travis Boak (PA)
7. Jarryd Roughead (Haw)
6. Josh P. Kennedy (Syd)
5. Nat Fyfe (Fre)
4. Scott Pendlebury (Coll)
3. Lance Franklin (Syd)
2. Joel Selwood (Gee)
1. Gary Ablett (GC)

http://www.sportsfan.com.au/the-best-50-players-in-the-afl/tabid/91/newsid/147834/default.aspx?cid=SF_LOWDOWN_AFL_article_thebest50playersintheafl_111114

[Judge Roughneck]

Lids > sell wood boak rock cliff Penders Kennedy

 

[potsclub]

I am usually one to say everyone has their rights in their opinion.
But this top 50 is a joke. Not much more said.
You have 5 Adelaide players and DANIEL TALIA ahead of Cotch? RORY SLOANE FFS!!!
Cale Hooker in front of Rance?
No Dusty?
Wowweeee I understand you can't fit all your eggs in one basket some times but please make it half realistic.
Some one pipe me up if i'm wrong.

[tony_montana]

marc murphy, dyson heppell, betts, Sidebottom, pavlich, Sandilands, wingard, libba, griffen amongst others all ahead of Lids, Dusty. GTFO

[big tone]

Michael Walters ahead of Cotch 
Not even worth anymore of a response.

[Judge Roughneck]

Lids > sell wood boak rock cliff Penders Kennedy

 

^ IMO, of the top ten

Top 20 lids  > daylight > 19. Slone Watson Harvey Lewis



Underrated to a crazy extent

Will win brownlow

[Andyy]

Should have Lids, Martin and Riewoldt in there surely.

[🏅Dooks]

Walters 

[Judge Roughneck]

Walters goes alrightbdont worry bout that

[big tone]

Walters goes alrightbdont worry bout that

He may go alright but he ain't anywhere near Cotch. Don't worry about that.

[tiga]

Eddie "10 minutes of Football" Betts higher up the order than Rance?  What a joke

[Yeahright]

Put simply, our contributors asked themselves: "Who would you pick next in your team, regardless of position, if you wanted someone to help win you a game of footy?"

Surely Dustin Martin has to be right up there with the biggest match winners.

[🏅Dooks]

Walters goes alrightbdont worry bout that

Nup