Opinion Who is currently the best player in the AFL

[Bostonian]

He kicks sideways allot. Shove your David king champion data.

You do realise you need to kick sideways to switch the play, yes?

Maybe in you we found the lil fat kid that never got picked for the school team.

 

[Fadge]

You don’t seem to realise that Daicos being a fourth year player works against him. He hasn’t played at an elite standard for half as long as Bont. So if we’re going to say he’s better, there has to be some compelling reason.

I completely understand this logic, and is a prime reason as to why Bont still occasionally gets the nod over Daicos as the best player in the competition.

But the fact Daicos has even been in the discussion since his second year in the system is, dare I say it, unprecedented.

I remember David King before the start of the 2023 season, Daicos' second year in the comp. 'I'm telling ya, get on Daicos for the Brownlow'. I thought he was kidding himself.

What other second, third or fourth year player has even been seriously and regularly in the discussion as the best player in the competition, based on their performance output?

I can't recall anyone in my time watching footy. Judd probably the closest.

'Who is the best player in the competition?' is a very subjective question, and it is absolutely open for considering performance over a decade as many do (in which case the Daico argument is weakened, given he was 13 years old a decade ago), but my consistent assertion is that Daicos has been the single best performed player in the competition over the past 3 seasons, and the available data presents a compelling case for that statement.

 

[PhatBoy]

Im not a Daicos hater by any means and he’s obviously in the discussion but ‘best player in the competition’ doesn’t come, as far as I’m aware, with a ‘for their age/how long they’ve been playing’ disclaimer, does it?

If I want to pick a team to go out and win me a game right now and I have one spot to fill (why i would pick the team in reverse is hypothetical but that’s beside the point), why do I give a f**k how many years Daicos has been in the system?

I’m sorry but I don’t pick him to fill that spot. I pick Marcus Bontempelli

4

Marcus Bontempelli

Age

30

Ht

194cm

Wt

96kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

22.5

5star

K

12.3

5star

HB

10.3

5star

M

3.6

4star

T

4.8

5star

CL

4.4

5star

D

18.4

4star

K

9.7

4star

HB

8.8

4star

M

2.6

3star

T

4.1

5star

CL

4.0

5star

D

12.0

3star

K

5.8

3star

HB

6.2

4star

M

2.0

3star

T

3.8

5star

CL

1.8

4star

. It’s not a knock on Daicos it’s just representative of how versatile and well rounded Bontempelli is.

 

[Fadge]

Im not a Daicos hater by any means and he’s obviously in the discussion but ‘best player in the competition’ doesn’t come, as far as I’m aware, with a ‘for their age/how long they’ve been playing’ disclaimer, does it?

Has anyone said it does?

 

[beerbandit]

You don’t seem to realise that Daicos being a fourth year player works against him. He hasn’t played at an elite standard for half as long as Bont. So if we’re going to say he’s better, there has to be some compelling reason. A few more disposals and 1% better disposal efficiency is not a compelling reason. Especially not while Bont is still streets ahead in both goals and clearances, and the defensive stats are not even worthy of comparison.

You don’t seem to realise that a players peak performance age is generally between 25-29

Daicos is still a few years away from his peak.

 

[PhatBoy]

Has anyone said it does?

Well it seems to be brought up a lot. What does it matter if no other players have achieved what he has after 4 seasons etc.

 

[ReturningHawk]

I completely understand this logic, and is a prime reason as to why Bont still occasionally gets the nod over Daicos as the best player in the competition.

But the fact Daicos has even been in the discussion since his second year in the system is, dare I say it, unprecedented.

I remember David King before the start of the 2023 season, Daicos' second year in the comp. 'I'm telling ya, get on Daicos for the Brownlow'. I thought he was kidding himself.

What other second, third or fourth year player has even been seriously and regularly in the discussion as the best player in the competition, based on their performance output?

I can't recall anyone in my time watching footy. Judd probably the closest.

'Who is the best player in the competition?' is a very subjective question, and it is absolutely open for considering performance over a decade as many do (in which case the Daico argument is weakened, given he was 13 years old a decade ago), but my consistent assertion is that Daicos has been the single best performed player in the competition over the past 3 seasons, and the available data presents a compelling case for that statement.

Fadge, from your Collingwood perspective, you’re constantly amazed by him and he’s achieved a lot. We get it.

But from a neutral perspective we’ve just seen third year player win his second norm smith. That’s far more impressive than what Nick has achieved. But just because he’s achieved a lot, we don’t call Ashcroft the best player in the AFL.

You have to be better than the rest consistently. There is no facet of playing football that Nick Daicos does better than Marcus Bontempelli. He runs more, gets the ball more, but has measurably less impact.

 

[ReturningHawk]

You don’t seem to realise that a players peak performance age is generally between 25-29

Daicos is still a few years away from his peak.

At which point he may well be the best player in the comp. Finally we agree

 

[Fadge]

But from a neutral perspective we’ve just seen third year player win his second norm smith. That’s far more impressive than what Nick has achieved. But just because he’s achieved a lot, we don’t call Ashcroft the best player in the AFL.

Amazing achievement from a 3rd year player, but still far inferior to what Daicos has achieved in his career to date.

When can we expect him to have his first top 10 in a major individual award?

You have to be better than the rest consistently.

And Daicos has been, as the best performed player between 2023 and 2025, and the best performed player in each of the 2023 and 2025 seasons across the entire competition.

 

[Fadge]

There is no facet of playing football that Nick Daicos does better than Marcus Bontempelli. He runs more, gets the ball more, but has measurably less impact.

Is that why Daicos has played in far more wins than Bont since 2023, despite Daicos having noone to steal votes off him, whilst Bont plays in a star studded line up with superstar vote stealers?

 

[conrad_437]

You don’t seem to realise that a players peak performance age is generally between 25-29

Daicos is still a few years away from his peak.

True, but this is far from assured.

Injuries, unforeseen events, a team going through a long rebuild can always get in the way of a player's career.

Many in 2015/16 thought Jake Stringer could be better than Marcus Bontempelli. Crazy in hindsight.

Point is, this is a discussion about who is the current best player in the AFL. There is no point discussing the future, only a player's exposed form, with more weight given to their recent form.

If I was a betting man, I would certainly wager that Daicos is likely to have multiple years during his peak as the undisputed best player in the league. There'll be a few in the discussion, namely NAS, Darcy, Gulden, maybe Butters. But today? The poll speaks for itself.

 

[ReturningHawk]

Is that why Daicos has played in far more wins than Bont since 2023, despite Daicos having noone to steal votes off him, whilst Bont plays in a star studded line up with superstar vote stealers?

No. It has to do with football.

 

[conrad_437]

Trust the Fadginator to turn this into a Bay 13 thread.

 

[Orfullrules]

View attachment 2554591

They’ve played together once, like now I suppose Daicos was better then too.


Backstreets? You don’t take a Ferrari down the backstreets my man.

The baton has been handed over by Bont, I mean he is in his 30s and Daicos is only 23.
Scary really isn’t it.

Nice sales pitch. I’m not buying it.

 

[Orfullrules]

You do realise you need to kick sideways to switch the play, yes?

Maybe in you we found the lil fat kid that never got picked for the school team.

Thought you’d be a don’t kick across goals grandma. All good.

 

[TiAn_]

“You know who. Of course it’s him! It’s Him!”

 

[kanga kanga kanga]

Dylan stephens

15

Dylan Stephens

Age

25

Ht

184cm

Wt

80kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.3

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

3.3

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.7

4star

CL

0.0

1star

D

10.3

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

3.3

2star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.7

3star

CL

0.0

1star

D

10.3

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

3.3

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.7

4star

CL

0.0

1star

 

[Bald]

The overwhelming majority of neutrals pick Bontempelli. Those that pick Nick are overwhelmingly Collingwood supporters.

That's all I need to know boys.

 

[Corn Cobbers]

Will be an interesting watch in 2026 to see whether the player deemed as the 'best in the comp' by the Bigfooty brainstrust can outperform Daicos for the first time since Daicos' rookie season in 2022.

Think the players' opinion is a bit more valid than the dribbling anti-Collingwood Bigfooty voting bloc, and last time they got together it was Daicos 1st, Bont way down in 4th

Shall we do average Brownlow votes per game now? Daylight...

 

[Orfullrules]

Guessing Dan McStay would choose the Bont. Can’t imagine it would be fun playing in the pies forward line, whilst sidenick, pendles and steel clock up stats.

 

[Partridge]

But the fact Daicos has even been in the discussion since his second year in the system is, dare I say it, unprecedented.

I remember David King before the start of the 2023 season, Daicos' second year in the comp. 'I'm telling ya, get on Daicos for the Brownlow'. I thought he was kidding himself.

What other second, third or fourth year player has even been seriously and regularly in the discussion as the best player in the competition, based on their performance output?

From absolutely day one none in recent decades at least. Going back a little bit, Gary Ablett and Greg Williams both absolutely qualify. Williams from his very first game, and Ablett in technically his second year including the 6 games at Hawthorn. But from Round 1, 1984 both were as good as anyone and immediately recognised as such.

In previous eras, clearly Peter Hudson (125 goals in his 2nd year). Before him, even more clearly John Coleman (100 in his first year, 120 in his second). Before that definitely Haydn Bunton and probably Ron Todd. By the time Bunton had played 83 career games, he'd already won 3 Brownlow medals. No doubt I've missed some others but they are the obvious ones.

Daicos has been very good no doubt - but he's already played 97 games. One thing it most certainly is not is unprecedented. There have been better players before, at an earlier stage too.

 

[Fadge]

Think the players' opinion is a bit more valid than the dribbling anti-Collingwood Bigfooty voting bloc, and last time they got together it was Daicos 1st, Bont way down in 4th

Shall we do average Brownlow votes per game now? Daylight...

What about coaches votes per game?

 

[Fadge]

From absolutely day one none in recent decades at least. Going back a little bit, Gary Ablett and Greg Williams both absolutely qualify. Williams from his very first game, and Ablett in technically his second year including the 6 games at Hawthorn. But from Round 1, 1984 both were as good as anyone and immediately recognised as such.

In previous eras, clearly Peter Hudson (125 goals in his 2nd year). Before him, even more clearly John Coleman (100 in his first year, 120 in his second). Before that definitely Haydn Bunton and probably Ron Todd. By the time Bunton had played 83 career games, he'd already won 3 Brownlow medals. No doubt I've missed some others but they are the obvious ones.

Daicos has been very good no doubt - but he's already played 97 games. One thing it most certainly is not is unprecedented. There have been better players before, at an earlier stage too.

Now there are some names!

I guess it's 'unprecedented in the 21st century'.

 

[Corn Cobbers]

What about coaches votes per game?

He's consistently elite and that's why he's the game's number 1 player

Others may be able to leap higher and tackle more vigorously, but Daicos does the most damage week in week out

 

[Daka]

Bontempelli is the best player in the competition & has been for last 3-4 years comfortably.
I could care less what Brownlow votes, coaches votes or AA's say.

He is one of the hardest players to stop and he kicks goals is tall, physically strong and has a good engine, not super quick but everything else he does perfectly.