Opinion Who is currently the best player in the AFL

[Mr Meow]

Finn Maginess didn't tag Daicos (nobody at Hawks did).

Which tagger of repute has Daicos dealt with in 2026?

The 'good taggers' in recent times have been: Mullin, O'Connor, Windhager, Bedford, Jordon, Maginess, Hewett, Dunkley, Drew....

Round 0 v Saints = Windhager didn't tag him.

Round 1 x Crows = ?? They don't have a good tagger.

Round 3 v GWS = Bedford didn't play.

Round 5 v Freo = Not sure Freo has a tagger?

Round 6 v Blues = Heweet didn't play. Was tagged by Ollie Hollands late....ahem....

Round 7 v Bombers = not sure? Did anyone play on him?

Round 8 v Hawks - Maginess didn't tag him.

So if I'm not mistaken, of the 'top-10' or so 'taggers' in the competition, Daicos has not been tagged by any of them yet in 2026.

So who is giving him all of this sever attention? Ollie Hollands and Andy McGrath ....bahahhaa. Just because you say he gets a lot more attention than other mids doesn't make it true.

Mullin will probably get Daicos this week. Butters beat him (our whole team was off that day) but otherwise he's limited the influence of his opponent very well this season. That would be a proper tag. I really wouldn't call the other ones tags, certainly not from anything approaching an adept tagger, as you said.

 

[kozi]

Nick Watson

 

[Fadge]

Nick Watson

Certainly one of the best to watch.

 

[Piggy Smalls]

Luke Jackson

9

Luke Jackson

Age

24

Ht

199cm

Wt

102kg

Pos.

F/R

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.3

3star

D

8.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

5.0

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

2star

G

0.3

3star

D

8.3

3star

K

3.3

2star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.3

3star

is coming for the crown

 

[SSSSSS]

Nick Watson

I really think in a few seasons we'll see him do what Pickett does and the game has moved away from slow hulking mids.

Took Pickett a while to build that tank.

 

[Purple Jesus]

Nick Watson

He's bloody good but he's no Luke Jackson.

 

[Mr Meow]

He's bloody good but he's no Luke Jackson.

Exactly, he's Nick Watson.

Luke Jackson is a different person.

 

[RCAB]

Exactly, he's Nick Watson.

Luke Jackson is a different person.

We have a new purple Fadge here

 

[jakson68]

He's bloody good but he's no Luke Jackson.

Both were brilliant to watch last night.
Comparing Jackson to Watson is just silly though.
That is like comparing my Land Cruiser to my wife's GTI Golf. They are both cars but that is where the similarities end.
Hers is zippy, quick, handles like a dream and is fun to drive, whilst mine can carry and tow anything, goes anywhere and gets us to where we want to go in comfort and style.

Two players (and cars) can both be different and brilliant at the same time.
The AFL (and my garage) is big enough for both, so how about we just enjoy them, as I did last night.

 

[Wizard]

Nick Watson

Sensational footballer. When he eventually transitions into a mid-forward instead of forward-mid he will take his game to another level and challenge the top few.

 

[ShereKhan]

And Daicos to his credit has lifted his score involvements this season, but the turnover numbers have extremely high for a player who has so many handball receives and uncontested possessions. You would want your score involvement vs turnover ratio to be a little more positive. That along with goal kicking inaccuracy and good but not ultra outstanding goal/goal assists averages probably explains why he isn't ranked a little higher by CD. We know historically that star players in mega volume areas will be vote magnets. That much isn't surprising and the quality of ball use being decent as opposed to up there with the best in the comp becomes somewhat irrelevant. How often a player is seen with the ball and the territory they get is what draws midfield votes. No doubt Smith will do very well again in voting systems no matter how much he butchers the ball.

That's a good point. Bailey Smith was excellent at Geelong in 2025. Made AA. Got a whopping 29 Brownlow votes. Won the coaches award. So you'd assume a top-3 rated player in the game?

He rated 20th in the Player Ratings in 2025. How can that be? Based on Daicos logic, with all those Brownlow votes and coaches votes, any algorithm that doesn't have him top-3 or at least top-5 simply has to be flawed.

Of the 37 x players in 2025 to average 25+ disposals, Bailey Smith's DE% was 37th....last. His KE% was 29th. Disposals per clanger he was 32nd. Disposals per turnover he was 35th. His disposal retention % was last.

So don't get me wrong, Bailey Smith was excellent in 2025 and deserved his AA and the plaudits - he was a key reason Cats made the GF.

But it's also not hard to see why someone who despite winning the coaches votes and getting 29 Brownlow votes rated 20th.

And in 2026, of the 35 x players to average 25+ disposals, his DE% is again last. His player rating is 17th.

The Player Ratings don't care about flowing blonde locks, the head band, the rockstar image and media plaudits. Just like they don't care about the Daicos name, the media attention and subjective individual awards.

They use actual historical data based on what wins/loses games of football, analyses every action/contest and gives a rating accordingly. I don't believe it's perfect, far from it. But is it likely to provide a better guide over time than the media, umpires or players (most of whom would be lucky to watch 1 game per week) telling me who the best players are?

Probably.

 

[ShereKhan]

Luke Jackson is coming for the crown

Yeah, watching that game last night (and the entire season), it's just baffling how Jackson could possibly be 'rated' higher than Daicos this year when he doesn't have as many coaches votes and is not leadig the meeeedddddya awards.

FMD...what a player Jackson is !

 

[Fadge]

That's a good point. Bailey Smith was excellent at Geelong in 2025. Made AA. Got a whopping 29 Brownlow votes. Won the coaches award. So you'd assume a top-3 rated player in the game?

He rated 20th in the Player Ratings in 2025. How can that be? Based on Daicos logic, with all those Brownlow votes and coaches votes, any algorithm that doesn't have him top-3 or at least top-5 simply has to be flawed.

Of the 37 x players in 2025 to average 25+ disposals, Bailey Smith's DE% was 37th....last. His KE% was 29th. Disposals per clanger he was 32nd. Disposals per turnover he was 35th. His disposal retention % was last.

So don't get me wrong, Bailey Smith was excellent in 2025 and deserved his AA and the plaudits - he was a key reason Cats made the GF.

But it's also not hard to see why someone who despite winning the coaches votes and getting 29 Brownlow votes rated 20th.

And in 2026, of the 35 x players to average 25+ disposals, his DE% is again last. His player rating is 17th.

The Player Ratings don't care about flowing blonde locks, the head band, the rockstar image and media plaudits. Just like they don't care about the Daicos name, the media attention and subjective individual awards.

They use actual historical data based on what wins/loses games of football, analyses every action/contest and gives a rating accordingly. I don't believe it's perfect, far from it. But is it likely to provide a better guide over time than the media, umpires or players (most of whom would be lucky to watch 1 game per week) telling me who the best players are?

Probably.

LOLOL.

So both Bailey Smith and Nick Daicos were amongst the best players in the competition, and played in teams that went to the pointy end of finals.

But Player Ratings only cares about what wins games of football, with only 2 of their top 11 rated players for 2026 playing in a winning final - one single winning Elimination Final for Rowell and Anderson.

Not a single player from the Preliminary Final teams in their top 11 players for 2026.

NOT. A. SINGLE. ONE.

 

[SSSSSS]

Is it right to say that this season so far has a very even top end?

No real standout player this year but about 6-7 that could realistically be considered the best player in the comp.

Seems to be a bit of a changing of the guard as we see new additions like Pickett/Jackson being thrown into the mix.

 

[RUNVS]

Both were brilliant to watch last night.
Comparing Jackson to Watson is just silly though.
That is like comparing my Land Cruiser to my wife's GTI Golf. They are both cars but that is where the similarities end.
Hers is zippy, quick, handles like a dream and is fun to drive, whilst mine can carry and tow anything, goes anywhere and gets us to where we want to go in comfort and style.

Two players (and cars) can both be different and brilliant at the same time.
The AFL (and my garage) is big enough for both, so how about we just enjoy them, as I did last night.

Have to compare them though given the "best player in the AFL" thread would require comparing players who are often quite different to one another.

 

[jakson68]

Have to compare them though given the "best player in the AFL" thread would require comparing players who are often quite different to one another.

True that, though those two players are polar opposites.
This is what makes picking the "best player in the AFL" so difficult because it is subjective.
Also some look at it through a different lens.
Is it the player who has had a great first 8 games of this season, or the past month?
Or, is it a player who has had a great 3 year block, 5 year block, decade?

We will all have our favourites and for a variaty of reasons.
You could have a player like Kossie, or Watson, who just makes me smile when I watch them, similar to when I watched Cyril.
Or Bont, who when he goes "beast mode" is near unstoppable.
Butters, whose bravery is to the point of dangerous but wow, would you love him on your team.
Even our boy Nick, love him or hate him, one has to appreciate his work rate, skillset and be the best mindset. Not to mention just a joy to watch.

So many variables.
For me though it is Bont.
Great this year, consistently great in past years.

 

[BarbieITFC]

True that, though those two players are polar opposites.
This is what makes picking the "best player in the AFL" so difficult because it is subjective.
Also some look at it through a different lens.
Is it the player who has had a great first 8 games of this season, or the past month?
Or, is it a player who has had a great 3 year block, 5 year block, decade?

We will all have our favourites and for a variaty of reasons.
You could have a player like Kossie, or Watson, who just makes me smile when I watch them, similar to when I watched Cyril.
Or Bont, who when he goes "beast mode" is near unstoppable.
Butters, whose bravery is to the point of dangerous but wow, would you love him on your team.
Even our boy Nick, love him or hate him, one has to appreciate his work rate, skillset and be the best mindset. Not to mention just a joy to watch.

So many variables.
For me though it is Bont.
Great this year, consistently great in past years.

Right now I think if you put a Pies fan, Freo fan, Doggies fan, Melbourne fan, Swans fan and Hawks fan in a room and asked them who they would choose out of Daicos, Jackson, Bont, Pickett, Heeney or Watson - you wouldn't find a single one of them choosing anyone but their player.

 

[hr_23]

Right now I think if you put a Pies fan, Freo fan, Doggies fan, Melbourne fan, Swans fan and Hawks fan in a room and asked them who they would choose out of Daicos, Jackson, Bont, Pickett, Heeney or Watson - you wouldn't find a single one of them choosing anyone but their player.

i wouldn't pick Watson as the games best
this years form im taking Kosi Pickett

 

[jakson68]

Right now I think if you put a Pies fan, Freo fan, Doggies fan, Melbourne fan, Swans fan and Hawks fan in a room and asked them who they would choose out of Daicos, Jackson, Bont, Pickett, Heeney or Watson - you wouldn't find a single one of them choosing anyone but their player.

I think you are mistaken with that, as I am a Collingwood supporter and I specifically stated in my post that I thought Bont was the best player presently.

 

[RUNVS]

I think you are mistaken with that, as I am a Collingwood supporter and I specifically stated in my post that I thought Bont was the best player presently.

I think another interesting question, which on the surface sounds the same as "who is the best player in the competition" but really isn't is "if you could bring any player in the AFL to your club, who would you choose"

I would lean towards either Luke Jackson, Sam Taylor or Matt Rowell, even though I perosnally don't consider all 3 to be the best player in the competition, I just think they would help the Swans list more than any others.

 

[KissKiss]

LOLOL.

So both Bailey Smith and Nick Daicos were amongst the best players in the competition, and played in teams that went to the pointy end of finals.

But Player Ratings only cares about what wins games of football, with only 2 of their top 11 rated players for 2026 playing in a winning final - one single winning Elimination Final for Rowell and Anderson.

Not a single player from the Preliminary Final teams in their top 11 players for 2026.

NOT. A. SINGLE. ONE.

There is definitely something around the team of champions in this.

To win a lot of individual awards or statistical rankings you often need to be at a more average team where you can dominate and be fed the ball. Being a standout player in an average team makes this easier.

Premiership winning teams tend to spread the ball and attention way way more. There are way fewer top rated lions players in all of these, not top 3 in ratings for most positions or awards. But I'd guess the average of all the lions players across the board is way way higher than most other clubs

 

[jakson68]

I think another interesting question, which on the surface sounds the same as "who is the best player in the competition" but really isn't is "if you could bring any player in the AFL to your club, who would you choose"

I would lean towards either Luke Jackson, Sam Taylor or Matt Rowell, even though I perosnally don't consider all 3 to be the best player in the competition, I just think they would help the Swans list more than any others.

Great question to ponder .
Although I love Bont, at 30yo I would look elsewhere.
My first choice would be Butters, as his characteristics would blend perfectly with Nick's and bring out the best in both.
Sticking with a similar age demographic, I agree with Jackson, he is someone you could build a team around.

 

[Randomizor]

As a Freo fan it would probably be Watson. Still think we are lacking another genuine small forward.

 

[Piggy Smalls]

Watson is destined to be a long term top 5 IMO. The way he moves is ridiculous, and his forward craft is off the charts.

 

[Schauermann]

not leadig the meeeedddddya awards.

Well, perhaps next season. Feels like his profile is growing alot atm.