Opinion 2009 Top 50 Players

[AG]

My top 50 based on their performances this year. A lot of people might argue Franklin, Pavlich being too low and Fevola not being on the list, but they have been pretty average this season compared to their high standards. Remember it's only based on this season, so view it like this is your first year of watching football and reputations don't exist. For example Prestigiacomo is above Franklin. I think Franklin is a better player but I think Presti is having a better season.

1. Gary Ablett (Geelong)
2. Chris Judd (Carlton)
3. Steve Johnson (Geelong)
4. Nick Riewoldt (St.Kilda)
5. Leigh Montagna (St.Kilda)
6. Joel Selwood (Geelong)
7. Nick Dal Santo (St.Kilda)
8. Lenny Hayes (St.Kilda)
9. Brad Sewell (Hawthorn)
10. Brendan Goddard (St.Kilda)
11. Leon Davis (Collingwood)
12. Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood)
13. Matthew Boyd (Western Bulldogs)
14. Aaron Davey (Melbourne)
15. Matthew Scarlett (Geelong)
16. Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn)
17. Paul Chapman (Geelong)
18. Sam Fisher (St.Kilda)
19. Jimmy Bartel (Geelong)
20. Jobe Watson (Essendon)
21. Marc Murphy (Carlton)
22. Craig Bolton (Sydney)
23. Dean Cox (West Coast)
24. Josh Drummond (Brisbane)
25. Sam Gilbert (St.Kilda)
26. Corey Enright (Geelong)
27. Darren Jolly (Sydney)
28. Warren Tredrea (Port Adelaide)
29. Aaron Sandilands (Fremantle)
30. Cyril Rioli (Hawthorn)
31. Adam Goodes (Sydney)
32. Mark LeCras (West Coast)
33. Simon Prestigiacomo (Collingwood)
34. Hamish McIntosh (North Melbourne)
35. Dane Swan (Collingwood)
36. Jonathan Brown (Brisbane)
37. Steven Salopek (Port Adelaide)
38. Lance Franklin (Hawthorn)
39. Joel Corey (Geelong)
40. Jarryd Roughead (Hawthorn)
41. Chris Tarrant (Fremantle)
42. Adam Selwood (West Coast)
43. Jason Akermanis (Western Bulldogs)
44. Stephen Milne (St.Kilda)
45. Brent Stanton (Essendon)
46. Shaun Higgins (Western Bulldogs)
47. Troy Chaplin (Port Adelaide)
48. Jude Bolton (Sydney)
49. Eddie Betts (Carlton)
50. Matthew Pavlich (Fremantle)

Unlucky: Patfull, Fevola, Bradshaw, Lovett, Gilbee, Morris, Edwards, Gibbs (think he's slightly overrated this season), C.Morton, Boak, Haselby, Duffield, Edwards, Winderlich.

Sorry for any obvious omissions. Hard not to accidentally forget a player.

 

[half_back_flank]

A lot of people might argue Franklin, Pavlich being too low and Fevola not being on the list, but they have been pretty average this season compared to their high standards.


23. Dean Cox (West Coast)

27. Darren Jolly (Sydney)

29. Aaron Sandilands (Fremantle)

34. Hamish McIntosh (North Melbourne)

Firstly, shouldn't Fevola be compared to the rest of the competition, not his standards from previous years? IMO he should be somewhere in the 40-50 range.

Secondly, i agree with no ruckman in the top 20, there has not been one who has dominated the entire 10 rounds. Yet i would have Jolly and Sandilands ahead of Cox right now, with Hamish McIntosh very close behind.

Having said that, very well balanced list, agree with most of those selections.

 

[tigerisland]

My top 50 based on their performances this year. A lot of people might argue Franklin, Pavlich being too low and Fevola not being on the list, but they have been pretty average this season compared to their high standards. Remember it's only based on this season, so view it like this is your first year of watching football and reputations don't exist. For example Prestigiacomo is above Franklin. I think Franklin is a better player but I think Presti is having a better season.

1. Gary Ablett (Geelong)
2. Chris Judd (Carlton)
3. Steve Johnson (Geelong)
4. Nick Riewoldt (St.Kilda)
5. Leigh Montagna (St.Kilda)
6. Joel Selwood (Geelong)
7. Nick Dal Santo (St.Kilda)
8. Lenny Hayes (St.Kilda)
9. Brad Sewell (Hawthorn)
10. Brendan Goddard (St.Kilda)
11. Leon Davis (Collingwood)
12. Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood)
13. Matthew Boyd (Western Bulldogs)
14. Aaron Davey (Melbourne)
15. Matthew Scarlett (Geelong)
16. Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn)
17. Paul Chapman (Geelong)
18. Sam Fisher (St.Kilda)
19. Jimmy Bartel (Geelong)
20. Jobe Watson (Essendon)
21. Marc Murphy (Carlton)
22. Craig Bolton (Sydney)
23. Dean Cox (West Coast)
24. Josh Drummond (Brisbane)
25. Sam Gilbert (St.Kilda)
26. Corey Enright (Geelong)
27. Darren Jolly (Sydney)
28. Warren Tredrea (Port Adelaide)
29. Aaron Sandilands (Fremantle)
30. Joel Corey (Geelong)
31. Adam Goodes (Sydney)
32. Mark LeCras (West Coast)
33. Simon Prestigiacomo (Collingwood)
34. Hamish McIntosh (North Melbourne)
35. Dane Swan (Collingwood)
36. Jonathan Brown (Brisbane)
37. Steven Salopek (Port Adelaide)
38. Lance Franklin (Hawthorn)
39. Jude Bolton (Sydney)
40. Jarryd Roughead (Hawthorn)
41. Chris Tarrant (Fremantle)
42. Adam Selwood (West Coast)
43. Jason Akermanis (Western Bulldogs)
44. Stephen Milne (St.Kilda)
45. Brent Stanton (Essendon)
46. Shaun Higgins (Western Bulldogs)
47. Troy Chaplin (Port Adelaide)
48. Jason Winderlich (Essendon)
49. Eddie Betts (Carlton)
50. Matthew Pavlich (Fremantle)

Unlucky: Patfull, Fevola, Bradshaw, Lovett, Gilbee, Morris, Edwards, Gibbs (think he's slightly overrated this season), C.Morton, Boak, Haselby, Duffield, Edwards.

Sorry for any obvious omissions. Hard not to accidentally forget a player.

If Tarrant is in the top 500 footballers in the land then I should put the boots back on. How Le Cras is there ahead of Deledio I do not understand. The guy is a gun. You should be able to fit Haselby in there as well. He plays all four quarters and for his team, unlike Akdermanis. Preste is a trier but hardly top 50 material I would prefer Bradshaw as a backman.

 

[AG]

If Tarrant is in the top 500 footballers in the land then I should put the boots back on. How Le Cras is there ahead of Deledio I do not understand. The guy is a gun. You should be able to fit Haselby in there as well. He plays all four quarters and for his team, unlike Akdermanis. Preste is a trier but hardly top 50 material I would prefer Bradshaw as a backman.

Need to watch more football this season. Yes, Presti is unfashionable to most but he is nearly the best 1-on-1 defender this year. You would think being one of the best defenders this season would be enough to make the list. Tarrant would be in the top 6 key defenders this season. LeCras has been one of the best small forwards so he should be their. Deledio would be in the top 50 if it was based on pure talent, but on this season I have him behind about 20ish midfielders. I didn't want to stack the top 50 with midfielders, so he missed out. I'd have Jackson from Richmond before Deledio, based on this season anyway. Aker doesn't have to play 4 quarters to be a match winner. At times this season it has been 1 or 2 quarter bursts that have got the Dogs over the line. The game against the Crows is the perfect example. 3rd quarter burst resulted in him being the match winner.
This is the top 50 players (performances) this season, if it was just a general top 50 then it would include guys like Fevola, Deledio, Richardson, Cooney, Cross, S.Thompson, Bock, Black, Power, Didak, Cornes, Kirk, Kerr, etc.

 

[Notorious_29]

yer id agree that sandilands and jolly are both ahead of cox atm. cox could hardly compete with cameron wood the other week, definetly not in the form he was in last year.

 

[AG]

Good list, though I would have to say that Josh Drummond is probably a little low, considerring he is probably the second best backman this year behind Bredan Goddard.

He's in my AA side, so I rate him. I like to rate the 1-on-1 pure defensive stoppers like Scarlett, Bolton and Fisher highly as well. You could probably put Drummond up to 17th spot.

 

[TassieSaint]

2. Chris Judd (Carlton)
5. Leigh Montagna (St.Kilda)
10. Brendan Goddard (St.Kilda)
11. Leon Davis (Collingwood)
15. Matthew Scarlett (Geelong)
17. Paul Chapman (Geelong)
20. Jobe Watson (Essendon)
24. Josh Drummond (Brisbane)
25. Sam Gilbert (St.Kilda)
26. Corey Enright (Geelong)
27. Darren Jolly (Sydney)
28. Warren Tredrea (Port Adelaide)
34. Hamish McIntosh (North Melbourne)
35. Dane Swan (Collingwood)
37. Steven Salopek (Port Adelaide)
39. Jude Bolton (Sydney)
46. Shaun Higgins (Western Bulldogs)
48. Jason Winderlich (Essendon)
50. Matthew Pavlich (Fremantle)

Unlucky: Gilbee

Red too high, Green too low for me but I think you've got more or less the right 50 players (Gilbee in for Winders and that's it for me). Gibbs shouldn't be in discussion imo

 

[X_box_X]

That's a very good list. You obviously watch a lot of footy, because I don't understand some of the criticism you are copping.

I reckon McIntosh should be the highest ranked ruckman, though. I also wouldn't have Franklin in my list, but that's just opinion. I reckon he is Extremely Buddy Overrated.

 

[AG]

That's a very good list. You obviously watch a lot of footy, because I don't understand some of the criticism you are copping.

I reckon McIntosh should be the highest ranked ruckman, though. I also wouldn't have Franklin in my list, but that's just opinion. I reckon he is Extremely Buddy Overrated.

Number of goals is the main reason he's in. He's leading the Coleman so I suppose he has to be in the top 50.

 

[blues_gibbzy]

Number of goals is the main reason he's in. He's leading the Coleman so I suppose he has to be in the top 50.

Fevs 3rd so why ain't he in it? also Matty Pavlich should be higher but if you look at the top ten 5 Saints 3 Cats 1 Carlton 1 Hawks bit of dominace there?

 

[GrandBlue]

I hope I'm not the only one who disagrees with Ablett as #1. Doesn't anyone realize he's getting cheap possessions? Ever notice those easy handballs he gets?

I also think Sandi, Jolly and McIntosh should be rated over Cox whom has been in poor form this year.

Other than that, good list.

 

[Rimbaz]

Where's Rioli???

 

[AG]

Where's Rioli???

30. I forgot him initially.

 

[HolyRioli]

Fevs 3rd so why ain't he in it? also Matty Pavlich should be higher but if you look at the top ten 5 Saints 3 Cats 1 Carlton 1 Hawks bit of dominace there?

Obviously theres going to be dominance by the Cats and Saints, they're undefeated after 10 rounds and 4 wins ahead of the rest. Clearly they are performing as a team and individuals better than the competition.

I would probably have Fevola in the top 50 as well, on the number of goals he has kicked. But, like Franklin, he has been down on his potential output this year, for example against Fremantle was nothing short of woeful.

Personally, I'd call guys like Andrew Lovett, Jarred McVeigh and a few others very unlucky, but hey, its a top 50, not top 100. Good list

 

[blues_gibbzy]

I hope I'm not the only one who disagrees with Ablett as #1. Doesn't anyone realize he's getting cheap possessions? Ever notice those easy handballs he gets?

I also think Sandi, Jolly and McIntosh should be rated over Cox whom has been in poor form this year.

Other than that, good list.

Yeah When Ablett gets the ball he gets 2 touches for nothing with the handball than the kick when he could just kick.

Obviously theres going to be dominance by the Cats and Saints, they're undefeated after 10 rounds and 4 wins ahead of the rest. Clearly they are performing as a team and individuals better than the competition.

I would probably have Fevola in the top 50 as well, on the number of goals he has kicked. But, like Franklin, he has been down on his potential output this year, for example against Fremantle was nothing short of woeful.

Personally, I'd call guys like Andrew Lovett, Jarred McVeigh and a few others very unlucky, but hey, its a top 50, not top 100. Good list

I'd say very unlucky. Obviously better list than Mike Sheehans(even though his was to predict the top 50)

 

[Spluff]

I hope I'm not the only one who disagrees with Ablett as #1. Doesn't anyone realize he's getting cheap possessions? Ever notice those easy handballs he gets?.

The list isn't based on the amount of disposals they get- he is just insanely damaging.

 

[Pettas]

The list isn't based on the amount of disposals they get- he is just insanely damaging.

I agree.

Hate it when people say this about Ablett.

In the last 2 weeks he has had 50% contested possessions

19 out of 38 (More then double the contested possessions of any bulldogs player)
14/30 (okay 47% )

Only remember those last two stats as the dome puts up contested possessions on the scoreboard.

Yet someone will just like at his stats and his handball count and just assume hes running around getting cheap possessions. If your not going to watch him play don't comment.

 

[loopy_cam]

Very good list. Though I'd have Winderlich in over Stanton.

 

[Pie Legend]

Good list. Only thing I would add is Sam Fisher is a little bit to high for my likings, but I can see the thought about him being close to the top.

 

[In And Under Tiger]

Not sure Joel Corey should be in there on this years form. Seems to be struggling a bit.

 

[AlwaysRight]

IMO

Porplyzia>LeCras.

 

[Kappa Tau]

If tarrants in there, Lake is top 10. Also, Dane Swan has been better then 35. Ablett at number 1 ONLY cause no one else is good enough to be there, hes still cheap.

 

[AG]

If tarrants in there, Lake is top 10. Also, Dane Swan has been better then 35. Ablett at number 1 ONLY cause no one else is good enough to be there, hes still cheap.

Tarrant has been better than Lake. Swan would be higher considering this list is about two weeks old. I'd have Montagna no.1 at the moment. Maybe Riewoldt.

 

[Kappa Tau]

Tarrant has been better than Lake.

Have to disagree, Lake is top 10 for Marks, is damaging when has the ball, and is a fantastic kick.

Tarrant has become a good shut down defender, but thats it. And dont say "he can go forward" because he can barely do that anymore.

 

[AG]

Have to disagree, Lake is top 10 for Marks, is damaging when has the ball, and is a fantastic kick.

Tarrant has become a good shut down defender, but thats it. And dont say "he can go forward" because he can barely do that anymore.

I rate defenders mainly on defending ability, so you proved my point for me. I don't even bother looking at stats anymore. Lake is top 10 in marks because he would get a lot of the cheap backwards kicks. I'd think the top 10 in marks would be Riewoldt and 9 defenders who get the cheap uncontested marks. Lake is better than Tarrant with the ball in his hands but he's not damaging.
I'd rate the key defenders as so far this season:
1. Scarlett
2. Fisher
3. Prestigiacomo
4. Bolton
5. Tarrant
6. Rutten
7. Lake/Chaplin
with Bock closing fast.