Just gone back over each players clips etc this evening and only on the 2018 nab highlights and comparing them I think there is a clear line emerging for me. In those it is unfortunate that Fogarty and Cerra both were not 100% match fitness for different reasons yet performed quite well. They would have been much better injury free and a good preseason like Dow Rayner, LDU and Stephenson. So here goes
1 Rayner by a whisker over Dow - both consistenly good across most areas throughout the championships. They are both the best inside mids going only on the highlights imop.(Rayner is so good to watch though...man i hope we get him).
3 Davies Uniacke...the perfect all rounder Judd like - his only blemish was the game against WA. Was shown up several times under WA's pressure, closing in speed and tackling.
4 Stephenson ...Looks a bit ungainly at times but he really did not put a foot wrong and has lots of upside. Consistent and has all aspects to his game.
5 Fogarty and Cerra both exceptional talents with all round games but who were not able to show us the consistency of such talented players during
2017. Dont think we could lose on either quite frankly but I dont think we would see either make their 2018 debut without a really good preseason and no interuption with minor injuries.
6. Higgins has been highly underated as a top quality by mst of us here I suggest. Very quick with hands, good on both sides, inside mid as well as forward opportunist. He could be a surprise pick and would not disappoint. Coffield is the other at 6 and has been the "fit Fogarty" so to speak" so say no more.
7 Brayshaw sits in about here with quite a few others imop. He really has a footy brain and matches it with his skills.
So for me Rayner and Fogarty. If the cards don't fall right for that, Dow and Fogarty/Uniacke