AFL Top 100: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of the SI Player Ratings
Last updated: Jul 31, 2020, 5:15AM | Published: Jul 31, 2020, 5:15AMThe 2020 AFL season has been anything but ordinary, and as we enter the intensity of the compressed fixture, team depth and top-tier excellence becomes even more important.
After eight rounds, we're getting a much clearer sense of where teams fit within the league hierarchy, however we'll have an even better idea once they've all travelled through the gauntlet of two-games a week competition.
While we took a look at the Stats Insider’s AFL Player Ratings in the pre-season, a new analysis is called for, one which shines a stronger light on how much top-tier talent each team is possessing, and which might indicate which club is best placed going forward.
THE ELITE
It's Collingwood who lead the way where top-100 representation is concerned with a league-high nine players. Surprisingly, they're joined by Sydney who have also have 9 players which is a brilliant return for a club who's clearly in re-building mode.
The Giants are next up with 8 top-100 players, with Toby Greene leading the way, ranked #8 overall.
The Wets Coast Eagles were top off the pops in the pre-season with nine players in the top-100, however that figure is down to seven, with Brad Sheppard surprisingly out front, coming in at #34. Distinguished and decorated Eagles Josh Kennedy (#62) and Andrew Gaff (#80) have dropped significantly from their lofty pre-season status, while Jack Darling now finds himself at #120 overall.
Port Adelaide, who've topped the ladder for each and every week so far, have seven players in the top-100, with their reliable veteran Travis Boak the clubhouse leader, ranked #12.
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THE GOOD
Ironically, the 2020 flag favourites Brisbane have just six top-100 players, however in Lachie Neale (#1), Charlie Cameron (#20) and Harris Andrews (#26) the Lions do possess a strong presence at the very top, with Andrews graded out as the #1 overall key defender.
Richmond, a club who has taken the competition by storm in recent seasons, have six players in the top-100. They just pulverised the Western Bulldogs on Wednesday night, a team who also has six players in the top-100, with Caleb Daniel one of season's surprise stories, currently ranked #17 overall.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
Perhaps the most notable downfall since the beginning of this season is Geelong, who presently have just four players in the top-100. The always brilliant Patrick Dangerfield is ranked #9, however it's a steep drop-off until we find our next Cat, with Mitch Duncan coming in at #56.
Adelaide, along with the significantly improved St Kilda, have both shown a slight improvement with their player contributions, each offering up four top-100 players. Matt Crouch leads the way for the struggling Crows, ranked #46 overall, while Rowan Marshall is the premier Saint, ranked #31 overall, but fifth among all ruckmen.
Melbourne, despite enjoying the services of the exceptional Max Gawn, have just four players in the top-100, with Christian Petracca and Steven May just squeezing in at #95 and #99 respectively.
Fremantle, along with the Gold Coast Suns, have only two players each in the top-100. In the Dockers defence, both Nat Fyfe (#4) and Micheal Walters(#10) are elite, however it's a considerable drop until we see another Docker, with Liam Ryan coming in at #89. While Jarrod Witts is the only Sun to make the top-100, he does come in at a highly respectable #22, and grades out as the third best ruckmen in the league.
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