2023 AFL Player Ratings for Round 9

After Round 8 of the AFL in 2023, Stats Insider's AFL Player Ratings have been updated. 

Footy fans are constantly asking who the best AFL players are, and our objective, data-driven ratings set out to help answer that question.

There have been some big risers and sliders so far, but plenty of familiar names still sit at the top of our AFL Player Ratings.

MORE: 2023 AFL Player Ratings

AFL Player Ratings: Key Defenders

1. Darcy Moore (COLL)

2. Harris Andrews (BRIS)

3. Sam Taylor (GWS)

4. Tom Barrass (WCE)

5. Jacob Weitering (CARL)

Our AFL Player Ratings for key defenders stayed steady at the top following Round 8, with Darcy Moore's strong performance against Adelaide seeing him retain his spot at the top.

GWS' Sam Taylor slips to third position following his injury, with Harris Andrews jumping to second. Carlton's Jacob Weitering enters the top five for the first time in 2023, despite the Blues going down to Brisbane in Round 8.

AFL Player Ratings: General Defenders

1. Jack Sinclair (STK)

2. Nick Daicos (COLL)

3. Jordan Dawson (ADEL)

4. James Sicily (HAW)

5. Tom Stewart (GEEL)

There were no changes to the AFL player ratings for general defenders following the completion of Round 8. St Kilda star Jack Sinclair remains at the top after playing a key role in the Saints' win over North Melbourne.

AFL Player Ratings: Midfielders

1. Clayton Oliver (MELB)

2. Marcus Bontempelli (WB)

3. Christian Petracca (MELB)

4. Touk Miller (GCS)

5. Lachie Neale (BRIS)

There were no changes to the AFL player ratings for midfielders following the completion of Round 8, with Melbourne's Clayton Oliver retaining the top spot following his side's 90-85 victory over the Gold Coast Suns.

AFL Player Ratings: Rucks

1. Sean Darcy (FREO)

2. Tim English (WB)

3. Jarrod Witts (GCS)

4. Max Gawn (MELB)

5. Rowan Marshall (STK)

Western Bulldogs big man Tim English jumps to second following another strong performance in his club's win over the Giants. Jarrod Witts drops to third place, with every other spot in the top five remaining steady.

AFL Player Ratings: Key Forwards

1. Jeremy Cameron (GEEL)

2. Charlie Curnow (CARL)

3. Tom Hawkins (GEEL)

4. Taylor Walker (ADEL)

5. Jeremy Finlayson (PORT)

Geelong's Jeremy Cameron is rated as the best forward in the game according to our AFL Player Ratings, with Carlton's Charlie Curnow second in our rankings. Port Adelaide big man Charlie Dixon was displaced from the top five by teammate Jeremy Finlayson after the Power's win over Essendon.

AFL Player Ratings: General Forwards

1. Shai Bolton (Richmond)

2. Toby Greene (GWS)

3. Charlie Cameron (Brisbane)

4. Jake Stringer (Essendon)

5. Isaac Heeney (Sydney)

Richmond's Shai Bolton replaces Toby Greene at the top of the general forward ratings after the GWS captain missed the Giants' game on the weekend. Charlie Cameron jumps to third after a starring role for Brisbane in their win over Carlton, while Jake Stringer jumps to fourth ahead of Isaac Heeney, who didn't kick a goal in the Swans' loss to Collingwood.

How We Rank Every AFL Player

Accurately ranking every player in the AFL is no easy feat, and we take a multi-faceted approach to have a strong understanding of each player's contribution to their team.

We analyse a range of inputs, including AFL media votes, coaches' votes, and match reports. By doing so, we can identify the players who have played critical roles in each individual game. But that's not all; we also use a custom, fantasy-like scoring system to break any ties and accurately rank every player in the AFL.

Our goal is to leave no stone unturned in our quest to provide the most accurate player ratings in the AFL. From the biggest superstars to the lesser-known players, we strive to give each of them the recognition they deserve based on their performance on the ground.

(Photo by James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images)