Most disposals of all time

Bunk Moreland · Jun 8, 2023

Pendlebury has 9566 (369 games at 25.9)

Only needs 90 more to surpass Robert Harvey, who holds the record of 9656 (383 games at 25.2), so will happen in the next few weeks.

Next active player is Boak on 8046 (336 games at 23.9) so it’s gonna stand for a long, long time.

Disposals are a massive part of footy, which is now a stats-obsessed game. Rightly or wrongly, it’s the first and primary way in which we judge most individual games, and has been for decades. It’s always the first number quoted.

So I feel like more should be being made of this, bit of a countdown to that record-breaking kick or handball.

So get on it, media. It’s a big deal.

Will also be the first to crash through 10,000 later this year or early next year. Massive.

PerthBoy86 · Jun 8, 2023

How many did Boomer Harvey, Michael Tuck, KB get?

Bunk Moreland · Jun 8, 2023

1. 9656 (383, 25.2) Robert Harvey
2. 9566* (369, 25.9) Scott Pendlebury
3. 9213 (432, 21.3) Brent Harvey
4. 9151 (403, 22.7) Kevin Bartlett
5. 8896 (357, 24.9) Gary Ablett Jr
6. 8776 (375, 23.4) Craig Bradley
7. 8746 (355, 24.6) Joel Selwood
8. 8687 (329, 26.4) Sam Mitchell
9. 8423 (426, 19.8) Michael Tuck
10. 8222 (324, 25.4) Scott West
11. 8046* (336, 23.9) Travis Boak
12. 8042 (376, 21.4) David Mundy
13. 7632 (313, 24.4) Tony Shaw
14. 7606 (334, 22.8) Brendon Goddard
15. 7589 (346, 21.9) Luke Hodge
16. 7580 (322, 23.5) Simon Black
17. 7506 (319, 23.5) Jordan Lewis
18. 7404* (311, 23.8) Patrick Dangerfield
19. 7375 (322, 22.9) Nick Dal Santo
20. 7374 (332, 22.2) Leigh Matthews

Bunk Moreland · Jun 8, 2023

Hopefully we can stay on topic and avoid 10 pages of tiresome troll back and forth about Craig Bradley being the real record holder.

Bunk Moreland · Jun 8, 2023

For those wondering, Clayton Oliver and Tom Mitchell are pretty much equal as the all time average leader, with 29.3 per game

My Tilly · Jun 8, 2023

Harvey's is more impressive when you take into account the game was a bit more free flowing than what we see today. It's a bit easier to accumulate 30 disposals than what it was 20 years ago. You had to earn every single possession in Harvey's case. He was also notorious for outrunning a tag. Often seen vomiting when he went to the interchange bench for a breather.

00Stinger · Jun 9, 2023

Bunk Moreland said:
For those wondering, Clayton Oliver and Tom Mitchell are pretty much equal as the all time average leader, with 29.3 per game

Was going to say that Oliver would have to be on record pace

But obviously as age kicks in that average would drop you would think

KissKiss · Jun 9, 2023

So to make that top 20 you need to be playing over 300 games averaging at least low to mid 20s disposals. Kinda crazy to think how much that is.

Oliver is in his 8th year I think for 150 odd games. He needs to basically double that. Pretty tough for an inside mid to do that for so long

Macrae might be another in with a shout. He seems to not miss many games and racks up the ball

jakson68 · Jun 9, 2023

Pendles has been consistently good for nearly two decades, is amazes me with how simple he makes the game look.
He will surely get the 10k and I think he may have a couple more years left in him yet.
If he can get another two years after this season, he may grab the games record also.

Bunk Moreland · Jul 6, 2023

This Friday looks like the night - he needs 14 disposals to be #1 of all time.

Meteoric Rise · Jul 6, 2023

How appropriate that this record is about to be held by Scott "side to side" Pendulum. Imagine watching the campaigner play basketball. The shot clock would get him every time. You would reckon one of his coaches would have pointed out what direction the goals are at some point of a 20 year career.

Matrix10 · Jul 6, 2023

Meteoric Rise said:
How appropriate that this record is about to be held by Scott "side to side" Pendulum. Imagine watching the campaigner play basketball. The shot clock would get him every time. You would reckon one of his coaches would have pointed out what direction the goals are at some point of a 20 year career.

There is one thing more certain than neutral supporters paying their respects to champions of the game from other clubs. Richmond supporters showing their hand at how insecure they are within the sphere of been part of the greater football world. Pathetic

Meteoric Rise · Jul 6, 2023

Matrix10 said:
There is one thing more certain than neutral supporters paying their respects to champions of the game from other clubs. Richmond supporters showing their hand at how insecure they are within the sphere of been part of the greater football world. Pathetic

Pendlebury, campaigner, your theme song says "side by side" not "side to side."

jakson68 · Jul 6, 2023

Meteoric Rise said:
How appropriate that this record is about to be held by Scott "side to side" Pendulum. Imagine watching the campaigner play basketball. The shot clock would get him every time. You would reckon one of his coaches would have pointed out what direction the goals are at some point of a 20 year career.

Highly unlikely dopey, as he can make time stop

Golden_6 · Jul 6, 2023

There’s a couple of other active players who could push this record.

Oliver - 26 y/o, 4,601 disposals, 29.31 career averages
Macrae - 29 y/o, 6,411 disposals, 28.75 career average

Both have a significantly higher averages than Pendles and neither have missed much footy but it relies on still racking them up into your early/mid 30’s and having longevity in the game.

im_a_lazy_sod · Jul 6, 2023

What are all the top 20s DE%?

STRONGandBALD · Jul 6, 2023

Pretty impressive, surely he’s kicked heaps of goal then right?

Bunk Moreland · Apr 26, 2024

Bunk Moreland said:
Pendlebury has 9566 (369 games at 25.9)

Only needs 90 more to surpass Robert Harvey, who holds the record of 9656 (383 games at 25.2), so will happen in the next few weeks.

Next active player is Boak on 8046 (336 games at 23.9) so it’s gonna stand for a long, long time.

Disposals are a massive part of footy, which is now a stats-obsessed game. Rightly or wrongly, it’s the first and primary way in which we judge most individual games, and has been for decades. It’s always the first number quoted.

So I feel like more should be being made of this, bit of a countdown to that record-breaking kick or handball.

So get on it, media. It’s a big deal.

Will also be the first to crash through 10,000 later this year or early next year. Massive.

Still reckon not enough was made of this. It’s the fundamental statistical measure in our game.

Enormous achievement.

OnceWeWereKings · Apr 26, 2024

Bunk Moreland said:
Still reckon not enough was made of this. It’s the fundamental statistical measure in our game.

Enormous achievement.

Yep, an unbelievable achievement.
The list contains some of the games best.
Probably undersell the ability of all of these players to get their body in a condition to withstand the rigours of the game and deliver consistent high performance.
Most were great runners - Tony Shaw being the surprise for me.

PhatBoy · Apr 26, 2024

STRONGandBALD said:
Pretty impressive, surely he’s kicked heaps of goal then right?

Why?

There are 18 players on the field and it is a big field where each player has a role. If it isn’t his designated role to kick regular goals, why would it be incumbent upon him to have kicked lots of goals

WillHayward · Apr 26, 2024

Bunk Moreland said:
1. 9656 (383, 25.2) Robert Harvey
2. 9566* (369, 25.9) Scott Pendlebury
3. 9213 (432, 21.3) Brent Harvey
4. 9151 (403, 22.7) Kevin Bartlett
5. 8896 (357, 24.9) Gary Ablett Jr
6. 8776 (375, 23.4) Craig Bradley
7. 8746 (355, 24.6) Joel Selwood
8. 8687 (329, 26.4) Sam Mitchell
9. 8423 (426, 19.8) Michael Tuck
10. 8222 (324, 25.4) Scott West
11. 8046* (336, 23.9) Travis Boak
12. 8042 (376, 21.4) David Mundy
13. 7632 (313, 24.4) Tony Shaw
14. 7606 (334, 22.8) Brendon Goddard
15. 7589 (346, 21.9) Luke Hodge
16. 7580 (322, 23.5) Simon Black
17. 7506 (319, 23.5) Jordan Lewis
18. 7404* (311, 23.8) Patrick Dangerfield
19. 7375 (322, 22.9) Nick Dal Santo
20. 7374 (332, 22.2) Leigh Matthews

Where is Diesel Williams?

WillHayward · Apr 26, 2024

Golden_6 said:
There’s a couple of other active players who could push this record.

Oliver - 26 y/o, 4,601 disposals, 29.31 career averages
Macrae - 29 y/o, 6,411 disposals, 28.75 career average

Both have a significantly higher averages than Pendles and neither have missed much footy but it relies on still racking them up into your early/mid 30’s and having longevity in the game.

Both those guys have issues just getting on the field at the moment

WillHayward · Apr 26, 2024

STRONGandBALD said:
Pretty impressive, surely he’s kicked heaps of goal then right?

Heaps of three pointers

PhatBoy · Apr 26, 2024

WillHayward said:
Where is Diesel Williams?

Absolutely nowhere near it.

In the 6000s.

Bunk Moreland · Apr 26, 2024

WillHayward said:
Where is Diesel Williams?

It's a good question... a fair way off it, but the below numbers are on average (min 50 games)

But what stands out is that everybody above him (he's 11th) is a current player. Heaps more possession footy and holding onto the ball these days.

Looking at how players were "of their time" is always illuminating, when it came to getting the footy, Diesel was clearly a freak.

That's the top 30, and Diesel, Skilton, Wallace, Bairstow, Goggin, West and Harvey really stand out. Every other player is either current or retired in the last ten years.

Disposals were only counted from 1965, so this is less than half of Skilton's career. He won two of his three Brownlows prior to this. Same story with Goggin, though you'd probably argue it captures his prime given he won his two Geelong B&Fs after 1965.

Player	Disposals	Games	Average
Clayton Oliver *	4872	168	29.0
Tom Mitchell *	5792	202	28.67
Jack Macrae *	6649	234	28.41
Nick Daicos *	1505	53	28.4
Matt Crouch *	4184	148	28.27
Adam Treloar *	6586	237	27.79
Sam Walsh *	2784	101	27.56
Zach Merrett *	5777	212	27.25
Lachie Neale *	6829	251	27.21
Rory Laird *	6216	230	27.03
Greg Williams	6721	250	26.88
Dane Swan	6928	258	26.85
Bob Skilton	2609	98	26.62
Sam Mitchell	8687	329	26.4
Brad Crouch *	4237	161	26.32
Matt Priddis	6279	240	26.16
Andrew Gaff *	7118	276	25.79
Terry Wallace	6540	254	25.75
Scott Pendlebury *	9995	389	25.69
Mark Bairstow	3750	146	25.68
Tom Rockliff	5334	208	25.64
Bill Goggin	3614	141	25.63
Dayne Beams	4529	177	25.59
Caleb Serong *	2186	86	25.42
Josh Kennedy	7372	290	25.42
Patrick Cripps *	4802	189	25.41
Scott West	8222	324	25.38
Tom Green *	1845	73	25.27
Michael Barlow	3556	141	25.22
Robert Harvey	9656	383	25.21

Finals Wk 1 Reviews + Club Forums »

NFL Week 1 🏈 NFL Tipping

NRL Round 27 🏉

Most disposals of all time

Hall of Famer

Norm Smith Medallist

Hall of Famer

Hall of Famer

Hall of Famer

Premium Gold

100 - 7

Norm Smith Medallist

Club Legend

Hall of Famer

Brownlow Medallist

Club Legend

Brownlow Medallist

Club Legend

Brownlow Medallist

Brownlow Medallist

Club Legend

Hall of Famer

Premiership Player

Hall of Famer

Brownlow Medallist

Brownlow Medallist

Brownlow Medallist

Hall of Famer

Hall of Famer

Most disposals of all time

Similar threads

Log In or Create New Account