Fyfe is a fair player, so if he is up there with Dusty that is fair enough. Best players are judged on what their best is not what their most consistent is. Judd for example was for a short time at WC was right up there with the greats, finished his career a champion but not as dominant later in the back half of his career. GAJ had a similar output and consistency all his career and is rightly held at the highest level. Martin does things the other don't, which makes him a bit unique, which makes him the best, not the most consistent. Many of great players don't win Brownlow's which is a similar principle.
Who are the top 10 midfielders in the league?
- Thread starter Sweet Jesus
- Start date
- Tagged users None
Virgin Dog
Cancelled
- Oct 29, 2017
- 9,733
- 20,647
- AFL Club
- Western Bulldogs
I think that's just a difference in approach to what we each rate as "best". Put me on the spot and tell me to name the "best" key forward in the competition right now, I'd go with maybe Hawkins or Reiwoldt purely based on them putting out consistently good performances. However, this year we have Tex Walker right up top, with Josh Bruce having kicked the biggest bag (so he's had the best individual game of any key forward). Doesn't mean Walker or Bruce are the best KPFs.
Dusty is very easily among the top tier, and I doubt you'd find anyone who can honestly rate him outside the top 5 players, I just take issue with people acting like it's an objective truth that he is outright number 1 with no competition. Fyfe, Boak, Bont, Petracca, Steele, Neale, etc. all have reasonable argument to be considering as the "best". On this year's performances, you'd also have Mundy and Macrae right up there too based on AFLCA voting.
- Nov 28, 2017
- 5,782
- 11,816
- AFL Club
- Richmond
- Other Teams
- Tasmania Devils
Last year we had reduced quarters mate, ofc he got less disposals. so did 90% of the other top mids.
Virgin Dog
Cancelled
- Oct 29, 2017
- 9,733
- 20,647
- AFL Club
- Western Bulldogs
Dusty averaged 20.65 disposals in 2020.
There were 38 players ahead of him in that stat. That includes some of the top players in the competition:
Treloar, Neale, Macrae, Merrett, Mitchell, Oliver, Pendlebury, Petracca, Boak, Parker, Steele, Fyfe, Bontempelli, Dangerfield, plus many more.
If you're going to use reduced quarters as an excuse for lower output, then at least be aware that this did not hinder the output of the other top midfielders.
Dusty probably isn't necessarily the best midfielder in the comp. That's fair.
But if you put them all in a pool, draft them, and give me pick 1?
I'm picking D.Martin.
But if you put them all in a pool, draft them, and give me pick 1?
I'm picking D.Martin.
- Nov 28, 2017
- 5,782
- 11,816
- AFL Club
- Richmond
- Other Teams
- Tasmania Devils
I just checked and Dusty avg 20.7 and Bontempelli avg 20.5, Dusty also kicked more goals so your not doing your research. their is reason is rated above all the other midfielders in the game is because they can't score like Martin can.
Virgin Dog
Cancelled
- Oct 29, 2017
- 9,733
- 20,647
- AFL Club
- Western Bulldogs
Where are you pulling these figures from? Because that's objectively false. Here are their AFLTables pages, check for yourself:
If you want to consider forward impact, then why is Dusty objectively better than Dangerfield? Danger kicked 17.17 compared to Dusty's 22.11 (so more scoring shots, just less accurate) but Danger had 23 Goal Assists compared to Dusty's 13, he finished higher on the AFLCA leaderboard, his disposal average was higher, he had higher tackle and clearance averages, took more marks and they finished equal 5th in the Brownlow.
Give one good argument as to why Dusty is the unmatched number 1 player that isn't just "he plays for the Tigers". Judging by your comments so far, I seriously doubt you're able to string together a much better argument than that to be honest.
- Apr 29, 2016
- 13,921
- 12,315
- AFL Club
- Melbourne
I'm sorry but Neale doesnt deserve to be anywhere near the top 5. He gets half of his touches in the backline. And a lot of the time uncontested marks in the back pocket
Fair enough.
Interesting side note that the best key forwards of the last 10+ years, Hawkins, Jack, Kennedy and Tex (after a few years going backwards), are still probably the best key forwards going around. Cameron if not injured might join them. And a few young ones are coming up, but you where are they all.
00Stinger
100 - 7
That probably sums up why clubs are willing to draft potentially good KPF's higher than potentially great midfielders
Virgin Dog
Cancelled
- Oct 29, 2017
- 9,733
- 20,647
- AFL Club
- Western Bulldogs
He's probably not in my top 5 any more, but a midfielder being more defensively minded doesn't make them any less of a good player. Can't have a midfield full of front runners. Dusty is the better player of the two, but you could just as easily criticise Dusty for his one way running, when in reality it's just because it's his role in the side
Because Dusty beats his opponents, often more than one, in one on one contests like only the great players did, Matthews, Ablett's, Judd in his prime.
Ffye was up there for a few years. Danger at his peak, but they don't have his hurt factor. Which is why he is above those who get the ball more often but don't hurt you as much. There is an art in getting the ball, Neale, Mcrae, Mitchell, but there have always been those sorts, but the great players hurt you. And he has been at the top for about 4 seasons, which is pretty high. Dipped a bit last year, but when it mattered he took back the mantle. Disposals, tackles, etc don't matter than much if you don't take games apart when your side needs you too. Which is why Petracca is such an exciting player, just coming into his peak. Maybe he is closer to Dangerfield in style, which is not a bad comparison. If I could pick any player in the league right now it would be Petracca, behind Dust.
Bit shaky playing the Richmond card bias, when most posters have Dusty at no.1.
Crap!
Bontempelli is doing exactly what Martin has done at his very best through the first 5 rounds of the season. Score involvements are through the roof. Kicking 1.4 goals per game while averaging over 25 disposals per game.
Martin and Bontempelli are the two best midfielders in the competition as of right now. Every possession they gather hurts the opposition (metres gained, inside 50's and more).
You then have a gap to the next best which is probably Macrae, Fyfe, Neale, Oliver etc.
Yes Bontempelli is playing great football and I would have him up there with Martin as the best mid in the league right now. Playing better than Martin in fact, but the no.1 midfielder in my eyes is not the player playing the best football after round 5, but the ones who have been doing it for years and are still doing it. If Bont continues through the year and then caps it off in the finals, given the Dogs will probably get there, then he might join Martin at the top. Higher for the year even.
- Nov 28, 2017
- 5,782
- 11,816
- AFL Club
- Richmond
- Other Teams
- Tasmania Devils
If you understand how football works you aren't going to play Dustin Martin in the back half, you would be just wasting him. he isn't a super runner having him run two ways would be honestly silly he plays to his strengths and that's what makes him so good.
Virgin Dog
Cancelled
- Oct 29, 2017
- 9,733
- 20,647
- AFL Club
- Western Bulldogs
If I understand how football works? Your comment is entirely irrelevant given I was talking about Neale being more defensively minded. You're just inventing a strawman argument to continue worshipping Dusty when it's got nothing to do with what I said. Your understanding of non-Richmond players is nearly as bad as your spelling and grammar, which is no surprise
- Nov 28, 2017
- 5,782
- 11,816
- AFL Club
- Richmond
- Other Teams
- Tasmania Devils
You mentioned Dusty as being poor one way runner while talking about Neale.. you say I'm a Dusty worshipper yet you seem to be criticizing him and being a hater.
Virgin Dog
Cancelled
- Oct 29, 2017
- 9,733
- 20,647
- AFL Club
- Western Bulldogs
My words, exactly as written:
"Dusty is the better player of the two, but you could just as easily criticise Dusty for his one way running, when in reality it's just because it's his role in the side"
I didn't say he's incapable of two-way running, I'm saying he IS a one-way runner because of his role in the side. I am not hating on Dusty at all; I have said multiple times in this thread that he's a very clear top 5 player with good argument for being number 1. All I'm saying is he's not outright, objective number 1 like some are claiming.
- Nov 28, 2017
- 5,782
- 11,816
- AFL Club
- Richmond
- Other Teams
- Tasmania Devils
You were questioning whether he was number #1 mid and after most people had him number #1 in their top 10, you can't really argue with that with what he's achieved & for what it's worth I rated Bontempelli as 2nd best mid, I am not a Dusty worshipper but I do kind of get annoyed when people try & downplay him.
I'm not saying you are one of those people but people thinking he is coasting through the year are kidding themselves. He has done nothing wrong to displace himself. I think he has started the season pretty well with room for improvement. which is scary cause he has 34 disposals 1 goal last week & you barely noticed him.
Virgin Dog
Cancelled
- Oct 29, 2017
- 9,733
- 20,647
- AFL Club
- Western Bulldogs
I can assure you I'm not one of those people. I have Dusty, Fyfe and Bont as the top 3 in no particular order each for different reasons. In no way am I talking Dusty down when I say that
A more objective judgement of a player, and some here are going to hate this, is when the commentators keep banging on about them. Think of the players who are universally lauded by the Bruce and co. Buddy, Judd, Martin, Ablett, Hird, Cyril, Scarlet, Nic Riewoldt, Fyfe, Dangerfield, Pendelbury. The commentators are unbearable sometimes, but they have one thing in common, they are all right at the top of the best players.
True, although the timing on that lags a player really stepping up and remains for quite a while after they are done as a real matchwinner. It's mostly right but a couple of years out.
Similar threads
