Who are the top 10 midfielders in the league?

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Catsnlakers said:
I think he is top 5 no doubt, they ( Danger, Cripps, Martin, Fyfe & Bont ) would be pretty universal I reckon......The 6-10 range in no particular order I would have Josh Kelly, Tom Mitchell ( providing he’s all good with the leg ), Neale, Pendlebury & Cogs.....The Eagles big 3 in Shuey, Yeo & Kelly are so even I found it a bit unfair to put one in while the others missed.
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Bont is far from a universal choice.

He may not even be the best midfielder in his own team. Macrae and Dunkley seem to be more pure midfielders.
 

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Bont definitely in that top category. The Fyfe-Danger-Martin trio that dominated 2016-2018 has opened up a little with Cripps and Bont joining, and I don't consider too many others too far off either such as Tim Kelly, Josh Kelly and even my dark horse Elliot Yeo who is the package (Fyfe-lite).

Fyfe is my #1 for he is simply the most consistently dominant midfielder out there. He simply does it all, and never lets down his colours. He deserves finals football, and finals football deserves him.

Dangerfield is still sensational but you can see the cracks starting to open up in his game, with the occasional stinker occurring. I will grant that I don't think any player strikes more fear in me when they have the football against my team than Dangerfield, just because he's so freakishly brilliant and can just do extraordinary things. When he collected the ball at the centre bounce in the dying minutes of the qualifying final and sprinted toward goal and booted it 60m toward the square, my cheeks clenched harder than ever before.

Martin is the quintessential big game player but lacks the consistency of my #1 Fyfe. All the chatter over the off-season has been about how great Martin is but do keep in mind that he wasn't even All-Australian last year. Controversial omission in the eyes of some but the point stands that he wasn't a standout performer in 2019. Champion footballer but he has stinkers and that keeps him away from the top in my eyes. Watching him is a pleasure though, and his award winning means that in 20 years, I think we'll like to talk about how great Martin was more so than Fyfe and Danger.

Patrick Cripps reminds me of Nathan Buckley as a player, piggy backing an entire midfield through ugly, ugly times and single-handedly keeping the supporters hinged because of what he'll unleash when he gets a chance on a big stage. You just know that when Carlton get it together, he'll be at the front of it all working his arse off every step of the way. He's my current #2 behind Fyfe.

And whilst Cripps is like Buckley, I think Bont is like Hird; just a freak of a player and elite in every sense. If he were more clinical in front of goal. he'd be rated higher.

Maybe it's the Geelong hate which has underrated him but I think Tim Kelly is a remarkable footballer and already one of the best going around. Such a smart user with great skills, and his ability to throw himself around the contest and come out with the ball is underrated for his small frame. Thought he was best on ground in the prelim against Richmond and up there against the Pies. To have as good a finals record in just two seasons as he does just spits "champion".
 
The Cryptkeeper said:
Bont is far from a universal choice.

He may not even be the best midfielder in his own team. Macrae and Dunkley seem to be more pure midfielders.
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Dunkley is nowhere near Bont, compare their foot skills. Bont is comfortably better then Macrae who is comfortably better then Dunkley.
 
1) Dusty
2) Fyfe
3) Danger
4) Cripps
5) Bont
6) Whitfield
7) J. Kelly
8) Coniglio
9) T. Mitchell
10) Macrae/Yeo/T. Kelly (cheating I know, but legitimately can't split those 3)

Pushing for selection: Sloane, Boak, Sidebottom, Pendlebury, Neale, Gaff, Shuey, Oliver, Merrett
 
Bulldog1954 said:
Dunkley is nowhere near Bont, compare their foot skills. Bont is comfortably better then Macrae who is comfortably better then Dunkley.
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Oh I don't know about Macrae...his foot skills are ridiculous. Bont is good all round, but Macrae's kicking is his specialty - it's elite.
 
master bate said:
Martin's the most dominant player in the game, although there's probably going to be a valid argument if he's a mid or forward soon.

After that the 3 big powerful ball winners are all special players. Danger's speed, Fyfe's sheer power and Cripps' strength at the contest are all amazing.

But I'd take Bont over any of them.
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Turn it up.
 
I’d have Neale in the top 5 no worries. The way he has played since leaving Freo proves how he is right up there with Fyfe without needing his help & I actually backed him for the Chas last year, but still think he will win it for 2020.
 
Shadow89 said:
1) Dusty
2) Fyfe
3) Danger
4) Cripps
5) Bont
6) Whitfield
7) J. Kelly
8) Coniglio
9) T. Mitchell
10) Macrae/Yeo/T. Kelly (cheating I know, but legitimately can't split those 3)

Pushing for selection: Sloane, Boak, Sidebottom, Pendlebury, Neale, Gaff, Shuey, Oliver, Merrett
Click to expand...
For the GWS players I'd take Cogs and Kelly well before Whitfield.
 

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Grrr said:
Dion Prestia was a better mid than Martin this year, as his B & F attested. Thought he had numerous BOG's this year. Goes way under the radar.
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When Prestia first came to Richmond l though he was below average, but once he got a solid preseason under his belt and his body right he stated to play like a champ. Dion is a great mid thats for sure, a real workhorse, but lacks magic and explosiveness of the rest in this field.
 
Sweet Jesus said:
Turn it up.
Click to expand...
Bont's just won the coaches award comfortably, I don't think it's all that bold an opinion.

He gets 140 more metres gained than Fyfe a game, has 4.5 more kicks than Cripps and kicks far better than him and has more clearances, more score involvements, more goal assists and better efficiency than Danger.

The sheer power of those other 3 is impressive but Bont's pretty much a physically upgraded version of Pendles and slices teams up with skills the others can only dream of.
 
Shadow89 said:
Oh I don't know about Macrae...his foot skills are ridiculous. Bont is good all round, but Macrae's kicking is his specialty - it's elite.
Click to expand...
Bontempelli's 40-50m passes are insane. It's rare to see a passer with that much penetration on their kick and at the same time being able to weigh it perfectly in the right place. He's right up there when comparing the best kicks in the competition, and this is by a ball-winning midfielder. Macrae is what you'd call a 'safe' kick, is very efficient and has great vision to almost always hit the free man, but Bont is one of the best I50 kicks going around if you want to hit your forward on the tit.
 
Virgin Dog said:
Funny how the only ones suggesting Prestia is top 10 are Richmond fans..
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Robbo had him as the 9th best player in the league at the end of 2019. The coaches also voted him the 11th best midfielder of 2019. He’s certainly in the discussion, whether you like it or not.
 
he's not in it currently but ny the end of the season Petracca may finally realize his talent and have a dominant year.

Josh Kelly deserves to be in the Fyfe, Danger, Martin, Cripps, Bont group of absolute locks for top 10 mids

Fyfe
Martin
Dangerfield
Cripps
Bontempelli
J.Kelly
Neale
Shuey
Trelor
Pendelbury
 
Fila said:
Robbo had him as the 9th best player in the league at the end of 2019. The coaches also voted him the 11th best midfielder of 2019. He’s certainly in the discussion, whether you like it or not.
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If you put any stock into Robbo's opinion, I really don't know what else to possibly tell you.

If you're going off AFLCA voting, he was behind:
  1. Bontempelli
  2. Dangerfield
  3. Fyfe
  4. T.Kelly
  5. Cripps
  6. Neale
  7. Shuey
  8. Macrae
  9. Dunkley
  10. Cunnington
  11. Martin
  12. Pendlebury
So that would have him equal 13th alongside Boak and Yeo, not 11th. There's also Tom Mitchell who sat out the year, while Josh Kelly played injured and missed 8 games in the home and away season. Puts him as MAYBE sliding into the top 15 if you have him ahead of Boak and Yeo (which is debatable), but hardly top 10 material, whether you like it or not
 
Fila said:
Robbo had him as the 9th best player in the league at the end of 2019. The coaches also voted him the 11th best midfielder of 2019. He’s certainly in the discussion, whether you like it or not.
Click to expand...
Prestia is a very good player no doubt, but he is not in the top 10.....He is your version of Joel Corey, he also was a star ( and 2 x B&F winner ), but not at any stage was he seen at the same level of a Ablett, Judd, Goodes or Swan at the time, it’s nothing personal against him...
 
Virgin Dog said:
If you put any stock into Robbo's opinion, I really don't know what else to possibly tell you.

If you're going off AFLCA voting, he was behind:
  1. Bontempelli
  2. Dangerfield
  3. Fyfe
  4. T.Kelly
  5. Cripps
  6. Neale
  7. Shuey
  8. Macrae
  9. Dunkley
  10. Cunnington
  11. Martin
  12. Pendlebury
So that would have him equal 13th alongside Boak and Yeo, not 11th. There's also Tom Mitchell who sat out the year, while Josh Kelly played injured and missed 8 games in the home and away season. Puts him as MAYBE sliding into the top 15 if you have him ahead of Boak and Yeo (which is debatable), but hardly top 10 material, whether you like it or not
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Robbo literally gets paid to have an opinion on football. He’s the chief football writer for the Herald Sun and is a prominent figure within the industry. You don’t get to his position by not knowing anything about the game.

There are lots of past and present players who know a lot more about football than you and I that value his opinion. But sure thing, anonymous BigFooty nuffy. Your opinion holds more weight than his and you’re definitely in a position to dismiss his opinion :$

13th instead of 11th. Well done on pedantic fault finding. My point still stands that he’s in the conversation. Tom Mitchell is also a crab and there’s every chance he isn’t the same player he was pre-injury. I don’t exactly rate pointless stat padders like Mitchell and Dunkley.

You’re just pissed off Prestia is regarded by some as a better midfielder than Macrae and Dunkley. Prestia is a huge part of the reason why we’re not a flash in the pan premiers like the Bulldogs. He’s super consistent and reliable and is finally starting to get the respect he deserves. Time to pull your head in.
 
Catsnlakers said:
Prestia is a very good player no doubt, but he is not in the top 10.....He is your version of Joel Corey, he also was a star ( and 2 x B&F winner ), but not at any stage was he seen at the same level of a Ablett, Judd, Goodes or Swan at the time, it’s nothing personal against him...
Click to expand...
I never placed him on that level. For me, there are three outstanding midfielders of the comp (Danger, Fyfe and Martin). Just below that tier is Cripps and Bont, then below them is a large group of about 10 that you could make a case for in any order.
 
Is Pendles a victim of his own consistency? For nearly a decade and a half he's averaging high 20 possies and I'd imagine that'd be high DE% also.

If anyone else played to those standards with that consistency over such a period we wouldn't hear the end of it.

The difference between most other players and Pendles is that he lacks leg speed but that is irrelevant because he creates time and space like no other player past or present, and we may never see another player that can match that ability. He can literally bend time to his will such is his ability to predict where and when the ball is going to be. Footy nous rarely equaled.

Is he just expected to roll up week in and week out with those numbers and create that time and space as though it's a 2nd nature?

This might sound biased but it's hard to argue his influence on games even to this day.

In saying that, I don't have in the top 5 - I'd have him at 6 - 10 currently. The likes of Danger, Fyfe, Martin, Bont, Kelly just attract more attention they're the main event. Martin in the bushfire game proves that, got bog but was not regarded as such in popular opinion. Even Pendles had arguably just as much impact in that game.

Other 'underrated' mids for mine:

Yeo
Schuey
Treloar
Mcrae
Prestia
Sides
Gaff

All of these players have exceptional ability, but you can't fit 20 into 10.
 

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Who are the top 10 midfielders in the league?

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