SA Footy

Go yout hardest - every one


The most important AFL players

THE pre-season ranking formula presumes all players will perform at or near their best through the season.

Figures in parentheses denote ranking in 2005.

1. Barry Hall Sydney Swans (4)
2. Chris Judd West Coast (2)
3. Matthew. Pavlich Fremantle (40)
4. Jonathaan Brown Brisbane Lions (10)
5. Nick Riewoldt St Kilda (1)
6. Warren Tredrea Port Adelaide (3)
7. Ben Cousins West Coast (18)
8. Chad Cornes Port Adelaide (8)
9. Dean Cox West Coast (45)
10. Matthew Scarlett Geelong (13)
11. Luke Ball St Kilda (30)
12. Peter Everitt Hawthorn (24)
13. James Hird Essendon (6)
14. Adam Goodes Sydney (21)
15. Mark Ricciuto Adelaide (14)
16. Brad Johnson Western Bulldogs (44)
17. Simon Black Brisbane Lions (9)
18. Luke Hodge Hawthorn (-)
19. Adam McPhee Essendon (33)
20. Nick. Dal Santo St Kilda (-)
21. Jason Akermanis Brisbane Lions (15)
22. Matthew Lloyd Essendon (12)
23. Nathan Buckley Collingwood (16)
24. Simon Goodwin Adelaide (-)
25. Dustin Fletcher Essendon (-)
26. Scott West Western Bulldogs (-)
27. Andrew McLeod Adelaide (25)
28. Luke Power Brisbane Lions (19)
29. Lenny Hayes St Kilda (47)
30. Brett Kirk Sydney Swans (34)
31. Russell Robertson Melbourne (-)
32. Leo Barry Sydney Swans (48)
33. Brent Harvey Kangaroos (35)
34. Daniel Kerr West Coast (29)
35. Ben Rutten Adelaide (-)
36. Gary Ablett Geelong (50)
37. Scott Lucas Essendon (-)
38. Robert Murphy Western Bulldogs (-)
39. Paul Chapman Geelong (-)
40. Fraser Gehrig St Kilda (17)
41. Joel Corey Geelong (-)
42. Matthew Richardson Richmond (39)
43. Daniel Wells Kangaroos (38)
44. Shane Crawford Hawthorn (22)
45. David Wirrpanda West Coast (-)
46. Jeff White Melbourne (26)
47. James Clement Collingwood (36)
48. Kane Cornes Port Adelaide (49)
49. Travis Johnstone Melbourne (-)
50. Craig Bolton Sydney Swans (-)

39. Paul Chapman Geelong (-)
40. Fraser Gehrig St Kilda (17)

To start with I was thinking that it would be hard to rate 50 best players but this is a joke surely! At his best Fraser is near unstoppable and Chapman is ok at finding the footy but does he do that much with it!!!

my glaring observations....

Firstly Barry Hall, No1, obviously very important to Syd but surely not the best player in the comp, not sure if he would make my top 10.

Chad Cornes, I do rate him as a quality footballer, he's probably almost line ball to the most important player at Port, but I am not sure if he is in top 10, for me top 15, but not number 8.

Given Goodwin, roo's, scotty west and Ablett jrs ratings, I just could not come to terms with the following
McPhee #19, good player, but only had one All Australian quality season in his career, rated too highly
Johnson #16, receiver, receiver, receiver, how can he finish 10 spots in front of S West who is the clubs 5 times b&f
D Fletcher #25, living of past reputation, can't remember last time he had an injury and suspension free season
Goodes #14, comparing his form to Roo's since their Browlow seasons, you have to say Roo is in front

G Ablett at #36, I rate him a top 20 player

Noticable non inclusions
T Edwards - just does not get the recognition he deserves
Sam Mitchell -watch him play, he is a gun, for me top 3 in and under players in the comp, once again very under rated
Voss, considering some names on the list, how can you keep him out
Mal Michael, there is only a bee's dick that seperates this guy and Rutten
J Bowden, I am not a big fan, but must be recognised for back to Back B&F
P Bell, once again not a big fan but has been high quality over a long period of time

great observs sdog

I reckon its great that no one rates edwards though. Zoomer will always get under the guard and by the way I actually have him and Thompson ahead of Goodwin.

Chad Cornes is a star. He was regularly getting 25 plus possessions from centre half back in port's premiership year. He was the reason Port's season turned around somewhat last year when he got moved into the midfield.

But lets be HONEST and with no lcal club loyalty. Tyson Edwards epitimises (spell please) the heart and soul of the Crows. For character, determination, effort, guts and the ability to read the play, not many get close.

Must be the Banana's he eats before each game (a ritual) which goes way back.

Hardly rated by most, BUT by true Crows followers, a champion on the field (and off)

I love the way the Cornes boys play their footy, but for me Tyson would be infront of them in any team I would pick.

Coorong wrote:But lets be HONEST and with no lcal club loyalty. Tyson Edwards epitimises (spell please) the heart and soul of the Crows. For character, determination, effort, guts and the ability to read the play, not many get close.

Must be the Banana's he eats before each game (a ritual) which goes way back.

Hardly rated by most, BUT by true Crows followers, a champion on the field (and off)

I love the way the Cornes boys play their footy, but for me Tyson would be infront of them in any team I would pick.

Ahhhhh you'r just biased Coorong coz his brother coached your beloved Bears for the last two or so years!! Just kidding, theyre all great players, Crows certainly have some great midfielders with Tyson as well as Goodwin. Edwards has done achieved a lot in the AFL, the Murraylands sporting community is very proud of him.

Coorong wrote:But lets be HONEST and with no lcal club loyalty. Tyson Edwards epitimises (spell please) the heart and soul of the Crows. For character, determination, effort, guts and the ability to read the play, not many get close.

Must be the Banana's he eats before each game (a ritual) which goes way back.

Hardly rated by most, BUT by true Crows followers, a champion on the field (and off)

I love the way the Cornes boys play their footy, but for me Tyson would be infront of them in any team I would pick.

As best of all about Edwards is that very early on in an interview with KG and Cornesy ( not long after his debut in 1995 I think), he provided the following answer to the question, what team did you support growing up? Glenelg.

Top bloke, top footballer top taste in footy clubs.....

Seen the newest movie from the Australian film industry? Two degrees of Separation from Glenelg Football Club directed by 1980 Tassie Medallist.

regards,

REB

Classic REB, they hang their hat on any possibility hey. Thought it was 5 degree's though?

GWW, I'm not saying I don't rate Chad Cornes, what I am questioning is whether he is top 8 in the league

he has not won a B&F, has not won a brownlow, not sure how many times all Australian (maybe once only), so for me he is not top 10 quality just yet