JROO's Top 50 players for 2012!

[Jroo]

With 1 Game left in season 2012 I will now be looking back at the top 50 players of the season.

My Top 50:

50 Drew Petrie
Petrie had a great season booting 58 goals and was a great target up forward for North Melbourne with his strong marking.

49 Stephen Milne
Milne was back to his best in 2012, booting 56 goals and earning himself a spot in the All-Australian team.

48 Cyril Rioli
Rioli was so dangerous up forward again this year. He kicked goals, set them up and applies tackles inside 50, which makes him one of the most exciting players in the competition.

47 Brent Reilly
2012 was Reilly's best season of his career, shutting down some of the best small forwards in the league while also getting a lot of the ball himself.

46 Steele Sidebottom
Sidebottom had a break out year this season with the absence of Luke Ball in the midfield averaging 26 disposals and using the ball well to help benefit his team.

45 Sean Dempster
Dempster was rewarded for his great season with his first All-Australian selection. He can play on the talls or smalls and takes a lot of marks at half back for the Saints.

44 Jack Riewoldt
The 2012 Coleman medalist had an average year by his standards, but still managed to kick the most goals in the competition and will continue to improve again next year.

43 Harry Taylor
Taylor gets heaps of the ball for a key defender while also shutting down his opponent.  He also takes a lot of marks at CHB for the Cats.

42 Andrew Gaff
Gaff has had an amazing year in only his second season of AFL football. He is very damaging of a wing as he runs all day, drives the ball inside 50 and use the ball very well.

41 Luke Breust
Breust doesn't get the credit he deserves with the likes of Buddy and Cyril in the Hawks forward line with him. Breust has booted over 40 goals for the year but he also sets them up ranking 2nd for assists and has laid heaps of tackles inside forward 50.

40 James Kelly
Kelly is a tackling machine averaging over 6 tackles a game and also wins a lot of ball himself averaging over 24 disposals a game.

39 Matt Priddis
Priddis has won a lot of contested possessions and clearneces this year for the Eagles and also lays a lot of tackles.

38 Jarrad McVeigh
McVeigh is a very under rated midfielder who gets a lot of the football and uses it well. Opposition teams rarely pay attention to him with Kennedy, Jack, Goodes and O'Keefe to worry about as well.

37 Ryan Griffen
Griffen is one of the most damaging players in the competition when he is up and running ranking 9th for Inside 50s and 19th for bounces in the league.

36 Lewis Jetta
Jetta was another young player to have a break out year. Even though Jetta doesn't win a lot of the ball, he is very damaging when he does get it and knows how to hit the scoreboard with 45 goals.

35 Rory Sloane
Sloane is a gun midfielder as he takes heaps of marks, lays tackles, wins the contested ball and knows how to kick a goal!

34 Beau Waters
The tough defender was back to his best in 2012, taking marks at half back and helping the Eagles rebound from defence.

33 Nathan Jones
One of Melbourne’s few shinning lights this year and was easily there best player. He wins a lot of the ball and gets most of the Dees clearances.

32 Nic Naitanui
The excitement machine Nic Nat dominated in the ruck this year as he had a lot of hit outs even though he shares rucking duties with Cox. He is also damaging when going forward as he booted 24 goals.

31 Scott Selwood
Selwood has made a name for himself this year for his ability to tag his opponent out of the game and win a lot of the ball himself.

30 Ivan Maric
The new cult hero was amazing in the ruck for the Tigers this year. He won a lot of hit outs and his marking and hardness around the ground really helped Richmond.

29 Grant Birchall
The classy left footer had another stellar season at half back for the Hawks. He is one of the best kicks in the competition and takes marks in the backline to stop the opposition from scoring.

28 Sam Jacobs
Jacobs was one of the most dominant ruckmen in the competition winning the most hit outs and giving his star midfielders first use of the footy.

27 Shane Tuck
Tuck has turned his career around with an amazing 2012 season. He won a lot of contested possessions, clearances, lays tackles and always kicks the ball long when he gets it.

26 Tom Hawkins
The powerhouse forward has finally stepped as a genuine star of the competition in 2012. Some thought he would never get there but he dominated the Cats forward line booting 62 goals and taking 144 marks!

25 Brad Sewell
The tough Hawk midfielder is enjoying one of the best seasons of his career. Sewell wins a lot of the ball and is a tackling machine and is another Hawk who is very under rated.

24 Darren Glass
Glass has provided great leadership for the Eagles On and Off the field. He is rock in defence and won't let anything get through while also providing great rebounding defence for his team.

23 Luke McPharlin
McPharlin in another rock in defence who plays on the oppositions best key forward every week and shuts them down. He also leads the competition for total marks.

22 Taylor Walker
Walker was one of the best key forwards in the competition in 2012 booting 63 goals and when he got going he was unstoppable! Walker also shown in the finals he can perform on the big stage.

21 Dean Cox
Cox has had another super year in the ruck for the Eagles. But with the emergence of Nic Nat, Cox has been able to go up forward and he booted 28 goals and averages 6 marks a game.

20 Lance Franklin
Even though Franklin has missed 6 games this season he still had a dominant year and nearly pinched the Coleman of Rieowldt. Franklin doesn't only score goals, he also sets them up and when he is up an about he is unstoppable.

19 Lenny Hayes
The most loved player in the games has had an amazing recovery from his horrific knee injury.  His hardness at the footy is incredible and at 32 he has shown no signs of slowing down.

18 Ryan O'Keefe
O'Keefe has had 7 games this year where he has had 30+ touches but when he doesn't have the ball he goes hunting for it and is ranked 2nd in the competition for tackles.

17 Matthew Pavlich
Pavlich has loved his time up forward this season booting 69 goals and leading Fremantle into the finals. Pavlich was stiff to be overlooked for All-Australian and expect that to motivate him for another big year in 2013.

16 Ted Richards
Richards has emerged in 2012 as one of the best key defenders in the league and shutting down the competitions best forwards. He got rewarded with his first All-Australian spot.

15 Matthew Boyd
In what has been a dirty year for the Dogs, Boyd has been a shinning light in the midfield averaging a staggering 32 disposals a game and most of them contested.

14 Andrew Swallow
In his first season as captain Swallow lead the Roos into the finals. Swallow is a tackling machine ranking first in the competition for tackles and also averaged over 25 touches a game.

13 Brett Deledio
With a move to the midfield Deledio has secured his first All-Australian spot. He gets a lot of the ball and uses it very well. His run and carry is vital for the Tigers and ranks 2nd in the comp for Inside 50s

12 Joel Selwood
Selwood was another young captain in his first season and he lead the Cats well. The tough Midfielder always put his body on the line for his team and won a lot of contested possessions.

11 Scott Pendlebury
Pendlebury missed a few games this year through injury but that didn't stop him from having a super year. He stood up in the big games and uses the ball very well.

10 Kieran Jack
After a disappointing 2011, Jack has bounced back in 2012 with a great season. He had been dominant in Swans midfield and he is one of the reasons Sydney have had such a good year. Expect him to come close in the Swans B&F.

9 Sam Mitchell
The Hawks star midfielder had another great season, having his second top 2 placing in the Brownlow in as many years. The ball magnet started to dominate towards the end of the year and into the finals.


8 Patrick Dangerfield
Dangerfield stamped himself on the AFL in 2012 with his great work in the midfield and also going forward and kicking 23 goals. Dangerfield won a lot of contested possessions, clearances and gets a lot of kicks. He can turn a game around instantly and looks like a future star of the AFL.

7 Dane Swan
Swan had another dominant year in the midfield averaging a massive 34 disposals a game and booting 25 goals. Even though Swan missed 3 games through suspension he nearly pinched his second Brownlow Medal finishing equal 4th.

6 Scott Thompson
Thompson has really stepped up his game in the Crows midfield in the last 2 years after another great season from the tough midfielder. Thompson averaged 29 disposals a game but just needs to use it a bit better as he ranked 1st for clangers in the AFL.

5 Dayne Beams
After the disappointment of missing out on the Grand Final last year Beams has come out and shown the footy world how good he is. Beams had a slow start to the season but as the season went on Beams kept on getting better. Beams averaged 30 disposals a game and booted 28 goals.

4 Josh P. Kennedy
Kennedy has continued to improve after his move from Hawthorn to Syndey. Kennedy one of the most improved players in the competition averages 28 disposals a game and the top clearance player in the game. He is also one of the best users of the ball wins the most contested possessions out of every one in the league.

3 Trent Cotchin
We always knew what Cotchin was capable and he stepped up this year and showed us. He wins a lot of the footy, is one of the smoothest movers on the footy field and is amazing in heavy traffic. Cotchin could also go up forward and turn games around with 4 games where Cotchin kicked 3 goals. Cotchin was rewarded with many awards for his sensational season such as AFLCA player of the year, A top 2 finish in the Brownlow, his 2nd consecutive Tigers B&F and his first All-Australian selection.

2 Jobe Watson
In 2012 Watson has turned himself from a very good player to a great player taking out the 2012 Brownlow Medal. Watson could single handedly turn a game in Essendons favour and if they where in trouble he could go up forward and kick a few goals (Watson kicked 20 for the year). Watson averaged 29 disposals a game and made every one count. He is very good from stoppages ranking 4th in the comp for clearances and contested possessions.

1 Gary Ablett
It was another incredible year from the little master and he was the best player in the competition yet again. Ablett averaged 33 disposals a game and had 7 out of his 20 games with 40+ disposals while also kicking the most goals for his club with 26. Ablett can do anything, he tackles (averages 5 a game), get clearances, drives the ball inside 50 and use the ball well to set up goals for the Suns. Ablett was unlucky not to win the Brownlow this year but expect him to poll even better next year, as the Suns will win more games.

There was also a few players unlucky to not be in the top 50. Apologies go to:
Jack Redden, Chris Judd, Tom Lonergan, Josh Gibson, Jordan Lewis, Jarryd Roughead, Harley Bennell, Toby Greene, Nick Dal Santo and Jack Darling.

http://jroo8.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/season-2012-afl-top-50.html

Did I miss anyone or should anyone be higher/lower?

[kilbluff1985]

maybe Talia ? deserves a spot imo

no clue who i'd take out for him though so maybe not

[tbagrocks]

Nice list, pretty well on the money

[Holz]

Judd not top 50?  really

I would rather him than alot of guys on that list.

[kilbluff1985]

Judd not top 50?  really

I would rather him than alot of guys on that list.

Murphy, Judd, Carrazzo all unlucky to make it

[tbagrocks]

Judd not top 50?  really

I would rather him than alot of guys on that list.

Murphy, Judd, Carrazzo all unlucky to make it

So who do we drop our for a bunch of spuds that couldn't get their team into the finals?

[Noz]

I would have Mitchell ahead of Dangerfield, Thompson and Swan he really has had a superb year nothing against those 3 blokes as they have too had good years as well i just think Mitchell's has been better.

Tough job to do name the best 50 players of the year but i think you have done a pretty good job well done

[JBs-Hawks]

First forward at #17 lol

[kilbluff1985]

Judd not top 50?  really

I would rather him than alot of guys on that list.

Murphy, Judd, Carrazzo all unlucky to make it

So who do we drop our for a bunch of spuds that couldn't get their team into the finals?

i just said they were unlucky not that they deserve a spot as i could not really find anyone i'd drop for them just saying they should be on the apologies list

[Capper]

Nice write up JROO, is this just based on SC points??

[Ziplock]

went way too midfield heavy  in your top 15, players like walker, franklin, richards, glass should be in there.

[Jroo]

went way too midfield heavy  in your top 15, players like walker, franklin, richards, glass should be in there.

Yer maybe I looked at the stats too much which resulted in a lot of midfielders

Nice write up JROO, is this just based on SC points??

Thanks and nope not on SC just my opinion

[ossie85]

Good list, I just started working on my own and didn't realise you'd beaten me to the punch. Mine will include Grand Final though.

A bit midfield heavy would be my criticism, but it is looking similar in lots of ways :)

[Jroo]

Good list, I just started working on my own and didn't realise you'd beaten me to the punch. Mine will include Grand Final though.

A bit midfield heavy would be my criticism, but it is looking similar in lots of ways :)

Yep looking back it is very midfield heavy

[Justin Bieber]

Yeah it's a goodish list. Some who should be moved up or down.

I might not even agree with this, but you cannot say Bruest had a better year than Cyril...

Most of it looks good, but like said heavy midfield...