“Jordan Boyd is going very well at half-back for the Blues.

... he’s catching some attention down there playing at half-back.

“For what it’s worth, in an intra-club of course, but he’s getting plenty of the pill and I’m told he’s very impressive.”

Who are the real A-listers of the AFL world?

Does a Brownlow Medal automatically equal elite status? Not the case for Ollie Wines.

And what about being an All-Australian and premiership captain? Or, it seems, for Max Gawn.

These are all questions to emerge after Champion Data revealed its full list of players that the stats show are A-listed guns.

Ollie Wines is among the big names to miss out.

The list of elite-rated players is based on Champion Data’s AFL Player Ratings for season 2021.

To qualify, players must have played a minimum of 10 matches last season and the rating is relevant to the players’ position – general forwards and defenders, key forwards and defenders, midfielders, mid-forwards, rucks and wings.

According to Champion Data, the AFL Player Ratings measure how you win the ball, where on the ground you win the ball and what you do with the ball.

Players that win the ball in a contest, in dangerous areas on the ground and use the ball well rate highly.

CARLTON
Elite players: Three – Adam Saad (general defender), Zac Williams (general defender), Jacob Weitering (key defender).


Captain Patrick Cripps has missed out on an elite status for the second year in a row, falling from above average at the start of last year to “average” based on Champion Data’s ratings.

But perhaps the biggest surprise was Blues young gun Sam Walsh’s above average rating, slipping from his elite ranking the previous year.

Walsh averaged 29.8 disposals a game, won his first club best-and-fairest award and finished fourth in the Brownlow Medal count.

Champion Data acknowledged Walsh’s fantastic season, rating above average in every area for a midfielder, which resulted in his overall rating being above average.

Recruit Adam Saad was the only Blue to retain his elite rating from the previous year.

Saad was joined by vice-captain and defensive general Jacob Weitering – who holds an elite ranking for spoils and disposals – and fellow recruit Zac Williams, despite an injury interrupted start to life at his new club and mid-season questions about his fitness.

He met the minimum 10-game qualifier with his 14 senior games.

The Blues had seven players rated above average – Sam Docherty (general defender), Nic Newman (general defender), recruit George Hewett (general defender), Fisher (general forward), Lachie Fogarty (general forward), Harry McKay (key forward) and Walsh (midfielder).

Retired defender Liam Jones would have also been listed among the Blues above average players.

It'll be more than a month you'd think. This will be your classic 10-12 gamer I reckon.

It'll be more than a month you'd think. This will be your classic 10-12 gamer I reckon.

Selwood came back in 5 weeks from same injury in 2017
Libba 4 weeks for the Dogs the year they won the flag

They can come back earlier and if anyone on our list has the work ethic & professionalism to do that it's Walsh

A syndesmotic ankle sprain is an injury to one or more of the ligaments comprising the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis; it is often referred to as a "high ankle sprain. The fact he was able to play on would indicate the ligaments weren't too badly damaged because it is generally reported as being more painful than a regular sprain. The fact he is having surgery would indicate there was some instability though.

If Stocker is fit and match ready, his position in the side is a no brainer. I have been watching replays from last year and every time I see him he impresses. Reminds me so much of a Fraser Brown. Tough and tenacious with skill to match.

I want to see Carroll get a game early. I really like his prospects and from what I have seen he oozes class.

Silvagni like Stocker is a no brainer.