It's amazing how much discussion and thought is generated from one's opinion.

I'm thinking of releasing my top 50.

I'll make it even better... I'll try for top 100.

Scrap that, I'll do a countdown from 500...make it more suspenseful. Yeah, I'll release 5 every day...:

500 - Israel Folau

499 - Josh Hill

498 - Neville Jetta

497 - Setanta O'Hailpin

496 - Jack Fitzpatrick

*Based on my current rankings and subject to change based on output. Stay tuned for the next installment.

Bring on the footy....

You have Fitzy ahead of Folau? Wowee.

Mike Sheahan publishes a top 50 at the end of each season and another at the beginning of the next. Given nothing has actually happened in the time between the publishing of the two lists, the only justification for any change must relate to expectations. Consequently, the list just published must be Sheahan's prediction of who he thinks will be the best in 2012.

And good luck to him. He knows he puts his head in the noose every time he does this. I may disagree with his choices, but I admire his willingness to put his reputation on the line.

That's exactly what it is. The end of season is who was best, the pre season is what he expects his end of season to look like. I personally don't pay it any attention, one blokes opinion, we all have them.

I think Frawley gets in at 48. That's about it for Dees. Pendlebury at 1.

Assuming Pendles at #1 is you tip Jnr? Doesn't the top 10 get released tomorrow?

I think Frawley should be higher.

Possibly the only other candidate is Jamar. I think he should be higher than Kruezer and Leeuinberger. Kruezer doesn't rate for me, particularly on actual performance.

At first I was like that. Lieuie hasn't shown enough, Kreuzer is better than him, but Mumford isn't etc etc...

Then I considered this: if he plays 22 games, he'd be second on hitouts easily... But that's not that big of a deal. It's just a stat. Around the ground he's not Mummy. He's not Lieuie either, or Kreuzer. I'm confident he'd be in the next 20 players or so after the fifty, but he's not in there based on last season.

Assuming Pendles at #1 is you tip Jnr? Doesn't the top 10 get released tomorrow?

I thought I had read it somewhere. Apologies I might be premature in that selection!

It will be interesting to see this list in 5 years time and see where we are at. One would hope that by then the likes of Watts, Trengove, Grimes, Tapscott and Gysberts are not only on this list but in the top 25 or so players.

I can't be bothered tallying up each team's representatives on the Top 50, but does anyone know if we're the team with the fewest number of players on the list?

Well, considering we didn't have any in the 2 years before this list, I would've expected some players to be rising up. Players like Rivers, Moloney, Davey, Bartram, and as much as I hate to say it - Jones, these are the blokes that have no excuse not to be consistently considered to be in the Top 50 players in the AFL. Obviously for Watts, Morton and Trengove, they have their own reasons, but it still doen't help when Nik Nat and Dusty Martin are coming out of the same drafts and are considered that far ahead of our selections.

I heard about the pessimist and optimist walking past a horse stall the other day that was choc-full of horse crap, basically up to the ceiling. The pessimist walked past and whinged about how much horse crap there was in the stable and kept walking. The optomist jumped the stable door, duck-diving all through the crap yelling "I know there's a horse in here somewhere!!!". Damn 2012 preseason, I'm starting to question if I'm one of those guys blocking my nose as I walk past that stable. I hate you Demonland!!!!

I think in future Years, we'll be having a lot of ours 'In'...

Chip Frawley, Jamar of course, & I'd expect Trenners to start a move up near it, it'd be nice to see 'Sylv' push Up, & Jones may surprise.

For the future prospects I think these are potentials for top 50 > Garland, Grimes, Howe, Blease, watts, Davis, TMcdonald...

Top 10 is believed to be leaked over on BF, they're saying Franklin at #1 again

Sandi at #3 is the shock

Top 10 is believed to be leaked over on BF, they're saying Franklin at #1 again

Sandi at #3 is the shock

There is no way that Sandilands is the third best player in the competition. Absolutely no way.

There is no way that Sandilands is the third best player in the competition. Absolutely no way.

Well someone on BF found the link, the 40 up to #11 are exactly the same and the top 10 read as such.

1. Franklin

2. Ablett

3. Sandilands

4. Judd

5. Cloke

6. Goodes

7. Pendlebury

8. Bartel

9. Swan

10. J. Selwood

Link is here: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/archives/old-sport-pages/old-sport-2011/afl/mikes-top-50 - while I know the URL reads 2011, check out the update date.

Well someone on BF found the link, the 40 up to #11 are exactly the same and the top 10 read as such.

1. Franklin

2. Ablett

3. Sandilands

4. Judd

5. Cloke

6. Goodes

7. Pendlebury

8. Bartel

9. Swan

10. J. Selwood

Link is here: http://www.heraldsun...fl/mikes-top-50 - while I know the URL reads 2011, check out the update date.

Yeah it looks legitimate. I strongly disagree with Mike, this year. I do think Franklin is probably #1, but he loses me after that.

I think Moloney should be close to top 50 imo......but hey we are not fashionable atm

How Jamison is above Frawley is way beyond me........

Well someone on BF found the link, the 40 up to #11 are exactly the same and the top 10 read as such.

1. Franklin

2. Ablett

3. Sandilands

4. Judd

5. Cloke

6. Goodes

7. Pendlebury

8. Bartel

9. Swan

10. J. Selwood

Link is here: http://www.heraldsun...fl/mikes-top-50 - while I know the URL reads 2011, check out the update date.

Nah, this can't be right. Me thinks someone is playing funny buggers and has found a way to manipulate last years to appear as this years. However, I could be wrong.

Sandilands at 3 but Pendles at 7? FMD Mike, what drugs are you on?

Agree that Buddy should be #1.

For a big chunk of the season last year Moloney was pulling the highest clearance numbers of any player. How quickly we forget... sure he hasn't been at his best so far in the pre season but he is still worthy of the top 50 and maybe as high as top 30 in my book.

And then turning it over.... You can get as many clearances as you like but until you start damaging the opposition with your possesion its just another glorified stat.

Bear in mind that this is Sheehan's predictions for the coming season. It's purely speculative on how he thinks players will go. I think it's laughable that he has Frawley at 48 and Jack Reiwoldt in the 20's given that Frawley has beaten him handily every time they match up. Anyway, the point is that it is not based on stats or past performances but rather on what he thinks might happen. It's interesting as it shows that he really doesn't rate us, but I will be more interested in his mid-season and end of season lists which will rate how players have actually performed in his opinion. I expect that Mr N. Jones will find his way into the list, Jamar will be a chance and Frawley will have improved his position significantly.

My only criticism is that Jamison is ahead of Frawley.

Ablett no.1 for mine

Striker, looks like you were right.

It seems that in his retirement Sheahan has forgotten which players are actually good, and has just drawn 50 names out of a hat.

I can't see how if Ablett and Franklin were standing next to each other then people could choose Ablett. Franklin is key position and has been the best key position for years. Ablett is a gun midfielder but there are many gun midfielders going around. Franklin

Striker, looks like you were right.

It seems that in his retirement Sheahan has forgotten which players are actually good, and has just drawn 50 names out of a hat.

Ain't that the truth.

I can't see how if Ablett and Franklin were standing next to each other then people could choose Ablett. Franklin is key position and has been the best key position for years. Ablett is a gun midfielder but there are many gun midfielders going around. Franklin

Simple, it's a personal opinion and I see Ablett as the best player in the game. Last year he proved it to me with his performance in a sub standard team. There are a lot of gun mids but only one Ablett.

Just having a look through the Top 50's since 1990.

Interesting that every year from 1990-1996 Garry Lyon was in the top 50, then every year from 1997-2004 David Nietz was in it.

Shows we were a team with a true marking forward for well over a decade.

Also worth noting that just like this year, only 1 Melbourne player made the Top 50 in the year 2000. Maybe we could have a surprise brownlow medalist and a grand final to look forward to this year!!??

Travis Cloke at No. 5!!! Can't believe it.

One of the most over rated players in the AFL. Loves taking marks out by the boundary or over small opponents.

Will rarely ever see him taking a mark backing into a pack or running with the flight of the ball against the traffic ala Nick Reiwoldt or Jonathan Brown.

To his credit he is not as frightened as he used to be and has improved a little in that area but again highly overated and put ahead of Adam Goodes!!!!!!!!!

How Jamison is above Frawley is way beyond me........

How is Thomas above Murphy?

Jonathon Brown & Cyril Rioli, too high IMO based on recent seasons.

Nic Nat' too high, but IMO may have a true Breakout Year 2012.