I know the AFL player rankings are a strange beast and IMO seem to be about 6 months behind actual form, but I thought I’d have a look at the Demon players to see where they sit. What I found was pretty interesting (I thought).  

The Demons have 7 players in the top 100 (Oliver, Gawn, TMac, Jones, Petracca, Melksham, Lewis) and amazingly 17 in the top 200 (Lever, Harmes, ANB, Jetta, Viney, Salem, Hibberd, Hunt, Garlett, Tyson).  Hogan (202) and Brayshaw (226) on current form are arguably low and OMac (225) isn't too far behind.  

I compared this with the other top 10 teams to see where we sit, see below the list:

Richmond – 7 in top 100, 10 in top 200. Butler (201), Ellis (212), Rioli (217) and Short (220) just outside

WCE – 5 in top 100, 11 in top 200.  Cripps (235) 

GWS – 7 in top 100, 13 in top 200.  Taranto (209), Haynes (210) just outside.

Demons - 7 in top 100, 17 in top 200.  Hogan (202), OMac (225) and Brayshaw (226) the next best.

Hawks – 6 in top 100, 10 in top 200.  Henderson (221), Impey (224), Burton (233) next 3.

Pies – 8 in top 100, 10 in top 200.  Thomas (206), Maynard (207) just outside.

Port – 8 in top 100, 13 in top 200.  Powell-Pepper (203), Watts (215) just outside.

Swans – 4 in top 100, 10 in top 200.  McVeigh (205), Rampe (213), Mills (219), Rohan (229)

Cats – 6 in top 100, 12 in top 200.  Stewart (230) 

North – 5 in top 100, 8 in top 200.  Tarrant (204), McDonald (211), Macmillan (216)

As you can see 17 players in the top 200 is a considerable achievement.  GWS and Port the next best with 13.  I was surprised to see Harmes (130), ANB (134) so high.  

Going into this weeks game:  We are missing Melksham (91), Lever (108), Viney (164) and Hibberd (178) so we have 6 in the top 100, 14 in the top 200 (if Hunt plays).  The Swans on the other hand have 4 in the top 100 and 9 in the top 200 (Zac Jones missing).  

As an aside, Bayley Fristch has the 2nd highest ranking of a first year player behind Tim Kelly.

If we can get Melksham, Viney and Hibberd back for the finals we'll be well placed to make a charge.  We have the cattle.  

Hells Bells

 

 

That's impressive. This COULD be a golden era for the Dees..... please let it be so. We have all had years of heartache!

Two comments.

No matter when the rankings were made, Hogan has to be within the top 100. Currently so should Gus.

Whilst we may have the largest number of ranked players, our game plan and style are still ranked low. Get more games into the team and find a cunning rat style assistant (preferably an old style back pocket scragger like the Scotts, Sheeds, Clarko, Malty) to sit with Goody.

 

it's based on a rolling output of the last 40 games so it's always never going to be quite accurate

31 minutes ago, tiers said:

Two comments.

No matter when the rankings were made, Hogan has to be within the top 100. Currently so should Gus.

Whilst we may have the largest number of ranked players, our game plan and style are still ranked low. Get more games into the team and find a cunning rat style assistant (preferably an old style back pocket scragger like the Scotts, Sheeds, Clarko, Malty) to sit with Goody.

 

Hogan's 2017 hurt him. I believe ratings are based on points over a 12 month period. If he'd played as much and as he has in 2018 in 2017, he'd likely be top 100, maybe top 150. Gawn is high because he performs so well consistently, had he played all of 2017 he may well be No 1.

Edited August 10, 20187 yr by praha

Interesting list, but what I like most about our list, is when you see the team really motoring along, it's:

Clarry

Brayshaw 

Max 

Hogan

Petracca

Fritsch

Harmes

Lever last six weeks pre injury

TMac

who all other than Max & TMac should play for the next decade.

Salem and ANB getting better, Spargo clean and footy smarts, OMac getting bigger & better each season. Viney recovers and our future looks very bright.

Aside from Lewis, Jones, & Garlett, the other key contributors of Melksham & Hibberd have a good five years, Jetta hopefully three Plus. Frost is improving!

Our list looks pretty good, add a bit of outside speed and more backup for Max, and the next 2-3 years look really good.

If we beat Swans this weekend and win one more to virtually guarantee finals, with a bit of luck we might cause a surprise or two in the finals.

Think it was Luff on radio last week who said Nathan Jones was the biggest slider in AFL player rankings, I’m not surprised.

13 minutes ago, MSFebey said:

Think it was Luff on radio last week who said Nathan Jones was the biggest slider in AFL player rankings, I’m not surprised.

Yes a combination of not being quite as good as he was and playing a different role due to being overtaken by other mids. He would be the 4th best centre square mid now? Nathan came 2nd in the 2016 B & F. Will be interesting to see where he ends up this year

Useless fact but did anyone know that Alistair Clarkson came 2nd in the 1996 B & F behind Jim Stynes? I don’t remember him being even remotely that good

58 minutes ago, FarNorthernD said:

Yes a combination of not being quite as good as he was and playing a different role due to being overtaken by other mids. He would be the 4th best centre square mid now? Nathan came 2nd in the 2016 B & F. Will be interesting to see where he ends up this year

Useless fact but did anyone know that Alistair Clarkson came 2nd in the 1996 B & F behind Jim Stynes? I don’t remember him being even remotely that good

Thats why I don't really rate his 3 x BnF's, he was better than a bunch of C graders at the time. Nice guy and appreciate his loyalty though. Some of his kicking has been horrendous in recent weeks, I'll leave it there. An amazing effort to have so many in the top 200, a sign of a real "team"