Champion data’s top 10 general defenders

[bornadog]

Shaun Burgoyne (Hawthorn)
Zac Williams (GWS Giants)
Luke Hodge (Hawthorn)
Heath Shaw (GWS Giants)
Kade Simpson (Carlton)
Robert Murphy (Western Bulldogs)
Matthew Boyd (Western Bulldogs)
Jarrad McVeigh (Sydney)
Shannon Hurn (West Coast)
Leigh Montagna (St Kilda)


Despite missing the majority of the 2016 AFL season, Western Bulldogs captain Robert Murphy has been named one of the game’s top ten general defenders by the AFL’s official number cruncher, Champion Data.


And he’s got some company, with 282 game veteran Matthew Boyd also cracking the list.


The current and former skippers were named sixth and seventh respectively in Champion Data’s annual list of the game’s highest ranked players.


Based on the Official AFL Player Ratings, the calculations are made based on the quality of a players performance, with an emphasis on the quality of games played rather than quantity.


Coming off of a season in which he was named All-Australian captain, Murphy was averaging 28 disposals per game at 82% efficiency when he went down with a knee injury against Hawthorn in round three last season.


Matthew Boyd capped off a stellar 2016 campaign in which he averaged 27 disposals per game, second highest at the Club, with a premiership medal and All-Australian honours.


Hawthorn veterans Shaun Burgyone and Luke Hodge hold two of the top three places while Giants youngster Zac Williams was named in second position on a list dominated by league veterans.

[LostDoggy]

Whats a general defender? Sounds like a food taster.

Champion data I present you Morris, Wood and JJ.

[LostDoggy]

Does Shaw get extra points for being a psycho?

[bornadog]

Is Montagna that good?

[merantau]

Does Shaw get extra points for being a psycho?

No, Shaw's entertainment value gets him extra points. No one, not even Brendan Goddard, does finger pointing better. And arm waving? Heath wrote the book. Throw in his Scary Eyes routine and you've got the trifecta for the PPF - perfect, pantomine, fool. Whenever Heath's name s mentioned, two words immediately spring to mind: "Tory Dickson." Go Heath - you are a legend in your own lunch box.

[hujsh]

Any ratings system that doesn't rate Morris as a defender in inherently flawed and should thus be discarded completely

[merantau]

Any ratings system that doesn't rate Morris as a defender in inherently flawed and should thus be discarded completely

Agree. Versatile, uncompromising, courageous. Sultan of the spoil, Emperor of the tackle, King of the one-percenters. Absolute gun defender. Incredibly brave player.

[jeemak]

Why are we so sensitive? We won the flag!

Morris would be considered a key defender, I'm sure Champion Data has a category for that.

[hujsh]

Why are we so sensitive? We won the flag!

Morris would be considered a key defender, I'm sure Champion Data has a category for that.

Until such a time as they have a statistic for games played with a broken back, his value shall never be accurately captured.

[jazzadogs]

Until such a time as they have a statistic for games played with a broken back, his value shall never be accurately captured.

Premierships won with a broken back**

[Twodogs]

No, Shaw's entertainment value gets him extra points. No one, not even Brendan Goddard, does finger pointing better. And arm waving? Heath wrote the book. Throw in his Scary Eyes routine and you've got the trifecta for the PPF - perfect, pantomine, fool. Whenever Heath's name s mentioned, two words immediately spring to mind: "Tory Dickson." Go Heath - you are a legend in your own lunch box.

He's behind you!


Any ratings system that doesn't rate Morris as a defender in inherently flawed and should thus be discarded completely

It's a funny looking list of defenders. Or it's a list of funny looking defenders. I'm not sure.

[Greystache]

As with everything Champion data related it's all about possession accumulation, it's the way they measure performance. 30 disposals off the HBF while giving up 10 goals through lack of accountability is better scoring than keeping a dangerous forward to 0 goals but only racking up 5-10 touches yourself.

It's about as relevant a predictor of success as the annual celebrity predictions for the final 8. It seems to get people up in arms though.

[jeemak]

Here's a link to their key defender rankings:

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/sydneys-aliir-aliir-named-among-top-10-key-defenders-in-the-afl-by-champion-data/news-story/918da712754579b85dd8efdac7212a43

CHAMPION DATA’S TOP 10 KEY DEFENDERS

1. Alex Rance (Richmond)

A three-time All-Australian who continued to improve his game in 2016.

2. Jeremy McGovern (West Coast)

The Eagles interceptor ranked fourth going into the year, but improved significantly.

3. Tom McDonald (Melbourne)

Enjoyed a standout start to the season and leapt up from seventh in the rankings last year.

4. Dane Rampe (Sydney)

An All-Australian who locked down a key position post effectively in 2016.

5. Steven May (Gold Coast)

The big-bodied backman capped a fine campaign by being named co-captain of the Suns.

6. Harry Taylor (Geelong)

The evergreen Cats backman maintains his position as the sixth-ranked key defender.

7. Nick Haynes (GWS Giants)

Elevated himself into the top 10 following a super consistent campaign with the Giants.

8. Aliir Aliir (Sydney)

Arguably the best young key defender in the AFL. Expect him to keep improving.

9. Josh Gibson (Hawthorn)

Falls down the rankings from fifth last year, but remains one of the game’s best key defenders.

10. Phil Davis (GWS Giants)

The Giants skipper enjoyed the rewards of an injury-free year to elevate himself into the top 10.

[bornadog]

Love to have Haynes playing for us.

[Topdog]

So Morris is not best 10 in either category and Josh Gibson is listed as a key defender, my goodness

[Twodogs]

So what category is Morris in then? Defending Defenders maybe? Or Defensive Backmen perhaps.

[LostDoggy]

So what category is Morris in then? Defending Defenders maybe? Or Defensive Backmen perhaps.

Premiership Defenders ;)

[jazzadogs]

So what category is Morris in then? Defending Defenders maybe? Or Defensive Backmen perhaps.

He would be a key defender, but as mentioned above the CD rankings are hardly reliable - their top 10 key defenders are all high possession/attacking defenders, which Dale is clearly not.
Therefore despite his importance to our side and likely selection in any non-statistical list of top 10 defenders (although even then, he is so underrated it's unlikely), he does not feature in the CD top 10.

[bornadog]

So what category is Morris in then? Defending Defenders maybe? Or Defensive Backmen perhaps.

He is listed as number one most underrated defender in the AFL.

[Topdog]

Premiership Defenders ;)

The only one that matters

[Twodogs]

The only one that matters

It's the only game in town. Nowadays.

[hujsh]

So what category is Morris in then? Defending Defenders maybe? Or Defensive Backmen perhaps.
Morris defies labels. Tell him he's a tagger and next year you'll see him playing on Cam Mooney. Declare him a key defender and next thing you know he's lining up on Cyril Rioli. Then before you know it he'll be neither as he slots into a zone defence. He's even meant to be a really good golfer.

These categories only serve to limit the eminence of one Daleford Morris.