Champion Data Rates The Elite Players Of The Competition
There's a few surprises...
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Champion Data has ranked the elite players of the competition heading into season 2018, with Adelaide, Port Adelaide and West Coast sharing the most.
The Crows, Power and Eagles have six players each in a group of 55 players rated as elite based on Champion Data metrics, released in their 2018 AFL Prospectus.
A player is assessed as being elite if they sit in the top 10% of the competition for their position, whether it's as a midfielder, ruckman, defender, forward or winger.
Other players are rated as above average, average, below average and poor.
Adelaide clocked in with six players, but that does not include reigning best and fairest winner Matt Crouch.
Port Adelaide's list includes stars such as Paddy Ryder and Robbie Gray, while West Coast's list features Nic Naitanui, Jeremy McGovern and Elliot Yeo.
There are some interesting omissions, with none of Joel Selwood, Tom Mitchell, Trent Cotchin, Josh Kelly, Clayton Oliver, Marcus Bontempelli, Joe Daniher, Zach Merrett or Jack Riewoldt making the grade.
While they've missed out, the likes of Jack Sinclair, Jack Crisp and Daniel Rich have made Champion Data's top billing.
Every team's elite players, according to Champion Data:
Adelaide: Brodie Smith, Rory Sloane, Rory Laird, Eddie Betts, Tom Lynch, Taylor Walker
Brisbane: Daniel Rich, Dayne Zorko
Carlton: Sam Docherty
Collingwood: Jeremy Howe, Scott Pendlebury, Jack Crisp
Essendon: Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Michael Hurley
Fremantle: Nat Fyfe
Geelong: Patrick Dangerfield, Gary Ablett, Sam Menegola, Daniel Menzel
Gold Coast: Aaron Hall, Tom Lynch
GWS: Zac Williams, Toby Greene, Jeremy Cameron, Lachie Whitfield
Hawthorn: Ben McEvoy, Luke Breust, Cyril Rioli
Melbourne: Jake Lever, Christian Petracca, Jayden Hunt, Tom McDonald
North Melbourne: Todd Goldstein
Port Adelaide: Robbie Gray, Paddy Ryder, Justin Westhoff, Charlie Dixon, Chad Wingard, Travis Boak
Richmond: Dustin Martin, Alex Rance, Shane Edwards
St Kilda: Jack Sinclair
Sydney: Lance Franklin, Dan Hannebery, Tom Papley, Josh Kennedy, Dane Rampe
West Coast: Jeremy McGovern, Elliot Yeo, Shannon Hurn, Josh Kennedy, Luke Shuey, Nic Naitanui
Western Bulldogs: Jason Johannisen