Tom Rockliff: Why Docker Nat Fyfe stands head and shoulders above the rest as the AFL's headline midfield act
Fremantle’s Nat Fyfe is a ‘monster’ and the best midfielder in the game, according to Port Adelaide’s Tom Rockliff. See his top 10 and tell us who you think is the best in the game.
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The first thing you notice when standing alongside Nat Fyfe is his size.
For a midfielder, he’s a monster.
At 192cm and 96kg, the Fremantle Brownlow Medallist is built more like a key position player — the spot he played as a junior — than an on-baller.
Physically-gifted, Fyfe is a midfield match-up nightmare and a player who has occupied much of the Port Adelaide coaching staff’s attention in the build-up to Sunday’s final home-and-away clash for the season at Adelaide Oval.
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He’s a genuine matchwinner, so the question is: Do we stick a hard tag on him or back our midfielders to go head-to-head with him and get the job done in the centre square?
That is to be revealed but the answer is probably a combination of both.
Essendon sprung a surprise last week when it took its best one-on-one defender Patrick Ambrose out of the back half to run with Fyfe through the middle of the ground and he performed meritoriously, featuring highly in the Bombers’ best players in his team’s upset 32-point win in Perth which secured a finals spot.
But, despite having his enormous influence quelled by the equally-powerful Ambrose, Fyfe still managed 26 disposals, including 21 contested, five inside 50s, eight clearances and a goal.
That’s not a bad night’s work in anyone’s language.
And it’s why the 27-year-old is so good.
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Even when he is nullified to a degree, he is effective.
In 19 games this year, the Dockers captain has not had fewer than 21 disposals.
His average possession tally of 29.3 is better than his Brownlow year of 2015 (28.9).
He also has booted 15 goals — just two shy of four years ago.
Fyfe is the best midfielder in the game.
And that’s saying something because working through the list this week highlighted the great depth of gun on-ballers.
I’ve picked a top 10 but, in doing so, I felt like apologising to another 20, in particular Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury, West Coast premiership player Luke Shuey and Geelong Brownlow Medal fancy Tim Kelly, who could all lay claims to being on the list.
One of the great things about lining up in the engine room each week is that you get a bird’s eye view of these players applying their craft.
What you see is a combination of power, speed, elite skill, toughness and footy smarts.
What stands out to me — and has resulted in my top 10 — is consistency of performance and the ability to get the job done each week, even with players, who have been told to sacrifice their own games to curb the playmakers’ influence, hanging off them.
1. NAT FYFE (Fremantle)
A genuine superstar and the best player in the game right now. An incredibly tough match-up because of his size and strength. He’s strong in the clinches and has elite, clean hands around the contest. For his size, he is terrific below his knees while he’s almost unstoppable in the air because of his reach, one-grab hands and ability to simply outmuscle opponents, which makes him particularly dangerous when resting forward. He’s also fearless and covers plenty of territory up and down the ground.
2. PATRICK CRIPPS (Carlton)
Similar to Fyfe because of his size and strength, although the Docker is a slightly better kick. Like Fyfe, Cripps — as captain — shows great leadership and has carried much of the midfield load at Carlton for some time, although help has arrived this year through impressive first-year player Sam Walsh. Is inspirational with his workrate and is a clearance and stoppage beast — he ranks third for clearances and fifth for contested possessions this year — who can get the job done with two blokes hanging off him, as was the case against St Kilda last week.
3. LACHIE NEALE (Brisbane)
Fyfe’s former Dockers teammate has taken his game to another level since joining Brisbane at the end of last season. Not as big and as strong as Fyfe and Cripps, he has a similar-sized heart and an incredible ability to outwork his opponents. Is a running machine who simply grinds his opponents into the ground. Is super-clean with the footy and has quick hands inside the contest that dish the ball out to his teammates, resulting in him ranking No. 1 for clearances (160). There’s several reasons the Lions have taken a quantum leap this year but the recruiting of Neale is number one.
4. MARCUS BONTEMPELLI (Bulldogs)
Stiff to be fourth but it just illustrates how good the current midfield group is. Like the top two, he is tall (193cm) and oozes class. There is not many better sights than Bontempelli streaming downfield with ball in hand. He is graceful and can impact the game in the middle and at both ends of the ground. Has plenty of tricks and ripped Port Adelaide to shreds with his first quarter in the wet at Adelaide Oval this year and in a display that highlighted his class.
5. PATRICK DANGERFIELD (Geelong)
A matchwinner, “Danger’s’’ ability to burst from a stoppage, particularly at centre bounces, is unparalleled. He’s just so hard to play on because he is so physically strong and powerful and when he gets his afterburners on he’s almost impossible to tackle. He can seemingly go from being right next to you one second to gone in the blink of an eye. His kicking, particularly for goal, has been questioned but he is such a dangerous player because of his combination of speed, burst and strength.
6. ELLIOT YEO (West Coast)
My former Brisbane teammate started his career as a rebounding half-back before moving to the Eagles and winning consecutive best and fairest awards as a midfielder, including in a premiership year. He’s the ultimate do-it-all type of on-baller in that he is just as good defensively as he is offensively. He can win the ball and use it with great effect while also having the ability to play a negating role and put an opponent to sleep, which is a real bonus for the West Coast coaching staff. Garry Lyon says he is the best player in the AFL and his performances suggest he deserves to be in that conversation.
7. DUSTIN MARTIN (Richmond)
Few players in the history of the game have enjoyed a season quite like “Dusty’’ did in 2017 when he won the Brownlow Medal and led Richmond to its first premiership in 37 years.
Dropped off a touch last year but has been back to his brilliant, gamebreaking best in the second half of this season, averaging 34 disposals in the past month. Tough and possessing electric, breakaway speed with his famous ‘don’t argue’ push off on opponents, no midfielder in the league is as dangerous inside 50. His ability to play one-on-one out of the goalsquare — and kick goals — is a luxury for the surging Tigers.
8. DAYNE ZORKO (Brisbane)
Have had the good fortune of playing alongside Zorko at Brisbane and appreciate just what a good two-way player he is. A lot of his defensive work goes unnoticed outside the club but the stats tell a different story. He leads the AFL this year in pressure acts and tackles inside forward 50, illustrating his effectiveness. He also averages 22 disposals, has kicked 20 goals and ranks sixth for metres gained. Has been super-consistent for a long time and it’s great to see him start to get rewarded with some team success.
9. STEELE SIDEBOTTOM (Collingwood)
He has had better seasons, including last year when he was runner-up for the Brownlow Medal, but I haven’t seen a player since triple premiership-winning Lion Jason Akermanis be so proficient on either side of his body. Sidebottom is a genuine two-sided player who is as good on his left foot as he is on his right, which makes him hard to stop. A running machine who can be in the forward pocket one minute and in the back pocket the next, he is a super player who just runs his opponents into the ground with his incredible workrate. Is particularly dangerous around goal.
10. BEN CUNNINGTON (North Melbourne)
Flies under the radar to a degree but he’s one of the hardest midfielders to play against because of his strength and appetite for winning the contested ball. Isn’t as athletically gifted as a lot of on-ballers but his stoppage work is as good as there is. He’s a hard nut who is almost impossible to tackle and get the ball off when he gets front position. His clearance work is elite — he leads the AFL in centre clearances and is second in total clearances — and while he doesn’t kick the ball a lot, his hands are superb and feed North Melbourne's outside runners.