Mark Robinson names his top 50 AFL players following the 2018 season

MARK Robinson named Melbourne ruckman Max Gawn as his No.1 player of 2018. Do you agree? Vote for your top 50 in the interactive and have your say. VOTE ON EVERY PLAYER

Artwork for Robbo top 50

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IT’S the case for the defence. Only one defender, West Coast’s Jeremy McGovern, makes the top 10, but another 11 fill positions in the next 40 picks.

The number of defenders in the Top 50 has grown in line with the overall strangulation of the game.

Average points for a game this year was 83.1 a team, the lowest scoring average since 1968. In comparison, in 2008 it was 97.3 In 1998 it was 93.4. In 1988 it was 97.3 And, last year, it was 89.0.

ROBBO'S TOP 50 - 2018: HAS HE GOT IT RIGHT? SCROLL DOWN FOR THE LIST AND CAST YOUR VOTES

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At the end of the 2017 season, seven defenders made the cut in the end-of-season Top 50.

In the pre-season Top 50 in March this year, only five defenders were named.

Today, there are 12 and, at a pinch, there could have been more.

Don’t know if that’s a sign footy is in good nick or not because scoring has always been a thrilling part of the game. But coaches are slowing the scoring, which, as an extension, means defenders have flourished.

Also flourishing is the ruckman.

Is Max Gawn the best AFL player from 2018?

Melbourne’s Max Gawn is the No.1 player and Collingwood’s Brodie Grundy is at No.4, which shouldn’t be a surprise.

The AFL Coaches’ Association voted Gawn the champion player of the year while Grundy was fourth.

Fans harangue about rule changes, but the scrapping of the third-man-up rule, which arguably shouldn’t have been introduced in the first place, helped the renaissance of the ruckman. And the game is better for it.

Carlton’s Patrick Cripps was No.2. He was a colossal player in a poor team and I’d like to think he will become even more influential as the Blues improve.

Dustin Martin in an action. Picture: Mark Stewart

At No.3 is Richmond’s Jack Riewoldt, the Coleman Medal winner and club best-and- fairest. He is high not because he kicks goals, but he competes fearlessly and selflessly in the air and on the ground. It would be a terrific effort if his standing remains the same in 12 months after having Tommy Lynch beside him.

Midfielders make up four of the next six positions — Dustin Martin (No.5), Tom Mitchell (No.6), Steele Sidebottom (No.9) and Clayton Oliver (No.10).

Oliver is the bolter, Sidebottom the player of the finals series and Mitchell the Brownlow medallist.

Martin, despite not reaching the heights of his stellar 2017 season, was the most influential midfielder in the competition for scoring involvements.

Oliver was overlooked by the umpires, but not here. Love his aggression and the change in his game, becoming more of a kick-handball player rather than vice versa.

Among that group is McGovern (No.8), whose season propelled him above Alex Rance (No.15). Lance Franklin is at No.7. There were some commentators who didn’t rank Franklin’s season as high, but he remains the most dynamic and game-changing threat in the competition.

Melbourne’s Max Gawn is the No.1 player and Collingwood’s Brodie Grundy is at No.4, which shouldn’t be a surprise.

There are several newbies in the Top 50, including Lachie Whitfield (No.11), Jack Darling (No.16), Angus Brayshaw (No.31) and three players at No.38-40 — Magpie Taylor Adams, Essendon’s best-and-fairest winner Devon Smith and Geelong best-and-fairest Mark Blicavs, who claimed the No.1 key defensive spot at the Cats.

Of course, Jordan De Goey (No.18) is the star on the rise.

The 22-year-old kicked 48 goals from 21 games, is imposing for his size, balanced, terrific overhead and wins ground balls. He was one of the stories of the season after his pre-season escapade.

Another on the rise is West Coast’s Elliot Yeo (No.13). He has become an outstanding player, full of aggression and competitiveness, and forever will be recognised as a best-and-fairest winner in a premiership side, which is a hell of an honour.

Elliot Yeo is a man on the rise in the AFL

The defenders in this group were McGovern, Whitfield, Rory Laird, Rance, Phil Davis, Shannon Hurn, Tom Stewart, Harris Andrews, Blicavs, Dylan Grimes, Nev Jetta and Jeremy Howe.

There’s a mix of running, intercept marking and stoppers in that group and Sydney’s Jake Lloyd and Port’s Tom Jonas were unlucky not to join them.

Those who missed because of injury and therefore not playing enough games for consideration include Eagle Josh Kennedy, Nat Fyfe, James Sicily, Adam Treloar, Toby Greene and Josh Kelly.

Originally published as Mark Robinson names his top 50 AFL players following the 2018 season