Mark Robinson names his top 50 AFL players for 2022

Mark Robinson rates Tom Hawkins a top-five player in the AFL – but the fans see it very differently. Who’s right? See Robbo’s full list plus reader votes and add yours here.

Robbo's top 50 is back.

In a team game, it’s rare to see a player pick up his team and put it on his back.

Patrick Cripps did it at least six times this season, ensuring a Carlton victory in each of those games.

His most profound game, though, came in round 23 against Collingwood, a game the Blues lost which tipped them out of the finals, but a game which was witness to such prowess from Cripps, that it’s difficult to think of a better individual game from any player this season.

Maybe you could argue there was a couple from Brisbane’s Lachie Neale, or Melbourne’s Clayton Oliver, or even the ranging Jeremy Cameron at Geelong, but for imposing sheer will on a contest, Cripps wins.

SCROLL DOWN AND HAVE YOUR SAY ON EVERY PLAYER IN ROBBO’S TOP 50

It’s comparable to Carlton’s elimination final in 2013.

That day, Chris Judd beat Richmond.

In round 23, Cripps almost beat Collingwood.

Judd’s performance is folklore among Blues fans. Not sure Cripps will get the same mystical remembrance, but boy it was a game and a half.

It’s one of the reasons why Cripps is the No.1 player in this year’s Top 50.

He was a commanding player, colossal at times, and if we can be flippant, no one, and we mean no one, flexes like Patty Cripps.

Cripps is the modern-day Carlton champ. He plays midfield. He is 195cm.

Comparatively, Stephen Kernahan was a champion Carlton centre half-forward and he was 196cm.

Patrick Cripps tries to will Carlton into the finals. in round 23 Picture: Michael Klein

Cripps is unique in stature, no doubt.

And he needs only to play regular finals football to further enhance his reputation.

Geelong, meanwhile, has two players who you could argue are also unconventional.

Or put it another way, two modern-day, multi-positional players with height, agility and an enormous tank.

Jeremy Cameron was named No.4 and is a key forward-flanker and Mark Blicavs, at No.18, is a ruck, a midfielder and stoppage tagger.

Credit to Blicavs firstly for using his talents and credit also to coach Chris Scott. Remember when some in the footy world thought Scott had rocks in his head when he moved Blicavs from full-back to the wing/midfield in late 2019?

Scott and Blicavs have had the last laugh.

In the coaches player of the year award, Cameron came sixth, sandwiched between Cripps and Andrew Brayshaw, while Blicavs was ninth.

The first defender in the coaches award (James Sicily) came equal 11th with Richmond’s Tom Lynch.

Equal 13th was Carlton’s Sam Docherty, who was the next defender recognised by the coaches, and the next forward was Carlton’s Charlie Curnow at 14th.

In the top 50, Darcy Moore (No.11), Sam May (No.12) and Sicily (No.16) were the three highest-ranked defenders. Of them, only May earned an All-Australian jacket.

Mark Blicavs’ versatility makes him a unique asset for Geelong coach Chris Scott. Picture: Michael Klein

The Top 50 is made up of:

21 Midfielders.

Six Mid-forwards

Six Forwards

16 Defenders

And one ruckman.

End of season newbies include Callum Mills (No.6), Chad Warner (No.17), Connor Rozee (No.20), and Jack Crisp (No.23).

Geelong’s Tom Atkins (No.45) might surprise some fans, but his impact playing as an inside midfielder in the premiership team from the halfway mark of the season, was, according to the Cats, just enormous.

The Cats had eight players in the Top 50 and after such a dominant season – they went 21-4 win-loss – that is appropriate representation.

Originally published as Mark Robinson names his top 50 AFL players for 2022