Ralphy’s rankings: Every AFL Grand Final player ranked from 1-44
JON Ralph ranked every Richmond and Adelaide player selected in the Grand Final from 1-44 a day before the big dance. HOW DO HIS POWER RANKINGS LOOK NOW?
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JON Ralph ranked every Richmond and Adelaide player selected in the Grand Final from 1-44 a day before the big dance.
Here’s how his revised list now looks after the Tigers flogged the Crows in the decider on Saturday.
JORDAN MCMAHON: THE ORIGIN OF TIGERS’ PREMIERSHIP
PRESSURE COOKER: HOW DUSTY IS LIKE OUR CATHY
THE TACKLE: HOW BRENDON GALE UNIFIED TIGERS
‘THANKS UNCLE’: WHAT CYRIL SAID TO CALM DAN RIOLI
READ RALPHY’S PRE-GRAND FINAL LIST HERE AND COMPARE IT TO THE RANKINGS BELOW
1. Dustin Martin (Richmond)
Replaced his usual polish with raw power and Grand Final grunt. 22 of his 29 possessions in the contest, two defining goals, the direct assists to Houli and Castagna ... and the perfect note to finish his perfect year.
2. Alex Rance (Richmond)
A dozen one-percenters, a million moments of calm where Adelaide’s players lost their head. Annihilated Josh Jenkins then when they sent Andy Otten to him, he trounced him too.
In my book, he is the greatest defender of the modern era ... and maybe ever. Won 6 of his 11 one-on-one contests. 5 intercept marks. Staggering.
3. Bachar Houli (Richmond)
Could so easily have got the Norm Smith from James Hird, the man he had to call to tell him he was leaving Essendon.
A faultless Grand Final. Boundless run — 665 metres gained — two clutch goals, intercept marks, poise in defence. Scintillating.
4. Jack Graham (Richmond)
Offensive firepower with three goals that turned the contest and kept Rory Sloane to four second-half touches. What more can we say? And the recruiters said he lacked workrate.
5. Shane Edwards (Richmond)
So clean. Led the game for clearances, inside 50s, score involvements. Due reward after an underrated season.
6. Matt Crouch (Adelaide)
Four quarters of grunt. Didn’t always hit targets (eight kicks were ineffective or clangers) but set up two early shots, midfield rout wasn’t his fault.
7. Dion Prestia (Richmond)
The consummate Grand Final game. Racked it up, hit targets, kicked a big goal, did the tough stuff, won five clearances. His move from Gold Coast vindicated.
8. Dylan Grimes (Richmond)
Worked over Eddie Betts for four whole quarters, Betts’ single goal due to a Vlastuin fumble. Might be the league’s most underrated player.
9. Rory Laird (Adelaide)
Exploded from the blocks with 19 first-half touches as Jason Castagna battled to contain him. Quieter second half but head held high in All Australian year.
10. Toby Nankervis (Richmond)
Helped lay a platform for midfield dominance — the Tigers monstered Adelaide with 30 more contested possessions — and four huge grabs as he turned the second-half tide.
11. David Astbury (Richmond)
A third member of the Tigers back six in the top 11 players, unflinching against Taylor Walker, whose only goals were in junk time. Cut off the head of the snake.
12. Brad Crouch (Adelaide)
Cleaner than his brother and an equal game-high seven clearances, with 17 of his 28 touches in the contest to boot. The Crouch boys just didn’t have any willing accomplices.
13. Trent Cotchin (Richmond)
Watch the replay and you will see Cotchin at the bottom of every pack, in the thick of everything. Swapped big stats for real impact this finals series. Still 6 clearances despite Riley’s Knight’s attention.
14. Jack Riewoldt (Richmond)
Under-rated game. The early misses could have hurt him but instead he turned the game’s momentum with his early snap then sealed it with the first goal of the last term. Two big hangers, a team-lifting chase-down tackle. Killed it.
15. Sam Jacobs (Adelaide)
Post-match tactical recriminations will centre on why the Crows couldn’t feast on his dominance. Set up two early stoppage goals, 49 hit-outs, strong marks in defence. Great GF contest.
16. Kane Lambert (Richmond)
Exceptional day at half forward and midfield with seven inside 50s, a snapped goal-square major in the Tigers charge, a back-with-the-flight mark that set up Riewoldt’s sealer. Stunning state league story.
17. Rory Sloane (Adelaide)
The story of his year. Electric early (two goals, 17 touches, Normie in his pocket at half time) then paralysed by a Jack Graham tag. Four second-half touches.
18. Nathan Broad (Richmond)
The tradie from the WAFL pulled the plug on the connector Tom Lynch, another low-profile Dimma discipline to nail his task. Held up on big stage.
19. Richard Douglas (Adelaide)
Good blend of inside grunt — eight tackles — and outside run with eight inside 50s. But another Crow buried in the Tiger midfield avalanche.
20. Nick Vlastuin (Richmond)
The new People’s Beard rebounded from a horror early moment — gifting Eddie Betts an early goal — to come up big in defence. The Game of Thrones lookalike is the perfect man for GF combat.
21. Jacob Townsend (Richmond)
From the scrapheap to the penthouse. Fulfilled his role to perfection. The strike-rate king, with another two goals from just four kicks. Tried hard to stop Jake Lever’s intercept game.
22. Shaun Grigg (Richmond)
Richmond’s potential weak link was its lack of a back-up ruck and yet 190cm Grigg battled hard to ensure that never happened. Another rock-solid five-clearance, 17 possession-game.
23. Jake Lever (Adelaide)
Townsend kicked two goals on him but the departing Crow was still exceptional in the air early. $4.5 million at the Dees over five years will ease the parting blow.
24. Luke Brown (Adelaide)
Dusty did him in the air for a big goal — no disgrace — but totally blanketed Dan Rioli. Another great game from one of the AFL’s best small stoppers.
35. Jake Kelly (Adelaide)
Far from disgraced with some offensive drive — 20 possessions — as well as keeping an array of dangerous forwards to just two goals through Caddy and Castagna.
26. Daniel Talia (Adelaide)
Riewoldt eventually won the battle but still a solid outing for the miserly Crows defender.
27. Riley Knight (Adelaide)
To keep the AFL’s best finals player this month to 15 possessions at three quarter time was a quiet triumph. Only nine touches but still a solid outing.
28. Charlie Cameron (Adelaide)
Plenty of offensive drive early and 13 contested possessions belying his slender frame. Was it his last game in Adelaide colours?
29. Josh Caddy (Richmond)
Strong in the air in a Tigers forward line that needed him to stand tall (five marks, two contested). A handy early goal capped a worthy 21-goal season.
30. Dan Butler (Richmond)
What a season. A Round 1 AFL debut culminates in a flag. Harassed, kicked a late checkside goal that saw Peggy O’Neal in tears, fulfilled Dimma’s orders to perfection.
31. Jason Castagna (Richmond)
Hung in there all finals series despite some shaky moments. Not too many of his 10 possessions hit the target but “pressure points” is the new black.
32. Kyle Hartigan (Adelaide)
Another strong day out blanketing Richmond’s talls including Josh Caddy and Dustin Martin. Took a big step this year as a close-checking defender, with big roles ahead now Lever will depart.
33. Rory Atkins (Adelaide)
Broke even with Kamdyn McIntosh and Shane Edwards, a solid contributor rather than the game-breaker he might have hoped. 17 possessions.
34. Brandon Ellis (Richmond)
One of his quieter games for the year, a 14-possession effort on players including Charlie Cameron. Still a perfect way to seal a breakout year.
35. Tom Lynch (Adelaide)
Stats OK but zero game-breaking impact. Didn’t hit the scoreboard, prevented from usual heroics in his connector role by Nathan Broad. A poor day out.
36. Kamdyn McIntosh (Richmond)
Prevented the Adelaide wingers from explosive impact but none himself. Just nine touches for the wingman from Pinjarra.
37. Daniel Rioli (Richmond)
Plenty of pressure and a key role in the sealing goal but Luke Brown had the better of him. Suffered a serious ankle injury late.
38. David McKay (Adelaide)
What an unenviable role playing on small forwards like Butler and Castagna but at least did it without conceding a goal.
39. Hugh Greenwood (Adelaide)
Electric first term with seven possessions and a goal then ended up with only 13 possessions for the day and a recurrent calf injury. A mistake to play him in hindsight.
40. Paul Seedsman
The fairytale turned sour. Shane Edwards got on top of him and his match-up with McIntosh was a nil-all draw.
41. Taylor Walker
Might be harsh given he kicked two late goals, but this was a stage for a mighty leader to at least exert physical domination over Richmond. That was non-existent.
The ball flow wasn’t great but with 49 inside 50s there were no excuses for Adelaide’s captain. A long summer ahead.
42. Eddie Betts
Came into the game with a great finals record, finished it missing in action. Gifted an early goal by a Vlastuin fumble then largely unsighted. Grimes crushed him.
43. Andy Otten
Couldn’t get into the game, couldn’t hit the scoreboard, couldn’t stop Alex Rance when sent to tag him. A nightmare finish to a great year.
44. Josh Jenkins
Inept. A horror show of a day. Boasted of Adelaide’s flag hopes to his mate Patrick Dangerfield then had just seven possessions and a behind. Just a single effective kick.
Originally published as Ralphy’s rankings: Every AFL Grand Final player ranked from 1-44
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