Gold Coast’s Jack Bowes, Hawthorn’s Ricky Henderson and St Kilda’s Rowan Marshall among AFL’s most-improved players

What do St Kilda’s new No.1 ruckman, a Hawthorn veteran in career-best form and a new Gold Coast hero have in common? All have become unlikely SuperCoach heroes this year.

Ricky Henderson is averaging career-best numbers in almost every stats category recorded by Champion Data. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

At 30 years of age, Ricky Henderson has emerged as one of the AFL’s most-improved players and an unlikely SuperCoach hero.

Henderson’s most-prolific season before this year was 2013, when he averaged 85.3 ranking points in 14 games with Adelaide.

Champion Data statistics reveal the Hawk, in career-best form at the start of his 10th AFL campaign, increased his average from 82 points to 115.6 to Round 5.

Only Gold Coast’s Jack Bowes (+35.6), North Melbourne young gun Luke Davies-Uniacke (+35.5) and St Kilda ruckman Rowan Marshall (+34.4) have experienced greater spikes of players who have featured in at least 10 games since the start of 2018.

Ricky Henderson is averaging career-best numbers in almost every stats category recorded by Champion Data. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

“We were pleased with a lot of areas of our game today, our endeavour, and Hendo was part of that,” coach Alastair Clarkson said after Henderson had 33 disposals and 10 marks in Monday’s loss to Geelong.

Bowes is 21 years of age, Davies-Uniacke 19 and Marshall 23.

Travis Boak is the oldest of the top-10 at 30, born about one month before Henderson.

AFL's most-improved players (min. 10 games total)

Player	2018 ranking points	2019 ranking points	Differential
Jack Bowes	64.9	100.5	35.6
Luke Davies-Uniacke	40.8	76.3	35.5
Rowan Marshall	62.7	97.1	34.4
Ricky Henderson	81.7	115.6	33.9
Travis Boak	88	121.5	33.5
Darcy Moore	48.6	78.6	30
Charlie Ballard	44.4	73.6	29.2
Tom Rockliff	75.3	104.3	29
Sam Petrevski-Seton	67.4	94	26.6
Brent Daniels	50.5	76.5	26

While Clarkson was subdued when asked about Henderson’s supreme form, at least one SuperCoach — Damian Tardio — was rejoicing after naming the Hawks wingman, who scored 133, as captain against the Cats.

"TIM, TIM TIM! HAVE WE GOT YOU?"

Incredible goal from Ricky Henderson!#AFLHawksCats pic.twitter.com/mzBIerkiAO

— AFL (@AFL) April 22, 2019

The coach of TardioFC, Damian traded Henderson in when Nathan Fyfe was ruled out with concussion for Round 4 and has been rewarded with scores of 102 and 133 and a price rise of $99,900.

“I’d been tempted to put Henderson in my team from Round 1,” Tardio said.

“His (starting) price, plus his numbers, were attractive, but I didn’t do it.

“After Round 3 I traded Fyfe out for Henderson so I could increase my salary cap space.

“I made him captain in for Round 4, when it was either going to be him or (Lachie) Whitfield, then I stuck with him for the Cats match.”

Henderson is the 10th-ranked SuperCoach player this season and still only features in 1260 teams.

“I try to find a captain who is going to be a unique player to my team,” Tardio said.

Ricky Henderson #supercoach averages:

2014 59.5
2015 77.1
2016 & 2017 77.2
2018 82
2019 115.2 #AFLHawksCats pic.twitter.com/7mFwAPPpyk

— Tim Michell (@tim_michell) April 22, 2019

The former Adelaide Crow is averaging career-best numbers in ranking points (115.6), disposals (27.2), metres gained (435), uncontested possessions (18.8), goals (1.2), ground ball gets (6.2) and pressure points (39) per game.

He has tallied 136, 125, 102 and 133 in the past four games and has a breakeven of 81 as Hawthorn prepares to meet Carlton, who he managed 109 against last season, this weekend.

Originally published as Gold Coast’s Jack Bowes, Hawthorn’s Ricky Henderson and St Kilda’s Rowan Marshall among AFL’s most-improved players