Is North Melbourne star Jasmine Garner the best AFLW player ever?

She spent the summer grinding to build her game and it’s paying dividends. So as the records tumble, it prompts the question — could Jasmine Garner be the best AFLW player we’ve seen?

Jasmine Garner celebrates a goal for the Kangaroos. Picture: Getty Images

Darren Crocker would look out of his Arden Street office window and see Jasmine Garner running laps.

Or with grass beneath her boots, refining her ball skills.

Or in the gym, lifting heavier weights by the week.

Such was the off-season for the 29-year-old, whose position among the game’s elite is undisputed.

Records have fallen in recent weeks for the star Roo, who delivered an incredible 789 metres gained just last weekend to demolish the next-best figure.

It’s no surprise to her coach.

“The long lay-off between the two most recent seasons … some players would have got it right and some players would have got it wrong,” Crocker said this week.

“But she definitely got it right. You would see her still coming into the club throughout, when she didn’t need to be, doing her weights, running, out on the ground doing ball work, having a kick.

“I just thought, she’s obviously always had drive, but she’s now got to a point with the maturity where she’s just become more of a complete player, because she’s just got herself in such great condition to be able to work so hard.”

Garner sits atop the coaches’ votes after seven rounds. Picture: Getty Images

Crocker’s seen a few handy players in his time.

Before his coaching career, he played in the 1996 premiership at North Melbourne in a side that included names like Carey, Archer, King and Stevens.

In the women’s game, he’s not sure he’s seen any cleaner than Garner, with the decision-making to match, having slowly but surely built her tank.

“She just doesn’t fumble,” he laughs, amazed, but armed with a sense of calm every time Garner gets near the ball.

“All the great players that I’ve ever experienced and been involved with, they match up their work rate and their ability to train hard with their talent.

“I don’t think any gun player – the champions of the game – just have the talent and don’t work hard. They come together to develop the player that someone like Jasmine is.”

Her game and stats sheet might do the talking, but Garner doesn’t say much. There’s a post-match interview here and there, but she’s quietly-spoken and overwhelmingly humble.

She’s a footy brain, but doesn’t watch games back.

Maybe it’s more about feel. She sees it better than most, according to Crocker – who has coached the star mid-forward for four seasons now – and likens her to Kangaroos men’s player Ben Cunnington when it comes to her teammates sitting up and listening.

“When she speaks in meetings, she’ll speak when she really feels like she’s got something to say and everyone sits up a couple of inches taller when she speaks, because they know what’s going to come out of her mouth has merit,” he said.

“She’s not quite as quiet as Ben. She’s more outgoing than Ben. But when she speaks, everyone sits up and listens.

“She’s grown a lot in her leadership and being comfortable. In the past, she probably held onto her thoughts a little bit. Now, she’s happy to openly speak up.”

When Garner speaks, teammates listen. Picture: Getty Images

Garner missed the top 10 in last year’s league best and fairest voting, with fellow players questioning the Roos star’s apparent lack of luck with the umpires.

She currently leads the AFLW Coaches’ votes, and has five All-Australian nods to her name.

It’s a CV that many – including Crocker – believe could sit Garner firmly among the best, if not the best, players the women’s competition has seen.

“I feel so lucky and so privileged to be coaching, I believe, the best player that’s running around,” he said.

“I was a little bit miffed by (former North coach, now at Sydney) Scotty Gowans when he mentioned earlier on this year that Chloe Molloy is the best player that he’s coached.

“Maybe when Jasmine was playing with him she wasn’t at this elevated state that she is now, but I personally couldn’t be happier coaching her and feel like she is such a good player.

“I played with Wayne Carey – one of the best players of all time – and he never won a Brownlow Medal. So whether she gets that individual recognition from umpires, hopefully it happens one day, but I know that’s not her driving force. She’s motivated to come in and be the best she can be, works hard and it’s all to try and help the team and that’s to win a premiership and have that team success.

“I think at the end of her career, there’s going to have to be some very, very good players that we’ll have to elevate them to go past the career that she’ll end up having.”

Originally published as Is North Melbourne star Jasmine Garner the best AFLW player ever?