Champion Data reveals the players whose output has dropped this season, according to their ranking points

Carlton co-captain Patrick Cripps hasn’t been able to match his own incredible standards of recent seasons in 2020, and he’s not the only player to experience a big drop-off. Champion Data reveals your club’s biggest sliders.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 30: Patrick Cripps of the Blues tries to break free during the round 14 AFL match between the Carlton Blues and the Collingwood Magpies at The Gabba on August 30, 2020 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Jono Searle/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

Carlton midfield star Patrick Cripps has emerged as one of the Blues biggest rankings sliders this season, according to Champion Data.

And Greater Western Sydney spearhead Jeremy Cameron’s player ranking points have also taken a hit from last season.

After highlighting every club’s biggest improvers last week — based on each player’s ranking points from season 2019 to 2020 — we can now reveal which players have taken the biggest rankings tumble this year.

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Some have battled injury, others form, goalkicking struggles or a positional squeeze.

The ranking points figures — which match KFC SuperCoach points — are the season averages for 2019 and 2020 and the player must have played a minimum of five games in each season.

Here are your club’s biggest rankings sliders in 2020:

Adelaide defender Jake Kelly has suffered the biggest rankings slide for the Crows this season, according to Champion Data, having been dropped from the team twice. In his first season as stand-alone captain, Sloane has been banged up and battled injury, missing five games with a broken thumb, while Brad Crouch missed a block of games with a hamstring injury.

Veteran Brisbane Lions ruckman Stefan Martin has experienced the sharpest rankings slide of any player this year, according to Champion Data, but he has managed just the five senior games. Martin has been sidelined since Round 7 with a stress fracture in his back. Mitch Robinson disposal average has fallen from 21 in 2019 to 14 this season, contributing to his slide, alongside defender Daniel Rich.

He’s the team’s biggest star and a midfield colossus, but Patrick Cripps has had his struggles this year. Cripps has been criticised for his inaccuracy and ability to kick goals at big moments in games. The skipper has kicked 5.10 this season. Sam Petrevski-Seton and Levi Casboult, who has fulfilled a variety of roles, were next on the list for the Blues.

Young forward Jaidyn Stephenson was struggling on the form front – with just one goal in five games – before he was dropped for the Magpies’ Round 12 clash against Melbourne. The former Rising Star winner remained out of the team for a second week and returned with two goals against Carlton last weekend. Brodie Grundy set a high bar last season and has been herculean as the No.1 ruckman considering short turn-rounds between games. Phillips has suffered a small rankings slide.

Veteran Bombers ruckman Tom Bellchambers has been restricted to just the seven games in 2020 due to management and injuries. The 31-year-old’s average hit-outs has fallen from 25 in 2019 to just under 20 this season, while hit-outs to advantage are also rated as below average this year. It has all contributed to a significant rankings slide. Now-retired Irishman Conor McKenna, who has featured in just six games after a COVID-19 breach and injury, and forward Shaun McKernan have also suffered rankings slides.

Forward Brandon Matera has managed just the five matches in 2020 and hasn’t featured since Round 9, since battling a minor groin injury. After kicking 30 goals last season, he has just three from his five games this year. Midfielder Connor Blakely didn’t get a look in until Round 9 this season, while ruckman Rory Lobb’s ranking points have also taken a hit.

Quinton Narkle played in five of the opening six games of the season for the Cats, before a hamstring injury and a bout of food poisoning derailed his season. He has not played now since Round 6 as he fights to get back in the side. Star veteran Gary Ablett, out of the team since Round 7 due to personal reasons, has dropped 11 points, while former VFL best-and-fairest Tom Atkins has experienced a small fall.

After playing 21 games and averaging 25 disposals last season, Suns midfielder Brayden Fioroni has been restricted to just five games in 2020 as he has struggled for opportunities. He’s been linked with a trade away from Queensland. Forward Darcy Macpherson and Irish defender Pearce Hanley, who has called time on his career this week, have been the next biggest sliders for the Suns.

Veteran defender Phil Davis has been the biggest rankings slider for the Giants in 2020, but has been missing since Round 10 with a knee injury. Coleman medallist Jeremy Cameron is next on the list with a fall in his goal average from 3.1 in 2019 to 1.6 in 2020 contributing to his rankings decline. Free agent Zac Williams, who is considered hot property on this year’s player market, has also experienced a rankings slide after missing a chunk of matches due to injury.

Key forward Mitch Lewis hasn’t had the same impact as his breakout season, averaging 4.5 disposals and 1.2 marks a game. Impey can be forgiven for a drop off after returning from an ACL injury mid-season, while veteran Ricky Henderson hasn’t been able to replicate his outstanding numbers from 2019.

James Harmes had played every game this season before he was dropped for last round’s clash against St Kilda. But his drop-off in rankings points has been sharp according to Champion Data. His average disposals have fallen from 24 in 2019 to 15 this season. Veteran Nathan Jones has been in and out of the team with injuries and form, playing just seven matches, while small defender Neville Jetta has never been a significant ranking points accumulator due to his role.

It has been one of those years for the Kangaroos – and captain Jack Ziebell. The Roos skipper has been sidelined since suffering a hamstring injury against Richmond in Round 7 – three weeks after injuring the same hamstring against Hawthorn. In all, he’s played just the five games in 2020. His average disposals in those games has fallen from 20 last year to just eight in 2019, leading to the second-highest rankings slide in the league. Key forward Ben Brown, whose goal average slipped from 2.9 in 2019 to below one this year before suffering a season-ending knee injury, and fellow forward Mason Wood, who has been in and out of the side this year, have also suffered big rankings losses.

Former Hawk Burton has struggled with quad issues this year and games where he has been injured have not helped his ranking points cause. Halfback Bonner hasn’t been a regular in the table-topping Port Adelaide team, while it seems logical key defender Clurey’s numbers will have dropped off when the Power have won most matches.

A breakout star with the Tigers in his first season at Punt Rd last year, there were high expectations on Stack to back-up his stunning debut campaign. But Champion Data’s player rankings show before his COVID-19 breach suspension for a late-night kebab, he had fallen short. The Tigers’ youngster was dropped after in Round 5, returning to the team in Round 9. Caddy has been restricted to just seven games due to battles with soft tissue injuries, while Prestia has been sidelined since Round 5 with an ankle syndesmosis injury.

After managing just five games in his first year at St Kilda due to soft tissue injury, former Swan Dan Hannebery’s second season at the Saints hasn’t been much more successful. Hannebery played the opening five games of the season before he was struck down again by a hamstring injury. His average disposals slipped from 25 in his five matches last year to below 18 this season, contributing to a rankings slide of more than 25 points. Dual best-and-fairest Seb Ross, who has also missed games with a calf injury, and forward Tim Membrey, whose goal average has almost halved in 2020, have also experienced a rankings slide according to Champion Data.

Defender Aliir Aliir has taken the sharpest Swan dive for Sydney this year on the player rankings front, battling form and injury at times. He has managed 10 matches in 2020. Key forward Sam Reid didn’t play his first game of the season until Round 8 after battling hamstring, knee and calf injuries, while veteran midfielder Josh Kennedy’s average disposals were down from 26 in 2019 to 19 this season before a knee injury sidelined him for six games.

Eagles forward Jarrod Cameron has been the sharpest rankings slider for West Coast this season. Cameron has managed just two goals in his five appearances this year. His kicked 11 goals in seven matches in his debut season last year. Midfielder Jack Redden and veteran defender Shannon Hurn were the next biggest sliders for the Eagles.

Veteran Bulldogs utility Suckling has been sidelined since Round 9 when he suffered a hamstring injury against Richmond. Before then, the 32-year-old had played in just the six games after being dropped in Round 4. The premiership defender’s average disposal has been halved from 20 in 2019 to 10 this season. Forward Sam Lloyd’s goal average has halved this season, but he has missed games through injury before being dropped in Round 13. Dale hasn’t had the same prominent role in the Bulldogs’ forward line as he did in 2019.

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Originally published as Champion Data reveals the players whose output has dropped this season, according to their ranking points