Mick McGuane names his 10 AFL midfielders in 2021 and those who just missed out
Forget the likes of Martin and Dangerfield, the new era is here and taking the league by storm. Here is Mick McGuanes top 10 midfielders.
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This year might well be remembered for the changing of the guard of the AFL’s midfield superstars.
For years we have been admiring the likes of Patrick Dangerfield, Joel Selwood, Dustin Martin, Nat Fyfe and a host of others who have dominated the competition. They all still have plenty left to give.
But in 2021 we have seen the emergence of the next wave of midfield barometers who have taken their game to a new level.
Past reputations and performances have not been taken into consideration in my selection of 2021’s best midfielders.
I’ve judged players solely on what they have done this season.
I’ve focused on the mids who have an ability to win the ball both inside and outside the contest.
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I went with players who don’t fumble, clean ballhandlers who kickstart offence with first possession gains. But they also needed to be two-way runners and pressure players.
I have also prioritised players who predominantly play on ball rather than a split between forward and midfield, effectively ruling Martin out (45 per cent midfield /55 per cent forward).
In contrast, Marcus Bontempelli has spent 81 per cent of his time in the midfield, with Clayton Oliver (95 per cent), Ollie Wines (94 per cent) and Jack Steele (95 per cent).
Dangerfield has only played eight games, so he misses out this year.
I’ve chosen players who play the traditional ruck rover, rover and centre roles, which means I did not take into account ruckmen or wingmen.
I’ve always been a big believer that finals are won and lost in the middle, so I can’t wait to see some of my top 10 strutting their stuff in the finals.
1. MARCUS BONTEMPELLI (Western Bulldogs)
The Brownlow Medal favourite has produced the most consistent season of an already brilliant career.
He powers out of congestion but there is an element of grace and creativity attached when he does. You can almost see his mind go into overdrive as he searches for the next best option when he goes forward with the ball.
He plays with great penetration. His average of 566 metres gained is in the elite category. He averages just under seven inside 50s per game.
The other attribute which separates him from the rest is that he averages 1.2 goals per game. Every good midfielder should aspire to hit the scoreboard.
The extension to that is that his score involvements are almost eight per game.
2. CHRISTIAN PETRACCA
With his burst of speed, he can break a game open in a twinkling. He is an offensive weapon around stoppages but also has that line-breaking ability that challenges the best defensive systems. Due to his improved fitness levels he is getting more of the ball (averaging 28.8 disposals) and has a great balance between kicking and handball (1.34 kick-to-handball ratio).
He has become more composed going inside 50m, which he does 7.3 times a game – more than Bontempelli does.
His anticipation and quick feet around stoppages means he can get after the ground ball.
He is averaging 1.1 goals per game as a midfielder, which is only behind Bontempelli and Shai Bolton for midfielders.
3. CLAYTON OLIVER (Melbourne)
The contested ball king of the Melbourne Football Club works so well alongside Petracca.
They are constants at centre bounces spending 87 per cent and 80 per cent respectively with Simon Goodwin putting his trust in them.
I believe in a simple principle: get your best players where the action is.
Oliver is a ball magnet, averaging 31.2 disposals. He is prepared to handball more than he kicks, which is understandable as he gets the ball in congestion.
He starts the Demons’ offence with his quick hands and first possession gains, winning 7.5 clearances per game, off the back of a connection with Max Gawn.
He has a strong will to win or halve every contest.
More than half of his disposals are contested – at a rate of 53 per cent – he loves it tough.
4. OLLIE WINES (Port Adelaide)
Wines has got himself as fit as he has ever been and is reaping the rewards, averaging 32.8 possessions and 445 metres gained.
He has a great balance between winning the contest and also spreading to space to accumulate possessions.
There is only a three-disposal difference between his contested and uncontested possessions.
He is hunting the ground balls, is above average in clearances (6.2 per game), and averages four and a half tackles per games.
He also provides a great ‘down the line’ option for his defenders because he has the marking ability to stand and deliver when his team needs him.
5. JACK STEELE (St Kilda)
This bloke is leadership personified. He has spent 95 per cent in the midfield, he has a great inside/outside balance and he is tough and uncompromising.
He has great composure, kicks important goals, the pressure he applies is elite, and he gets after the opposition with intent.
Steele averages 62.5 pressure points and 8.2 tackles per game, the highest of any midfielder other than Hugh Greenwood.
He is a “Saint” but he is more like a silent assassin. He doesn’t seem to say much, but actions speak even louder.
6. TOUK MILLER (Gold Coast)
His inclusion so high might surprise a few people, but it shouldn’t.
Miller has been a standout. His last month convinced me that he has arrived as a premier on-baller.
When the season started sliding away from the Suns, Miller elevated his game to a new level. He looks so coachable.
He has averaged 31.3 disposals (with his kicking efficiency at 66.7). He keeps his game simple, he hits targets and finds the best option with his elite vision.
Miller works hard in offence, but can gut-run defensively.
I coached against Miller when he was a 15-year-old kid. He was an exuberant small forward who played with flair and instinct. But long after those Keilor-Maribyrnong Park days, I’ve loved watching him develop from afar, with his manic competitiveness making him the best version of himself.
7. ZACH MERRETT (Essendon)
Merrett plays like a quarterback but in our vernacular a defensive midfielder. His role is one of “balance.” In general play, he positions himself behind the ball to help protect his defenders or cover corridor space but also because he reads the game so well can quickly become an attacking option if needed.
With his kicking, he can cut and slice through the opposition with precision execution. What’s the use of having the tools without using them the right way? Instead of going lateral or backwards, he is prepared to back his decision making/skills set with a “go forward” mentality.
He averages 32.4 disposals per game, with only nine per cent of them coming as contested ones. He is not a Ben Cunnington-type, but he doesn’t need to be.
He has class and creativity, which is why the Bombers were happy to pay him the big bucks in his new deal.
Merrett should be the Bombers’ next captain. He works so hard on his own game, but I’d challenge him to stop being so consumed with making himself better and start spreading his knowledge with his younger teammates, Travis Boak-style!
8. SAM WALSH (Carlton)
He is the youngest of my top 10 – at 21 – and he has so much upside as a potential superstar and future captain.
He has a great work rate, shares the ball, has a good kick-to-handball ratio and has improved his field kicking to a 63.9 efficiency this year.
But he needs to play with more depth and penetration. He could be a 70/80-metre player (run with the ball for 20-30 metres and kick it 50 metres).
He seems a bit careful with the footy, and looks to go short a little too often.
Great players look to get more depth in their game and see options others don’t.
Your first thought in disposing of the ball isn’t always the best thought.
What separates the best on-ballers from others is a player‘s ability to lift and lower his eyes to sum up the best free option, then get him the ball.
Walsh can get more handball receives in the forward half of the ground in the quest to kick more goals, like the sealer he kicked against Collingwood.
He is averaging half a goal per game, but should be looking to match what Bont and Petracca are returning on the scoreboard.
9. DARCY PARISH (Essendon)
Given the opportunity to play on-ball, Parish has grabbed it with open arms. He has been a revelation.
At junior level, he always had a great nose for the footy, but he has taken that to a new level this year.
He averages eight clearances per game, second only to Tom Liberatore (8.4). He has great anticipation and quick feet where he gets after ground balls.
As a midfielder, you don’t want concrete in your feet, and he is always moving. He has 7.6 scoring involvements and 31.4 disposals per game.
His pressure ranking is 50.8, but I’d like to see him lift his tackle rate above his 4.2 average.
10. JACK MACRAE (Western Bulldogs)
This last spot was a toss up between Macrae and Hawthorn’s Tom Mitchell, and if you look at their numbers, it was a very close call. In the end, I went with Macrae – just!
Macrae reads the game exceptionally well. He doesn’t look quick but when you watch him live he is always on the move and just keeps getting in the right spot to receive the ball. He is a footballer in every sense of the word.
Reading the game is his greatest asset. His kicking skills and tackling are underestimated.
Mitchell averages 34.4 disposals to Macrae’s 33.9. They both handball a lot, which is understandable given where they win the ball.
Macrae has a higher metres gained average (457 to 378), inside 50’s (4.8 to 3.9), clearances (6.4 to 4.5) and contested possessions (12.6 to 11.7).
Their uncontested count is almost identical and marks average are the same.
Both are important players for their teams, are trustworthy and reliable. They just consistently turn up and perform.
THE APOLOGIES: Tom Mitchell (Hawthorn), Ben Cunnington (North Melbourne) Rory Laird (Adelaide), Tom Liberatore (Western Bulldogs), Jarryd Lyons (Brisbane), Joel Selwood (Geelong), Nat Fyfe (Fremantle), David Mundy (Fremantle), Luke Parker (Sydney), Shai Bolton (Richmond)
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