Mark Robinson reveals his top 50 players ahead of the 2016 AFL season

ROBBO ranks Buddy No.5 but the fans have him at 47. See Robbo’s list of the best AFL players and have your say in the readers’ Top 50. VOTE NOW + RECAP ROBBO’S LIVE CHAT

Mark Robinson

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March 21, 2016 - 1:01PM

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BUDDY is overrated, Scott Pendlebury is too low and Nat Fyfe should be No.1.

That’s the fans’ verdict — so far — on Robbo’s Top 50.

Herald Sun chief football writer Mark Robinson had the toughest job in footy naming the Top 50 players in the game — then opening up every pick for the readers’ verdict.

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And they haven’t been shy in making their opinion heard. With more than 30,000 votes cast, 83 per cent say Robbo has overrated Lance Franklin by placing him at No.5. Buddy is 47 on the fans’ list.

While 52 per cent agree with Robbo’s pick of Gary Ablett at No.1, Fyfe goes past him on the readers’ list while Scott Pendlebury jumps into third spot (from ninth).

Tiger fans clearly aren’t voting in numbers — the readers say all of Trent Cotchin, Dustin Martin and Jack Riewoldt are too high, with Jack falling from 21 at Robbo’s list to 46 based on the fan vote.

Luke Parker, Jordan Lewis, Rory Sloane and Jack Steven all move up the list.

SEE ROBBO’S LIST AND CAST YOUR VOTE HERE

ROBBO DEFENDS HIS LIST

MALCOLM Blight is the king of oohhs and ahhs. The Brownlow and Coleman Medallist and dual premiership player and coach has this quaint kind of groan as he thinks before he speaks and, when asked who he thought was the AFL’s No.1 player — Gary Ablett or Nathan Fyfe — Blight was in oohh-ahh heaven.

“Ooohh, gee-whiz, ahh, well ... I think ... um ... aahh, you know, I’ve seen Fyfe play most games over the past two years and because he’s been on the park, he’s had more effect on games than Gary has,’’ he said.

“And right up their tails is a bloke called Sam Mitchell, by the way.’’

Yep, Mitchell is a champ, but back to Gaz and Fyfe.

“You’ve got to do it on what you see today — one bloke has played heaps of games and the other bloke has played six games,” Blight said.

“In golf, there is a rolling two years of form, and we’re splitting hairs here. The way Gary is going he could get back there very quickly.

“But I would have Fyfe No.1.’’

Nat Fyfe shrugs off Matt Priddis.

Bob Skilton, the triple Brownlow Medallist, has played against and seen thousands of midfielders. They used to be called centreman, ruck-rovers and rovers when Bobby began his career in 1956, but he still loves champs no matter how they’re described.

So, which one?

“It’s early, but I’m inclined to go for Fyfe,’’ Skilton said. “I think he’s more adaptable, he can take the mark, he can do the ground play as well.

“It’s hard one, and they are different players, and it’s the old story — you wouldn’t care which one you got. But at the moment, I’d go with Fyfe.’’

This is a curly one, because I’ve gone for Ablett.

He’s cleaner with the pill, can kick goals playing midfield or forward and ... well, we’ve all seen him play.

There’s an aspect of the accidentally dethroned king in this debate.

Ablett was powering to his third Brownlow Medal in 2014 before he busted his shoulder, and the question then was: Is he the greatest of all time?

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That was 18 months ago. During that time, Fyfe has launched a epic folder of work. He’s fearless, adventurous, playing key-forward size with Michael Voss attitude in the middle.

Ablett is an adventure park himself, and while his attack on the ball is less deranged, there’s a beauty aligned with him.

There’s beauty, too, knowing both of them will start 2016 injury-free.

At 31, Ablett is certainly the veteran.

At 24, Fyfe is all the rage.

At 21, Jake Stringer is the raging bull.

Western Bulldgs star Jake Stringer in action during intra-club at Whitten Oval. Picture: Michael Klein

The Western Bulldogs powerhouse forward is the player on the move. I’ve ranked him No.10 and, as many would agree, think he will be a colossus of a player.

Play someone tall on him and he will lose him at ground level. Play a mid-sized player on him and he will likely beat him with body strength. He kicked 56 goals in his breakout season and he will only get better.

Goalscorers are diamonds.

It’s why the elevation of Cyril Rioli, Chad Wingard and Eddie Betts was a no-brainer. They kicked 42, 53 and 63 goals, respectively, plus they supply enormous defensive pressure.

We watch football to see those three players. They are freakish, exciting and kick the most precious of goals.

Hawthorn’s Luke Breust was incredibly stiff to miss out, so, too, Greater Western Sydney’s Jeremy Cameron.

Jezza kicked seven goals against Hawthorn in Round 6 last year in what was masterful performance, but I feel he doesn’t grab hold of as many games as he should. It didn’t help that GWS fell away.

Tom Hawkins is another player who was unlucky. He lost his mum last year and missed some footy, but he has stripped fit for 2016.

Geelong forward Tom Hawkins was unlucky to miss out in Robbo’s top 50. Picture: Daniel Wilkins

His teammate Mark Blicavs won the Cats’ best-and-fairest and also misses. Their coach Chris Scott would probably be mystified.

Trying to fit 75 players into a top 50 is fun, but fraught.

That’s why you tend to name players that were left out, for some sort feel-good exercise.

Still, the pre-season top 50 is about recognition of the superstars, recognition of positional players such as Bob Murphy, Shaun Burgoyne, Heath Shaw, Alex Rance and Josh Gibson, and trying to identify the emerging good players who possibly could become great players.

It’s why Patrick Cripps and Jesse Hogan are named, for their game is on the improve.

Arguing Adam Treloar is a better player than Jack Steven, or Nathan Jones, or Luke Shuey or David Armitage, would be an all-day debating session, but there’s no doubting the young man has talent.

While some observers think ruckmen are overrated, I disagree.

I’ve named Todd Goldstein, Aaron Sandilands, Shane Mumford and Nic Naitanui and had Stefan Martin in, then out, then in, and then ran out of chairs.

The ruckmen are particularly important in finals and although Mumford has not yet played finals for Greater Western Sydney, they will have a far better chance if he can remain injury-free.

After Fyfe and Ablett, Patrick Dangerfield was the obvious choice at No.3. Then it got interesting.

Don’t care what anyone says, Sam Mitchell is a champion, and Lance Franklin at No.5 is perhaps wishful thinking, but he has another Coleman Medal in him.

Goldstein is the best ruckman, West Coast’s Josh Kennedy kicked 80 goals and then it was the toss-up between Luke Hodge and Scott Pendlebury.

Scott Pendlebury, Luke Hodge and Marc Murphy at the AFL captains day. Picture: Colleen Petch

Hodge v Pendlebury?

It’s like comparing a Mercedes with a Jaguar. It’s all about your taste.

Hodge won out because he’s, well, Luke Hodge. Inspiring captain and leader, multiple premiership skipper, big-moments player. The same could be said of the exquisite Pendlebury, but I have to admit the flags helped in the decision-making.

Hawks fans would agree. Pies fans would disagree. I’d love to hear what the fans of the other clubs think.

And then there’s Stringer.

He’s a special and he’s still just 21.

Wouldn’t you love to have him at your club?

SEE ROBBO’S FULL LIST AND VOTE ON EVERY PICK HERE

UNLUCKY TO MISS OUT

Jeremy Cameron

Stefan Martin

Luke Shuey

Marc Murphy

David Armitage

Sam Jacobs