Champion Data player rankings: Essendon’s Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti rated among AFL’s elite

HE only got his chance after plucking up the courage to ask his coach if he could train, but now Bomber Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti is among the game’s elite. SEE CHAMPION DATA’S LIST

Essendon's Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti kicks at goal 1st qtr. Pic: Michael Klein

THEY are the players who can win you games — or save them.

And there’s some names that might surprise.

Ahead of the 2018 AFL season, stats gurus Champion Data have listed their elite players.

Every AFL player is ranked across the past two seasons, with the top 10 per cent in each position classed as elite.

SEE CHAMPION DATA’S ELITE LIST BELOW

Both Adelaide clubs, along with West Coast, can boast to having the most ‘elite’ players in the competition (six each), while this season the Blues will be missing their sole star on the exclusive list with Sam Docherty to miss the year with a serious knee injury.

Among the 55 names fans might be surprised to see is Bomber Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, who has only been in the game for two seasons.

It’s been a meteoric rise for the exciting forward, who last year told the Herald Sun he only earned his start at the urging of his mother.

Essendon's Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti has quickly become a star of the game. Pic: Michael Klein

“She just said, ‘Just go and ask — the only thing he can say is no. If you want this, just go and do it’.

“I walked past a couple of times until I had the courage to go and knock on his (John Worsfold’s) window and ask him if he was free to chat.

“He said, ‘Come in’ and I just asked him, ‘Is it OK if I come and train for a week or two, because I want to get drafted?’.”

According the Champion Data number crunchers, McDonald-Tipungwuti is one of the AFL’s best forward-half pressure players and elite at generating scores from his inside-50 entries. He is rated above average for goals and score involvements.

Pie Jack Crisp, Cats Sam Menegola and Daniel Menzel, Demon Christian Petracca, Tiger Shane Edwards, sole Saint Jack Sinclair and Swan Tom Papley are among the other stars fans might be surprised to make the list.

After switching from the midfield to defence midway through last year, Pie Jack Crisp’s pressure rating and intercepting was a feature. Pic: Getty Images

YOUR CLUB’S ELITE PLAYERS

ADELAIDE

Brodie Smith (general defender)

Rory Sloane (midfielder)

Rory Laird (general defender)

Eddie Betts (general forward)

Tom Lynch (general forward)

Taylor Walker (key forward)

BRISBANE

Daniel Rich (general defender)

Dayne Zorko (midfielder)

CARLTON

Sam Docherty (general defender)

COLLINGWOOD

Jeremy Howe (general defender)

Scott Pendlebury (midfielder)

Jack Crisp (general defender)

ESSENDON

Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti (general forward)

Michael Hurley (key defender)

FREMANTLE

Nat Fyfe (midfielder)

He was dumped for his side’s qualifying final but Dan Menzel’s work near goal cemented his elite status. Picture: Alison Wynd

GEELONG

Patrick Dangerfield (midfielder)

Gary Ablett (midfielder)

Sam Menegola (mid-forward)

Daniel Menzel (general forward)

GOLD COAST

Aaron Hall (wing)

Tom Lynch (key forward)

GWS

Zac Williams (general defender)

Toby Greene (general forward)

Jeremy Cameron (key forward)

Lachie Whitfield (wing)

HAWTHORN

Ben McEvoy (ruckman)

Luke Breust (general forward)

Cyril Rioli (general forward)

Jack Sinclair is elite. Picture: George Salpigtidis

MELBOURNE

Jake Lever (key defender)

Christian Petracca (mid-forward)

Jayden Hunt (general defender)

Tom McDonald (key defender)

NORTH MELBOURNE

Todd Goldstein (ruckman)

PORT ADELAIDE

Robbie Gray (general forward)

Paddy Ryder (ruckman)

Justin Westhoff (wing)

Charlie Dixon (key forward)

Chad Wingard (mid-forward)

Travis Boak (mid-forward)

RICHMOND

Dustin Martin (midfielder)

Alex Rance (key defender)

Shane Edwards (mid-forward)

ST KILDA

Jack Sinclair (wing)

Tom Papley has emerged from the club’s rookie list to be a key feature of the Swans’ forward half. Picture. Phil Hillyard

SYDNEY

Lance Franklin (key forward)

Dan Hannebery (general forward)

Josh Kennedy (midfielder)

Dane Rampe (key defender)

WEST COAST

Jeremy McGovern (key defender)

Elliot Yeo (general defender)

Shannon Hurn (general defender)

Josh Kennedy (key forward)

Luke Shuey (midfielder)

Nic Naitanui (ruckman)

WESTERN BULLDOGS

Jason Johannisen (general defender)