GFL 100: Top #25 rankings revealed
The Addy has ranked its top 100 players, and today we reveal who takes home #1. Find out here
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It was a long season of GFNL football, with the competition’s superstars putting in elite performances across the course of the season.
The Addy has released its top 100 players in the competition, with the final edition including the top 25 players in the GFNL.
Check out the names below.
Rankings #100-76 revealed here
25. Alex Hickey (St Joseph’s)
Season Stats: 15 games, 27 disposals, 76.8% efficiency, 6.6 marks, 2.4 inside 50s, 107.5 ranking points
One of St Joseph’s senior stars, Hickey had a dominant season down back for the club.
His ability to pull down intercept marks (averaged 3.4 per game) and then use the ball to find teammates further up the ground helped his side to a blazing start to its campaign.
24. Lachie Patten (Bell Park)
Season Stats: 18 games, 28.5 disposals, 17.8 contested possessions, 7.2 clearances, 4.7 tackles, 5.2 inside 50s, 116 ranking points
A team-of-the-year member in 2023, Patten had a fantastic season at the Dragons.
The skipper led the way each weekend, dominating inside the contest and racking up plenty of disposals, as well as applying pressure when he didn’t get his hands on the ball first.
One of the best contested-ball winners in the competition.
23. Jacob Russell (St Albans)
Season Stats: 18 games, 29.8 disposals, 14.4 contested possessions, 5.6 marks, 6.9 clearances, 5.7 tackles, 113.5 ranking points
Russell’s individual season was outstanding despite the struggles St Albans had on the field, with the Supersaints skipper leading the way at the club.
His ability to win the ball in the contest and break out to use the ball well gives St Albans plenty of chances to retain possession and move the ball forward.
22. Mitch Chafer (Grovedale)
Season Stats: 15 games, 17.7 disposals, 9.7 contested possessions, 4.5 marks, 2.8 goals, 88.9 ranking points
Chafer made a case for the best general forward in the GFNL for 2023, dominating every week despite his side’s struggle for consistency.
He got his chance at VFL level while also booting 42 goals in 15 games for Grovedale, kept goalless just once for the year.
21. Paddy De Grandi (St Joseph’s)
Season Stats: 18 games, 16.7 disposals, 7 contested possessions, 7.8 disposals, 2.6 goals, 94.8 ranking points
The breakout star of 2023 dominated across the course of the season, earning a team-of-the-year selection for his 45-goal season.
De Grandi slotted at least four goals six times over the course of the 2023 season.
20. Jack Melican (Colac)
Season Stats: 18 games, 15.1 disposals, 75.5% efficiency, 5.7 marks, 2.8 intercept marks, 2.2 spoils, 68.9 ranking points
Named as one of the competition’s best key defenders, Melican had an outstanding year down back for the Tigers.
Rarely beaten in a one-on-one while also offering the ability to fly for intercept marks and cause turnovers deep in defence, he was given team-of-the-year honours.
19. Tevan Nofi (Leopold)
Season Stats: 13 games, 16.2 disposals, 6.2 marks, 4.6 intercept marks, 88.7 ranking points
The high-flying defender made his return to Leopold from a stint at Drysdale, and once he broke into the Lions’ back six he became an integral part of the defensive structure.
Nofi’s ability to fly for big marks, causing turnovers while also locking down opposing forwards, was on display in the grand final win over South Barwon.
18. Jack Blood (St Mary’s)
Season Stats: 14 games, 25.3 disposals, 5.7 marks, 3.1 clearances, 4.5 tackles, 4 inside 50s, 90.6 ranking points
The hard-nosed inside midfielder had a great season, and is fast-becoming one of the best extractors in the competition.
His tackles are fierce, and his ball use inside 50 always seems to find a target.
17. Jarryd Garner (St Mary’s)
Season Stats: 17 games, 29 disposals, 11.8 contested possessions, 6.1 marks, 5.8 clearances, 5.3 inside 50s, 0.8 goals, 103.7 ranking points
Garner was a dominant midfield option for St Mary’s in 2023, helping his side to the minor premiership.
His ability to also line up on a half forward flank and play as a linking option going inside forward 50 gave his side versatility, but his ability to win the ball at the coalface and deliver it to one of his forwards was his greatest strength.
16. Matt Caldow (South Barwon)
Season Stats: 17 games, 15.8 disposals, 73.5% efficiency, 8.1 marks, 2.6 inside 50s, 1.9 goals, 104.2 ranking points
The Mathieson Medalist, who shared the honour with Fraser Fort in 2023, had an outstanding season leading the charge at South Barwon.
Caldow is a hardworking key forward who moves up the ground to provide a marking target for his teammates coming out of defence, while also working back towards goal to be a chance to boot a bag.
15. David Handley (Geelong West)
Season Stats: 14 games, 32.9 disposals, 17.5 contested possessions, 5 marks, 8.6 clearances, 7.3 tackles, 147.3 ranking points
One of Geelong West’s captains, Handley returned to the Giants full time after a stint at the VFL level.
Handley showed he is one of the best midfielders in the competition when he was on the park, dominating in the clinches while also laying bone-crushing tackles when he didn’t have the ball himself.
14. Tanner Lovell (Geelong West)
Season Stats: 16 games, 33.1 disposals, 15.7 contested possessions, 5.6 clearances, 3.9 tackles, 122.8 ranking points
Lovell stood up in 2023 and became a top-line midfielder in the GFNL, earning team-of-the-year honours at the end of the season.
Still a young star, Lovell is fast-becoming a household name across the competition and will be one of the competition’s best players in 2024.
13. Phil Moimoi (Geelong West)
Season Stats: 15 games, 15.3 disposals, 9.8 contested possessions, 3.8 tackles, 2.2 goals, 83 ranking points
Another Giant to earn team-of-the-year honours, Moimoi was one of the competition’s best half forwards in 2023.
Moimoi’s ability to set up his teammates with shots at goal was a highlight for the year, but he was also able to kick goals consistently himself, with coach Greg Mellor claiming mid-year that Moimoi played the half-forward role the best in the competition.
12. Mitch Patten (Leopold)
Season Stats: 16 games, 10.8 disposals, 6.8 contested possessions, 3.7 marks, 2.7 goals, 68.7 ranking points
Patten finished his Leopold season emphatically, booting four goals in the Lions’ premiership victory to cap off a 59-goal season.
He slotted 15 goals in the four finals he played this year, and will be hot property on the Surfers Paradise, where he is moving in December.
11. Darcy Lang (Colac)
Season Stats: 17 games, 22.1 disposals, 5.1 marks, 3.5 clearances, 4.1 inside 50s, 1 goal, 84.9 ranking points
If you could clone any player in the GFNL, Lang may be that player.
Whether he lines up in the centre square, out on the wing (where he was named in the team of the year), on the half forward flank or even one out in the goal square, Lang would excel, leading the Tigers to another finals campaign as a co-coach.
10. Harry Benson (St Mary’s)
Season Stats: 23.4 disposals, 12.5 contested possessions, 4.5 marks, 5.9 clearances, 5.8 tackles, 104.6 ranking points
The two-time Mathieson Medalist only played 13 games for the season after finally earning his chance in the VFL, but despite his apparent lack of games he still featured heavily in the Mathieson Medal count.
Benson is clearly one of the competition’s best players, with every disposal damaging, and his leadership skills took another step forward in 2023, often captaining the Saints.
9. Zach Zdybel (Colac)
Season Stats: 18 games, 22.4 disposals, 10.8 ranking points, 3.8 clearances, 31.3 hit outs, 3.5 inside 50s, 109.2 ranking points
Zdybel established himself as one of the competition’s best rucks, inserting himself in the conversation with Grovedale’s Ryan Abbott and Leopold’s Trent West.
The mobile Tiger is genuinely another midfielder when the ball hits the ground, moving around the ground and collecting plenty of possessions.
He was named as the starting ruck in the team of the year.
8. Blake Sutterby (Newtown & Chilwell)
Season Stats: 14 games, 31.3 disposals, 13.2 contested possessions, 8.4 clearances, 4 tackles, 3.8 inside 50s, 108.8 ranking points
Sutterby missed a little bit of footy early in the season but he returned and found form straight away, re-establishing himself as a top-line midfielder.
The Eagles star was the only player to record 50 disposals in a game this season, showing off his ball-winning capabilities on a consistent basis.
7. Logan Wagener (Leopold)
Season Stats: 18 games, 30.3 disposals, 12.9 contested possessions, 5.5 clearances, 3.2 tackles, 111.1 ranking points
Wagener capped off his incredible season at Leopold, which was his first full season back from VFL commitments, with a premiership and a best-on-ground performance in the grand final.
His ball-winning ability and his hunt for the footy paired extremely well with skipper Marcus Thompson, highlighted on grand final day when the pair dominated against the Swans.
6. Bailey Scott (Colac)
Season Stats: 13 games, 29.4 disposals, 5.2 marks, 3.5 clearances, 4.7 tackles, 7.1 inside 50s, 1.3 goals, 113.5 ranking points
Scott finished third in the Mathieson Medal count, which is an outstanding effort considering he missed five games throughout the season.
His leg speed and burst from the stoppage made him a difficult matchup, and quickly became Colac’s best midfielder in an already-dominant side.
5. Sam Dobson (St Mary’s)
Season Stats: 15 games, 13.4 disposals, 5.1 contested possessions, 7.5 marks, 4 goals, 87.1 ranking points
As dominant a full forward as you can get in the GFNL, Dobson was outstanding in his return to the league.
He won the league goal kicking award and finished on 64 for the season, including finals, having booted at least a goal in every game played.
His 10-goal performance against Bell Park led the way, but in six different games Dobson slotted at least five goals.
4. Ryan Abbott (Grovedale)
Season Stats: 18 games, 18.5 disposals, 12.7 contested possessions, 7.7 clearances, 43.2 hit outs, 143.1 ranking points
Abbott’s first full season back at Grovedale was an outstanding one, and while Grovedale struggled to win consistently, his performances were continually impressive.
He was Grovedale’s best clearance player despite his role as the ruck, and he led the competition for hit out as well.
Abbott was named the Geelong Advertiser’s Player of the Year, finished in the team of the year and polled well in the Mathieson Medal count.
3. Fraser Fort (South Barwon)
Season Stats: 18 games, 21.5 disposals, 8 marks, 2.6 clearances, 4.9 hit outs, 2.8 inside 50s, 1.7 goals, 118.3 ranking points
A dominant season that ended with a Mathieson Medal, Fort’s return to the GFNL and to South Barwon did not disappoint.
Fort was the competition’s best utility, with co-winner and teammate Matt Caldow saying Fort could play any position on the ground better than almost any player in the competition.
He was used as a forward, defender, ruck and wing at times during the Swans’ run into the grand final.
2. Matt Boag (Newtown & Chilwell)
Season Stats: 18 games, 33.9 disposals, 13.2 contested possessions, 6 marks, 6.8 clearances, 4.7 inside 50s, 0.8 goals, 125.6 ranking points
Snubbed from the team of the year and only polling nine votes in the Mathieson Medal, it’s almost like voters got used to Boag’s dominant stat lines and impact on games each week.
He was one of the competition’s best midfielders, but he was also a marking target and goal threat up forward, helping the Eagles to the finals campaign after being the most in-form team to start the season.
1. Marcus Thompson (Leopold)
Season Stats: 17 games, 28.2 disposals, 13.3 contested possessions, 6 marks, 6.3 clearances, 6.6 inside 50s, 1.2 goals, 110.8 ranking points
It’s hard to go past the premiership skipper who dominated during the home-and-away season as well.
Thompson can do everything you could want from an elite midfielder: accumulate the ball inside the contest, break away and use the ball well going inside forward 50, tackle opponents and have the tackles stick, and go forward and boot goals.
While he might’ve been a genuine chance for a Mathieson Medal, Thompson said after the grand final he was more than happy with a premiership medallion.
Originally published as GFL 100: Top #25 rankings revealed
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