It doesn’t matter who you are, pulling together a rankings lists will always spark fierce debate and you can guarantee those with a counterview won’t be shy in coming forward.
In sport, fans and media types love ranking the star players, and yes, no end of conjecture always follows, rationality usually goes out the door, and supporter bias comes into play with those who wear their hearts on their sleeves.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Danger names his top-three AFL players.
Analysis, local footy and the biggest moments, Seven and 7plus are the home of footy shows for every fan. Stream them all for free on 7plus >>
But imagine if a person who actually played against the people they were ranking did an objective list with not a teammate in sight … debate over, right?
Well, ummm … no; don’t be ridiculous.
Few people are as a qualified to rank AFL players as veteran superstar Patrick Dangerfield – who not that along go would have comfortably been in the conversation himself.
But now the 33-year-old has decided to reveal his top three for season 2023 …. drumroll please.
Coming it at No.3 is the AFL’s most talked about father-son Nick Daicos.
Channel 7 commentator Brian Taylor and 7NEWS chief football reporter Tom Browne both made the brave but ingenious prediction at the start of the year that the youngest of the Daicos brothers would win the Brownlow Medal in 2023.
And those calls are seemingly on the money with Daicos – who is only 20 years old – the red-hot favourite to take home the competition’s best and fairest award.
Dangerfield has always been wowed by the supreme talents of the competition’s youngest superstar.
“In his second year, I have never seen a player do what (Nick) Daicos has done this season,” Dangerfield told Channel 7.
“His impact has been enormous.
“He’s played for obviously a wonderful side, but his impact has been incredible.”
Coming in ahead of Daicos is Melbourne’s midfield bull Christian Petracca.
After Petracca’s partner in crime Clayton Oliver went down to injury several weeks ago, the former No.2 draft pick has stepped up to the plate and is doing it all, including sparking up his team’s forward line
“I love the way this guy plays,” Dangerfield said.
“He’s so powerful around stoppage, he kicks goals
“He’s had 71 score assists over the last two seasons.”
But despite the brilliance of the players just mentioned, Dangerfield believes there is no debate over this year’s No.1 player.
“But No.1 for mine – and I don’t think it’s all that close – is Marcus Bontempelli,” he said.
“If he retired tomorrow he would go down as the Western Bulldogs greatest ever player.
“The season he has put together is one for the ages.”
Given the Western Bulldogs/Footscray have boasted some of the most famous names in football in their history, including the man they called ‘Mr Football’, Ted ‘EJ’ Whitten, Dangerfield’s claim is huge.
And others might wonder, how does Bontempelli get the nod for No.1 if Daicos is the Brownlow favourite?
In short, some of the greatest players of all time, including Wayne Carey, Leigh Matthews and the recently retired Lance Franklin, who have claims of being the best of all time, never won a Brownlow despite some near misses.
Of course, some fans were surprised GWS skipper Toby Greene didn’t make the cut, while Carlton followers believed their goalkicking ace Charlie Curnow should have been in the mix.
Curnow is the AFL’s leading goalkicker this season with 67, while Greene’s match-winning heroics have set his team on a seven-match winning streak and helped catapult the Giants to sixth on the ladder.
Let the debate roll on.
If you’d like to view this content, please adjust your .
To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide.