Selecting a team of the best players aged 22 and under is always a tough task. Here’s a breakdown of every member of the AFLPA’s 22under22 40-man squad to help you in that process, thanks to Champion Data.
All Stats applicable to the end of Round 14
Defenders
Charlie Ballard
Taken 38 intercept marks in 2020 – ranked fourth in the AFL.
Connor Budarick
Conceded just seven goals in 14 games, playing on the likes of Tom Papley, Gary Ablett, Toby Greene and Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti.
Hunter Clark
Rates elite for a general defender for contested possessions and tackles per game, and above average for disposals and intercept possessions.
Jack Lukosius
Ranked second of all defenders for total metres gained this season and ranks No.1 at Gold Coast and 12th in the AFL for effective kicks.
Jack Bowes
Averaged 6.5 intercept possessions per game – ranked seventh of all general defenders across the competition. Ranks in the top-three at Gold Coast for effective metres gained, intercept possessions and uncontested marks.
Jacob Weitering
Been out-marked in just two of his 64 defensive one-on-one’s – ranked fourth of the top-50 players for one-on-one’s defended this season. Has an elite kick rating for a key defender.
Jordan Ridley
Taken the sixth most intercept marks of any player and the second most of any player aged 22 or under. Also rates elite for spoils and above average for a general defender for disposals per game.
Liam Baker
Launched 19 scoring chains this season – the equal second most of any general defender across the competition. The Tigers have scored 72 points from his intercepts this season – ranked No.1 in the AFL.
Nick Coffield
Launched a total of 65 points for the Saints from his intercept possessions this season – ranked fifth across the AFL and third of all general defenders.
Noah Balta
Ranks third at Richmond for intercept possessions per game and rated above average for a key defender for metres gained, marks and intercept marks.
Will Day
In the time he has played, Day has ranked third at Hawthorn for total intercepts, fourth for uncontested possessions and fifth for total disposals.
Midfielders
Adam Cerra
Rates elite for pressure acts and tackles per game for a wingman and ranks in the top-three at Fremantle in both of these areas as well as crumbing possessions, score assists and assisted metres gained.
Andrew McGrath
Ranks in the top-10 of the competition for looseball-gets, handball-receives, pre-clearance tackles, groundball-gets and effective handballs. Rates elite for intercept possessions for a midfielder.
Andrew Brayshaw
Applied the seventh most pressure acts of any player in the competition and ranks in the top-two at Fremantle for disposals, uncontested possessions and tackles per game.
Bailey Smith
Ranks second in the competition for handball-receives, seventh for kicks inside 50, eighth for uncontested possessions and 11th for total inside 50s.
Caleb Serong
Attended the third most centre bounces at Fremantle behind David Mundy and Nat Fyfe and rated above average for clearances, centre clearances, pressure acts and tackles.
Hugh McCluggage
Ranks second of all wingmen for groundball-gets, score assists and score involvements per game. Ranks No.1 in the competition for crumbing possessions and third for total score assists.
Harry Perryman
One of only two wingmen in the competition to rate elite for intercept possessions and above average for goals per game. Ranks seventh at the Giants for scoreboard impact and second for intercept possessions.
James Rowbottom
Ranks No.1 at Sydney for total looseball-gets and second for clearances, contested possessions, gathers from hitouts, crumbing possessions and groundball-gets.
James Worpel
Ranks second in the competition for total tackles and fifth for pressure points. He also rates above average for intercept possessions and marks per game.
Jarrod Berry
Ranks fourth at Brisbane and equal 16th in the competition for total score assists. Ranks No.1 at Brisbane for pre-clearance tackles and second for hardball-gets and pressure points.
Jy Simpkin
Ranks equal-sixth in the competition for total looseball-gets and 11th for centre bounce clearances, pressure acts and pressure points – ranking No.1 at North Melbourne in all three stats.
Noah Anderson
Rates above average for contested possessions, clearances, centre clearances, score assists and score involvements. Ranks in the top-three at Gold Coast for handball metres gained, looseball-gets, crumbing possessions and ground-ball gets.
Sam Walsh
Ranks No.1 at Carlton and in the top-10 of the competition for looseball-gets and crumbing possessions. Also ranks in the top-three for contested possessions, inside 50s, handballs and metres gained.
Shai Bolton
Ranks fourth at Richmond for scoreboard impact across the season and since moving into the midfield in Round 6, he ranks third in the AFL for gathers from hitouts and inside 50s and inside the top-10 for score involvements, centre bounce clearances and running bounces.
Tim Taranto
One of only 13 players to average at least 19 disposals, four clearances, four score involvements and four tackles per game that qualifies for this team. Ranks No.1 at GWS for tackles and clearances per game.
Zac Bailey
Ranks fifth at Brisbane for scoreboard impact and fifth amongst all wingmen across the competition. Also rates above average for marks, intercept marks, metres gained, pressure acts and tackles per game for a wingman.
Forwards
Aaron Naughton
The Bulldogs have scored 50 per cent of the time they have targeted him inside 50 – the highest percentage of the top-20 key forward targets across the competition. Rates above average for goals, score assists, score involvements, forward 50 marks and forward 50 groundball-gets.
Ben Ainsworth
Has been involved in 27 per cent of Gold Coast’s scoring chains across the entire season – ranked No.1 at the club. Also ranks No.1 at Gold Coast for inside 50s and score assists and has taken the most marks of any general forward across the competition.
Ben King
Has been the second most-used target inside 50 across the competition behind Charlie Dixon. Rates elite for forward 50 groundball-gets and above average for forward 50 marks, goals and score involvements.
Cameron Zurhaar
Ranks equal-10th in the AFL for contested possessions won inside forward 50 and has won possession of the ball 53 per cent of the time he has been targeted inside 50 – ranked third of the top-50 targets across the competition.
Gryan Miers
Ranks No.1 of all general forwards for uncontested possessions per game and ranks third at Geelong for goals and total pressure acts.
Harry McKay
Carlton has retained possession of the ball 62 per cent of the time they have targeted him inside 50, ranked second of the top-20 key forwards to be targeted inside 50. Rates above average for forward 50 marks, forward 50 groundball-gets and goals per game.
Izak Rankine
Ranks sixth across the competition for forward 50 pressure acts of any player to play at least three games this season. Also rates elite for contested possessions, forward 50 groundball-gets and score involvements.
Josh Daicos
Has kicked the third-most goals of any Collingwood player and ranks in the top-five at the club for score launches, effective disposals, post-clearance tackles and crumbing possessions.
Max King
Has been targeted inside 50 the sixth-most of any player in the competition and ranks equal-fourth in the competition for contested marks taken inside 50.
Sam Powell-Pepper
Ranks in the top-four at Port Adelaide for pressure acts, tackles, crumbing possessions, kicks into the forward 50, clearance and gathers from hitouts.
Zak Butters
Ranks equal second at the club for total score assists, behind Robbie Gray and equal with Travis Boak. Rates elite for disposals, contested possessions, uncontested possessions, score assists and score involvements.
Rucks
Sean Darcy
Has won a hitout from 51 per cent of ruck contests – ranked eighth of all ruckman across the competition. Has a hitout-to-advantage rate of 31 per cent – ranked seventh of the 28 players to average at least 15 hitouts per game.
Oscar Allen
The only player in the competition to average at least five hitouts, three tackles and one goal per game this season. Ranks sixth at the Eagles for total scoreboard impact.