We arrive at the midway point of my top 50 AFL Players ahead of the 2018 AFL Premiership season. Part three of this five-part series will see me name players 30-21 as we not only pass the half-way point, but we approach the pointy end of this list. Some of these players were very unlucky not to crack the top 20. In case you missed out on who's already been listed, click the links below to see the first two parts.
Part One: 50-41 Part Two: 40-31 If you have caught up with us let's get onto the players named 30-21 in my top 50. 30. Toby Greene – Greater Western Sydney Career Games: 117 Career Goals: 123 After winning the Giants' best and fairest award and earning himself an All-Australian selection in 2016, Toby Greene backed up his great year with a year that some may dispute is even better. There were times where he was ill-disciplined, but if you take that away momentarily and look at the fact that he kicked 45 goals in just 19 games of league footy last year. There's no questioning the talent that this man has to offer and the fact that GWS locked him away on a six-year, six million dollar deal is proof that he is a valuable asset.
29. Sam Jacobs – Adelaide
Career Games: 174 Career Goals: 45 Since crossing over to Adelaide from Carlton, Sam Jacobs has been consistently enormous as the Crows' number one ruck choice. In 2017, Jacobs elevated himself as one of the game's best ruckmen, leading all rucks in the league in hitouts, averaging nearly 40 per game and was rewarded with a spot in the All-Australian squad of 40. Ultimately missed out in favour of Paddy Ryder, but Jacobs' competitive nature and ability to give his midfielders first-use of the ball is extremely valuable.
28. Dayne Beams – Brisbane Career Games: 147 Career Goals: 149 After two years cruelled with knee and shoulder injuries, the former Magpie was named captain ahead of 2017 and had his best year since crossing over from Collingwood. He played all but three games and averaged 27 disposals, five clearances and three inside 50s per game and kicking 20 goals for the year. Proved to the AFL world that he does in fact make a fine captain of a football club that has lacked results in recent years and is the man that can lead his side out of the mire.
27. Zach Merrett – Essendon Career Games: 81 Career Goals: 31 Enjoyed himself a breakout 2016 in a depleted Essendon roster, averaging 30 disposals per game. With Heppell, Watson and company back in the fray for 2017, Merrett showed that 2016 was not just a case of 'stat-padding', playing all but one game for the year, and averaged 30 disposals, five tackles, four clearances and four inside 50s per game, and was rewarded accordingly with an All-Australian spot on the wing. Hard to believe that he is only 22 years of age and is already putting in consistently great games and I can't wait to see him continue to emerge.
26. Jarryd Roughead – Hawthorn Career Games: 253 Career Goals: 529 His comeback to footy last year was one of the more 'feel-good' stories of 2017. Named captain for 2017, Roughead played every game for the Hawks last year and despite a slow start to the year, Roughead eventually regained the skills that made him such a presence wherever you put him. Took home Hawthorn's goal-kicking award last year with 38 goals and proved to be very inspirational and stood up when the times got tough at Hawthorn last year. With another full pre-season under his belt, expect Rough to come back and deliver another beauty of a season.
25. Luke Parker – Sydney Career Games: 151 Career Goals: 117 Highly regarded as one of the league's hardest midfielders, Luke Parker is one of those players who not only can thrive at the contest, but can be a very damaging presence up forward too. Between 2014-16, Parker averaged between 25-26 disposals, at least five clearances, at least five tackles and a goal per game. In 2017, Parker's goal averaged slightly dipped, but his performances were still worthy enough to have him win the Swans' best and fairest – the second of his career.
24. Paddy Ryder – Port Adelaide Career Games: 210 Career Goals: 146 With the way Paddy Ryder played his football in 2017, you wouldn't have thought he was returning from a 12-month suspension. But Ryder showed how classy and dominant he was at times as Port's number one ruckman last year, averaging a career-high 38 hitouts per game, along with four clearances, three inside 50s and 12 disposals per outing. Was rewarded with his first-ever All-Australian selection as the ruckman, and with good reason. He's often very clever with his hitouts – remember the Ryder-to-Gray moment in round 19?
23. Joel Selwood – Geelong Career Games: 249 Career Goals: 145 Some are going to argue that Geelong captain Joel Selwood is worthy of a top-10 selection, but I just can't see it. He's consistently been tough, resilient and courageous whenever the contest is there to be won and has always been a very good clearance player and a consistent tackler. However, my doubts with Selwood are on the basis of – will he and can he make impact on games anymore? It's one thing to get the ball, it's another thing to make something of it and I don't see that in him as much anymore.
22. Eddie Betts – Adelaide Career Games: 277 Career Goals: 534 Since crossing over to the Crows at the end of the 2013 AFL season, Eddie Betts has lead the Crows in goals kicked every season. 244 goals in 93 games as a Crow – when you look at it from that standpoint, it's hard not to be impressed with how Eddie has been since making the jump from Carlton to Adelaide. The past three years he has been the number one small forward – named in the All-Australian team in 2015, 16 and 17 and could still give a couple of seasons of great service yet.
21. Jeremy McGovern – West Coast Career Games: 79 Career Goals: 29 Perhaps one of my favourite players in the AFL at the moment, Jeremy McGovern is highly regarded as one of the league's best intercept-marking defenders today. Made it two All-Australian selections in a row last year after another fantastic year in defence, he led the league in contested marks (Averaging 2.5 per game) and his ability to even play as a forward or even a ruckman has been well documented, but his best footy is most definitely as a key defender. He reads the play so well and has really sure hands.
We get stuck into the start of the final 20 tomorrow on Bulldogs Centre as Alex continues his Top 50, naming the players ranked 20-11.