Ahead of the announcement of the All Australian team on September 22, afc.com.au will present a (somewhat biased) argument for Adelaide’s nominees: Eddie Betts, Patrick Dangerfield, Rory Laird and Taylor Walker.
In the first instalment, we’ll tell you why Eddie Betts deserves a place in the final 22.
Please note the statistics don’t includefinals
Because he kicked more goals than any other small (or smallish) forward …
Betts surpassed his previous-best effort of 51 goals last year to kick a career-high 58 this season. The brilliant forward’s remarkable goal haul saw him finish third in the Coleman Medal behind only key-position players, Josh Kennedy (West Coast) and Jeremy Cameron (GWS). This was despite Betts playing one fewer game (21), as a result of Adelaide’s cancelled match against Geelong, than most of the other top-ranked goalkickers.
The mercurial Crow’s main rivals for a small forward position in the 2015 All Australian team are Cyril Rioli (Hawthorn) and Chad Wingard (Port Adelaide). Rioli kicked 35 goals from 20 matches while Wingard, who played all 22 games, finished sixth in the Coleman Medal with 53.
Because he does other stuff too …
Selfless (sometimes to a fault), Betts looked to bring his teammates into the game. The reigning Crows leading goalkicker ranked second behind Kennedy in total scoreboard impact, which factors in scores, assists and also accuracy. Wingard was sixth in this Champion Data statistic, while Rioli was 16th. Rioli led the trio in goal assists with 21, but Wingard (20) and Betts (19) weren’t far behind.
Another vital part of a small forward’s game in the AFL today is defensive pressure – Betts is elite in this area and has been for a long time. He ranked sixth in the League for forward 50m tackles with 34 – two fewer than Rioli (36). Wingard laid 23 forward 50m tackles – ranked 25th overall, level with Betts’ protégé Charlie Cameron.
Betts averaged fewer possessions (13.9) than Wingard (19.2) and Rioli (15), but won more 25-plus more disposals inside forward 50m (169) – ranked second overall behind Kennedy. With the exception of a few bursts through the midfield, Betts is a genuine small forward. He had only 40 centre bounce involvements this season compared to Rioli’s 129 and Wingard’s 121, which explains why his total possession numbers are lower.
Because he bends it better than Beckham himself …
Betts boasted the best goalkicking accuracy (70.7 per cent) of any of the top 10 goalkickers, which is an incredible feat considering some of the shots the crafty 28-year-old attempted! From his pocket at Adelaide Oval, to pockets all around the country and left-foot torps on the run, Betts can – and usually does – kick them from everywhere.
Because everyone loves Eddie …
How can you not? That big smile. Making friends in the crowd and accepting bets from others, even opposition fans marvel at what Betts can do. He’s been nominated for the All Australian team three times before (2011, 2012 and 2014), but is yet to earn a place in the final team. Surely, this is his year …
