This list features 10 of the most iconic performances of the year; players shining in the most pressured environments, producing jaw-dropping displays of individual dominance, and team-carrying efforts under severe duress.
A lot goes into judging the top on-field performances in our code, systems and algorithms don't seem to capture the memorability of the moment, the conditions of the arena, the magnitude of the contest or even the match-winning efforts that transpire.
Fantasy points and SuperCoach scores highlight the best accumulative players on any given day, but also don't do justice to what will appear in the history books decades down the line. Bobby Hill's fantasy scores in his Norm Smith Medal performance might not jump off the page, but the emotion and buzz it created as it unfolded will leave it fresher in the memory banks to tell future generations.
Without further ado, number 10 on this list is...
6. Marcus Bontempelli - Rd 6 vs Fremantleย
Stats: 31 disposals @ 80%, 2 goals, 9 score involvements, 10 tackles, 6 marks
The Bulldogs were already at risk of letting their season slip away come Round 6 against Fremantle, boasting a regrettable 2-3 record with a clear top four worthy list of players.
Enter Marcus Bontempelli with a captain's performance from the top shelf, controlling the momentum of the game from the opening bounce with silky ball use, defensive pressure and an immense presence around every stoppage.
'The Bont' led from the front in the opening stages and put the game to bed in the fourth, collecting 31 damaging disposals, 18 contested possessions and kicking two majors, including one after a final quarter mark of the week contender inside 50.
The lack of magnitude in a 49-point victory with a lifeless interstate crowd watching their side be tormented by one of the great individual performances probably shrinks its status from reaching the top five. Still, not much can beat watching 'The Bont' at his best.
