Ranking the top 10 defenders of the 2023 AFL season

Defenders are arguably the most crucial players on the ground at any time during a game of AFL.

Whilst awards such as the Brownlow and Coleman Medal are highly respected, an award for the game's best defender is yet to be added to the AFL's top awards. Whilst the Brownlow can of course be won by any player, it is undoubtedly a 'midfielder's award' rather than a title for any player.

Whether it be a game-saving mark, diving interception, or a punch of the footy that would make the late great Danny Frawley proud, defenders deserve more recognition in our great game.

In 2023, plenty of defenders had phenomenal seasons. In this list, we tried to break down and order the ten best of the season just passed.

Steven May

Premiership-winning defender Steven May has been a dominant force for a number of years now. He regularly finds himself on these lists of best defenders and 2023 is no exception.

Arguably the best-contested mark in the competition, May once again had a stellar year.

Although his team ultimately disappointed once again in the finals, May was still a strong player for his side. A strong performance in the semi-final loss to the Blues highlighted his importance, holding Coleman medallist Charlie Curnow to only one goal.

Nick Blakey

The dashing Swans half-back Nick Blakey has earned his spot on this list after an outstanding 2023 campaign.

After signing the longest contract extension ever earlier in the year, Blakey showed exactly why the Swans made that deal.

'The Lizard' uses his speed and agility to transition the football better than any defender in the competition. Additionally, his defensive abilities are phenomenal, using his size to his advantage.

Tom Stewart

Despite the club's disappointing season in 2023, Tom Stewart was still as good as ever. Stewart earned his fifth All-Australian blazer in 2023, playing 22 games for the club.

Standing at 190cm, Stewart can play a variety of positions, both attacking and defensive. He can play as both a dashing half-back and an undersized defender.

What makes Stewart unique is his innate ability to cover any position in the back six, and do whatever is required for the Cats.

Callum Wilkie

Playing a remarkable 109 games straight since his debut, Wilkie reached incredible heights in 2023 and was rewarded with his maiden All-Australian jumper.

The Saints arguably had their best season in years and Wilkie was a huge part of their success.

Averaging a staggering 19.8 disposals a game, Wilkie was clearly one of the best ball-using defenders in the entire competition.

The Saints' resurgence under Ross Lyon was due largely in part to Wilkie's incredible rise as one of the premier defenders in the entire competition.

Jacob Weitering

Carlton's man in defence, Weitering had another phenomenal season with the Blues.

As the club made its first finals appearance in over a decade, the two-time Carlton best and fairest led from the front, holding down the fort in the backline.

While he spent time in his early years as a forward, Weitering made the transition to the backline where he has been ever-reliable for his side.

Intercept marks and winning contested battles define the 26-year-old as he aims to take the next step in 2024 and ultimately reach a grand final.

Harris Andrews

The Brisbane defender missed out on an All-Australian blazer in 2023, but that doesn't mean he isn't one of the best in his position.

A formidable force in the Lions' backline, Andrews was integral in the Queensland side's first grand final appearance since 2004.

Regularly beating his forward opponent, Andrews' strength and ability to punch the ball out of play better than anyone in the competition sees him make our list.

The 26-year-old is an ideal co-captain of the Lions and any club would be lucky to have him in their back six.

Darcy Moore

The premiership captain had to feature on this list. Darcy Moore had his best season so far in his career, topped off by winning the flag in his first campaign as captain.

Moore seemed like the perfect successor to former captain Scott Pendlebury, and he proved that he was the right choice.

Renowned for his ability to intercept and move the ball quickly, Moore is an interesting defender in which he attacks just as well as he defends.

In most Collingwood passages of play, Moore will advance the ball forward but can also comfortably keep a key forward quiet.

Tom Barrass

The West Coast Eagles had one of the worst seasons ever in the history of the AFL. Despite this, key defender Tom Barrass was once again outstanding for his side.

Although the Eagles lost by over a hundred on more than one occasion, the argument can be made that without Barrass that would have been a weekly occurrence.

In an undermanned back six, Barrass was a standout for the Eagles every week. Granted, it wouldn't take an absolute superstar to be noticeable for this West Coast outfit, but Barrass is certainly one of the best defenders in the competition.

His intercept and contested marking alone put him high on this list.

James Sicily

James Sicily remains one of the best defenders in the competition.

Hawthorn's reliance on their skipper cannot be understated as he is consistently named amongst the best on the ground every game.

Finally earning his maiden All-Australian blazer in 2023, Sicily averaged a career-high in disposals per game along with marks.

It's very rare for a defender to be tagged but that happened on multiple occasions as teams did everything they could to nullify the 28-year-old.

Sam Taylor

In one of the most heavily debated 'should he or shouldn't he' All-Australian stories, Sam Taylor takes the cake on top of our defender list.

Regardless of his omission from the 2023 All-Australian side, Taylor is head and shoulders above the rest of the defenders in the competition.

With a brilliant kick and an incredible ability to win a one-on-one contest, Taylor proved his value time and time again for the Giants.

Without Taylor this season, the Giants tended to struggle, relying on a smaller backline. As soon as Taylor came back into the side, the difference in confidence and of course games won was noticeable.