Often regarded as the best players in the competition, the AFL's top midfielders are placed in the upper echelon of football talent.
The most likely position to win the AFL's esteemed awards, from Brownlows, to Norm Smith's, to club best and fairests, midfielders clean up as they roam the full field. Regularly running farther than other players, the best midfielders have incredible endurance as they accumulate touches of the football again and again.
In recent times, the ability for midfielders to hit the scoreboard has become a key part of the best midfielders' game, whilst influential touches are seen as greater than amassing a pile of possessions for little impact.
With onballers typically the best player on each team, there are plenty of players to choose from when determining a top 10. So, before we delve into the 10 best midfielders, here is a group of players unlucky not to be rewarded with a spot on the list...
Snubs:
*Positions based on Champion Data's 'midfielder' qualifications.
4. Nick Daicos
At just 21 years of age, Daicos has already surpassed many of his competitors as one of the AFL's best midfielders. Averaging 30.7 disposals per game, Daicos is a natural accumulator, although he has impressively transferred his possession-gaining from the uncontested half-back line to in amongst the contest.
Daicos' disposal figures stayed relatively the same in 2024 compared to the premiership-winning season, but his contested possessions per game jumped up by five. His average of 13.9 was the fifth-best in the league this season - last year, he ranked 62nd.
Daicos also averages over 5.5 inside 50s per game and 7.3 score involvements. The skilled father-son was just three goals shy of averaging a goal per game in 2024, kicking 20 for the year.
From an impact standpoint, Daicos' clutch moments in 2024 superseded many of his rivals. A monumental snap in the dying stages against Carlton tops the list, but his poise in close finishes is a captivating attribute of his skillset.
