Cats win plaudits from fans in annual survey

PATRICK Dangerfield is the best player in the AFL for a second consecutive year, claiming more than 60 per cent of fan votes in the News Corp AFL fans survey.

The reigning Brownlow medallist increased his lead from 2016, rising by 7 per cent.

Champion Data statistics show Dangerfield has improved in ranking points this season, as well as adding more goals, contested possessions and clearances to his game.

The 27-year-old is followed by Lance Franklin (14 per cent) and Dustin Martin (10 per cent), with the trio totalling 85 per cent of total votes.

Martin, who is second to Dangerfield in Brownlow Medal betting, didn’t feature in last year’s survey but has jumped straight into the top three on the back of a career best season.

Franklin leads the Coleman Medal and is sandwiched between Dangerfield and Martin with the second most votes, occupying the position for the second-year running.

Legendary Hawthorn forward Dermott Brereton believes Dangerfield is the best player in the league, but says it’s not as clear-cut as the results may suggest.

“He doesn’t kick it as well as Dustin Martin, and Lance Franklin is the most dynamic forward in the competition again, and that’s what wins you games,” Brereton said.

“Franklin’s been the single reason why in the front half Sydney has been able to kick a winning score over the last 11 weeks. I think the fans have got that right, but I think it’s a lot closer than what the results show.”

Gary Ablett’s stocks are falling. The two-time Brownlow Medal winner received 77 per cent of votes in 2014, 17 per cent in 2015 and 6 per cent last year.

Cats skipper Joel Selwood has overtaken retiring Hawthorn star Luke Hodge as the toughest player in the AFL, according to fans.

Selwood received almost half of all votes (46.66 per cent) to more than double the total received by Hodge (21 per cent).

The result follows a number of courageous acts and bonecrunching hits during season 2017 from Selwood.

However, Brereton believes it’s hard to measure “toughness,” and by his measure Hodge still sits atop the list.

“I think they’re both incredibly tough, but ... I think that Hodge is tougher,” Brereton said.

“Selwood runs in and creates a lot of his carnage and that’s incredibly brave, but that’s his call. Hodge tends to stand underneath the footy a lot and has no idea what’s going to cave him in, so I would think it’s him in my terminology. Hodge wins just by a whisker.”