Stats show a familiar Patten

IF someone had to guess who the top possession-getter of the GFL season was after 10 rounds, they may guess someone like Matt McMahon.

Nope, have another go. Nathan Deans? No, try again. Tony Armstrong? Not quite.

In a star-studded field, Bell Park’s Lachie Patten (pictured) is the competition’s most prolific ball-getter.

With 243 possessions to date since stats were first taken in Round 3, at an average of 30 per game, Patten leads the TAC Stat Tracker field ahead of St Mary’s Jarryd Garner (240) and Armstrong (237).

Not that the Dragons cocaptain is getting too caught up about it.

“It’s come as a bit of a surprise, I would never think I’d be top,” Patten said this week after learning he was the No. 1ranked ball-winner.

“When I first came to Bell Park I was more of a halfforward, and being a lighter body I probably didn’t go through the midfield much.

“Now being a bit more mature I can run through there and hold my weight in there, not being that smaller guy anymore.”

While Garner may be built like an ox and Armstrong blessed with his speed and smarts, Patten has unassumingly made his way to the top.

Not possessing a big build or explosive speed, Patten has brought himself into the competition’s elite with guile, a big engine, a crafty left-foot and high workrate.

Only once has he made an interleague team — as a 19year-old in the BFL while at Drysdale — but it won’t be long until he should be one of local footy’s household names.

“I’d be kidding myself if I didn’t think I was having a good season,” said Patten, whose lowest possession tally in a single game was incredibly 23 in Round 5.

“I am happy where it’s all at individually, but I really want to make sure I’m bringing the other guys up from a team point of view, because at the end of the day we want to be playing finals out on Kardinia Park. It’s the reason you play.”

It is the team aspect of football where Patten’s drive comes from, having been voted in as co-captain this season at just 25 alongside good friend Jackson Bright.

As unassuming as he may be on the field, there is scarcely a more popular or respected player at Hamlyn Park.

“I think we complement each other in the way we go about it really well,” Patten said of the captaincy with Bright.

“It’s good to share it with a good mate too — I play golf with him every weekend.”

With a tough four-week run ahead against St Mary’s (today), Leopold, St Joseph’s and South Barwon, Patten said 2019 would be a “fail” if the 7-3 Dragons didn’t make finals from here.

“We’ve got a good base,” Patten said. “Now we’ve got a massive four weeks coming up.

“We’ve been patchy throughout the year, but we think our best can take it up to the more quality sides in the comp.

“It would definitely be a fail if we didn’t get in the top five.”