If you listen to any old-school coach, they’ll mostly tell you the same thing. Forwards might sell tickets, but it is great defenders that drive premierships.
Over the years, there have been some wonderful AFL premiership teams that have had their success underpinned by a powerful key position player.
Through the 1980s, the Hawks had Chris Langford – likely underrated by many. The powerful Eagles and Kangaroos of the 90s had Glenn Jakovich, John Worsfold, Glenn Archer, and Mick Martyn working over forwards, whilst the Blues had Stephen Silvagni at fullback when they lifted their last premiership cup.
As time has worn on, the key defender has become more and more important as coaches and structures build around the big man who can not only nullify the impact of a forward, but springboard the attack as well.
Matthew Scarlett, Darren Glass, Alex Rance, Dustin Fletcher… they have all played pivotal roles in the success of their respective teams, and with September drawing closer, there are three key defenders making huge statements in the AFL in 2023. Could one of them be the key to their side holding the cup aloft?
You could argue pretty successfully that 2023 has been the year of Darcy Moore. Up until this point, anyway.
Named captain for his first season, Moore has emerged as a powerful on-field leader, never shirking away from a direct matchup with one of the league’s best big man, and backing himself to get the job done. At the helm of the Magpies, Moore has led from behind, often streaming out of defence with that hunched running style that would make anyone over 45 smile – it is the same way his father, Peter =, used to tear up the turf as he tucked the footy under his arm and ran in a fashion that other rucks simply were not capable of.
Moore sits third in intercepts per game and also ranks tenth in one-percenters. On three occasions in 2023, he has reached double figures in two of those categories, earning a Defensive Double-Double for himself. He played those three games in a brilliant stretch of footy from Round Seven through to Round Ten, averaging 22 disposals, 9.75 one-percenters, 11.75 intercepts, and 7.8 Rebound 50s as his Pies went 4-0.
But he is not the only big man having a massive season.
Up in Brisbane, there has been a significant shift of opinion around the capacity of the Brisbane defence to carry this team deep into September.
Coming into the season, the ongoing concussion issues affecting Marcus Adams looked to derail the Lions’ pursuit of a flag. Brisbane pinned their hopes on two things – that Jack Payne could fill the shoes of Adams, and that Harris Andrews could turn the clock back to once again find his All-Australian form.
Luckily, they got both!
Andrews relished having the big-bodied Payne taking on the gorillas of the league, allowing him to dominate as both an interceptor and spoiler. Like Moore, Andrews controlled defensive 50, barking orders and positioning himself to continually thwart the best-laid plans of midfielders attempting to feed their forwards. As they kicked long and high, Andrews licked his lips and made those contests his own.
As with Moore, Andrews notched three games where he recorded Defensive Double-Doubles. He sits second all-time in that stat category, with just Alex Rance (19 times) ahead of him. For the record, Andrews has 15, and looks certain of catching the retired Tiger before all is said and done.
With Andrews in this type of form (13th in average intercepts and second in one-percenters), Brisbane have been able to move from tenth in terms of points scored against, up to fifth this season, with their co-captain calling the shots.
And there is one more in contention that looked highly unlikely a couple of months back.
Sam Taylor returned to the GWS Giants in Round 14 and since then, his team has not dropped a game. I know there is a multitude of factors that contribute to a win, but having Taylor back in defence, taking the best offensive player on the opposition each week has guaranteed the Giants of at the very least, a breakeven.
And at the most, he has given them complete defensive dominance.
If you’re one of those people who half-arses it when it comes to opposition teams, it may be time to wake up and take notice. GWS have stormed into the top eight, with Taylor leading the way. He is averaging 10.8 intercepts per game and he adds 9.1 one-percenters per contest to those numbers as well. They’re ranked first and sixth in the league, respectively.
I don’t want to come across as some kind of mathematical genius here, but that is 19.9 contests per game that Taylor is either winning or halving… and that is bloody ridiculous!
He has four games this season where he has grabbed a Defensive Double-Double, including three of his last five games, where he has just backed himself in every contest. And the two games in that streak where he hasn’t notched double figures, he has missed by two one-percenters in Round 18 and one intercept in Round 19.
In fact, over the course of the last six games, Taylor has averaged 11.3 one-percenters and 10.83 intercepts. That is as dominant as defending gets in the modern game.
Only he and Darcy Moore are ranked in the top ten in the two big categories for key defenders (intercepts and one-percenters)
As we enter the last month of footy before the finals, we start to ponder the All-Australian team and how it will look. Usually, selectors bumble and fumble around before announcing a team that has average footy fans screwing their noses up. This year will not likely be different, and in defence is where a lot of the big decisions will be made.
Will they count Nick Daicos as a defender as a way to squeeze another midfielder into the team? He has played half the year off a half-back flank, so it is not beyond the realms of possibility. And if not, do they do that with Jack Sinclair, who has also run through the middle quite a bit?
Who of Luke Ryan, James Sicily, Tom Stewart, Dan Houston, and Charlie Ballard will make the cut?
And of course, if there are three key defenders with seasons that are definitely worthy of AA selection, who misses out? Does Jacob Weitering sneak in and trump them all after being robbed in 2021?
Some people may believe that the minds of the selectors may already be made up. Taylor looks the most vulnerable, due to missing six games with a pretty bad hamstring injury, but his form since his return demands that he be considered. The next four weeks are more important than ever when it comes to a decision like this – memories fresh in the mind of selectors will likely sway their goldfish-like minds. It’s not a great time to have had a fantastic first half of the year. Sorry, Callum Wilkie…
So, who gets left out?
Moore, Andrews, Taylor, Stewart, Sicily, Daicos, Sinclair, Ryan, Wilkie, Weitering, Houston, Collins… there is going to be some good players left out this season.
For mine, I’d have the back six as follows.
B – Sinclair Moore Taylor
HB – Stewart Andrews Ryan
Nick Daicos gets into the team in the guts. Let the arguments begin…
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