As we speed toward the 2025 AFL season, it’s time The Mongrel starts to focus on the good that may come to fruition over the now-25 rounds of footy.
Records are made to be broken and right now, we are living in a golden age for AFL statistics. Of course, it would probably be a platinum age if the AFL and Champion Data actually made more stats available instead of drip feeding the public, but that’s how they make money from the clubs, right?
What a terrible set-up.
Alas, it is left for us plebs to rifle through whatever stats remain to see just who is making inroads at the top. And that’s what I’ve done.
Scott Pendlebury is now the all-time leader in disposals, having become the first man to surpass 10,000 disposals, but it appears as though he is not finished there. As of the commencement of 2025, Pendles is the leader in four statistical categories, and there may be one more by the end of this season.
Disposals, uncontested disposals, handballs, and tackles all currently belong to the Collingwood champion, but is there anyone on his tail?
DISPOSALS
The only player in the top thirty that is a remote chance at getting near Pendlebury is Lachie Neale, who is currently ranked 20th all-time, but remains 2,849 disposals behind the leader. Over the past three seasons, Neale is averaging over 700 disposals, and he’ll have to continue for at least four seasons to catch Pendles. Might be a bit too much to ask, as Neale turns 32 in May.
Both Travis Boak (9th all-time, 1653 behind) and Patrick Dangerfield (13th, 2393 behind) cant catch him, barring some incredible luck – good for them and bad for Pendles.
With Pendlebury still running around, this record could stand for a very, very long time.
UNCONTESTED DISPOSALS
Pendelbury’s closest rival is teammate, Steele Sidebottom, who is currently in sixth position, but remains 940 uncontested possessions behind. This one is safe for a loooong while, as well.
HANDBALLS
Again, Travis Boak is the man closest to Pendles, but as it likely be the final year for Boak, making up the 765 handballs to catch the leader is not gonna happen. Lachie Neale is 980 behind and is averaging over 400 per season for the last three years.
TACKLES
Pendles is 99 tackles away from becoming the first man to reach 2000 tackles in a career. He surpassed Joel Selwood to take the throne, and with Boak again his closest competitor (342 behind), this looks safe, as well.
Well, now that we’ve spent a couple of minutes marvelling at Pendlebury and his accomplishments, maybe it’s time we focus on a few others, huh? I’m certain Pendles’ name will come up again. He has that type of career.
Todd Goldstein continues to grow his lead in the all-time hit outs category. His 10,181 is 2,780 ahead of Max Gawn, who continues to grow his own legend. Gawn is now into third place, all-time, and trails only Goldy, and Aaron Sandilands.
Gawn is turning 33 before the new year. I used to think he would catch Goldy, as I expected the leader to have retired by now. However, even in a back-up role, you’d expect Goldstein to grab another few hundred hit outs.
Gawn had over 700 hit outs in 2024. If he can replicate that for a couple of years, he may have a shot at displacing Goldy at the top. As it stands, he is 3-4 years away. Can we see Gawn going on at 37?
Patrick Dangerfield is already the all-time leader in contested possessions, pushing past retired Sydney champion, Josh Kennedy during the 2022 season. He has established a handy lead, with Danger now at 4,419, and Pendles the only clear rival at this point, sitting in second place, with 4,167.
Danger also holds a second record. He is the all-time leader in inside 50s. With 1,679 to his name, he has a healthy enough lead over Travis Boak (179 behind) to remain the man for a long while. Marcus Bontempelli may be the one to eventually topple him. He is currently 453 behind Dangerfield, with time on his side.
Danger could also become a three-time record holder. Actually, scratch that. He WILL be, as soon as his first game of 2025. He currently sits just one clearance behind former teammate, Joel Selwood. Dangerfield is on 1,843, with Scott Pendlebury (1,769) and Lachie Neale (1,740) on his tail.
Looking further down the list, Patrick Cripps is easily topping 150 clearances per year, and sits 363 behind Danger. Further, still, Clayton Oliver is 637 behind and was someone I viewed as the future leader, but it will be interesting to watch whether his 2024 was an anomaly, or the new normal.
In terms of one-percenters, Harris Andrews continues to set the standard. He now sits as the number one man, with 1,959 to his name. His main rival would be Steven May, who has 1,639. Andrews is still just 28 years of age. He is going to set a massive number to chase in the future.
Adam Saad bounces the footy a lot, huh? He has just the lazy 673 over the course of his career. Of course, that still places him 382 behind all-time leader, Brent Harvey
Eddie Betts remains the only man to notch 300+ goal assists in a career. Behind him, and closing in, is… bloody Scott Pendlebury! Mr Everything, is just 18 behind Betts, and given he had 12 in 2024, things could get really tight, particularly if this is Pendles’ last season.
And finally, Dustin Fletcher was simply ahead of his time. He remains on top in terms of Rebound 50s, with 1,865. Of the current crop of players, Steven May is the next best, with 1,166. Fletch lives!
And that’ll about do. By the end of 2025, we may have Pendles as the leader in five different categories, and Dangerfield as the all-time leader in three. We get the privilege of watching these two for at least one more year. Enjoy them.
As always, massive thanks to those who support this work. It is a labour of love for me, and having you guys as members of the site basically keeps me going. So sincerely… thank you – HB
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