While the Brisbane Lions enjoyed a short break last weekend as part of the Split Round, lions.com.au decided to take a look at the team’s stats leaders so far this season.

GAMES
Only five Brisbane Lions have played in every match so far this season – and three of them are aged 20 and under!

It’s no surprise to see the ever-durable Dayne Zorko and Jed Adcock on the list, but few probably would have predicted Justin Clarke, Marco Paparone and draftee Lewy Taylor to be among the last men standing.

The fact that Clarke, Paparone, and Taylor have been involved in every match is not only testament to their ability to stay fit and healthy throughout the season, but also the fact that their form has warranted regular selection.

Hopefully all five can hold their place for the remaining six matches and finish with 22 matches under their belt in 2014.

DISPOSALS
Tom Rockliff has been the Lions’ premier ball-winner in 2014, and currently averages a career-best 29.4 disposals per game – largely helped by a record-breaking 45 disposals against Fremantle in Round 14.

Only two-time Brownlow Medallist Gary Ablett (32.1 disposals per game) and Sydney’s Josh Kennedy (30.2) average more possessions than Rockliff this season.

The Lions Vice-Captain is on target to be the first ever Lions player to average 30 or disposals in a season.

Even recently retired midfield superstar Simon Black couldn’t achieve that feat throughout his career. Black’s best return was 26.8 disposals per game in 2011.

Jack Redden (23.9) and Pearce Hanley (23.1) round out the top three possession-getters on average, while ruckman Stefan Martin (19.5) ranks sixth at the Club following his remarkable return to senior football.

Meanwhile, much improved defender Ryan Harwood boasts the best disposal efficiency at the Club.

82.3% of Harwood’s 158 disposals this season have been effective, closely followed by Captain Jed Adcock (80%), and Joel Patfull (79.7%).

First-year defender Daniel McStay might have only had 32 disposals in his first three senior matches, but his efficiency rate of 78.1% ranks him fourth at the Club.

MARKS
Two-time Merrett-Murray Medallist Patfull has taken more marks (75) than any other Lions player this season –and his 14 contested marks are also a Club high.

In terms of marks inside 50m, retired champion Jonathan Brown still clearly leads the way with 23 – even though he’s missed five and a half games this season.

Daniel Merrett is second with 13 marks inside the 50m arc, while no other player has achieved double figures.

HITOUTS
Stefan Martin’s emergence has been one of real positives for the Lions in the second half of the season.

Not only has Martin been effective around the ground (he averages 19.5 disposals, four tackles, and four clearances per game), but he is also getting his hands on the ball at ruck contests.

In fact, his average of 29.7 hitouts from his six games this season, ranks him ahead of injured pair Trent West (24) and Matthew Leuenberger (20).

When all three ruckmen are fit, it will certainly give the Lions Match Committee some headaches at the selection table.

TACKLES
Jack Redden’s former title as the Lions’ number one tackler has been passed over to good mate Tom Rockliff in 2014.

Not only is Rockliff the Lions’ leading tackler with 119 from 13 matches, but his average of 9.2 per game is the highest of any player across the AFL competition.

He is just ahead of Bulldogs tackling machine Tom Liberatore (8.6 per game), and Giants midfielder Jacob Townsend (7.5), while Redden ranks fourth with an average of seven tackles per game.

LAST LINE OF DEFENCE
One of the key performance indicators for defenders includes one percenters – which incorporate aspects of the game such as spoils and smothers.

Justin Clarke still boasts more one percenters than any other Lions player with 127 from 16 games at an average of 7.9 per game.

Across the entire competition, Clarke ranks third behind Gold Coast’s Steven May (173 one per centers) and Melbourne’s Tom McDonald (144).

Patfull is the Lions’ next best with 82 (average of 5.5 per game), however Matt Maguire averages more with 5.9 per game. 

Jed Adcock, meanwhile, remains the clear team leader in terms of rebounds from 50m, with 66 from his 16 matches.

Not only is Adcock repelling opposition teams’ forward entries, but his high disposal efficiency rate (as stated earlier) means that the ball is generally safe in his hands.

Rockliff has the second most rebounds with 49, which is testament to the amount of ground he covers on a weekly basis.

SCORING POWER
Josh Green looks to have all but secured the title as the Lions’ leading goal-kicker for 2014, with 22 goals from his 14 matches this season.

He is only one goal ahead of five-time leading goal-kicker Jonathan Brown, but the champion centre half-forward’s retirement means that he won’t be adding to his tally in the final six weeks.

That leaves Dayne Zorko (13 goals) and Sam Mayes (10 goals) as Green’s closest competitors.

But considering no Lions player has kicked more than four goals in a single game this season, it’s unlikely that either Zorko or Mayes could catch the Tasmanian goal-sneak from here – particularly as both players are expected to spend more time in the midfield over the final six matches due to Redden’s season-ending ankle injury.

Zorko does, however, lead the way in terms of goal assists, having directly contributed in a further nine goals, and has also pumped the ball inside 50m more times than any other Lions player (65).

AFL PLAYER RATINGS
Tom Rockliff, Josh Green, and Joel Patfull have been the big movers in the AFL Official Player Ratings in the past couple of months.

Rockliff has rocketed to 26th overall, up 22 spots since the Round 10 Bye, and is the only Lions player to feature within the Top 50.

Pearce Hanley (59th) and Dayne Zorko (72nd) have maintained their rankings to place second and third respectively at the Club, while Jack Redden’s absence has seen him drop 23 positions down to 82nd spot.

Green rounds out the top five at the Club, rising 38 spots – and overtaking Jed Adcock and Daniel Rich in the process – to sit 139th overall.

Patfull also jumper 40 positions to be 155th overall and sixth at the Lions.

The top 10 rated Lions are as follows:

26. Tom Rockliff (488 points)  - up 22 spots
59. Pearce Hanley (446) – up one spot
72. Dayne Zorko (431) – down 5 spots
82. Jack Redden (420) – down 23 spots
139. Josh Green (369) – up 38 spots
155. Joel Patfull (354) – up 40 spots
156. Jed Adcock (354) – down 13 spots
157. Daniel Rich (353) – down 107 spots
200. Ryan Lester (318) – down two spots
247. Sam Mayes (285) – new entry

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
If you ask Lions fans whose been the Lions’ best this season, the overwhelming vote has been for Tom Rockliff.

Fans are asked to submit their votes post-game for the Lions’ best player, using the familiar 3-2-1 format.

At the end of Round 16, Rockliff is a clear leader for Player of the Year with 327 votes – more than twice the amount of Dayne Zorko (159 votes) and Pearce Hanley (157 votes) who are in a tight battle for second place.

Jack Redden (146) and James Aish (75) round out the top five.

There’s still six matches to go in the 2014 season, however it’s going to take some kind of effort for someone to catch Rockliff given his substantial lead.