FOR the fourth year, on the eve of the premiership season AFL.com.au presented the AFL players with a simple challenge: rank the best 50 players in the League.
Players from all 18 clubs took part in the survey.
There are 15 newcomers in this year's AFL Players' Top 50. Between them they boast seven Brownlow Medals, six Coleman Medals and four Norm Smith Medals. Five are NAB AFL Rising Star winners.
Two players rocketed from outside the list into this year's top 20.
The 2017 countdown starts with Demon hard nut Jack Viney's debut at No.50, continuing until Thursday, March 16, when the AFL's No.1 player – according to his peers – is unveiled.
The AFL has so far released players ranked between 36-50, and two Lions have already featured.
Coming in at position 46:
Dayne Beams
Brisbane Lions
Midfielder
Last year's ranking: 28
Official AFL Player Rating: 302
Debut: 2009
Games: 128
AFL Fantasy value: $519,000
Beams is coming off a season he'd rather forget, playing just twice before undergoing knee surgery to fix an ongoing tendon issue. Despite his time out of the game, the 27-year-old is still arguably the best player on the Lions' list with his mix of inside ball-winning and outside run and quality ball use. Beams has had a slightly interrupted pre-season and just how well he returns will be an interesting Lions storyline in 2017.
Coming in at position 36:
Dayne Zorko
Brisbane Lions
Midfielder
Last year's ranking: -
Official AFL Player Rating: 10
Debut: 2012
Games: 101
AFL Fantasy value: $640,000
Zorko stood head and shoulders above his teammates in a tough 2016 for the Lions. The diminutive midfielder won his second successive Merrett-Murray Medal for best and fairest, averaging 23 disposals, six tackles and kicking 23 goals. He has explosive pace from the contest, is dangerous when pushing forward and did not drop his standards despite the Lions winning just three games. His fellow players clearly expect more of the same in 2017.
The list so far:
50. Jack Viney (Melb)
49. Tom Hawkins (Gee)
48. Trent Cotchin (Rich)
47. Travis Boak (Port)
46. Dayne Beams (Bris)
45. Michael Hurley (Ess)
44. Jordan Lewis (Melb)
43. Stephen Coniglio (GWS)
42. Heath Shaw (GWS)
41. Jobe Watson (Ess)
40. Adam Treloar (Coll)
39. Steele Sidebottom (Coll)
38. Taylor Walker (Ade)
37. Luke Shuey (WC)
36. Dayne Zorko (Bris)
Also see: JLT Team
