Amid the thrilling 2023 AFL season, you might be asking who is the best AFL player right now? Few players have shone brightly, showing remarkable skills and performance on the field.
In this article, we will try to answer this question and present you with some of the best AFL players currently in the league.
Top 10 famous AFL players in 2023
Here is a list of the top 10 famous footy players in the AFL for 2023. Read on to see if your favorite player made the list.
1. Christian Petracca
Club: Melbourne
Position: Midfielder
Debut: 2016 vs St Kilda
Career Matches: 176
Career Goals: 170
Goal Assists: 156
Melbourne's standout midfielder-forward has not only lived up to the claim of being one of the most popular AFL players in 2023, but has also positioned himself as the frontrunner for the coveted Brownlow Medal.
He topped the charts in inside 50s, score involvements, and goal assists, ranking second in meters gained. Among the top 80 players with the most disposals, none have scored more goals than he has. Some would say that him scoring in any match is a safe bet and if you're thinking about betting on AFL, you might want to check our list of the best betting sites in Australia.
2. Nick Daicos
Club: Collingwood
Position: Midfielder
Debut: 2022 vs St Kilda
Career Matches: 47
Career Goals: 26
Goal Assists: 20
Nick Daicos is one of the hottest AFL players and in 2023 he was among league leaders in three critical categories: disposals, uncontested possessions, and meters gained. Daicos expresses impeccable ball-handling skills and exceptional work ethic, whether operating from half-back or in the midfield.
His contributions have been instrumental in Collingwood's exceptional 11-1 start to the season and, more importantly, their triumphant finish of the season in which they were crowned champions after beating Brisbane Lions in the final.
3. Zak Butters
Club: Port Adelaide
Position: Midfielder
Debut: 2019 vs Melbourne
Career Matches: 93
Career Goals: 54
Goal Assists: 69
Butters embodies the spirit of a true competitor as a famous footy player. He's a force to be reckoned both in attack and on the defensive end, equally adept at winning the ball in tight contests and open spaces.
His ball-handling skills are top-notch, with a knack for making the most of every touch and delivering pinpoint passes when entering the 50.
4. Marcus Bontempelli
Club: Western Bulldogs
Position: Midfielder
Debut: 2014 vs Carlton
Career Matches: 216
Career Goals: 200
Goal Assists: 171
Bontempelli has been showcasing a wide range of skills in the 2023 season and at one point after 12 weeks, he was the only player in the league to be ranked in the top five for clearances, contested possessions, and tackles.
Bontempelli possesses one of the most formidable challenges in the sport, which is no surprise why he made our list of AFL famous players.
5. Jordan Dawson
Club: Adelaide
Position: Midfielder
Debut: 2017 vs Collingwood
Career Matches: 109
Career Goals: 50
Goal Assists: 54
Dawson's extraordinary journey from an under-the-radar Swan to the captain of the Crows in just two short years has been one of the most remarkable surprises of the 2023 season.
Today, he's making a solid case for himself as one of the popular AFL players and the league's top midfielders. Dawson's game is marked by exceptional balance and his ability to distribute the ball with finesse, making him one of the finest in his position.
6. Jeremy Cameron
Club: Geelong
Position: Key Forward
Debut: 2012 vs Sydney
Career Matches: 230
Career Goals: 584
Goal Assists: 127
Cameron has slipped a bit in the rankings compared to his scorching start to the 2023 season. At the six-game mark, the Geelong forward was sitting pretty at No. 1 on this list, with a staggering 27 goals under his belt and talk of a 100-goal season gaining traction. In fact, many bookmakers saw this as a realistic option, including Ladbrokes Australia.
However, Cameron's performances dropped and he finished the season with 53 goals, which is still a respectable number. Overall, he is one of the best AFL players at the moment.
7. Clayton Oliver
Club: Melbourne
Position: Midfielder
Debut: 2016 vs Greater Western Sydney
Career Matches: 162
Career Goals: 51
Goal Assists: 98
In the 2023 season, Oliver stood out as one of the player with the highest average of contested possessions. Champion Data's rankings classify Oliver as elite in nearly every midfield statistic, covering aspects such as disposals, contested possessions, uncontested possessions, kicks, handballs, ground ball pickups, clearances, meters gained, score involvements, and pressure acts.
8. Noah Anderson
Club: Gold Coast
Position: Midfielder
Debut: 2020 vs Port Adelaide
Career Matches: 81
Career Goals: 29
Goal Assists: 32
Anderson stands out as one of the best young players in the AFL and he is certainly the future of the league, although his performances in 2023 showed that he is the league's present as well.
At one point in the 2023 AFL season, Anderson was a part of a select trio who have achieved four games with 17 or more contested possessions this year, joining the ranks of Patrick Cripps and Lachie Neale. Impressive company, indeed.
9. Jordan De Goey
Club: Collingwood
Position: Midfielder
Debut: 2015 vs Brisbane
Career Matches: 158
Career Goals: 191
Goal Assists: 101
An intriguing argument can be made that De Goey has been the standout and most pivotal player for the Magpies in 2023. The versatile midfielder-forward has found a missing piece in his game: consistency.
After all, De Goey has achieved career-high averages in several key categories, including disposals, contested possessions, clearances, inside 50s, and goal assists.
10. James Sicily
Club: Hawthorn
Position: Key Defender
Debut: 2015 vs Essendon
Career Matches: 134
Career Goals: 61
Goal Assists: 26
Despite the infamous snub from last year's All-Australian team, Sicily still secures a spot in our top 10 most famous AFL players at the moment and rightfully so.
Sicily stands out as elite in almost every aspect, encompassing vital statistics like disposals, kicks, inside 50s, rebound 50s, contested possessions, uncontested possessions, intercept possessions, ground ball pickups, meters gained, score involvements, and score launches.
