AFL: 1997-Present: Key Defenders
 

As with the Run Withs, I've included some stats, but obviously the most important stat for a key defender (number of goals your opponent kicks) isn't readily retrievable. I've included disposals per match to give a sense as to which players are more purely negative, and which are more creative.

We're looking for TWO key backs at this stage. The option to select a third will be there in the final polls.

1. Ben Hart. Adelaide. 1992-2006
311 games. 13.7 dpm. Twice Premiership (97,98). All Australian 1992, 93, 99, 2002. Adelaide B&F 1999, 2002.

2. Ben Rutten. Adelaide 2003-2009
114 games. 13.3 dpm. All Australian 2005.

3. Chad Cornes. Port Adelaide 1999-Present
208 games. 18.2 dpm. Premiership (2004). All Australian 2004, 2007.

4. Chris Grant (could equally be a key forward) Footscray. 1990-2007
341 games. 14.7 dpm. Also 554 goals @ 1.6 per match. 1st in 1997 Brownlow count (ineligible due to suspension). 3 time All Australian (1997, 1998, 1999). 2 Bulldogs B&F. Note he played probably half his games as a forward, and half as a back, so the goals per match figure is a tad misleading.

5. Darren Glass. WCE. 2000-Present
178 games. 9.9 dpm. Premiership (2006). All Australian 2006, 2007. WCE B&F 2007.

6. Dustin Fletcher. Essendon 1993-Present
300 games. 14.2 dpm. Two Premierships (1993, 2000). All Australian 2000, 2007. Essendon B&F 2000 (Premiership Year).

7. Glen Jakovich. WCE. 1991-2004
276 games. 17.2 dpm. Two Premierships (1992, 1994). All Australian 1994-95. WCE B&F 93, 94, 95, 2000. Hall of Fame Inductee 2008.

8. Justin Leppitsch. Brisbane. 1993-2006
227 games. 12.2 dpm. Three Premierships (2001-2003). Three time All Australian. Brisbane B&F 1999.

9. Mal Michael. Collingwood/Brisbane/Essendon. 1997-2008.
238 games. 9.8 dpm. Three Premierships (2001-2003).

10. Matthew Scarlett. Geelong 1998-2009
217 games. 14.2 dpm. Premiership 2007. All Australian 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008. Geelong B&F 2003.

11. Max Hudghton. St Kilda. 1997-Present
229 games. 10.1 dpm.

12. Sean Wellman. Adelaide/Essendon. 1994-2004.
212 games. 14.1 dpm. Premiership 2000. All Australian.

13. Shane Wakelin. St Kilda/Collingwood. 1994-2008
252 games. 9.8 dpm.

14. Simon Prestigiacomo. Collingwood. 1996-Present
206 games. 7.2 dpm. (Robbed of All Australian Status in 2002.)

15. Trent Croad. Hawthorn/Fremantle. 1998-Present
222 games. 12.2 dpm. Premiership 2008. All Australian 2005.

Going Fletcher and Scarlett. Jakovich would be a walk-up start if we were looking at overall career, but in the period in question he was not the player he was before he did his knee in 96.

Big fan of Fletcher but he isn't the best CHB of the era for me, that goes to Leppa but Fletch is in the defence somewhere, just wouldn't back him to beat Carey, or Johnathon Brown for strength, thus has a weakness that could be exploited. FB is Scarlett's hand down.

Scarlett and Chad Cornes

Jakovich is probably the best of the CHBs but not in the period named. Went with Scarlett and Leppitsch.

Cornes or Hart could still get in as a non-key back IMO, since we're only picking two.

Be interesting to see where Grant was selected in the All Australian sides that he made. I went with him, because even though he played a lot up forward, I still think that he's the best of the CHBs named during that period; as stated Jakovich was never the monster gun that he was pre-knee injury.

Would pick Cornes on the bench in my side, best swingman going around. Don't think he's necessarily the best CHB of the past 12 years though.

He kicked 37, 42, and 37 goals in 1997, 98, and 99, so he probably spent sometime forward those years, although he wouldn't have topped the Brownlow votes in 97 as a full time forward who only kicked 37 goals, so he must have played back a bit that year. 2004 looks to be the only year he didn't venture forward at all.

According to the teams listed on Wikipedia, which I only just found (don't know why it didn't come back before when I searched): in 1997, Grant was named at CHF, and 98-99 on the bench, probably as a swingman.

:detective

Taking this a step further, here's a breakdown for a few years of games he polled Brownlow votes in with, and without scoring a goal.
1992: 8 votes, all from matches he scored multiple goals in.
1994: Scored 71 goals that year, and polled 15 votes, mostly in games where he scored multiple goals. But got a 3-vote game in a match where he scored no goals, and another 3 in a match he scored only 1 goal.
1996: Only scored 16 goals for the year, but got 20 Brownlow votes, including 4 3-vote games where he was goalless, and 2s, and 1 votes in matches he scored 2 goals or less.
1997: 37 goals, 27 Brownlow votes. Was voted best on ground on 8 occasions, only two of which saw him kick more than 2 goals. Conversely 2 of the BOGs saw him goalless.

And so it goes on. He's almost equally likely to have polled votes in games where he kicks a bag, or where he goes goalless.

I'm changing my vote from Fletcher to Grant btw.

I went Scarlett and Grant. Agreed that Jakovich was past his prime by 1997 whilst Turtle had just come into his. Came down to him and Leppitsch for CHB, and wasn't a hard choice for mine.

As a Bullies fan, do you recall how much of the time he played back as opposed to forward over this period?

Went Fletcher and Hudghton because Scarlett's a ****.

Ian Fairley stiff to miss, IMO, although not as much as Carlton great Mick Martyn...

Yeah, Martyn should've been in.

I think the interesting thing about this poll is that people have gone for Leppitsch because he was a centre half forward, when really, these days, the distinction between a CHB and a FB is often pretty academic. CHF/CHB has gone the way of 'Wing' as a theoretical position only really. There are forwards who play deep, and there are others who lead up more, but the classic position is gone IMO.

No Craig Bolton? Heart and soul of one of the best defenses in recent years.

Nah, he's a ****. :p. jk there was always going to be someone I missed.