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Garry Lyon’s Top 10 AFL players right now
SEN • February 18th, 2026 9:41 am

Garry Lyon has named his Top 10 AFL players as it stands.
On the back of Kane Cornes rolling out his Top 50, Lyon undertook the task of naming his Top 10.
There are four different players to the 10 that Cornes selected with some differing positions, namely Sam Darcy at 6 instead of 1.
“These are very subjective,” Lyon said on SEN Breakfast.
See Gaz’s list below:
10. Riley Thilthorpe (ADE)
“I might get held down about Thilthorpe but I just think he is a dominant presence in the game.”
9. Errol Gulden (SYD)
“I haven’t got Isaac (Heeney) in. I’ve got Gulden ahead of him.
“That’s just a preference. I love Isaac Heeney by the way but I’m a huge Gulden man.”
8. Hugh McCluggage (BRI)
7. Max Gawn (MEL)
“I still see him as the dominant big man.”
6. Sam Darcy (WB)
“He could very well be No.1 by the end of the year. In fact, I expect him to be.
“He’s just not there quite yet. I don’t know what Kane’s criteria is if Darcy is No.1 right now or No.1 by the end of the year.”
5. Matt Rowell (GCS)
4. Harris Andrews (BRI)
3. Zak Butters (PA)
2. Marcus Bontempelli (WB)
1. Nick Daicos (COL)
“Just consistent output at an unbelievable and elite level.
“Bont does that as well and Butters is getting there consistently.”

