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State of Origin on SN tonightChampion Data’s top 10 players after Round 8
Connor Scanlon • May 7th, 2025 1:58 pm
Who has been 2025’s best player so far on Champion Data's rating system?
Analyst Daniel Hoyne has revealed that and the competition’s top 10 players this season after Round 8 according to their rankings.
See the top 10 below.
10 – Bailey Dale (Western Bulldogs)
“Four of the last five years, if he continues like that, will be a top 10 player in the competition (based) off our rating system,” Hoyne told SEN’s Sportsday.
9 – Nick Blakey (Sydney)
“This will be three years in a row (in the top 10) if he continues this way.”
8 – Paul Curtis (North Melbourne)
“There is a lot of talk off the back of what (Patrick) Dangerfield did on the weekend… Who is that All-Australian forward at the moment?
“(Because) this guy is flying at the moment.”
7 – Jack Sinclair (St Kilda)
“A staple in our top 10.
“Jack Sinclair, going really well.”
6 – Andrew Brayshaw (Fremantle)
“Andrew Brayshaw’s never been a top 85 player in our ratings system.
“He’s always hovered around that top 100 rating because he’s able to win the footy and he’s able to impact with his pressure.
“How he is using the footy is the reason why he has elevated his game this year.”
5 – Riley Thilthorpe (Adelaide)
“Riley Thilthorpe still hanging around in there.
“Fifth-highest rated player at the moment, number one rated key forward in our game.
“How he wins it forward half of the ground… He does that so well.”
4 – Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (St Kilda)
“Interesting to see him play a little bit more centre bounce minutes over the last couple of weeks.
“How he uses the footy is up there with the best in the competition.”
3 – Ben Long (Gold Coast)
“That’s the biggest surprise of the year.
“I think the competition is aware of what this guy is doing.
“He’s significant to what (Gold Coast) have done this year.”
2 – Ed Richards (Western Bulldogs)
“Has been inside our top 50 for the last three seasons.
“But what he is doing at the moment, he is the game’s best midfielder.
“His performance on the weekend and so far this year has been superb.”
1 – Lachie Ash (GWS)
“What this guy is doing at the moment has been phenomenal.
Hoyne also revealed key players to watch based off their ratings system – both negative and positive.
Other notable players that have risen and fallen
Josh Ward (Hawthorn)
“Josh Ward at the moment is flying, in terms of his ability to impact the game," Hoyne said.
“He might be another beneficiary of this blessing-in-disguise piece of opportunity through injury.
“He’s now starting to get a lot more centre bounce minutes, and what he’s doing at the moment is superb.”
Oliver Dempsey (Geelong)
“Ollie Dempsey is flying at the moment… He’s a top 50 player in the competition.
“If you think he’s a winger, you’ll get fooled and you’ll get exposed.
“Treat him as a forward and not a winger.”
Bailey Williams (Western Bulldogs)
“Bailey Williams has moved down back for the Dogs over the last couple of weeks.
“He’s going extremely well, playing as a permanent defender.”
Max Holmes (Geelong)
“He’s gone from the fifth-best player in the comp last year to outside the top hundred at the moment.
“They need to get him up and going. Jeremy Cameron likewise – he’s currently sitting at 110.”
