The best finals players of the past decade revealed

There’s one player who has dominated finals this decade, but which player is setting an historic pace for epic finals performances?

WHEN it comes to the best finals player of the past decade, the numbers match the eye test; it’s Dustin Martin first and daylight second.

And third.

But ahead of his first ever preliminary final on Friday night, Hawthorn’s Jai Newcombe is currently on a pace not even Dusty could match.

Since 2016, coaches have given votes to the best players in every final for the annual Gary Ayres Medal. An extension of the AFL Coaches’ Association voting in the regular season, each coach gives votes on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis, with Grand Final votes getting a 1.5 weighting.

With no Brownlow votes in finals, the Ayres Medal is the closest thing we have to a subjective measurement of the best finals players of the past 10 seasons.

Unsurprisingly, with three Norm Smith Medals in his possession, Richmond superstar Martin is miles in front.

From 13 finals, including the 1.5 weighting in Grand Finals, Martin finished his career with 93 votes. In the 10 seasons of the award, it puts him a staggering 40 votes ahead of Geelong superstar Patrick Dangerfield (53 from 22 finals) in second.

Lachie Neale (52.5 from 17 finals) and Isaac Heeney (45 from 15) are next, while Collingwood superstar Jordan De Goey – a renowned finals performer – is eighth with 35 votes from 14 finals games.

Just two votes behind De Goey is Newcombe, who has produced a string of stunning performances in his short finals career to date.

Having picked up 10 and five votes in Hawthorn’s two finals last year, the Hawks midfielder has been awarded eight and 10 in the past fortnight, bringing his total to 33 from just four games.

It’s a success rate that, while early days, not even Martin can match; Newcombe’s average of 8.3 votes per final is the best in the award’s history, ahead of only Fremantle star Caleb Serong (7.3

from three finals) and Martin (7.2 from 13).

Martin’s dominance over a long period of time and Newcombe’s hot start to his finals career are reflected in Champion Data’s Player Ratings.

No player in the history of Player Ratings (since 2010) has ranked best afield in four straight finals, let alone the first four of a career, like Newcombe has. His average of 21.2 points in finals is the best in the past 10 seasons, with Martin second on 19.8 and West Coast’s Luke Shuey third on 17.5.

Of the top 35 highest Player Ratings in finals since 2016, Newcombe is one of seven players still alive this season.

Last year’s Norm Smith Medal winner Will Ashcroft (ninth, ave 16.2 from six finals) and Newcombe’s teammate Lloyd Meek (12th, ave 15.8 from four finals) both sit in the top 15, while De Goey, Dangerfield, Shaun Mannagh and Jack Crisp are all expected to feature this weekend.

Neale (ave 15.4) and Tom Mitchell (ave 14.6) also rank highly, but both are considered outside chances to play again this season.

Most Gary Ayres Medal votes*
(Minimum three finals)

Dustin Martin – 93 (13 finals)
Patrick Dangerfield – 53 (22)
Lachie Neale 52.5 – (17)
Isaac Heeney 45 – (15)
Hugh McCluggage 42 – (18)
Jack Macrae 35.5 – (12)
Bachar Houli 35.5 – (12)
Jordan De Goey 35 – (14)
Lachie Whitfield 34 – (18)
Luke Shuey 34 – (9)
Jai Newcombe 33 – (4)
Tom Hawkins 33 – (18)