The prince who was promised has truly blossomed into the king of the jungle, as father-son Lion Will Ashcroft stands above the rest with the greatest positive player rating differential between the home-and-away season and the finals.
Ashcroft himself wondered aloud if he was stiff to not be coronated as the Norm Smith Medallist for a remarkable third consecutive year, after his 31 disposals on the biggest stage.
Nine clearances, seven score involvements and almost 500m gained somehow only tell half the story, with Ashcroft almost single-handedly orchestrating the remarkable four-minute burst that delivered the club their second threepeat this century.
It was an unbelievable star turn for the golden-locked father-son, and one that saw his differential between home and away football and September football jump to +5.5 rating points.
That is better than every player on record since player ratings became a metric, per Andrew Whelan's WheeloRatings.
The league's only three-time Norm Smith Medallist, Tigers legend Dustin Martin, sits second in these stakes, with a differential of +3.9, while Geelong defender Zach Guthrie sits third on +3.3.
Collingwood captain Darcy Moore and Ashcroft's live-wire teammate Kai Lohmann round out the top six.
Biggest +ve differential between finals and home & away ratings (10+ gm)
+5.5 - Will Ashcroft (16.8 v 11.3)
+3.9 - Dustin Martin (18.0 v 14.1)
+3.3 - Zach Guthrie (10.7 v 7.4)
+3.0 - Michael Walters (13.7 v 10.7)
+3.0 - Darcy Moore (12.8 v 9.9)
+2.8 - Kai Lohmann (10.3 v 7.5) https://t.co/bwY7tA2xHK— Andrew Whelan (@andrew_whelan) September 27, 2026
However.
Martin still owns the highest average player rating of any player to play in three or more grand finals, and comfortably.
Ashcroft sits equal-second, with retired Swan Josh Kennedy - who notably starred in the 2016 Grand Final loss - for company.
Highest average player rating in Grand Finals (2012-2026), 3+ Grand Finals
26.5 - Dustin Martin 🏆🏆🏆
18.7 - Will Ashcroft 🏆🏆🏆
18.7 - Josh P. Kennedy 🏆⚪⚪
18.3 - Shane Edwards 🏆🏆🏆
16.4 - Hugh McCluggage ⚪🏆🏆🏆
16.4 - Luke Hodge ⚪🏆🏆🏆
16.2 - Isaac Smith⚪🏆🏆🏆🏆 https://t.co/u8QiGhrj3V— Andrew Whelan (@andrew_whelan) September 26, 2026
Creedence is added to the "home and away Heeney" narrative, with the suspended Swan owning the second-worst negative differential (-3.5) of all time, trailing only retired Crow, Richard Douglas.
Heeney has been haunted by poor performances on the biggest stage, notably as a member of three losing grand final sides, and two that were absolutely pantsed by the Cats and Lions in particular.
Ashcroft will now turn his attention to the history that a fourth consecutive flag would represent.
Only the fabled Magpies of almost 100 years ago have achieved that feat.
