Nearing the halfway point of the season, many players across the league have taken their game to the next level and continue to improve into integral players for their club's success.
Unlike many other professional leagues around the world, the AFL has no current award or accolade for a Most Improved Player, which made me want to rank the players who have improved the most this season compared to last year.
I'll be judging improvement based on eye test, an uptick in stats, and growth in their respective roles for the club. Note that this is ranking them based on their level of improvement, not the players' form themselves.
Players like Christian Petracca and Will Hayward will miss the cut since their improvement in play is more measured by playing for a different club.
8Archie Roberts
Essendon's downward spiral has resulted in the ball mainly spending its time in their back 50 and with that has come the accumulation of touches from one of their young halfbacks. Currently top three in disposal averages for the season, Roberts has definitely improved in some aspects, but his numbers are yet to be reflective of his impact and even the team's success.
