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.

6Josh Treacy

Big deal signed by Fremantle's breakout forward
PERTH, AUSTRALIA - JULY 27: Josh Treacy of the Dockers celebrates after scoring a goal during the 2024 AFL Round 20 match between the Fremantle Dockers and the West Coast Eagles at Optus Stadium on July 27, 2024 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Will Russell/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Some say he has the best hands of any player in the competition. Treacy is an integral part of Fremantle's dominance this season and has taken over games when called upon through his explosive leading ability and positional work in contests. Though he's already shown signs of excellence in previous seasons, his improvement ranking is diminished because of this.

JOIN THE DISCUSSION