As we approach Round 3 of Season 8 for AFLW — and with the AFL(M) finals series commanding a lot of attention — here at Extra Time, we’re pumped about the season and what lies ahead! To celebrate, we’re going to spend some time across each week of the W season looking at the numbers, considering player comparisons, and highlighting interesting elements of games, teams, players and who knows what else — we’ll decide when it happens. This week we’re taking a more historic approach, reflecting on the careers so far of two of the best to ever grace the footy field, two who have been part of all eight seasons so far, Ebony Marinoff (ADE) and Jasmine Garner (NMFC).
Ebony Marinoff is arguably the best player in the league. As we throw around names like Erin Phillips, Bri Davey and Ellie Blackburn — all superstars in their own right — Marinoff has been dominant across all seven seasons when it comes to the statistics.
She is the all-time leader for total disposals (1473), close to 200 more than the next in line, Paxy Paxman from Melbourne. She is the only player to lead the league in disposals in multiple seasons (Season 3, 2019 and Season 7, 2022), and has been in the top five for total season disposals in four of seven seasons so far. The only player to appear in the top five more than Marinoff is her teammate, Anne Hatchard, who leads the AFLW with five top-five appearances when taking into account total disposals per season.
Marinoff’s ability to gather disposals is clear when we examine the data, but her dominance over time goes much deeper. She’s the all-time leader in 12 of the 30 listed statistical categories on the AFLW stats website, and she sits in the top five of three others. Okay, so leading clangers (312), frees against (109) and turnovers (413) might not be on any player’s wish list, but standing at the top of the podium when it comes to total kicks (1023), disposals (1473), tackles (569), clearances (283) and metres gained (24,153), among other statistics of note, is a pretty amazing feat.
Jassie Garner, not unlike Marinoff, sits near the top of the tree when it comes to the all-time statistics leaderboard. Though she doesn’t lead any category overall, she is in the top five in eight separate categories — notably in second place for score involvements (257), inside 50’s (229), goal assists (29) and marks (256). She has had a stellar career so far, starting at Collingwood in Season 1 (2017) where she spent two seasons as one of Collingwood’s most consistent players, and then moving to North Melbourne for Season 3 (2019), their inaugural season, where she’s led from day one.
A team and club favourite, Garner also boasts an impressive disposals record that no one else across the AFLW can claim. Garner is the only original AFLW player (player to have played every AFLW season since the league kicked off back in 2017) to have an incremental increase in total disposals each season. Yes, the number of games per season may have grown, but Garner — collecting 62 disposals in season one (7 games) and adding to this cumulative number year-on-year ever since — is the only player to have achieved this feat, proving her increasing dominance and continued ability to influence games for her team.
Comparing two of the best is a difficult task, and there are areas that set these two players apart. With Marinoff, the AFLW Fantasy Football follower’s dream, she’s leading outright with a total of 6,578 points over seven seasons, while Jassie Garner sits not far behind her in second position with a total of 5,216 points.
Both key midfielders for their respective teams, they present consistent efforts each week that have well and truly influenced game outcomes. Both have been selected as All-Australians on five occasions (along with Melbourne star Paxy Paxman), behind only Emma Kearney who is on her own at the top with seven selections. Garner does have one All-Australian Captain title to her name though (Season 7, 2022), while Marinoff does not. Garner also leads the way when it comes to Club Best and Fairests, taking home the award at North on three occasions (2020, 2021 and 2022), with just the one for Marinoff (2021).
Although hard to break the two when it comes to deciphering just who is more influential in the competition, we took a closer look at their numbers across all seven seasons. And guess what? It didn’t help us! If we review the per game averages from 2017–2022, they are near inseparable when you observe the data presented. Both players are averaging over 85 per cent time-on-ground, and a near exact inside 50 count (with more than three per game). The only area of the game of note that separates the two is Marinoff’s tackles-per-game dominance, at more than double Garners (Marinoff 8.5 versus Garner 4.2).
Two of the best going around, Marinoff and Garner continue to lead their clubs with distinction, and the figures don’t lie. Season 8 began only a week ago, and already these two are leading the charge. Marinoff topped her side with 32 disposals, 1 goal and 112 Fantasy points, while Garner led her team with 29 disposals, 1 goal and 120 Fantasy points. In fact, they both sat as the best statistically rated players on the ground in their respective games for Round 1. They are both already on track to continue their impressive statistical records, and we can’t wait to revisit this discussion at season’s end, to see just how much they impacted the competition in 2023.
If you have a player, team or stat you want us to dig deeper into, let us know!
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