There is an interesting photo that was taken exactly 12 months ago of then Brighton Grammar students, Andrew McGrath (School Captain) and Blake Hayes (1st XVIII captain). The pair are holding aloft the 2016 APS premiership cup.

For both boys it was their third premiership in a row, having started in Year 10. For both boys the 12 month journey since has been interesting to say the least.

Hayes won a scholarship to University of Illinois as a Punter in their American football team.

His schoolmate McGrath was isolated inside 50 facing the most destructive forward line in the AFL. His opponent was a bloke called Betts.

Adelaide had 62 inside 50s and because of Mark Baguley’s absence there was little if any rotation time for McGrath. He has just turned 19 so it was a stunning display of concentration, fitness and positivity to win the ball. McGrath had 25 possessions. Betts had seven.

Hawthorn people will say Ryan Burton is home and hosed for the AFL Rising Star award. He is 18 months older than McGrath and has the bonus of having an extra pre-season under his belt, having been drafted in the 2015 intake. Burton also plays higher up the ground. Hawthorn likes to set him up between wing and half back which brings his reading of the play into the game.

McGrath in his first year has basically played inside the last 35m of the ground and given that Essendon concede an average of 60 plus inside 50s against, he has been constantly under pressure and isolated. McGrath is recorded as having the most ‘one on one’ contests in the team.

Therefore, McGrath match ups read as below, over the course of the games this season. By his own admission Jamie Elliott from Collingwood is his hardest opponent, but as I said to him the other week; ‘Andrew, have you blokes sent out a search party for Johannisen’.

Adelaide: Betts, Cameron

Brisbane: McCluggage, Zorko, Taylor

Carlton: Palmer, Wright, Petrevski-Seton

Collingwood: Elliott, Fasolo, Blair, Broomhead

Melbourne: Garlett, Kennedy-Harris

WCE; LeCras, Cripps, Mutimer

Richmond: Castagna , Rioli

Hawthorn: Rioli, Breust, Puopolo

Geelong: Menzel, Motlop

GWS: Taranto, Lloyd, Greene

Port: S. Gray, Impey, R. Gray

Sydney: Papley, Florent, Hayward

Saints: Gresham, Billings, Lonie

North: Simpkin

WB: Johannisen, McLean, Dahlhaus

So from school to those match-ups in just 12 months. You have to remember that there is a lot of ‘rolling over’ onto different opponents and a lot of covering. The McGrath/Betts match up was a rarity given the old-fashioned 1 v 1 nature.

Andrew McGrath has been a composed presence in defence throughout his first season.

So here is the key to the argument.

1. Weight for age. Andrew has gone straight to Group One status with limited barrier trials.

2. Quality of opponent constantly over the course of the year gives him a higher ‘degree of difficulty’.

3. He has the best defensive rating in the competition for those who have more than ten 40 minute match ups this season. That takes into account who he has played on and what the player did against him. It’s relative to the opponent. (This is a significant statistic in McGrath's favour).

4. Area of the ground: he's played on the ‘last line’ under intense pressure. The Manchester United great Sir Alex Ferguson called it ‘Squeaky Bum’ time. Andrew has had the most one on one contests inside defensive 50.

5. What will be thrown up is possessions so in fairness here are McGrath’s numbers:

- Averages 19.3 possessions

- 4 marks per game

- 2 free kicks per game against

- 3 tackles per game

- Disposal efficiency 82%

6. Politics in AFL? No way.

What I like about McGrath and Burton is their consistency. The likes of Pepper-Powell and Taranto and fallen away in the second half due to form and injury. The likes of Burton, Marchbank, Hipwood, Silvagni and Curnow are all genuine rising stars BUT have a year’s head start on McGrath.

There is another player from Hawthorn that will fly under the radar, Blake Hardwick, who plays in defence.

Essendon people pick McGrath, Hawthorn people with push up Burton, South Australians Pepper-Powell, and the Lions lobby will have a big go at Hipwood. Freo will push up Ryan and the Blues cartel will remind us that they have five nominations (a very good effort).

It is a natural inclination as club supporters will see their player play every week. They see McGrath once.

At the end of the season, nine AFL personalities (typically administrators and All-Australian team selectors) vote for five of the nominees, with their top selections earning five votes, their second selection earning four votes, etc. The player who receives the most votes is the winner. The current selection panel includes AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan, the AFL Football Operations Manager, AFL National Talent Manager Kevin Sheehan and former players Kevin Bartlett, Luke Darcy, Danny Frawley, Glen Jakovich, Cameron Ling, Matthew Richardson and Warren Tredrea.

Therefore, I have had a go at uncluttering club bias but mounting a case for McGrath based on the five criteria I presented and his list of opponents.

State of development, position played, degree of difficulty of position, quality of opponent and balance between defence and attack. Andrew McGrath will be hard to beat.

3. McGrath (Ess)

2. Burton (Haw)

1. C. Curnow (Carl)

Robert Shaw is a former AFL Coach and the current Coach of Brighton Grammar - where Andrew McGrath played before he was drafted by the Bombers.