Gryan Miers capped off a stellar first half of the 2023 season with another strong performance against the Western Bulldogs last weekend, dishing off three more goal assists to keep within striking distance of the AFL record.
Miers has taken his game to the next level this season averaging over 18 disposals per game, a substantial increase from his 15-possession average across 2022.
But entering the forward arc is where Miers has produced his very best in 2023, racking up 20 goal assists in his opening 12 games this year which already eclipses his 19 assists last year.
Miers will have a chance to chase down Jason Akermanis’ all-time goal assist record in the back half of the season, needing 24 assists from the remaining 11 games to reach the top of the table.
Akermanis’ single season goal assist record has stood untouched for nearly two decades, after amassing 44 assists in the 2004 season.
The record has remained well clear of any challengers, with Cats legend Cameron Mooney sitting second in the category with 36 assists in 2008.
Official AFL statistics have rated Miers as the best kick in the competition this season when entering the forward-50, with a staggering 55 per cent of his kicks leading to scores.
Cameron Ling and Meghan McDonald discussed Gryan’s incredible start to the season on this week’s episode of ‘To the Final Bell.’
"He's at 20 goal assists to this point, the record is the great Jason Akermanis, who had 44 goal assists in a season,” Ling said.
“His kicking style is different, but it works so unbelievably well for him.
"It adds to his footy IQ level, he is scanning and seeing those targets and the shape of his kicking style allows him to pull those little kicks.
"It is so difficult to do.”
Miers has found a marking target with 47.5 per cent of his inside-50 entries this season, an incredible 16.7 per cent clear of the second placed Jai Newcombe.
Being trusted more with the finishing kick inside attacking 50, Miers has averaged 4.4 inside-50s per game this year which is another significant increase from the 2.6 he averaged last season.
Ling and McDonald debated Miers’ All-Australian chances to this point of the season.
“When you're the best in the comp at kicking inside 50, you've got to be in the conversation,” McDonald said.
"Yes, I think he has to be in the squad, Ling replied. "I don't know how many stats get looked at, but obviously his goal-assist tally could be potentially record breaking this year.
"That level of creativity, and his running power up and down the ground as well, it's not just the kick inside forward 50.
"I think he has got to be there.”
