14. Joel Selwood

AFL Games: 24

Average disposals: 28.3 per game

Average marks: 3.5 per game

Goals: 9

Easy to forget Geelong’s inspirational leader completed next to no pre-season with a foot injury, and fought a race against time to face the Hawks on Easter Monday as a result. Defying the odds, he never missed a beat in 2016 and pieced together a sensational year which saw him named All-Australian captain for the second time and lead the Cats back up the ladder to a preliminary final.

15. Matthew Hayball

AFL Games: 0

VFL Games: 15

Average disposals: N/A

Average marks: N/A

Goals: N/A

The lightly built utility did well to make an impact at VFL level in his first season as an AFL-listed player and has a solid foundation to build on over the summer. Kicked 11 goals from 15 games, including four against Werribee in round 15 and looks to be a player who has time and space with ball in hand.

16. Scott Selwood

AFL Games: 5

Average disposals: 20.2 per game

Average marks: 3.8 per game

Goals: 0

Arrived at Simonds Stadium from West Coast via free agency and immediately began the lengthy road back from a debilitating ankle injury. Impressed with his approach to rehabilitation and turned a corner half way through 2016 to play four VFL games before earning a long-awaited senior debut for his new club. Blanketed the likes of Sam Mitchell and David Zaharakis and will be buoyed by his finish to the season.

18. Josh Cowan

AFL Games: 9

Average disposals: 15.3 per game

Average marks: 3.6 per game

Goals: 3

Repaid the faith of the club this season after an injury-plagued start to his career. The 25-year-old speedster returned to the AFL side in round 17 against Fremantle and never looked back, playing every remaining game including both the qualifying and preliminary finals. Brought intensity and dash and his ability to help the Cats in transition was rated highly.

19. Mitch Clark

AFL Games: 1

VFL Games: 8

Average disposals: 10 per game

Average marks: 3 per game

Goals: 0

A tough year to find consistency for Clark. The ruck/forward overcame a troublesome calf injury through the summer and early rounds to become a focal point of the VFL Cats’ attack, threatening to dominate every time he took to the field. Was called up to face Sydney in round 16 and was serviceable but structure saw him omitted the next week. Rightly focused on home following the early arrival of his twin boys and did not play another game after round 19 in the VFL.

20. Ryan Gardner

AFL Games: 0

VFL Games: 15

Average disposals: N/A

Average marks: N/A

Goals: N/A

Geelong’s first pick in the 2015 national draft is a quiet achiever who did everything to impress in his first season at Simonds Stadium. The young defender claimed some big scalps at VFL level and none bigger than Collingwood’s Travis Cloke, who he held goalless in round 6. Will continue to develop in the gym and could find a debut awaiting him at some stage in 2016.