Whether it’s racking up possessions at will, dissecting opposition defences by foot, setting up his teammates in front of the sticks or kicking majors himself, there isn’t much Seymour midfield maestro Jack Murphy can’t do.
Widely regarded as one of the favourites for the Morrison Medal, Murphy has enjoyed a prolific season in maroon-and-blue, stamping himself as one of the competition’s most consistent accumulators.
And while 2022 has been jam-packed with standout performances, he may have saved his absolute best for Tatura last weekend, dominating the game from start-to-finish to put together one of the most complete games we’ve seen from any player this season.
So through the power of GVL Data, let’s delve a little deeper into just how impactful Murphy was on his day out at Kings Park.
Having gathered the most disposals of any player in the league this season (29.1 per game), it’s no surprise that this performance stemmed from his ability to win the football.
Finishing the day with an astounding 39 disposals, second in the match behind fellow Lions on-baller Rory Scopel, the Tatura boys simply could not stop the former Northern Bullants and Coburg talent from getting his hands on the ball.
But we all know there is much more to being an elite midfielder than just getting the ball.
Renowned as one of the best ball users in the league, Murphy made the Bulldogs pay by foot, sporting an impressive kicking efficiency of 63 per cent.
He also made his presence felt around the contest, racking up 16 ground ball gets and winning seven clearances.
What made Murphy’s game extra special however was the impact he had forward of the ball.
Stationed across half forward for large portions of the match, he pumped Seymour inside 50 on five occasions, helping give the likes of Kyle Winter-Irving and Tom Hedley a number of scoring opportunities.
But close to the sticks was where Murphy was most damaging, weaving his magic to play his hand in four score assists, while making his presence felt on the scoreboard by booting a game-high four goals himself.
Goal-kicking midfielders are the type of players that win you games of football, especially at this time of year, and as these numbers suggest you will find none better in the GVL than Jack Murphy.
At a glance
Jack Murphy v Tatura, round 17
Disposals: 39
Data points: 151
Kicking efficiency: 63%
Marks: 8
F50 marks: 5
Handball receives: 11
Ground ball gets: 16
Clearances: 7
Inside-50s: 5
Score assists: 4
Goals: 4