With the first half of the Goulburn Valley League season in the books, GVL Data gives us the perfect tool to assess who the top movers and shakers are across the competition.
When it comes to ranking points, there is one player leading the way with a wide spread of clubs represented across the top 10.
Rochester’s Joseph Atley is currently at the summit with a total of 1235 ranking points across his nine games, just ahead of Echuca’s Sam Reid (1201) and Mansfield’s Lachlan Murphy-Dale (1171).
Continuing down the list, Euroa’s Will Hayes (1138) is in fourth, ahead of Nathan Hrovat of Shepparton Swans (1093) and Kyabram’s Zac Norris (1069).
Shepparton off-season recruit Adam De Cicco is the seventh highest points-getter with 1060, with Seymour duo Jack O’Sullivan (1009) and Ben Rigoni (993) and Tatura’s Ethan Penrith rounding out the top 10.
With reigning Morrison medallist Rigoni and O’Sullivan on the list, Seymour is the only team that has two players featuring in the top 10.
While Atley is leading the way on total points, it is instead someone else who holds the ranking points crown on a points-per-game basis.
Hayes holds the highest average score with 142.3, ahead of Atley’s 137.2.
Hayes and Atley are leading the competition in other key statistics too.
The Euroa midfielder has the most disposals out of anyone in the league (284), while Atley has collected the most contested possessions (141), hardball gets (45) and handballs (141).
Up forward, a pair of Cats are leading the way in front of the big sticks.
Mooroopna’s Jackson Trengove is the clubhouse leader in the race for the leading goal-kicker with 29 majors, ahead of teammate Chris Nield in second on 25.
Goulburn Valley League stats leaders
Ranking points (total): Rochester’s Shaun Atley (1235)
Ranking points (average): Euroa’s Will Hayes (142.3)
Disposals: Euroa’s Will Hayes (284)
Contested possessions: Rochester’s Shaun Atley (141)
Goals: Mooroopna’s Jackson Trengove (29)
Marks: Kyabram’s Lachlan Norris (74)
Tackles: Echuca’s Sam Reid (71)
Clearances: Kyabram’s Zac Norris (82)
Hitouts: Benalla’s Joshua Marchbank (362)
Mansfield’s Ben Christopher (23) and Jayden Magro of Shepparton United (22) and Rochester’s Sean Williams (22) round out the top five in front of goals.
Kyabram’s Lachlan Smith can boast the cleanest set of hands in the GVL, with the Bomber on top in three major marks categories – total marks (74), intercept marks (38) and contested marks (25).
His Bombers teammate Norris has been the best at getting the ball out of the contest, he has a league-high 82 clearances this season.
Echuca’s Sam Reid has shown he is willing to work as hard without the ball as he is with it, with the Murray Bombers midfielder having collected the most tackles out of anyone with 71.
When it comes to the competition’s big men, Benalla’s Josh Marchbank has been standing tallest in the ruck.
The Saints tap master has recorded a colossal 362 hit-outs this year – 88 more than Shepparton’s Bryce Stephenson in second and 119 more than Euroa’s Andrew Smith in third.
Marchbank has a huge lead in hit-outs to advantage too, with his mark of 98 by far the highest tally in the comp.