Defensive powerhouse Aliir Aliir and dominant forward Charlie Dixon were among six Port Adelaide players ranked elite by Championship Data. Image: AFL.

PORT ADELAIDE has six players rated as elite by the AFL’s trusted stats keepers but there are a couple of notable absentees.

Champion Data has released its analysis of each club’s list based on data gathered during 2021. It has ranked 450 players competition wide as either poor, below average, average, above average or elite.

The AFL Player Ratings take into account where players win the ball, how they win the ball and what they do with it.

Players who win the ball in dangerous areas and use it well rate the highest.

It is important to note that players are only ranked against others in their position and not against the entire competition.

There is another caveat with players needing to have played a minimum of 10 matches last season.

After 2020, Port Adelaide had four players ranked as elite by Champion Data with Zak Butters, Charlie Dixon, Robbie Gray and Steven Motlop listed as A-graders with each bar Motlop retaining that status.

Livewire Zak Butters has been ranked elite for the second consecutive year. Image: AFL.

Following a standout 2021 season, All-Australian defender Aliir Aliir has been added to that list. After being named part of the 40-man All-Australian squad, Karl Amon is another addition to the elite list while new arrival Jeremy Finlayson has made the number six at Alberton.

Finlayson booted 23 goals in 13 games playing for Greater Western Sydney last season and averaged 10.8 disposals and three marks per game.

While the list of elite players at Port grew, there was still no room for Brownlow Medallist Ollie Wines or his fellow highly rated midfielder Travis Boak despite Wines averaging a career high 32.1 disposals, six clearances and 443 metres gained per match.

Boak also missed out on an elite ranking last season despite finishing runner up in the Brownlow and being named All-Australian for the third time in 2020.

Boak and Wines were among seven players at Alberton ranked ‘above average’ along with teammates including skipper Tom Jonas, Dan Houston, Orazio Fantasia, Trent McKenzie, and exciting midfielder/forward Connor Rozee.

Premiers Melbourne had three players ranked as elite – defender Jake Lever and midfielders Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca – among five clubs league wide with three elite ranked players.

Only the Western Bulldogs had more players ranked as elite by Champion Data than Port Adelaide with seven players on that list.

They included defenders Bailey Dale and Caleb Daniel and midfielders Marcus Bontempelli, Tom Liberatore, Jack Macrae, Adam Treloar and Bailey Smith.

Champion Data rankings breakdown

Elite = Top 10% for your position

Above Average = Top 11%-35% for your position

Average = Between 36%-64% for your position
Below Average = Bottom 11%-35% for your position

Poor = Bottom 10% for your position