2023 TopSport SANFL Top 50 – 1-5

The best Hostplus SANFL League performers in 2023 are being unveiled through the TopSport SANFL Top 50.

SANFL Media Producer Zac Milbank has chosen his Top 50 now that the dust has settled on this year’s exciting campaign.

Form across the 2023 season was used as the chief factor in the ranking process, with selection in The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year and West End State team weighing heavily, together with placings in the Magarey Medal, Shearman Medal, Club best-and-fairest awards and strong performances in finals matches.

High rankings in statistics such as total disposals, marks, contested marks, goals, clearances and tackles were also taken into account, along with Champion Data ranking points.

So here they are – the top five players in the Hostplus SANFL League for 2023!

Incredibly unlucky to be delisted by Adelaide this time last year, Rowe put his head down to produce a tremendous individual campaign in 2023.

Spending more time through the midfield, the 24-year-old won the Fos Williams Medal as best afield in the West End State game while also taking home the Perce Johns Medal as Eagles best-and-fairest.

Averaging 117 Champion Data Ranking points per game, The Advertiser Team of the Year member also finished runner-up in the Shearman Medal and sixth in the Magarey Medal.

When Tom Lewis gets going at the stoppages, the Double Blues are very difficult to stop.

Sturt’s midfield bull averaged a League-high 140 Champion Data ranking points in 2023 while earning selection in The Advertiser Team of the Year and the West End State team.

Joint winner of The Advertiser’s Player of the Year award, Lewis still managed to place fourth in the Magarey Medal and third in the SANFL Now Player of the Year award despite missing three games with injury.

Nothing underlines James Battersby’s consistency more than earning a sixth berth in The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year.

Sturt’s fearless captain led his team from the front while earning the P. T Morton Medal as best-and-fairest while averaging 117 Champion Data ranking points per game.

Continues to poll strongly in the Magarey Medal, where he earned a third-placing in 2023 while also finishing third in SANFL Now Player of the Year.

Lachie Hosie had been seeking redemption since the 2021 SANFL Grand Final loss.

And Glenelg’s walking highlight reel earned it in spades when he booted six goals to claim the Jack Oatey Medal in his team’s memorable 2023 premiership triumph.

A member of the West End State team and The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year, the 26-year-old won his first Ken Farmer Medal while booting 61 goals for the season, including nine in his team’s two finals outings.

Few would have predicted the stunning emergence of Central District’s Harry Grant at the start of the Hostplus SANFL League season.

The Bulldogs ball-magnet not only established himself as a regular in Paul Thomas’ midfield rotation, he went next level to claim just about every major individual award on offer in 2023.

Supremely fit, the 22-year-old won the Magarey Medal, Shearman Medal, Norm Russell Medal, SANFL Now Player of the Year and Tiser Player of the Year while spearheading his club’s return to the major round for the first time since 2017.