Western Bulldogs star Ed Richards isn't even among the top five favourites for the Brownlow Medal currently - but his 2025 season is up there with the likes of Gary Ablett Jnr, Dustin Martin and Patrick Dangerfield.
Over the last 18 months, the 25-year-old has morphed from a dependable utility into one of the most damaging midfielders in the AFL - in a stunning coming-of-age.
Richards is now starting to get recognition for his effectiveness with the football and Champion Data expert Daniel Hoyne has a statistic that compares the on-baller to some of the game's legendary players.
Using the AFL Player Rating system, Hoyne says averaging 15-plus points a game is All-Australian level, while a 20-plus average is 'out-of-this-world'.
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In the 15 years of the AFL Player Ratings usage only three players have averaged 20-plus points across a season - Ablett Jnr, Martin and Dangerfield.
But now Richards is poised to join the trio of legends as he carves up the Bulldogs' opposition week-after-week with his devastating skills.
“Our AFL Ratings have been going for 15 years. Across a season, the only three players we have seen average an out-of-this-world season (20-plus points) - Gazza, Dangerfield, Dusty and currently Ed Richards," Hoyne said on SEN.
"We have never seen a midfielder use the ball better in a season so far than what Ed Richards is doing since Gary Ablett Jnr in 2010.
"If people want to talk about who is the best player in the competition, stop the argument, start the question again (and say) who is the second best player? Because it’s not even close."
Richards is no.1 in the AFL for inside 50s (7.5 a game), goal assists (22) and score involvements (8.8 per game).