THE BEST of Richmond's mosquito fleet may still be to come.
The Tigers' famed small forward combination – predominantly Dan Rioli, Dan Butler and Jason Castagna – were a critical pillar in the black and yellow snapping a 37-year flag drought.
They headlined Richmond's League-leading forward-half pressure and added breakneck speed around key forward Jack Riewoldt, alongside part-time members Shai Bolton and Tyson Stengle.
Bolton, the No.29 pick in last year's NAB AFL Draft, might have missed out on playing in the Grand Final, but managed to tie a record belonging to triple All Australian Swan Josh Kennedy.
Champion Data began counting 'crumbs' in 2014, and Bolton's eight in round 13 against Sydney – a game he had career highs in disposals (14) and goals (two), both after roving the ball – matched Kennedy's 2016 performance.
The 19-year-old played just six matches in his debut AFL season, but impressed with his smarts and athleticism.
Bolton's feat was one of 14 single-match records broken or equalled this year, although only three players became the outright owners.
Another Tiger, Brownlow and Norm Smith medallist and fend-off king Dustin Martin, posted the most broken tackles (eight) in the 2017 preliminary final at Greater Western Sydney's expense.
The other two to fall were obscure: Carlton captain Marc Murphy's five baulks against St Kilda in round eight and Giant Jonathon Patton being targeted 18 times in a one-on-one contest two rounds later.
GWS' hyper-focus on Patton that day against West Coast came despite Jeremy Cameron's and Harry Himmelberg's presence.
Rory Lobb was out with a groin injury, leaving Patton to accumulate 10 disposals, seven marks (three contested) and 2.1 in an eight-point Giants victory.
Most of the previous records were inside the last four years, but three of them stood the test of time.
Ex-Brisbane Lion Tom Rockliff's effort to win nine ball-up clearances, against Hawthorn in round eight, saw him enter St Kilda great Stewart Loewe's rarified air from 18 years earlier.
The remaining two?
Docker rookie Luke Ryan's eight uncontested marks from opposition kicks versus Gold Coast (equalling Chad Cornes from 2006) and Swan Lance Franklin's 24 inside-50 targets (matching Brendan Fevola in 2010).
Franklin booted 10.2 that evening against Carlton, just the second time he registered double-digit majors, behind his 13.4 in 2012 against North Melbourne.
Trent Dumont, Dayne Zorko and Kamdyn McIntosh had the dubious honour this year of equalling Swan Dean Towers' four missed tackles in a game from the 2016 season.
Match records broken or matched in 2017
Player | Stat | Count | Round | First | Previous record |
| Tom Rockliff (BL) | Ball-up clearance | 9 | 8 v Haw | 1999 | 9 - Stewart Loewe (StK), Rd 8, 1999 |
| Ollie Wines (PA) | Ball-up first possession | 8 | 11 v Haw | 2001 | 8 - Lachie Neale (Frem), Rd 7, 2016 |
| Patrick Dangerfield (Geel) | Ball-up first possession | 8 | 22 v Coll | 2001 | 8 - Lachie Neale (Frem), Rd 7, 2016 |
| Jarryd Lyons (GC) | Ball-up hit-out shark | 4 | 15 v NM | 2005 | 4 - Dayne Zorko (BL), Rd 18, 2016 |
| Marc Murphy (Carl) | Baulk | 5 | 8 v StK | 2011 | 4 - Dzyne Zorko (BL), Rd 11, 2014 |
| Luke Dahlhaus (WB) | Behind assist | 6 | 4 v NM | 2003 | 6 - Kieren Jack (Syd), Rd 18, 2015 |
| Dustin Martin (Rich) | Broken tackle | 8 | PF v GWS | 2011 | 7 - Jarman Impey (PA), Rd 11, 2016 |
| Shai Bolton (Rich) | Crumb | 8 | 13 v Syd | 2014 | 8 - Josh Kennedy (Syd), Rd 17, 2016 |
| Rory Sloane (Adel) | Free for | 8 | 22 v Syd | 1999 | 8 - Patrick Dangerfield (Geel), Rd 16, 2016 |
| Lance Franklin (Syd) | Inside-50 target | 24 | 23 v Carl | 2002 | 24 - Brendan Fevola (Carl), Rd 1, 2010 |
| Chad Wingard (PA) | Kick inside 50 | 14 | 15 v Rich | 2002 | 14 - Patrick Dangerfield (Geel), Rd 23, 2016 |
| David Zaharakis (Ess) | Kick inside 50 | 14 | 22 v GC | 2002 | 14 - Patrick Dangerfield (Geel), Rd 23, 2016 |
| Trent Dumont (NM) | Missed tackle | 4 | 16 v Frem | 2011 | 4 - Dean Towers (Syd), Rd 21, 2016 |
| Dayne Zorko (BL) | Missed tackle | 4 | 17 v Rich | 2011 | 4 - Dean Towers (Syd), Rd 21, 2016 |
| Kamdyn McIntosh (Rich) | Missed tackle | 4 | 21 v Geel | 2011 | 4 - Dean Towers (Syd), Rd 21, 2016 |
| Jonathon Patton (GWS) | One-on-one contest target | 18 | 10 v WC | 2012 | 17 - Tom Campbell (WB), Rd 23, 2013 |
| Tom Mitchell (Haw) | Throw in hit-out shark | 5 | 2 v Adel | 2005 | 5 - Marcus Bontempelli (WB), Rd 23, 2015 |
| Sam Jacobs (Adel) | Throw in hit-out sharked | 12 | GF v Rich | 2005 | 12 - Matthew Lobbe (PA), Rd 21, 2014 |
| Luke Ryan (Frem) | Uncontested mark from opposition | 8 | 20 v GC | 1999 | 8 - Chad Cornes (PA), Rd 21, 2006 |
Want more stats stories?
- Stats glossary: Every stat explained
- Stats kings: Players who hit new heights in 2017
- All-time season stats record-holders
- Stats leaders in every category in 2017
- Single match stats leaders of 2017
- All-time single match stats record-holders
