GRYAN Miers may not have eight Ballon d'Or awards or 502 million Instagram followers like Lionel Messi, but the Geelong star has continued to establish himself as one of the deadliest ball users in the AFL in 2024. 

The Grovedale product used to measure his performances in goals. How many, how often. That's what got him drafted in 2017, after he kicked 50 goals in the TAC Cup (now Coates Talent League) for the Geelong Falcons, including seven in the Grand Final win over the Sandringham Dragons. 

But that changed over the course of last winter. 

Before the 2022 premiership player finished third in the Carji Greeves Medal, Miers broke Brisbane great Jason Akermanis' long-standing record for goal assists in a home and away season set back in 2004, finishing with 41 for the year for a total of 61 score assists. 

Miers grew up an avid Lions supporter and used to wear Akermanis' famous No.12 Brisbane guernsey as a kid. He even wore a fake moustache to dress up as the Brownlow medallist at school, so when the record was being projected months out, it meant a bit more to Miers than others.

Despite the 178cm small forward only kicking seven goals for the season, his impact was so decisive that his name was debated by All-Australian selectors for a spot. That went against him. He didn't even get picked in the 44-man squad. 

But after that snubbing, Miers is a key reason why the Cats are suddenly in premiership contention again at 4-0, building on his brilliant form in 2023 with an even better start to 2024. 

The 25-year-old is averaging a career-high 22.3 disposals per game this season, 22.3 pressure acts, seven score involvements, 4.3 inside 50s and 1.5 goal assists per game to be rated the No.2 general forward in the AFL, according to Champion Data. 

Since the start of last season, no one has converted more inside 50s into marks than Miers, who has a 39 per cent conversion rate, well ahead of reigning All-Australian captain Toby Greene, Port Adelaide superstar Zak Butters, in-demand free agent Hugh McCluggage and Western Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli. 

Miers also leads the AFL for score assists across the 2023 home and away season and the first five rounds of 2024, with Melbourne superstar Christian Petracca 14 behind the Cat with the unique kicking style. 

Amid a brilliant 2023, was the Messi narrative, sparked by a fake tweet purporting to be veteran broadcaster Gerard Whateley. It wasn't, but it gathered legs to the point where Miers attended Geelong's mad Monday festivities dressed as the Argentinian World Cup winner and Max Holmes arrived as the SEN and AFL 360 host. 

Miers has spent the past couple of years tracking players with Geelong's list management team, working closely with recruiter Liam Woodland. Life after football might end up in that area of the business, but at the moment he is taking care of business with ball in hand. No one uses it better right now.