The criteria
5 – ELITE PLAYER
* A franchise/star player
* Critical to team
* A player projected to enter the elite bracket in 2009
4 – KEY PLAYER
* Proven/clearly in best 22 or projected to step-up in 2009
* Right on the cusp of elite
* Has been or may still be elite, but injury concerns or being in the veteran stage of career just reduces status
3 – REGULAR PLAYER
* More than likely in best 22 or on the cusp/good depth player
* A young-gun, fine prospect or possibly a rookie expected to be an improver in 2009
* Good player, but has injury concerns, reducing his rating
2 – NON-REGULAR PLAYER
* Unlikely to be in best 22
* A good player but set to miss a large portion of the 2009 season due to injury
* A veteran/middle age/young-gun/emerging or rookie-list player likely to feature in some or a handful of matches in 2009 because of injury, form or simply being a depth player
1 – DEVELOPMENT OR INJURED PLAYER
* A new draftee, rookie-list player or raw/long-term prospect unlikely to play in 2009
* An injured player who is unlikely to play in 2009
* A player who has already retired or quit the club before the start of the 2009 premiership season
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
