MELBOURNE held its business of sport luncheon at Crown last Friday with a star-studded panel of sports names. From an AFL perspective, Garry Lyon played host to Chris Connolly, Neale Daniher and Mike Sheahan, asking the trio of football experts their thoughts on the season so far.

Lyon posed the question: Who is the best player in the competition right now?

For Connolly, it was Richmond powerhouse Matthew Richardson. Daniher believed it was Hawthorn star Lance "Buddy" Franklin, and Sheahan anointed the mercurial Gary Ablett. No problems with those outstanding players.

So after the split round 14, it is fair to say we have a good read on the players who have shone in 2008. Always subjective and often a difficult task, the challenge to compile the top 10 players will spark debate.

So here is a list of the top 10 players so far in 2008.

1 – Gary Ablett (Geelong)
Is having an even better season than last year, which is hard to fathom such was his 2007 dominance. Ablett's impact this year has been nothing short of scintillating, and he has been far and away the most elite and consistent player in the competition this season. 

2 – Adam Cooney (Western Bulldogs)
Cooney is not far behind Ablett, which could also be the case in Brownlow Medal polling at the moment. He has taken his game to another level, and is behind only Ablett as the competition's best-performed midfielder this season. 

3 – Lance Franklin (Hawthorn)
On pure talent, Franklin is arguably the best in the business, and what he has been able to demonstrate this year has been simply breathtaking. There has never been another player like him in the game, and he leads the Coleman Medal race after 14 rounds with 66 goals.  

4 – Matthew Richardson (Richmond)
One of the AFL's most popular figures, Richardson has defied his age to play some sterling football in 2008. Since pushing up onto the wing, Richardson has elevated his status to another level. The 32-year-old has also continued to play some key roles up forward. 

5 – Brendan Fevola (Carlton)
Fevola is on target to eclipse his 84-goal Coleman Medal-winning efforts in 2006. He has booted 61 goals for this season, including two hauls of eight and two bags of seven, while his big-game status has enhanced via his Big V Allen Aylett Medal-winning effort. 

6 – Jason Akermanis (Western Bulldogs)
Akermanis is in the type of form that landed him the 2001 Brownlow Medal. In fact, some believe he's playing better than at any time with the Brisbane Lions. He's been dynamic up forward and has been a major reason why the Dogs are now a genuine premiership threat. 

7 – Brett Kirk (Sydney Swans)
The inspirational co-captain has been brilliant this season. Kirk is often best known for his grunt work – and rightly so – but his ability to nullify an opposition star while accumulating disposals is first-class. And after 14 rounds, he is a genuine Brownlow Medal contender.   

8 – Simon Black (Brisbane Lions)
Few players have achieved what Black has accomplished in the game – he has achieved every major accolade in the AFL. Again this season, the co-captain has shone, despite battling a groin injury in recent times. His consistency this year has been a standout.   

9 – Matthew Pavlich (Fremantle)
It could be argued Pavlich has been Fremantle's best on 10 occasions this season, and he is third on the goalkicking table with 53 goals, which has included 19 goals in his past three performances – eight coming against North Melbourne in round 12. 

10 – Jonathan Brown (Brisbane Lions)
Brown's efforts – particularly since he captained Victoria in the Hall of Fame match – have been nothing short of brilliant. He has booted 46 goals for the season, including 31 since round eight, with six majors in three consecutive matches from rounds eight to 10.