Is Gold Coast’s Noah Anderson tracking to be the best midfielder in the competition?
David King believes the young Sun could well be on that trajectory sooner than you’d think after taking a look at the 22-year-old’s stats.
Comparing Anderson’s statistics to some of the competition’s best on-ballers, King believes the former No. 2 draft pick is quickly developing into a superstar of the competition as his disposals have genuine impact.
King put Anderson’s name in the conversation among the competition’s best with Kane Cornes on SEN Breakfast.
King: This is a little bit early for the agenda, but I'm going with it anyway.
“Could we have a new best midfielder in the comp in the next couple of weeks?
“Someone that's evolving to the stage where we're going to start talking about this guy as the best midfielder in the competition.
Cornes: “Are we thinking it's Noah Anderson?”
King: “That's exactly where we're going.
“He's doing some things that are just amazing in a team that's struggling a little around the edges.”
Cornes: “Tell me more.”
King: “Well, I was just having a look at some of his stuff yesterday.
“He's averaging 28 disposals a game which is up there with the best and most of it hits the scoreboard.
“He's averaging more score involvements than Bontempelli and more than Clayton Oliver.
“He's in that bracket the last four to five weeks.
“So that's I'm going, it’s about influence, not just accumulation, but he does win clearances as well, look at his clearance game … he’s averaging more clearances than Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca.
“The Bont has got him for clearances, but, I mean, that's in pretty good company, isn't it?”
As well as averaging 28 disposals, Anderson is averaging 7.2 clearances (sixth best in the AFL), 4.1 tackles and 4.4 inside 50s a game.
Anderson and the Suns will hope to pick up their fourth win of the season when they face West Coast at Optus Stadium on Friday night.