While the team’s numbers and almost everyone else’s numbers have dived in the last month, Seb Ross has continued his ascension into the game’s elite.
On the back of his eighth (yes eighth, that is not a typo) consecutive haul of 30 or more disposals, the St Kilda midfielder has continued to establish himself amongst the upper echelon of midfielders in the AFL.
At Adelaide Oval on Friday night, the 24-year-old amassed a career-high 39 disposals, 10 contested possessions, 461 metres gained and six clearances.
While his kicking let him down at times against the Crows, you couldn’t fault his endeavour on a difficult night for the Saints.
After 11 games in 2017, Ross is now averaging the eighth-most disposals in the competition at 30.6 per game, to go with 5.8 clearances (No. 17 in the AFL), 4.4 tackles, 4.2 inside 50s and 408.5 metres gained.
It’s been a stellar rise from the Ballarat boy and one that should see him turn for home at the halfway mark of the Trevor Barker Award, if not in the lead, then not far off the top of the leaderboard.
Leading ball winners after Round 12:
1. Tom Mitchell (Hawthorn) 35.3 disposals per game
2. Gary Ablett (Gold Coast) 32.6
3. Zach Merrett (Essendon) 32.3
4. Matt Crouch (Adelaide) 31.9
5. Rory Laird (Adelaide) 31.8
6. Andrew Gaff (West Coast) 30.9
7. Dayne Beams (Brisbane) 30.8
8. Seb Ross (St Kilda) 30.6
9. Clayton Oliver (Melbourne) 30.5
9. Adam Treloar (Collingwood) 30.5
