Like any champion, Brent Harvey has had his critics over the years. Those who want to doubt his countless accolades. But the statistics don’t lie.
When you consider the best players of the last decade, Ablett, Judd, Hodge and Riewoldt come to mind – and of course Harvey.
According to Champion Data, the North Melbourne veteran ranks among the top 18 players over the last decade; remarkable really when you consider Harvey had already played nine seasons before 2005.
Looking at the numbers, there’s little wonder he’s held in such high regard:
- From 2005 to 2014, Harvey has played 213 of a possible 229 games in North colours.
- In that time, he has amassed 5,044 disposals at an average of 23.7 per game, with less than 10 possessions in just two games.
- In the last decade, Harvey has kicked 252 goals at an average of 25.2 per season, with Drew Petrie the only North player ahead of him.
Only 14 permanent forwards, as well as Gary Ablett, Paul Chapman, Adam Goodes and Steve Johnson have registered more goals.
- Harvey sits 16th for scoreboard impact across the league between 2005-2014, and number one of those players classified as midfielders. Remarkably he has either scored or assisted in 2,883 points.
- Harvey leads the league for total scoring assists over the last decade (329).
- Harvey’s kicking efficiency of 72.4 per cent across the 10 seasons makes him the most accurate of any midfielder in Champion Data’s Team of the Decade.
While 185 of his games in the last decade were at St Kilda, Nick Dal Santo’s 2014 season was important to securing his spot on the wing in the Team of the Decade.
The on-baller averaged close to a career-high 24.72 disposals a game in his first season as a Kangaroo and 24.17 across the last 10 seasons (fifth in the competition).
The statistics are truly indicative of one of the more consistent midfielders in the modern era.
Champion Data Team of the Decade
B: Lindsay Gilbee, Brian Lake, Corey Enright
HB: Brendon Goddard, Dustin Fletcher, Darren Milburn
C: Nick Dal Santo, Chris Judd, Brent Harvey
HF: Paul Chapman, Nick Riewoldt, Adam Goodes
F: Lance Franklin, Matthew Pavlich, Steve Johnson
R: Dean Cox, Gary Ablett, Dane Swan
INT: Jimmy Bartel, Scott Thompson (Adel), Luke Hodge, Scott Pendlebury
