Mitchell names his two most influential current AFL players

JEREMY Cameron’s claims of being the best player in the competition have received a boost after being nominated by a current coach.

Sam Mitchell has named him alongside Tom Stewart as the most influential players in the league, with the Hawthorn mentor stating the duo provide Geelong with a unique advantage because of the way they play.

“Best is probably the wrong word, but the most influential players is probably Jeremy Cameron and Tom Stewart,” Mitchell said on SEN Breakfast.

“When Tom Stewart is playing, he’s like an extra man, and when you need to win a game probably Jeremy Cameron is the one you want in your side because he’s such a difficult matchup and can do so many things.

“Both are Geelong, so it’s hard to say.”

SEN Breakfast co-hosts David King and Kane Cornes have both rated Cameron as their best player in the game after the 29-year-old booted a career-high 65 goals in 2022 on the way to Geelong’s premiership.

Cameron is rated a $67 chance for this year’s Brownlow Medal.

Meanwhile, Stewart has four All-Australian blazers in just six full seasons which is an incredible statistic for a player plucked out of local football.

Hawthorn and Geelong will face off on Easter Monday in round four.

Mitchell added that Sydney’s Errol Gulden was his personal favourite player.

At just 20 years of age, Gulden has proved he’s a star of the future and has roared into the game’s elite territory this year by averaging career highs in disposals (26), tackles (4), inside 50s (7), rebound 50s (4) and clearances (3).

“There are personal favourites, and after watching Sydney last week Errol Gulden has gone pretty close to the top of that personal file,” Mitchell said.

As for in-form clubs, it’s hard to go past Collingwood after its start to the season.

Craig McRae has his side humming, winning the opening two games by a combined margin of 93 points.

Mitchell has been particularly impressed by the way the Magpies have defended under McRae, becoming a stingy side as well as one of the most watchable teams.

“I think their ability to press from defence… when you watch a game live and you’re playing against Collingwood, you see so many opportunities with someone free ahead of the ball,” Mitchell said.

“But they’re so manic in their pressure and when to press and when to put pressure on the ball, it’s very rare that a team gets out the back of them.

“The way they’ve set up their defence has been really, really well done. Fly’s [McRae] obviously got a lot of their info from Richmond and they’re very similar in the way they’ve defended in recent history.”

Collingwood has been wound into premiership favouritism as a result of their hot start to the year.

– BY SEB MOTTRAM/ SEN