2019 season review: Elliot Yeo

The two-time John Worsfold medallist had another fantastic season and will undoubtedly challenge for a third Club Champion Award on Friday night. Yeo took a few rounds to work into season 2019 following a limited build up due to off-season toe surgery, but he hit his straps in the opening RAC Derby of the year and didn’t look back. The 25-year-old was a tackling machine in season 2019. In fact, he racked up an eye-boggling 109 tackles between rounds seven and 15. With that in mind, it was no surprise to learn that Yeo led the league for total tackles (167) at year’s end. He achieved career-best averages for contested possessions (13.0), tackles (7.3), clearances (6.1), inside 50s (5.5) and one percenters (2.7).

Standout performance: Exorcising the Demons

Yeo was a man possessed at Optus Stadium in round nine. Melbourne, who arrived in Perth following a devastating one-point loss to Gold Coast, were throwing the kitchen sink at the Eagles and dominating the stats sheet. West Coast needed someone to fly the flag and Yeo was that man. The two-time John Worsfold medallist threw his weight around in the middle, amassing a season-high 18 contested possessions and 16 tackles against the Dees. When he wasn’t winning hard balls or driving Demons into the turf, he was extracting the Sherrin from congestion (seven clearances) and launching it inside 50 (seven entries). Yeo helped swing the game in West Coast’s favour and duly collected three Brownlow Medal votes for his efforts.

Season averages:

Disposals: 23.7
Contested possessions: 13.0
Tackles: 7.3
Clearances: 6.1
Score involvements: 5.6
Inside 50s: 5.5
Marks: 3.6

2019 AFL statistical rankings:

1^st: Total tackles
3^rd: Tackles per game
4^th: Total inside 50s, Inside 50s per game
7^th: Centre clearances per game
13^th: Total contested possessions, contested possessions per game, total clearances, clearances per game