Season 2019 was in many ways a frustrating one for Tom Barrass. After achieving the ultimate the year prior and playing such a pivotal role in the season decider, Barrass would have been champing at the bit to get stuck into the home and away campaign. He started the year strongly, again proving the master of Collingwood big man Mason Cox in the grand final rematch, but he was struck down by a foot injury that required surgery following the club’s round four triumph over Fremantle. Barrass spent 10 weeks on the sidelines nursing himself back to health before returning, ironically, for the second derby of the season. Unsurprisingly, he dominated the skies, averaging 6.1 marks and 8.6 spoils per game. He set a new personal standard for disposal efficiency in 2019, hitting targets 86.3 per cent of the time.

Standout performance: Dismantling the Dockers

Players are often judged by how they perform in big games, and in the eyes of many it doesn’t get much bigger than an RAC Derby. Especially a tight one. Fremantle came to play in round four, eager to break their seven-game losing streak to the Eagles. They were hard at the contest and repeatedly pumped the ball inside their attacking arc. Alas, Barrass was there to quell their attacking raids. The measured 23-year-old reeled in a season-best 11 marks and effected seven one percenters to shut down the Dockers’ determined forward line. It was a gutsy performance, especially given he was playing through a nagging foot injury that had been troubling him for several weeks.

Season averages:

Disposals: 11.5
One percenters: 9.3
Spoils: 8.6
Marks: 6.1
Intercepts: 5.1
Contested possessions: 3.6
Rebound 50s: 3.0
Disposal efficiency: 86.3%

2019 AFL statistical rankings:

3^rd: On percenters per game
6^th: Effective disposals per game
18^th: Total one percenters