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In the AFL, disposals are a crucial defining factor of a player’s performance. High disposal counts tell of a player’s ability to influence the game.
Quantifying a player's involvement and effectiveness in moving the ball narrates to no small degree their value to their clubs, as this sets the pace for their team's overall strategy. Although midfielders often dominate this stat given their central role in ball movement, forwards and defenders impact the game significantly.
We delve into the careers of five AFL legends whose disposal records are outstanding.
5 players with the most disposals in an AFL game
5. Gary Ablett Jr.- 8896 disposals across 357 games
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Gary Ablett Jr., a two-time Brownlow Medalist and eight-time All-Australian, was Geelong’s fifth selection in the 2001 AFL draft under the father-son rule. He debuted with the club in the first round of the 2002 season. He would play 192 games at Geelong before moving on to Gold Coast Suns in 2011 and back to Geelong in 2018.
Ablett Jr. kicked a total of 445 goals in 357 games.
4. Kevin Bartlett- 9151 disposals across 403 games
Kevin Bartlett played for Richmond in the VFL, debuting in 1965. He achieved a total of 778 goals in 403 games across his 18-year career which ended in 1983. Bartlett is the first VFL/AFL player to have hit the 400-game milestone.
Some of his achievements include playing in five premiership teams (1967,1969, 1973, 1974, and 1980), being a three-time Champion of Australia (1969,1973 and 1974), winning a Norm Smith Medal, four Richmond Leading goalkicker awards (1974, 1975, 1977 and 1983), and five Jack Dyer Medals, achieving Immortal status in the Richmond Hall of Fame, and a Richmond Best Individual Performance of the Century.
3. Brent Harvey- 9213 disposals across 432 games
Harvey debuted with North Melbourne in Round 3 of the 1996 season and stuck with the team until his retirement in 2016. He currently holds the VFL/AFL record for most matches played by an individual after breaking Michael Tuck’s with a career total of 432 games and 518 goals kicked.
2. Robert Harvey- 9656 disposals across 383 games
Robert Harvey was drafted from St Kilda's VCFL zone, Seaford, and played his first AFL game with St. Kilda against Footscray in Round 19 of the 1988 season. By 1997, Harvey had amassed 756 disposals, which was the highest single-season tally record at the time. Over two decades since his retirement, Harvey’s 9656 disposals still sit near the top of the list, having only been recently passed in 2023.
The Australian Game of Football recognized Harvey as one of the top 50 players of all time in 2008. He is St Kilda's record holder for the most career games played and ranks sixth in AFL’s highest number of career games played. He was also the last player from the VFL era to retire and currently serves as assistant coach for St Kilda.
Among his achievements and awards are two Brownlow Medals (1997, 1998), four team Best and Fairest Awards (1992, 1994, 1997, 1998), three E.J. Whitten Medals, the Leigh Matthews Trophy (1997), and the Michael Tuck Medal (2004). In 2012, Harvey was made an AFL Hall of Fame inductee.
1. Scott Pendlebury - 10,069 disposals across 392 games
Scott Pendlebury, one of Collingwood’s most remarkable loyalists, currently holds the record as the only VFL/AFL player to ever hit 10,000 career disposals. Pendlebury has remained with the Magpies since his debut in Round 10 of the 2006 season against the Brisbane Lions.
Since kicking his first goal on debut, Pendlebury has made his mark as one of the AFL's most prolific players, breaking and setting new records.
Among his achievements include: two premiership games, a Norm Smith Medal (2010), AFLCA Champion Player of the Year (2013), six All-Australians, five Copeland Trophies, and serving as Collingwood captain from 2014 to 2022.
Pendlebury is the AFL’s current record holder for most handballs and tackles and Collingwood’s most games record holder with 392 games and 196 goals.
