If there was any further discussion required over who the best player in the AFL is, it has been well and truly knocked on the head with Gary Ablett named the number one player in the AFL after his peers voted him top dog in a survey conducted by afl.com.au

The Gold Coast SUNS skipper headed the poll in front of fellow midfield superstars Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood), Joel Selwood (Geelong) and Patrick Dangerfield (Adelaide).

Selwood played four seasons alongside the reigning Brownlow medallist at Geelong and said it’s Ablett’s competitiveness which sets him apart.

“In anything that he does, he’s the most competitive person that I know along with Steve Johnson. That’s probably what makes them the great players that they are,” Selwood said.

“He’s awesome to watch, like as a player you’d love to be able to do some of the things that he can do but you just can’t. And that’s what makes him so special.

“We all know him as a footballer but to know him as a person and what he gives back is his greatest attribute I reckon.

Dangerfield was equally effusive in his praise of the Gold Coast champion, who he describes as “the complete package”.

“It’s his explosiveness off the mark, he’s a beautiful kick of the footy, his lateral movement in traffic is basically unrivalled in the competition I think,” Dangerfield said.

“He’s very focused, he’s very driven. He obviously inspires his teammates with his acts and he looks to be a great leader, that’s for sure.

No other Gold Coast SUN made the top 50.  Collingwood and Hawthorn both had three players in the top 20, but it was the Sydney Swans dominating the upper echelon of the standings with five in the top 18, led by former Hawk, Lance Franklin, in eighth spot.