The Bombers are among four teams to have just the one elite ranking on their list for 2021, down from two in 2019. Ridley was a standout for the Bombers in 2020, winning the club s best-and-fairest award after emerging as one of the game s elite defenders - all with just 26 games to his name. Before last season, Ridley had played only nine senior games for the Bombers. Dylan Shiel and Zach Merrett were the Bombers two elite players in 2019, but were rated above average last year. After finishing 13th last year and losing key players at the trade table, the Bombers needed to enliven their list with future elite talent with three picks inside the top 10 in the national draft to kickstart a fresh era for new coach Ben Rutten.
The players your AFL club can reinvent in 2021
AFL by Staff writers
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Subscriber only With the new AFL season fast approaching, clubs will be looking at every way possible to improve on last year - including moving the magnets. Whether it s Jeremy Howe going from a high-marking forward to intercept defender, or Josh Dunkley transforming from inside midfielder to undersized ruckman, there s sure to be plenty more surprises on the horizon as Round 1 nears. We take a look at the players who could reinvent themselves in 2021. Â Â Rory Laird s move to full-time midfielder resulted in the Crows turning things around and Brad Crouch s departure opens up another spot in the engine-room.