Every Wednesday of the 2022 AFL season, ESPN will combine with Champion Data to provide an in-depth analysis on a particular hot topic.
Jordan De Goey is quickly becoming the AFL's new Mr. September.
That may sound like a knee-jerk reaction to some after a simply sensational couple of weeks, but compounding his past two matches with the quality of his 2018 finals series and it may not seem too outlandish.
The troubled Collingwood star, who has battled a long list of off-field indiscretions in a topsy-turvy career, has had 'big game player' written all over him since his breakout season four years ago, helping then-coach Nathan Buckley surge to an unlikely Grand Final appearance.
Back then it was a match-winning 12-goal series, averaging no less than five scoring shots per game.
Impressive, we know, but his failure to live up to the hype since has had doubters, and fans, perturbed by the inconsistency of output.
Improvement was there, albeit subtle, in 2021, too. Following Buckley's resignation, a more permanent midfield role allowed him to flourish with new-found responsibilities. From Round 11 onwards, De Goey averaged 27.5 disposals, only dropping below 25 once.
It didn't amount to much given the Pies' finish of 17th -- the worst in their storied history -- but it laid the foundations to what we're seeing on-field in 2022, culminating in yet another epic finals campaign and an against-all-odds surge to the summit under new coach Craig McRae.
Let's cut to the chase: De Goey's 2022 finals series right now rates as the best we've seen from a player in over a decade.
How do we know?
Using Champion Data's Player Rating Points system -- which was implemented in 2010 -- we've been able to accurately determine the top individual finals performers and how this year's class rank in comparison.
Rating points are accrued or debited based on an algorithm which looks at equity ratings of an AFL game. It takes into consideration every stat being performed, its location on the ground, and what happens next to determine the value of a player's contribution.
De Goey's average of 26.2 rating points across the first two weeks of finals makes him the best finals performer we've seen since 2012. And yes, it's higher than Dustin Martin's incredible 2017 campaign (24.1), which ranks third.
Against Geelong in a six-point qualifying final classic, De Goey's 26 possessions, six inside 50s, nine tackles, eight clearances, seven score involvements and two last-quarter goals netted him a game-high 28.7 rating points. Jeremy Cameron was the next best player with 21.4.
The 26-year-old backed that up in the sudden death semifinal win over Fremantle, again topping allcomers with another game-high 23.1 rating points and earning a perfect 10 coaches' votes in the process. De Goey picked up 24 disposals (13 contested), one goal from a whopping 12 score involvements, eight inside 50s and had 626 metres gained against the Dockers.
He also tops the Gary Ayres Award (best finals player) voting through two weeks with 15 votes, equal with Brisbane ball magnet Lachie Neale, who is putting together a fine finals series of his own.
When taking into consideration a minimum of two finials matches being played, Joel Selwood's 2014 effort -- 31 touches and three goals against the Hawks followed by 24 and 11 clearances against North Melbourne -- rates as the second best individual finals series.
Like De Goey, Martin's predominately front-half game was an unstoppable component of Richmond's drought-breaking flag run in 2017, the three-time Norm Smith medallist averaging 25.6 possessions, and booting 5.5 across the Tigers' prelim and Grand Final.
Fellow Norm Smith medallists Christian Petracca (2021) and Luke Shuey (2018) also feature in the top 15.
Some dubbed Martin's 2017 finals series the best we may have ever seen. If that's true, De Goey isn't far off it. And while he remains unsigned by the Pies as they prepare to tackle Sydney in an SCG preliminary final, it seems the constant speculation surrounding his future has been far from detrimental, and perhaps even ironically beneficial.
De Goey's role in Collingwood's midfield, which is hurting in the absence of vice-captain Taylor Adams, will continue to be pivotal. That we know is clear. Something he may even be relishing.
Before we get carried away, these are only two -- albeit brilliant -- games to judge. But if the past two weeks have told us anything, it's that finals bring out the best in the maligned Magpie.
The game's newest September specialist? Statistically, yep. But there's still two weeks to go, and maybe only one more match to validate it. We'll let you be the judge.
De Goey ranks No. 1 at the Pies this finals series in...
Centre Bounce Clearances (4.5 per game)
Clearances (7.0)
Gather From Hitouts (2.5)
Goals 1.5 (equal)
Kicks Inside 50 (6.0)
Metres Gained (546)
Ranking Points (140.5)
Rating Points (26.2)
Score Assists (3.0)
Score Involvements (9.50)
Pre-Clearance Tackles (3.5)