Michael Rischitelli will be hoping history repeats itself as he sits on a handy mid-season lead in the Gold Coast SUNS possession championship.

Through 11 games Rischitelli has had 265 disposals to lead the count from Kade Kolodjashnij (229), Dion Prestia (217), Adam Saad (191), Touk Miller (188) and Harley Bennell (188).

As much as the ever-humble veteran wouldn’t even be aware of the possible flow-on from this seemingly harmless and inconsequential statistic, it is one that could have Rischitelli fans pointing to an undeniably powerful omen.

In three of the SUNS’ first four years the player who has been the club’s leading possession-winner has also won the Club Championship – Gary Ablett in 2011-12-13.

And in 2014, when Prestia led the possession count, he finished third behind David Swallow and Tom Lynch.

Rischitelli would not even contemplate such a thought mid-season, but after an outstanding first half of the 2015 campaign the 2010 Brisbane Lions best and fairest winner will certainly be among the leading contenders for the SUNS club championship at the halfway point of the season.

It is a statistic, too, that has AFL historians reaching for the file that lists players who have taken best and fairest honours at two clubs.

Ablett, Geelong’s best and fairest winner in 2007-09, joined this elite group when he won the Gold Coast best and fairest in 2011-12-13.

Rischitelli, who has won massive praise from SUNS coach Rodney Eade for his role as acting captain this year during the absence of the injured Ablett, has been a model of consistency this year.

Only once has he failed to have 20 possessions - when he played with illness against the Sydney Swans at Metricon in Round 10 to help a side that boasted less AFL experience than the total of the SUNS players on the injured or absentee list.

On a round-by-round basis his possession count has been 21-35-27-31-22-21-26-24-23-12-23.

His 35 touches in Round 2 against St Kilda at Metricon Stadium was a personal best, and his game average this year of 24.1 is identical to his average in his 2010 Brisbane best and fairest year.

Kolodjashnij has been similarly consistent, topping 20 possessions in each of the last eight games, with a career-best 27 against Sydney in Round 10. The second-year defender has gone 13-21-11-21-24-20-24-23-20-27-25.

Prestia had led the count until his injury in Round 8 and hadn’t failed to top 20. He’s had 29-27-29-29-28-28-28-27-20 possessions on a round-by-round basis and leads the count on averages.

The 2014 best and fairest winner averages 27.1 possessions per game to head Rischitelli (24.1), Bennell (23.5), Mitch Hallahan (21.3), Ablett (21.0), Kolodjashnij (20.8) and Swallow (20.0).

Rischitelli, who with Kolodjashnij and Miller are the only Suns players not to have missed a game, features prominently in other key midfield statistics on the SUNS’ Mid-Season Report Card.

He also leads the team in contested possessions, tackles and forward 50m entries, is second behind Prestia in clearances, and fourth behind Charlie Dixon, Lynch and Brandon Matera in goals.

Rischitelli also leads the SUNS in AFL fantasy points with 1094 from Kolodjashnij (873), Miller (793), Prestia (763), Harbrow (719), Bennell (703), Saad (696), Lynch (692), Hallahan (682) and Nicholls (674).

As much as Eade will be hoping for bigger and better things in the second half of the season as the injury epidemic eases, mid-season numbers are at least a pointer to players who might take their place among the club’s statistical honour boards.

And with so many prominent players having missed sizeable chunks of the season it is inevitable that there will be a string of new players in line for numeric honors.

A study of SUNS statistics through Rounds 1-11 shows:

Goals

Dixon, who has played only seven games, is the leading goal-kicker with 17, from Lynch (11), Matera (8), Rischitelli (7), Bennell (6) and Jack Martin (6). Dixon’s equal career-best six goals against Brisbane in Round 5 is the team high for 2015 as he chases a second club goal-kicking award, having topped the list in 2013 after Ablett did so in 2011-12 and before Lynch was the leading goal-kicker last year.

Goal Assists

Harley Bennell leads the SUNS in goal assists this year with eight, from Alex Sexton (6), Miller (5) and Lynch (5), and had a season-high three against Brisbane in Round 5. Ablett topped this list in 2011-12-13 before Lynch completed the fine double of goals and goal assists in 2014.

Contested Possessions

Ablett has topped the club in contested possessions each year, but Rischitelli  is on track to take this coveted mark in 2015. He has 116 contested possessions at the halfway mark to lead from Prestia (109), Hallahan (97), Miller (86) and Nicholls (81). Hallahan has the highest single game possession count this year – 22 against West Coast in Round 7.

Clearances

Ablett has also topped the clearances for the past four years, but this year Prestia (68) leads the way from Rischitelli (66) and Hallahan (54). Hallahan’s 15 clearances against West Coast in Round 7 is the most in a game this season.

Tackles

Ablett and Jaeger O’Meara have split the tackling title at the SUNS, with the captain topping the list in 2011-12 before the 2013 Rising Star winner surpassed him in 2013-14. This year it’s a similar type of scenario, with veteran Rischitelli  (59) leading after 11 rounds from first-year star Miller (53). Prestia (39) and Hallahan (39) share third spot, while Rischitelli also boasts the season’s biggest single-game tackle count – 12 against West Coast in Round 7.

Inside 50s

Rischitelli has sent the ball into the SUNS forward 50m zone 49 times this year to lead the way from Bennell (42) and Lynch (36). His nine entries in Round 9 against Hawthorn is a team high this year as he looks to follow Trent McKenzie (2011), Ablett (2012-13) and Jaeger O’Meara (2014) in topping this category.

Rebound 50s

Kolodjashnij leads the rebound 50s with 52, from Saad (37) and Steven May (27). May’s nine against Geelong in Round 3 is the most this season. Bock topped the rebound 50s in 2011, followed by Ablett in 2012 and McKenzie in 2013-14.

Marks

Kolodjashnij, who had a club record 13 marks against Collingwood in Round 8, heads the 2015 mark count with 58 from Lynch (51), Harbrow (43), Saad (42) and Rischitelli (38). If he was to hang on in the second half of the year the teenage Tasmanian would join Nathan Bock (2011), Lynch (2012-14) and Rory Thompson (2013) as players to top the marks count.

Contested Marks

Lynch is a runaway leader in contested marks with 18 as he looks to top this category for the fourth time in five years. Dixon (9) is second on this list from Tom Nicholls (7) and Martin (7). Lynch led the contested marks in 2011-12-14, while Dixon did so in 2013. Lynch’s five contested marks against Hawthorn in Round 9 is the season high.

Marks Inside 50

Dixon leads the marks inside 50 with 18 from Lynch (11) and Martin (8), and has had three bags of four. Players who have led this statistic in previous years were Lynch and Danny Stanley (2011), Campbell Brown (2012-13) and Lynch (2014).

Bounces

Adam Saad has re-written the club record books for running bounces in his first season. He has 46 of the entire team’s 98 bounces despite missing one game. Sexton (7) is next best from Kolodjashnij (6) and Bennell (5). In 10 games Saad has moved to 11^th spot on the club list all-time and is two short of Harbrow’s single-season club record of 48 set in 2011. Ablett has topped the club in bounces in each of the last three years.  Saad’s personal best of nine bounces against Brisbane in Round 5 and Hawthorn in Round 9 is the season high.