Veteran AFL writer Mike Sheahan has crowned Gary Ablett as the competitions best player with the SUNS skipper topping Sheahan’s annual Top 50 AFL players list.

The former Herald Sun chief football writer, now multi media performer revealed his top 10 players in the Herald Sun, and while Sheahan’s celebrated top 50 players often creates controversy and debate amongst the AFL community, it is hard to argue with the AFL media royal based on Ablett’s incredible run of strong performances averaging 34 disposals, six clearances and five tackles for the 2012 premiership campaign.

The 232-game superstar finished sixth in the Brownlow, and led the GC SUNS in all of the following categories; long kicks, short kicks, handballs given, handballs received, tackles, inside-50s, rebounds from defensive 50, hardball gets and looseball gets.

Writing in his exclusive column for the Herald Sun, the former chief football writer who spent more than 40 years covering “Australia’s game” in the AFL heartland, told readers that Ablett was clearly the game’s best player in the national competition.

“Gary Ablett Jr. is the most complete player in the game,” wrote Sheahan.

“It was the view of a massive percentage of the player group of 2012, it is the assessment of so many neutral supporters and me in my annual task picking the top 50 players in the AFL in order.”

Despite possessing a different game to father Gary Ablett Sr., Sheahan believes the both will be remembered as legends of the game.

“The younger Ablett (Gary) has been voted by his peers the most valuable player in the game four times - at two clubs.

“His father, widely regarded as the most talented player ever, won the award once. Wayne Carey, the best player I have seen, won the MVP twice.

“Enough. Surely the debate is won.”