Guernsey number: 27
2013 games: 22
Career games: 158
2013 goals: 7
Career goals: 73
2013 Brownlow votes: 2
Career Brownlow votes: 4
Disposals 14.5
Hitouts 39.1
Hitouts to advantage 11.7
Clearances 4.8
Tackles 3.7
Season in short:
All Australian honours and a third placing in the Bulldogs best and fairest attest to Minson’s impressive season. Playing every match, ‘Big Will’ led the competition in hitouts, ranked third at the Bulldogs for clearances, fourth for contested possessions and fifth for tackles. The ruckman celebrated his 150th game with victory against the GWS Giants and provided many individual highlights - one being his astonishing 57 hitouts against Port Adelaide in round 10.
Stat that mattered:
Averaging 39.1 hitouts per game, Minson was just 19 hitouts (less than one per game) from breaking the all-time record set by Gary Dempsey (878 hitouts in 1982). The 28-year-old also led the league in hitouts to advantage showing he can not only get palm to ball but he is also accurate in delivery.
What they said:
He's got the presence to set up the contest around him, the way he wants it, to make sure we get the most value from every hitout.''
?- Assistant Coach Steven King told The Age in August 2013
Pre-season focus:
Minson has shown the AFL world that he can be highly damaging in the ruck and at the stoppages, and the next challenge for him is to have a bigger influence around the ground. Improvements were seen in this area throughout 2013, and the ruckman will look to build again on this next season.
