Whether your team is racing towards the finals or preparing for the smell of September mothballs, individual performers will have inspired and excited.

THERE are kids, there are stars and there are those in between, whose development - both within a season and during a career - can determine so much of what their team achieves.

In choosing your club's most improved player in 2008, The Sunday Age considered players who were in at least their third year on an AFL list and who were, in most cases, already senior regulars.

We didn't implement a cut-off age, believing there must still be life after 27 and 28, and considered those who had graduated from fringe player to key regular as well as those who had already reached fairly high levels of importance.

The statistical viewpoint was considered, however a player's increased importance to the team in a more spiritual sense was the key.

ADELAIDE

Jason Porplyzia

This one could well have gone to either Bernie Vince or Scott Thompson - good already, he's gone to new levels in impact and consistency - but Porplyzia is a great story.

As a scrawny kid, the now 23-year-old spent 2003 at West Lakes before being ditched because he couldn't run for long enough, never getting to wear his No.42 guernsey.

At the end of 2005, he was bigger and stronger, was redrafted in the pre-season draft and promoted into jumper No. 40.

This year, he has been hard, clean and clever, and he has lots of scope left.

The stats say: Averaging a career-high 20 disposals, seven contested possessions, five marks, four inside 50s, three clearances and two goals per game.

Leads the Crows in hardball gets and goal assists, ranks equal second in goals and second in contested possessions.

BRISBANE LIONS

Joel MacDonald

The Lions have a few good options, with both Joel Patfull and Daniel Merrett playing more compelling roles in defence this year.

But MacDonald, after missing most of 2006 and the first chunk of last season following a knee reconstruction, is playing the best football of his career.

He's a smart, strong-willed, tough-to-tackle defender who makes good decisions and is winning more of the ball than ever.

He's one of the competition's, not just the Lions', big improvers.

The stats say: Ranks third at the Lions in disposals and marks and equal seventh in the AFL for rebound 50s.

Averaging career-highs of 21 disposals, five marks and four rebound 50s per game.

CARLTON

Jarrad Waite

Marc Murphy's third season has seen him win lots more of the ball, and Cameron Cloke's figures are career high - in disposals (14), marks (6) and hitouts (11).

But Waite has always had talent, and is starting to put things together in all parts of the ground now.

The stats say: Averaging career-high of 18 disposals and ranks second in the AFL for marks from opposition kicks, equal third in spoils and equal seventh in rebound 50s.

COLLINGWOOD

Paul Medhurst

There are a few contenders at Magpieland: Leon Davis' disposal count is up and he is spending more influential time on the ball after 8 seasons, although it was last year that his inside 50s and defensive pressure improved notably.

Alan Didak is leading the competition for kicks and is 12th for inside 50s, also making the most of his increased time up-field.

But Medhurst, tacked onto the Chris Tarrant-to-Fremantle deal two years ago, has proven himself much more than an occasional talent.

The stats say: Averaging careerhighs of 15 disposals (up by five per game), eight marks, three goals and two score assists per game.

Ranks No.1 at Collingwood in goals with 35 (13 more than the next best), and ranks second in score assists and inside 50s.

ESSENDON

Mark McVeigh

The Bombers are tricky.

David Hille's numbers are not his best - but he is playing with huge heart, so in a spiritual sense he has never mattered more to his team.

Sam Lonergan is in his third year on the list and after a single game in 2006 has added some grit around the ball.

McVeigh has quietly improved every season and took a decent leap last season.

He was already a good player, but he is doing his thing in the midfield this year and, save for a couple of slow weeks after his return from a hamstring injury, is more infl uential than ever.

The stats say: Ranks third at the club in disposals and second in kicks, uncontested possessions, handball-receives, clearances and inside 50s.

Averaging career-highs of 23 disposals (five more than his previous best), five marks, four inside 50s, four clearances and three tackles.

FREMANTLE

Aaron Sandilands

Already good, Sandilands is becoming a more imposing figure as his experience builds and he puts himself to greater and better use around the ground.

The stats say: Ranks No.1 in the comp for hitouts with 72 more than anyone else.

Is the only ruckman to win a hitout from over 50% of his contests.

Leads the club in contested possessions, hardball-gets (he has won 67 - 30 more than any other player), hitouts and clearances and ranks second in contested marks and handballs.

GEELONG

Mathew Stokes

Stokes played senior football in Darwin as a 15-year-old and it took him seven seasons to get a shot at the big time.

He got his chance, got into the seniors, and has become so much more than a bit player.

He wins the ball, can run with it, kicks well and plays with real energy.

The stats say: Averaging career-high 18 disposals, six marks, 14 uncontested possessions and two goals per game.

He is ranked third in the Cats' goalkicking with 23.

HAWTHORN

Jarryd Roughead

Chance Bateman and his relentless run is in contention here, and Xavier Ellis' cool head and foot skills are emerging.

But Roughead has become so much more than Buddy's sidekick.

He used to be a player who would sneak two or three goals if not paid appropriate attention; these days, disrespect him and he'll kick five, six or seven.

The stats say: Is averaging a career-high of three goals per game and four marks inside 50 per game.

Has been a multiple goalkicker in all but three games this season after booting multiple goals in 11 of his 22 games last season.

MELBOURNE

Paul Johnson

The Demons have a lot of older types and a bundle of kids.

Colin Sylvia has kicked some goals in the past few weeks but has some way still to go.

Nathan Jones keeps getting better but, while Johnson has a way to go too, he is playing more games, more minutes and doing more in them.

The stats say: Has the best hitout-to-advantage of any of the Demons' three ruckmen.

He is in his sixth season of AFL football (he didn't play a game in 2004) and is averaging a career-high 13 disposals (previous best was nine per game last season), five marks and nine hitouts per game.

Is also averaging 25 more minutes per game.

NORTH MELBOURNE

Daniel Pratt

Pratt took his big leap last year, finishing in the top three of the club's best and fairest after nailing down his spot in the defence.

He hasn't taken another massive jump this year, but it is hard to find other contenders and, when you consider that he hasn't had the experience of Glenn Archer or Jess Sinclair alongside him, his work seems more valuable.

Drew Petrie, another steady improver throughout his career, is another option, and the Roos have a cluster of kids starting to look the goods.

The stats say: Leads the comp in rebound 50s.

He has also had the second most long kicks from the defensive zone of any player in the comp.

He is averaging a career-high 18 disposals and six rebound 50s per game.

PORT ADELAIDE

Steven Salopek

In truth, Salopek established himself as an onballer of true quality last season.

This season he has consolidated and got that little bit better again, he's one of those players who is always there, doing what he does, with no real dips in form.

He plays tough without drawing too much attention to himself and he's missed when not there.

The stats say: Has averaged a career-high 24 disposals and has finished with 20 disposals in 10 of his 13 games this season.

He ranks No.1 at the club in kicks, effective kicks and marks and second in disposals and loose-ball gets, third in inside 50s, fourth in contested possessions and equal fourth in score assists.

RICHMOND

Brett Deledio

Deledio keeps steadily rising and is a good advertisment for not being too harsh on players too soon in their careers.

He's always been able to do a lot of things very well.

He's just starting to do them for longer periods now.

The stats say: Leads the Tigers in disposals, handballs, inside 50s and score assists.

He is averaging a career-high of 25 disposals, making him an elite ball-winner of the competition for the first time in his career.

ST KILDA

Luke Ball

It's hard to find anyone who genuinely fits the bill at Moorabbin.

Ball already was a very good player, and he would have been doing what he's done this year had he not been so stricken by injury.

Shane Birss' numbers are slightly up, in his second season as a Saint, but he's played only six games.

The stats say: Averaged a career-high of 22 disposals in 2005 and has reached this mark again.

Averaging a career-high of six tackles per game and ranks No.1 at the club in disposals, contested possessions, hardballgets, tackles and frees for.

Last season he won the eighth most disposals at the club and ranked sixth in contested possessions, fourth in hardball-gets and second in tackles.

SYDNEY

Jarrad McVeigh

Jarred Moore, making a splash in his fourth year, is a contender here.

He's improved enough to first of all get into the team and then play with some impact.

McVeigh was a top-five draft pick almost six years ago, and his steady growth has continued.

He did some gruelling work over the last Christmas break with his brother Mark and, while already fit, has gone to new levels.

Some players simply take some time.

The stats say: Averaging a career-high 20 disposals this season (after a previous high of 14 last season).

He is also averaging careerhighs with five marks, three hardball-gets, three loose-ball gets, four clearances and one goal per game.

He ranks second at the club in disposals, handballs, loose-ball gets, uncontested possessions and goals.

WEST COAST

Brett Jones

It is incredibly hard to find someone at the Eagles, which says a lot about their year.

Ben McKinley and Beau Wilkes have made an impression, having been around the club for a while.

Andrew Embley is recording career-high statistics - he's averaging 23 possessions, eight marks, 18 uncontested possessions and leading the club in disposals, marks, effective kicks and uncontested possessions - yet he has looked better, or more damaging, in other, less trying seasons.

Jones has established his spot in the side over the past couple of seasons and has had some of his biggest possession games this season.

The stats say: Taking more marks than last year and, in a team being soundly beaten most weeks, is averaging around 17 possessions in defence.

WESTERN BULLDOGS

Matthew Boyd

Ryan Griffen is putting it all together, Adam Cooney has become a reliable, week-to-week gun, Dylan Addison is on the up in his third year on the list and the Bulldogs are pleased with Ryan Hargrave's growth over the past two months.

Boyd has been a steady improver, and is a serious reason Scott West has not been missed as much as he might have been.

He's grown over the past few years from a run-with player to resilient, strong-willed ballwinner.

The stats say: Boyd has become an elite midfielder, averaging 26 disposals, four hardball-gets, three clearances and four tackles per game.