Let say that I have a 10 members alliance, all in top 10. And you have a 100 members alliance with higer score.
Would you say that your scrap 100 members alliance wins over my alliance? I doubt you would whine about your score.
Tought your alliance consist of everyone you cooperate with
So if my 10 members alliance did get help from 500 other players, then its a 510 members alliance. Or would you say that its realistic for a 10 members alliance to get all top 10 places without any help at all? There is only neutrals, enemies and allies. Those 500 players is definely not neutrals or enemies, so they are allies.
Those you would not take roids from because you consider them as friends is your allies. They might not be able to defend you due to high eta, but they are still your allies as you attack same enemies with them.
So if your 100 members alliance cooperates with a other 100 members alliance, then you are in a 200 members alliance. The tag is only a attack squad
Also if you have a cluster alliance, then you must add those to your ally list. Makes it even bigger.
Top 1 galaxy can be considered better than top 1 planet. But a galaxy can have members from different alliances. And the galaxy is not your alliances if other a alliance can claim it as theirs. If the galaxy keeps only your alliance tag the whole round, then it can be considered as your alliance galaxy.