Forward lines are more often than not where the magic happens on a footy ground, with fans eager to see exciting, high-scoring football.
2022 saw Charlie Curnow claim the Coleman Medal with a 64-goal effort, closely followed by fellow stars Tom Lynch and Jeremy Cameron, as 2023 shapes up to provide fans with even more to cheer about.
After trades galore last year and several new coaches in place, teams, and forward lines, may look a little different this season.
With the first game of the year fast approaching, we have taken a look at all 18 forward lines around the competition, ranking them ahead of the 2023 season.
Here are the first six forward lines, ranking 18th down to 13th...
5. (14th) St Kildaย
As injury concerns continue to strike the Saints, the forward line down at Moorabbin is in serious strife.
2022's leading goalkicker, Max King, is set to miss the start of the season after undergoing a shoulder reconstruction, while fellow talls Tim Membrey and Jack Hayes are no guarantee to line up in Round 1.
King kicked 52 goals in 2022, even as he was plagued by moments of inaccuracy in front of the sticks, and became a reliable tall target for the Saints inside 50 in his fourth season at the club.
Membrey, meanwhile, is no guarantee to be a Round 1 inclusion after undergoing an arthroscope on his right knee. The 28-year-old kicked 34 goals last season, a reliable tall target alongside King, as he continues to accept the task of shouldering a large forward load since his move to the Saints.
With both Hayes and untried key target Matthew Allison sidelined for the start of the season, the Saints' tall stocks have taken a serious hit. Ross Lyon has trialled backs Zaine Cordy and Dougal Howard in attack, but the pair will be no apt replacement for the goalscoring duo of King and Membrey.
The Saints' small forwards Jack Higgins (30 goals in 2022) and Dan Butler (19) have no issues hitting the scoreboard but will need to be more competitive in 2023, while Rowan Marshall, who kicked nine goals last season, will find himself spending less time forward as he takes on the number one ruck role.
Mitch Owens looms as an exciting prospect, playing as a hybrid midfield-forward in the Saints' practice game against Essendon to boot three goals. Recent SSP signing Anthony Caminiti may see more game time than expected, with the promising athletic key forward looming as a potential replacement inside 50 should the Saints' forward woes continue.
