The midfield is the engine room of a football club, where star players will their team to victory and where most accolades are won.
Midfielders Nick Daicos, Patrick Cripps, Marcus Bontempelli, and Lachie Neale are the poster men for the competition, with their video game stats each week taking the AFL world by storm.
Ordering each club 18-1 is a difficult task given each club's midfield is littered with talent, with numerous players vying for an All-Australian selection each year despite only three traditional midfield spots up for grabs for the entire competition.
Yet, here at Zero Hanger, we've attempted the challenge of ranking the best midfields in the league, with this first instalment revealing the bottom six clubs, 18th through 13th.
2. (17th) West Coast
Ranked 15th for clearances and 17th for inside 50s, the Eagles midfield unsurprisingly sits low in the rankings.
Elliot Yeo saw some growth after a couple of down seasons, increasing his disposal figures by five and achieving a career-best clearance average, while Tim Kelly produced a fairly consistent year.
Of course, there is up-and-coming superstar Harley Reid who should assume more midfield minutes as he fully adapts to the workload of an AFL athlete this pre-season. Reuben Ginbey is another youngster pressing for a midfield position in 2025, while draftee Bo Allan will make his case.
Richmond recruit Jack Graham may hold a position in the middle, as could Liam Baker, although he is more likely to be stationed down back. Matt Flynn is poised to make the role in the ruck his own after spending the majority of 2024 sidelined with injury.
However, it's hard to overlook their efforts in 2024, despite the bridge of youth coming through. Once again for the Eagles, it may be another year of development, as their young stars continue to adapt to the top flight.
