Midfields are as star-studded as it gets in the AFL, with even the mid-table teams boasting firepower and genuine All-Australian talent.
It could be on the wing or in the ruck, or simply the classic contested ball-winner, but each AFL club undoubtedly owns a star in the middle of the ground.
So where does your club rank across all teams in the competition? Do they have the depth across all positions to be the best in the league, or have last year's results proven their ability?
TEAMS 18-13: Every AFL team's midfield ranked: Part 1
In the second edition of Zero Hanger's midfield rankings, we've undertaken the challenge of ordering teams placed 12th through seventh, with each club potentially missing just that last piece to be considered one of the best in the competition.
5. (8th) Hawthorn
The Hawks could see an influx of depth to their wing positions due to the selection squeeze in their backline.
Karl Amon, Jarman Impey, Josh Weddle and Changkuoth Jiath could all be pushed up the ground in 2025 providing extra line-breaking pace and poise to the wings. It will add to the talent of Massimo D'Ambrosio, who excelled in his first season in brown and gold last year, especially across the wide parts of the ground.
In the guts, the Hawks are stacked with stars. Jai Newcombe will be pressing for a maiden All-Australian selection, while James Worpel pairs next to him as a sturdy contested ball-winner.
Will Day rounds out the main trio, but youngsters Josh Ward and Cam Mackenzie can also filter through, as can enforcers and taggers Conor Nash and Finn Maginness.
Ruckman Lloyd Meek has emerged as Hawthorn's number one option after a breakout season, although Ned Reeves is ready-made if Meek becomes unavailable at all next season.
Hawthorn have the depth to ensure they remain a finals side again in 2025, however, their 2024 clearance rankings skew them slightly behind the top sides in our list. The Hawks utilised their outside run and effective disposal to predominantly score from turnover in their stunning form turnaround. They averaged just 36.7 clearances per game (ranked 11th), yet they still managed 53.9 inside 50s per game (ranked seventh).
Should the Hawks convert their potential into better clearance results, don't be surprised to see Hawthorn's intoxicating flair infect the midfield and take the Hawks to a new level.
