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.
6. (7th) Melbourne
When the Demons are on song, they are arguably the best midfield in the competition.
That as much was clear just four seasons ago when Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver blitzed the Bulldogs in the midfield to turn the tide of the 2021 grand final.
But a rocky 2024 left AFL fans wondering if the Demons of old will resurface again.
Clayton Oliver was clearly impacted by an interrupted pre-season as he delivered career lows in multiple major statistical categories since his debut season.
Petracca was no stranger to media attention either after the handling of his life-threatening injuries put his future at the club under a cloud, although he has since said he remains committed at Melbourne until his contract ends in 2029.
However, the out-of-form Oliver and sidelined Petracca were evidently impacting the Demons' midfield performance, as Melbourne slumped to 16th for clearances and 14th for inside 50s, down from rankings of sixth and first in 2023.
On a positive note, Trent Rivers showed promising signs in his midfield transition, while Jack Viney and Max Gawn continued their reliable ways.
Caleb Windsor emerged early as a Rising Star shout, and although he didn't win the award, he certainly has a future at the elite level. Harvey Langford, Xavier Lindsay and Harry Sharp could also play in the contest and on the wing respectively, emphasising the increase of youth to the roster this off-season.
The upside for Melbourne is tremendous. Their stars could return to their old ways, put the off-field controversy behind them and reach their full potential once again alongside an emerging young crop.
Yet, last season could also be showing the signs that Melbourne's successful era of the early 2020s is over.
The two potential outcomes for the Demons are polar opposites, but both extremes are plausible, leaving fans to curiously watch how their season unfolds.