Noted to be where the game is won or lost, the midfield is a crucial element in the AFL that each side will look to perfect.
In search of finding the right balance of offensive flourish and defensive accountability, each side's engine room is often where the star names and key players ply their trade.
The middle of the field is often the birthplace for Brownlow Medal winners, with the best accumulators going toe-to-toe when the ball hits the deck.
With all 18 AFL clubs having planned to perfect their midfield across the past months, we put each club's central contingent under the microscope and rank them from 18th best down to 1st.
Here is Part I of our midfield rankings, covering 18th to 13th.
3. (16th) St Kilda
Despite being home to one of the AFL's premier midfielders in Jack Steele, the Saints are lacking the depth and firepower in midfield to see themselves rank near the top half of the competition for their centre stocks.
Steele's two-way prowess has the Saints skipper among the best ball winners and stoppers in the middle, with his tackling ability a trait that has him so highly rated at Moorabbin and across the league.
Sidekick Brad Crouch was arguably St Kilda's leading midfielder last season as Steele endured injury, with the former Crow having the highest per game average for contested possessions, disposals and clearances among Brett Ratten's midfield group, while also falling just 0.1 tackles per game shy of Steele with an average of 7.2.
The pairing of Crouch and Steele sees the duo at the forefront of Ross Lyon's plans for 2023, but his next line of options involves a mix of inexperience and injury issues.
Second-year Saint Marcus Windhager is proving to be a solid selection out of the club's Next Generation Academy, with his lockdown capabilities and work rate quickly placing the teenager as Lyon's third leading option in midfield.
Senior duo Seb Ross and Zak Jones find will find themselves in a battle to cement a post in Lyon's preferred midfield mix, starting the season under injury clouds while some new faces press their case come selection.
Mitch Owens and Mattaes Phillipou are set to add youth and size in the middle as they rotate across the forward half, filling the void set to be left by Jack Billings are the Saint suffered yet another setback in the pre-season.
Brad Hill, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Mason Wood and Dan Mckenzie will offer outside run as Lyon's leading wing options.
St Kilda's ruck plans will heavily rely on Rowan Marshall this year following Paddy Ryder's departure, with the Saints tall set to step into the leading role while gaining a helping hand from Jack Hayes.
The queue behind Marshall for the first-string duck duties is bleak, with veteran Tom Campbell ahead of uncapped pair Max Heath and Isaac Keeler.
