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.

4. (15th) West Coast

When fit and firing, West Coast's midfield group can almost match any club on its day.

Home to one of the more experienced packs, the Eagles will be hoping their injury crisis was just a trend for 2022 after struggling to field their best ball-winning contingent throughout last year.

Dom Sheed, Luke Shuey, Elliot Yeo, Andrew Gaff, Tim Kelly and ruckman Nic Natianui would combine for a grand total of 64 games from a possible 132 matches in 2022, pricing the quality and experience they lacked on their way to a 17th-placed finish.

Fans have become accustomed to seeing 2-3 of these stars sidelined most weekends, leaving an uphill battle for those that are on the track.

Naitanui is arguably their most important player, with his ruck craft and efficiency offering a silver service to the men at his feet. His reinforcements in Bailey Williams and Callum Jamieson have struggled in the veteran's absence, further compounding their midfield woes.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - JULY 27: Elliot Yeo of the Eagles kicks on goal during the 2019 AFL round 19 match between the West Coast Eagles and the North Melbourne Kangaroos at Optus Stadium on July 27, 2019 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Looking toward 2023 and beyond, the Eagles are building a new wave of midfield talent to soon succeed their premiership stars, with first-round picks and local lads Reuben Ginbey and Elijah Hewett seen as their key figures of the future.

Campbell Chesser, another Eagle that endured a difficult 2022 campaign, will also look to prove his worth as West Coast's earliest draft pick from the 2021 count.