Rightly or wrongly, midfielders have a monopoly on just about every major individual award in our game, similar to an NFL quarterback.
It makes sense to a degree, they are situated where the ball resides for the majority of the contest - in the middle - but must also cover the entire field to find the footy wherever required.
In turn, they typically clock in the most kms, accumulate the most touches and fill up the stat sheet more than any other typer of player on the ground.
They play a variety of roles - in & under the contest feeding the outside runners, exploding out of packs with strength, speed and agility, plus using the ball skilfully and efficiently by hand or foot.
Some are suited to a particular role more than others, making it hard to definitively rank one player over another using stats or achievements. Patrick Cripps and Nick Daicos both fall under the midfielder category but carry a 12cm & 15kg size difference and dominate in vastly different ways on the ground.
We must look beyond just the numbers which may favour a Tom Green, or the eye-test which may favour a Jordan De Goey to decide on number one.
Instead, we need a rich tapestry of impact, stats, moments, value, performance and pedigree to judge who holds the crown as the league's best midfielder.
SEE ALSO: THE TOP 10 DEFENDERS OF THE 2023 AFL SEASON
9. Zach Merrett
Since 2016, Zach Merrett has been the superstar mid stuck on a middling 8-12 ranked side, performing at a consistent All-Australian level to no avail at the Bombers.
Without the size to compete on the inside with the Cripps' and Greens of the world, Merrett has added layers to his game with each year of experience, becoming Essendon's smoothest ball user, most tenacious tackler and trusted leader.
All three were on display in Essendon's famous one-point Dreamtime victory in Damien Hardwick's final match, where he was instrumental with 39 disposals and a clutch desperation pressure act on a Dustin Martin kick, starting the passage for Sam Durham's match-winning major.
He was rewarded with his third All-Australian selection in 2023, adding to his cabinet with four club best & fairests and captaincy honours.
Unfortunately, the only way up on a list like this depends on the team's ability to feature in finals and provide the platform to lift individual performance with higher stakes.
