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.
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6. Errol Gulden
While making his All-Australian debut on the wing, Gulden spent the latter half of the year dicing oppositions out of the midfield, covering all areas of the ground and delivering by foot with pinpoint precision.
In just three seasons he has risen to become a Brownlow contender and a fan-favourite across the league.
His running capacity and silky left foot make him one of the most watchable players in the competition with the added knack of hitting the scoreboard on a weekly basis.
He has also proven to lift his game as the stakes increase.
His career-high 42 disposals and two goals came in Sydney's Round 24 home-final qualifier.
His 20 kicks and two goals a fortnight later doesn't sound like a heap, but almost single-handedly carried the Swans to an elimination final upset over Carlton.
A successful recruitment campaign this off-season has opened the door for the Swans to rise back up the ladder for 2024 and onwards, raising the expectations for Gulden to show out on an even bigger stage as he continues his young prime.
