In the third instalment of our 2023 positional rankings, we've dissected the ruck crop of the past season to name the 10 best big men of the competition.
The likes of Max Gawn and Brodie Grundy have dominated the top of these lists for the best part of the past decade, however the past 12 months have seen a shift among the highest echelon of ruckmen, perhaps due to the new combination of Gawn and Grundy at Melbourne this year.
The new age era of the ruckman sees the towering talls of the competition needing to widely expand on their games beyond hitouts and contests, with ground coverage, aerial impact and endurance among the leading traits for the competition's current crop of ruck stars.
After a season that saw ruck records shattered once again, we rank the best 10 ruckman of 2023...
SEE ALSO:ย THE TOP 10 DEFENDERS OF THE 2023 AFL SEASON
SEE ALSO:ย THE TOP 10 MIDFIELDERS OF THE 2023 AFL SEASON
2. Rowan Marshall
One of just three ruckmen who earned an All-Australian squad selection in 2023, with Marshall blossoming as the sole tall for the Saints following Paddy Ryder's departure.
Marshall ranked among the top five ruckmen for total hitouts (5th), clearances (2nd), disposals (1st), tackles (1st), contested possessions (1st), marks (2nd) and contested marks (2nd) in 2023 to emerge as one of the premier big men of the competition.
Ruck
Hitouts
Marks
Disposals
The St Kilda tall was a key contributor in helping steer Ross Lyon's side to a September finish and would earn a podium finish at this year's Trevor Barker Medal count.
