Zero Hanger's next instalment of 'start, bench, cut' sees us examine a trio of electrifying hybrid forwards.
Richmond forward-midfielder Shai Bolton, Melbourne jackknife Kysaiah Pickett, and Geelong score-involvement maestro Gryan Miers culminate in three of the more dynamic front-half players in the competition.
These goalscoring smalls became premiership players early into their careers, with Richmond's Bolton the sole dual-flag-winner of this group.
As we dissect the careers and recent form of this trio of elusive offensive threats, we ponder who to hypothetically 'start' (our number one choice of the three), 'bench' (our runner-up) and 'cut' (our odd man out).
We reviewed the cases of Bolton, Pickett, and Miers before revealing our start, bench, and cut verdicts.
Since his entrance into the competition in 2016, Bolton's astronomical ascension has been a sight to behold.
Richmond's marquee utility possesses the capability to terrorise opposition defenders as a forward, as well as glide past opponents through the corridor as a pure midfielder.
Bolton, who commenced his professional career as a small forward before expanding the bounds of his talents, has progressively played more midfield minutes in the subsequent seasons, thus adding another string to his lethal bow.
This season, the 25-year-old averaged 4.0 clearances per game – ranking 'elite' (within the top ten per cent of AFL midfielders) according to AFL Stats – playing a predominantly midfield role during a turbulent season for the Punt Roaders.
While it's difficult to ascertain whether Bolton is a more dangerous proposition as a forward or onballer, one thing is for certain; he's a force to be reckoned with, and he's still ascending.
Pickett undoubtedly plays the most physically imposing style of game of this trio, and it isn't very close.
In fact, as we know, he's sometimes succumbed to crossing the line between 'fair' and 'indiscretion', which has represented a rare blight on his glittering game.
This year, Pickett averaged 4.0 tackles per game for the Demons; ranking elite in comparison to the league's brigade of forwards, demonstrating the immense defensive impact he has on games in addition to his obvious attacking exploits.
As for those attacking exploits, Pickett also managed a mean of 1.5 goals per game during Melbourne's top-four-finish campaign; a feat that registered an 'above average' grading.
Miers has consistently showcased his distributive capabilities under Chris Scott, instigating a plethora of goalscoring opportunities for his teammates not only throughout the 2023 campaign but also through Geelong's 2022 premiership sojourn.
Miers was the competition's unmatched goal-assist leader in 2023, recording an astounding 41 goal assists; eleven more than Hugh McCluggage's next-best tally of 30.
In spite of his official classification as a 'small forward', Miers still ranked within the league's top ten in score involvements. His 7.2 score-involvements-per-game average was just shy of league-leading Christian Petracca's 8.4.
Further, the 24-year-old's 19.0 disposals per game this year was a figure considered elite in comparison to other forwards across the league.
While the Geelong Falcons product boasts one of the most unorthodox drop-punt actions we've seen in recent times, Miers' right foot has proved to be one of the most efficient scoring sources in the AFL.
Start: Shai Bolton
Bench: Gryan Miers
Cut: Kysaiah Pickett
Bolton's combination of sheer output and remaining potential outweighs that of Miers and Pickett, despite the duo's respective proficiencies.
The Western Australian Tiger is, simply put, unstoppable on his given day; utilising his unmatched elusiveness and attacking instinct to cause irreparable damage.
Meanwhile, Miers' contribution to Geelong's team success can't be understated, particularly as he's consistently played an integral role in score creation for the Cats. At present, his production tops Pickett's.
While the speed Demon undoubtedly possesses game-breaking ability, the argument can be made that he currently lacks the polish of a true top-line player.
For now, he's our 'bench' option, though his prospective ceiling outweighs that of Miers and can potentially challenge Bolton's in future seasons.