The evolution of the ruck role has dramatically changed over the years.
From what was a means to help direct the ball to a midfielder in a ruck contest to now being a key part of what happens around the ground, a ruckman's job has never been tougher.
The expectation to help out in defence, join in on the chain from the backline to the forward line, and push hard into the front half to provide aerial support, the role has never been more expansive.
That is why some ruckmen are the best in their cohort and rival some of the competition's top-tier players.
Before we begin, here are a few notable players stiff to miss a top 10 spot...
Snubs:
Mark Blicavs
Jarrod Witts
Toby Nankervis
Sean Darcy
Lloyd Meek
Sam Draper
Reilly O'Brien
8. Tom De Koning
At his best, De Koning can match it with the best.
The Carlton ruckman has a uniqueness about him, whilst his upside is the greatest in the competition.
Injuries curtailed his 2024 home and away campaign, but there were plenty of occasions where he alone got the ball rolling for the Blues, feeding two-time Brownlow medallist Patrick Cripps or simply winning the football himself.
De Koning's physicality also should be noted, bashing and crashing into the bigger bodies of the competition, while his aerobic capacity has seen an increase in score involvements from previous years.
