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
2. Brodie Grundy
And then there were two, which has been the case for some time.
Grundy's reassertion to the top of the table is no surprise, given he's been here before.
However, changing to his third AFL club proved to be a stroke of genius for the former Pie and Demon, returning to his best as his club went down in the decider with Sydney.
Grundy's strength has always been his elite tap work and ability to follow up the contest better than most.
His numbers in clearances, disposals, hitouts to advantage, and defensive work rate were strong, but just not enough to take the mantle for No.1 ruckman.
