It might be too early to definitively declare that Seb Ross has entered the elite bracket of midfielders, but a quick glance of the coaches votes leaderboard tells you part of the story.
Ross, 24, is equal fifth alongside Western Bulldogs superstar Marcus Bontempelli in the 2017 AFLCA champion player of the year award on 31 votes.
One vote ahead of this pair is dual Brownlow medallist Gary Ablett.
West Coast half-back Elliot Yeo, who is one of the most improved players in the AFL this season, leads the award by one vote, narrowly ahead of Adelaide midfielder Rory Sloane, with second-year Melbourne onballer Clayton Oliver rounding out the podium.
After playing every game and finishing 6th in the Trevor Barker Award in a breakout 2016, Ross has risen to a new level in 2017, particularly in the last five weeks where he has amassed five consecutive 30+ disposal hauls.
In the absence of star midfielder David Armitage, the North Ballarat product is averaging 28.9 possessions (No. 13 in the AFL), 10.9 contested possessions, 5.5 clearances and 4.0 inside 50s per game.
He has attracted votes from the coaches in four of the first eight games of the year.
He earned six votes against West Coast in Round 2, nine in the win over Collingwood in Round 4, another nine against the Giants in Round 7 and seven on the weekend against Carlton.
Safe to say it has been an enormous start to the year by Ross.
Oh, and despite missing two of the first eight games with a punctured lung, Jack Steven is equal ninth in the coaches votes, having polled all 27 of his votes across the last four games.
Monday Wash-Up: Round 8 v Carlton
AFLCA Champion Player of the Year Leaderboard
43 Elliot Yeo (West Coast)
42 Rory Sloane (Adelaide)
36 Clayton Oliver (Melbourne)
32 Gary Ablett (Gold Coast Suns)
31 Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs)
31 Seb Ross (St Kilda)
29 Ollie Wines (Port Adelaide)
27 Marc Murphy (Carlton)
27 Jack Steven (St Kilda)
