No spot will be more keenly debated at All Australian selection meetings this year than the rebounding defender.
With Geelong's Corey Enright retired, Sydney Swan Dane Rampe injured and Greater Western Sydney's Heath Shaw a little off the pace so far in 2017, three spots from last season's team are up for grabs at this stage.
Rapidly rising into end-of-year contention is St Kilda's Dylan Roberton.
Only two players (Carlton's Sam Docherty and Essendon's Zach Merrett) have had more kicks than Roberton this season.
Against Greater Western Sydney in Friday night prime time he racked up 498 metres gained, with 19 kicks at 85 per cent disposal efficiency.
For good measure he kicked one goal and took two intercept marks.
2017'S TOP REBOUNDING DEFENDERS
| Player | Avg disposals | Avg kicks | Avg metres gained |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elliot Yeo | 25 | 17 | 489 |
| Jayden Hunt | 20.1 | 14 | 491 |
| Rory Laird | 32.3 | 14.9 | 464 |
| Adam Saad | 17.1 | 9.1 | 340 |
| Dylan Roberton | 24.9 | 20 | 500 |
| Jason Johannisen | 24.9 | 15 | 484 |
| Sam Docherty | 27 | 21.7 | 495 |
| Zac Williams | 23.6 | 13.3 | 397 |
| Jeremy Howe | 20.9 | 13.4 | 396 |
| Brodie Smith | 22.1 | 11.6 | 501 |
The growth in stature of the rebounding defender’s role was underlined when Western Bulldogs' defender Jason Johannisen won last season's Norm Smith medal.
It was reinforced when Essendon used its No.1 draft pick to select Andy McGrath, who has shown his class already this season.
With the sweeping defender's role now multi-dimensional, players need to read the play superbly, use the football precisely and be courageous enough to take on the game with run or slicing kicks.
Not only that but with high half forwards being used as extra midfielders, the defensive sweeper needs to be strong at stoppages, win contested ball and organise his team's defensive structure.
Roberton has flown under the radar until this season but he now sits fifth this season for general defenders when it comes to Champion Data ranking points.
Though taller than Nick Riewoldt, he has gone from a player who gained 293 metres per game in 2016 to averaging 500 metres a game in 2017, becoming the game's second most effective kick in the process.
"Now he not only reads the game well but he has developed his game in all areas, in the air and on the ground, his touch and he is a beautiful kick."
Roberton will stand at the opposite end of the ground to Carlton's reigning best and fairest winner Sam Docherty on Saturday at Etihad Stadium.
With Docherty already deemed dangerous enough for the Pies to deploy Levi Greenwood to tag him, their 'duel' will have a significant bearing on the result.
