BACKS
Dale Morris
Can play on talls as well as small dangerous forwards. Provides run and rebound out of the defensive 50. Last year was ranked second for one-percenters, which highlights his importance to the team. Earned All-Australian selection in 2008 after a number of consistent years.

Ben Rutten
A big, strong backman who is great in a one-on-one contest. Very rarely gets numerous goals kicked on him and in 2005 earned All-Australian honours. A player who reads the game well and knows when to run and create for his teammates.

Roger Hayden
I've had the pleasure of seeing a lot of Roger play. He has amazing skills and the ability to zone off his man and go third man up in a contest. Provides plenty of drive from the defensive 50 and marks anything in his vicinity.

HALF-BACKS
Josh Drummond
His ability to break the lines with his penetrating left foot kick – a real feature of his game. He is the go-to man out of the defensive 50 due to his kick covering ground very quickly.

Nathan Bock
Love watching him play. Not only does he mark the best forwards in the game and beat them regularly, he is almost the best backman to provide drive out of the defensive 50. He is almost always used when the Crows decide to switch the ball due to his willingness to run and carry and execute the required skills in the attacking thrust. All-Australian and best-and-fairest in 2008.

Harry O'Brien
The Brazilian-born defender is great in one-on-one contests. Can play on a tall or small forward and provides run and voice for the Collingwood side.

CENTRES
Andrew Lovett
A skilful and lightning-quick player who can play in the midfield or forward. Very dangerous around goals or carrying the football away from stoppages. Loves to take a big mark also.

Brad Sewell
Can run with and shut out an opposition playmaker or run and create himself. His work rate and tackling are highlights of his game. Extremely strong over the football, which shows in his high clearance numbers. A premiership player.

Aaron Davey
A lucky man blessed with speed and skill. Takes the game on at all times and uses the ball so well that teams tend to tag him, now he has moved up into the midfield. While playing forward can do almost anything from anywhere. A real opportunist.

HALF-FORWARDS
Michael Osborne
A versatile player who has a great knack of kicking numerous goals in one game. A small, hard running forward who always puts himself in great position to create space for his fellow teammates or to be used himself. A premiership player.

Max Rooke
One of my favourite players of all time. Hard, competitive and has a mindset that revolves completely around team success. He is the ultimate team man who blocks, chases and does whatever is required to keep the ball in the forward line to create opportunities not only for himself, but others. A premiership player.

Tarkyn Lockyer
Very versatile player who possesses a work rate which is not only enviable among his own teammates but the whole football fraternity. Has an ability to gather a heap of possessions in the midfield or kick numerous goals while playing up forward.

FORWARDS
Stephen Milne
An enigmatic forward who inspires his team with his passion for the game. He is not a forward who just kicks goals, but creates opportunities for his team with his defensive pressure in the forward 50. His speed and tackling ability allow him to wreak havoc on opposition sides. He can kick a goal from anywhere.

Russell Robertson
Will sit on anyone’s head when the ball is kicked in long and high. Has an amazing ability to read the flight of the footy and create opportunities for himself. Can kick a long goal as well as snap one from anywhere in the forward 50. Has kicked over 400 goals, which sums up how good a player he has been for Melbourne.

Jason Porplyzia
One of the best set shots for goal in the AFL. Simply does not miss. Plays tall and small for someone of his size. Is a powerful mark overhead and can kick goals from ground play also. Still generates a lot of footy (averaged 17 possessions a game in ‘08) and has a high tackle count for a forward. Attacks the footy as hard as anyone.

FOLLOWERS
Aaron Sandilands
An absolutely massive man. Not only wins the hit-outs for his team but ranks highly in the clearance department for the AFL. Has dominated games with his ability to win possessions around the ground and push forward to kick goals. Sets the scene for his teammates to follow and is always developing his relationship with them.

Brett Kirk
I absolutely love the way this bloke plays football. A hard and uncompromising approach to his game makes him a natural leader. He uses his voice to instruct and direct teammates around stoppages more than anyone else I have played against. His ability to shut down opponents through sheer determination and his desire make him invaluable for his team. His passion and work ethic are admired by everyone. A premiership player, dual best-and-fairest and an All-Australian.

Matthew Boyd
A hard-at-the-footy player who wins a heap of the ball. A strong and mature body allows him to win contested football around stoppages and in one-on-ones. Possesses a work rate that is first class. An integral member of the Bulldogs midfield that wants September glory.

INTERCHANGE
Darren Jolly
Has blossomed since switching from Melbourne to the Swans. Always in the top couple for hit-outs and hit-outs to advantage. Generates football around the ground and is extremely dangerous when resting forward. A big, strong body allows him to get first hands on the football and gives his midfield first use around stoppages. I love battling against him.

James McDonald
A best-and-fairest winner who prides himself on nullifying an opposition player while generating footy himself. His tackling pressure and leadership on a football field is first rate. His work ethic and courage make him the great player he is.

Nathan Foley
Does this bloke have a turn of foot! On numerous occasions I have witnessed him bursting out of a centre square clearance and kicking a long goal or kicking it lace out to a leading forward. A great work ethic allows him to damage sides with copious possessions.

Danyle Pearce
A speedy player who runs and carries the football at all times. Executes his silky skills generally by foot. His elusive nature allows him to kick some miraculous goals and gets him out of congested situations. I will never forget the goal he kicked against us where he carried the footy from before the wing and side-stepped three blokes before finishing beautifully.

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.