NIC NAITANUI took what may well end up being the the Hungry Jack's Mark of the Year on Sunday at Etihad Stadium. The obvious list for this week would be the greatest marks of all time, but - as this is Lists with Twists - I look at the lesser but nevertheless important other parties in a speccy... the human 'step ladders' that made it all possible. Here are ten of the most famous.

1. Graeme Jenkin (Collingwood) - Mark taken by Alex Jesaulenko (Carlton), 1970 Grand Final.

The most famous step ladder of all time is of course Collingwood's Graham 'Jerker' Jenkin. The man who provided the platform for Alex Jesaulenko's immortal mark, has himself earned a place in the annals of football history for being part of the iconic moment.

In 149 games for Collingwood and Essendon 'Jerker' Jenkin gave his all, but his bulk and lack of mobility meant that he was never seen as one of the stars of game. To therefore be an integral part of the football's most famous 'speccy' adds a dash of Aussie humour to the great moment.

It was that element that touched Melbourne alternative rock band TISM when they released a single titled The Back Upon Which Jezza Jumped to pay tribute to the most famous step ladder the game has seen.

2. Chris Langford (Hawthorn)  - Mark taken by Warwick Capper (Sydney), 1987 Qualifying Final.

Warwick Capper may have been many things throughout his AFL/VFL career but it should never be forgotten that one of those things was a brilliant high-leaping mark.

The Swan spearhead won Mark of the Year in 1987 for a freakish grab over accomplished Hawk Chris Langford during the finals. In a good impersonation of a contortionist, Capper took the mark lying on his side, leaving a bewildered Langford crumpled underneath him.

3. Brad Johnson (Western Bulldogs) - Mark taken by Gary Moorcroft (Essendon), round 14, 2001.

This is another case of a step ladder that played his part in a Mark of the Year. Gary Moorcroft’s famous goalsquare leap at the Docklands in 2001 came at a price as he injured his back on landing and played little AFL football after that year.  

Brad Johnson, who acted as that step ladder for the flying Bomber, can count himself lucky that he didn't receive a serious injury given the force used by Moorcroft in taking off and completing the grab. Like most spectacular marks there has been a framed copy of the mark made that incorporated the signatures of both the player taking the mark and the payer providing the ride.

It would be no fun putting your signature to a photo that shows you being clearly outpointed and probably a day that Brad Johnson didn't employ that famous smile of his.

4. Gary Colling (St Kilda) - Mark taken by John Roberts (South Melbourne), round 5, 1980.

There's an old Australian expression that reads as "hard as a cat's head" and a certain Saint that went by the nickname 'Cat' needed his head to be as hard as possible back in 1980.

During a game at the Lakeside Oval, St. Kilda defender Gary 'Cat' Colling found himself being used as a springboard by the Swan's John Roberts. Roberts was just in his fifth game of AFL/VFL football having arrived during the off-season from South Australia where he had a reputation for being a spectacular mark.

The jump he took behind the former Saint skipper was certainly spectacular, so big that his knee missed the normal target area for a speccy, the shoulder, and actually struck Colling in the back of the head.

5. Gary Pert ( Collingwood) - Mark taken by Gary Ablett snr (Geelong), round 8, 1994.

Gary Ablett's Mark of the Year from 1994 remains one of the more contentious high marks taken. Opinions are divided as to whether it actually was a mark or a spectacular spill, but no mater your take you still have a classic piece of step ladder abuse. Poor Gary Pert received a knee to his face in the marking attempt before having Ablett's powerful thighs envelop his head as the twisting Geelong champ fell from the sky.

6. Trevor Johnson (Melbourne) - Mark taken by Merv Hobbs (Footscray), Preliminary Final, 1961.

It was a chance occurrence that saw a freelance photographer drop into the MCG on Preliminary Final day in 1961, and snap one of the game's greatest photos. 

He caught the moment Bulldog's rover Merv Hobbs grabbed a high-flying mark over a flailing Demon opponent. The identity of said Demon has been argued since but it is now the commonly held opinion that the well disguised step ladder was Melbourne ruckman Trevor Johnson.

7. Kelvin Moore (Hawthorn) - Marks taken by Phil Baker (North Melb) Grand Final, 1978. Michael Roach (Richmond) round 5, 1979.

Football writer Paul Daffey is a friend and great wordsmith. He actually compiled a list of footy step ladders a couple of years ago and I just had to reprint his take on the only player in this list to have been soared upon twice.

The Hawk full-back was caught underneath two of the most famous marks in football. In 1979, he was stranded on earth while Richmond full-forward Michael Roach soared over him at the MCG.

In the 1978 Grand Final, Moore had North Melbourne spearhead Phil 'Snake' Baker leap over him during Baker's animated opening salvo. The Roo spearhead kicked four goals in the first half and finished with six for the game.

A year later, he was out of Arden Street. Moore, meanwhile, went on to play 300 games for Hawthorn, giving him a clear victory in the game of Snake and Ladder.

8. Ricky Quade (South Melbourne) - Mark taken by Trevor Barker(St. Kilda) Round 18, 1977

Much loved Saints skipper Trevor Barker was one of the great exponents of the soaring high mark. His own twist to the already difficult art was to add a little hang time, a skill that was on display on a sunny afternoon at the Lakeside Oval in 1977.

He rode Swans captain Ricky Quade for what seemed an eternity but Quade must have been a folding step ladder as he crumpled underneath Barker bringing both he and his opponent to the ground.

9. Pat Kelly  - North Melbourne - Mark taken by John Coleman (Essendon) Round 17, 1950.

The great John Coleman was a brilliant natural spring and turned many an opponent into a human launching pad. In 1950 the Bombers were playing North Melbourne in a late-season home and away game when Coleman won the match for his team after taking a spectacular high mark.

His opponent Pat Kelly marveled at Coleman's ability and had this to say following the match: "I looked up for the ball and all I could see was a set of football stops. They were Coleman's. He'd jumped clear over my head."

10. Mick Martyn (North Melbourne) - Mark taken by Tony Modra (Adelaide) round 17, 1997.

Mick Martyn was generally not the sort of bloke you upset on the footy field so using him as a step ladder came with it's own set of problems. Tony Modra was a gifted grabber of the speccy and after completing a brilliant mark over Mick he quickly had to contend with the prospect of a retaliating step ladder!

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