GEELONG'S Corey Enright is closing in on regaining the title as No.1 defender in the Official AFL Player Ratings, brought to you by Vero.
The three-time premiership player was rated the best defender in the competition after round three, but by round 16 he had dropped to sixth.
In recent weeks, however, Enright has climbed back up the ratings table.
The 31-year-old is now just nine points behind the top backman, West Coast's Shannon Hurn.
Given Hurn is sidelined by a long-term ankle problem, Enright could overtake him as soon as this weekend, when Geelong travels to Perth to play the Eagles.
Enright's teammate Harry Taylor is also a chance to be the No.1 defender by the end of the season.
Taylor, whose points tally has benefited from his stints up forward, is just two points behind Enright and 11 behind Hurn.
The other positions are more settled.
Gold Coast skipper Gary Ablett is 97 points clear of the next-best midfielder, Adelaide's Patrick Dangerfield.
Hawthorn's Lance Franklin is 26 points clear of the next-best forward, teammate Jarryd Roughead.
And West Coast's Nic Naitanui is 126 points clear of the next-best ruckmen, North Melbourne's Todd Goldstein and St Kilda's Ben McEvoy.
TOP SCORERS WHEN THIS WEEKEND'S OPPONENTS LAST MET
Collingwood v Hawthorn: Round 3, 2013
1. Lance Franklin (Hawthorn) 26.2
2. Travis Cloke (Collingwood) 19
3. Jamie Elliott (Collingwood) 17.7
Richmond v Carlton: Round 1, 2013
1. Brett Deledio (Richmond) 26
2. Chris Judd (Carlton) 20.7
3. Bryce Gibbs (Carlton) 20.4
Gold Coast v Port Adelaide: Round 4, 2013
1. Hamish Hartlett (Port Adelaide) 25.7
2. Alipate Carlile (Port Adelaide) 18.2
3. Jared Brennan (Gold Coast) 18.1
Essendon v North Melbourne: Round 20, 2012
1. Jobe Watson (Essendon) 22.3
2. Nathan Lovett-Murray (Essendon) 18.
3. Robbie Tarrant (North Melbourne) 17.6
West Coast v Geelong: Round 20, 2012
1. Nic Naitanui (West Coast) 22.6
2. Luke Shuey (West Coast) 21.1
3. James Podsiadly (Geelong) 18
Brisbane Lions v Greater Western Sydney: Round 8, 2012
1. Daniel Merrett (Brisbane Lions) 31
2. Tom Rockliff (Brisbane Lions) 19.8
3. Callan Ward (Greater Western Sydney) 19.1
Fremantle v Melbourne: Round 9, 2013
1. Nathan Fyfe (Fremantle) 23.5
2. Jeremy Howe (Melbourne) 20.3
3. Garrick Ibbotson (Fremantle) 19.9
St Kilda v Sydney Swans: Round 5, 2013
1. Luke Parker (Sydney Swans) 26.3
2. Leigh Montagna (St Kilda) 19.5
3. Ted Richards (Sydney Swans) 18.5
Adelaide v Western Bulldogs: Round 4, 2013
1. Rory Sloane (Adelaide) 19.2
2. Andy Otten (Adelaide) 17.3
3. Richard Douglas (Adelaide) 17.2
