Who are footy's masterminds?
Amid the desperation for speed and athleticism, the old-school skill of simply understanding the game strongly and building your game off that is arguably undervalued.
So who has the best footy IQ?
4Max Gawn
If you go to the MCG and don't take your eyes off Max Gawn, the first thing you'll notice is his ability to run and run and run. For a big man, his tireless efforts set him apart and allow him to work other rucks over.
But don't underestimate the efficiency of his running patterns which enable him to get from contest to contest without overexerting. Ruck craft is an underrated skill, but the most fundamental for rucks to achieve their primary objective and he possesses it in spades, enabling him to set up the midfield for clearance ascendancy, with his hit-to zones allowing Melbourne to surge forward.
He's also maintained his greatness across a generation where ruck rules have changed and different types of rucks have come and gone.
