It's often labelled a midfielder's competition, and the AFL has seen a plethora of elite talent in this position, particularly in recent seasons.
Most annual AFL awards and accomplishments are achieved out of the midfield position and while many argue that premierships start with the backline, it is clear that dynasties are made by the midfield (see Richmond, Hawthorn, Brisbane).
While it is scrutinised by many pundits, every AFL All-Australian team is littered with them, 2022 alone featured eight mids all over the ground.
Without further ado, here are our rankings of the top 10 midfielders of 2022.
SEE ALSO: TOP 10 DEFENDERS OF 2022
2. Clayton Oliver
Astonishingly after four club best & fairests, three All-Australian nods and two AFLCA Player of the Year Awards, Clayton Oliver is still getting better with each year he plays.
At 25 years of age, he is already one of Melbourne's all-time greatest players and his 2022 season was representative of that.
32.7 disposals, 8.7 clearances, 17.8 contested possessions and 7 score involvements only begin to tell the story. He is clearly the best stoppage player in the competition with arguably the best hands in the league. His cleanliness under intense heat is almost unmatched, while his size and power make him nearly untaggable.
He looks primed to remain toward the top of the midfield mountain for the foreseeable future assuming Melbourne can sustain their successful run of winning.
If the Demons can reach their potential and become the league's next dynasty over the next decade, Oliver could look to challenge the likes of Chris Judd and Robert Harvey as the AFL's best all-time midfielders.
