If only one player from each team could be selected for an ultimate starting 18 who would make the cut?
This thought experiment only permits one individual per team to fill out a hypothetical starting lineup, based on playing positions.
Deciding who is likely to make such a squad is easier when assessing the league's bottom sides, but becomes increasingly more difficult as you make your way up the ladder and start to break down the best players from premiership contenders.
So this begs the question, would your side's best player be a lock or would they be forced to make way for a teammate in another position?
We at Zero Hanger have weighed in on this great debate and come up with the following starting 18, based on the mentioned criteria.
Jiath was a consistent bright spot for a struggling Hawks outfit in 2021. He displayed a knack for picking off the ball in addition to solid defensive wherewithal, as evident by his 20 plus touches, 3.1 spoils and 6.9 intercepts per game.
He makes this team given that he was likely Hawthorn's most consistent player and serves as a competitive option for the back-pocket.
Despite being shifted around early and eventually succumbing to injury, Moore has proven to be one of the league's best defenders when fit.
His ability to spoil the ball in contested situations is second to none and his intercept marking sets him apart from most defenders in the game, for these reasons, in conjunction with a struggling Pies side, Moore is the perfect full-back for this starting 18.
Rampe is a competitive one-on-one player who is capable of making goal-saving plays but is also deadly efficient with the ball in hand. His 7.6 pressure acts, 394.7 meters gained and 84.8 per cent disposal efficiency highlight how versatile he is down back.
Rampe's ability to not only perform basic defensive duties but also initiate offence through angle-changing kicks makes him a great option for the remaining back-pocket slot.
Laird is a possession machine with the engine to keep up with any forward in the game. Although he's perhaps preferred in the midfield, he makes up for this with his 5.9 tackles and 20.6 pressure acts per game.
Laird's been the Crows' for the best part of the past two years, which makes him an easy choice for the half-back line.
Defender
Disposals
Marks
Rebound50s
Tom Stewart was the Geelong defence in 2021.
His ability to intercept, spoil and kickstart the counterattack whenever the ball dare venture down into the Cats' territory was something akin to video gameplay. Stewart was always a lock for this list despite the wealth of talent at the Cats.
Hall averaged 27.9 touches and 650.5 meters gained per game. He by no means has a defensive bone in his body, but Hall was the driving force behind most of the Kangaroos' offence.
Hall completes this backline as his run and carry sets him apart from most at North, and does just enough to carve a spot for himself in this starting 18.Â
Miller is not a winger by any means, but he is the Suns' best player by a country mile.
The Gold Coast ball-magnet attacks the footy hard and is relentless in his pursuit of the ball (31.8 disposals and 7.1 tackles per game), always willing to do the team thing and set up his teammates for success.
He makes this list based on his production alone and is a great fit for this midfield.
While the Demons are stacked with talented players, Petracca showed us why he deserves to be on this list with his grand final performance, amassing 39 disposals, nine clearances, 896 meters gained and two goals to claim the Norm Smith Medal.
When 'Trac' is on, not many can say that their best can compare.
Like Miller, Steele was St Kilda's best player by some margin. He averaged 29.2 disposals, 13.9 contested possessions, 8.9 ground ball gets, 8.5, tackles, 25 pressure acts, and 5.9 score involvements.
Steele was the St Kilda football club in 2021, and his omission from this list would be criminal.
Stringer is as much of a game-winner for a side as there is in this league, with his combination of strength, explosiveness and goal-kicking ability often putting on a show for the fans.Â
While the Bombers have a pair of star midfielders amongst their ranks, they fail in comparison to the rest of the onballers in this starting 18, hence Stringer being their best fit.
The Eagles have an assortment of players to choose from, although Kennedy remains the best fit for this list. He remains one of the only players in the league who is quite literally capable of scoring whenever he touches the ball.
He managed 41 goals this season while playing in a stacked West Coast forward line, and still remains their go-to man when it counts the most.
Martin remains the heart and soul of the Tigers, always able to break a game open and is never selfish with the footy, and the three-time Norm Smith medallist has a track record of performing in big games.
Forward
Disposals
Marks
Goals
Martin is still the Tigers' best, and while not traditionally a forward, he spends enough time up the ground to cement his spot in this hypothetical side.
Greene is ferocious in his pursuit of the footy and smart with his use of it, always managing to generate scores for the Giants, whether that is setting up a teammate in a better position or pinching a few clutch goals.
Like Martin, Greene is the heart and soul of this new tough Giants squad, and for this, he can't be overlooked in the making of such a squad.
The 2021 Coleman medallist finds himself in this 18 due to positional requirements, yes Blues fans both Weitering and Walsh were close to making the list, but we needed a full forward.
Big Harry booted 58 majors this past season, at this point he's the most logical pick for this position.
Cameron is a game-wrecker up forward for the Lions, with his combination of elite speed, leaping ability and goal-kicking finesse. The Lions do have a host of stars who could've pinched some other spots on this list, however, Cameron's fit in this forward six makes the most sense.
A small forward who managed to boot 55 goals, Cameron really deserves this spot.
Darcy is as big and imposing as any ruckman in recent memory and manages to get a fair bit of the footy for a man of his stature.
His 16.6 touches, 28.5 hit-outs, 10 hit-outs to advantage and six score involvements highlight his versatility around the ground, which is why he's snagged the ruck position for this team of 18.
Is there much that needs to be said for the Brownlow medallist?
Midfielder
Disposals
Tackles
Clearances
Wines lands a place in our engine room after a stellar campaign for the Power in rising up the ranks as the best player of the season.
Bontempelli is the standout in a star-studded Bulldogs midfield, although arguments can be made for the likes of Jack Macrae and co.
The Bont is a smooth operator who not only finds the footy and his teammates in space, but also the goals when the Dogs need a lift. He also doesn't need much of the footy to impact a game, and for this, he claims the final spot in this top 18.
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