The final eight may well be already decided. The Blues have won six of their last nine to sneak into the top half of the ladder and with gettable wins over Essendon, Richmond and St Kilda over the next three weeks, they could well cement their position.

All top-half teams have quality players, but I have chosen one from each of the top-eight whom I believe is essential to his team's success.

GEELONG GARY ABLETT

No surprise here, but Gary jnr has gone up another level from his outstanding '07 season, when he emerged as one of the game's leading players. Now in scintillating form, he could well be the best player in the land. His teammates love, respect and protect him. If you hurt Gary, you hurt all of the Cats and they will come after you. Ablett averages more than 29 disposals a game — no one else does — he kicks and creates goals, and is genuinely tough. He is ranked second in the competition for contested possessions, sixth for hard-ball gets, eighth for clearances and 15th for tackles. He is the complete package, with an exterior that presents ice-cold determination and resolve. So good is he that some opposition coaches instruct their players not to tackle him, for fear Ablett will sidestep their charges, run on, and do further damage.

HAWTHORN LUKE HODGE

The Hawthorn vice-captain is a footballer's footballer, what all players would wish to be — tough, talented and team-oriented. Because of that he is respected by his peers, supporters and the media. Not for him awards, piles of stats and the public spotlight. Hodge simply plays for his team to win. So his game is full of sacrifices. There's plenty of bumps and blocks. Tackles and smothers. Accountability and counter attacks. And such is his versatility, his coach swings him to the parts of the ground where he is needed most. Last week, in a tense final quarter in Adelaide, Hodge was used as an attacking midfielder who was in at the centre bounces. His 12 disposals and goal were full of poise and class. He simply lifted at crunch time to get his team over the line.

WESTERN BULLDOGS BRIAN LAKE

The Bulldogs full-back won his club's best-and-fairest award in '07. Quality key defenders are worth their weight in gold and Lake, with his size and skills, is irreplaceable in the Bulldogs' back line. Coach Eade keeps Lake inside the defensive 50, so he gets the big jobs on the big names like Jonathan Brown, Brendan Fevola and Buddy Franklin. Lake has the speed to go with them on the lead and has the skill to win more contested marks than any other full-back. With an even spread of midfielders and forwards Eade can cover in those areas if one of his guns go down. But no one on the Bulldogs list could go close to doing Lake's job. That's why he is so important.

SYDNEY ADAM GOODES

The mobile big man is a good barometer for the Swans. Generally, when he is up and firing, so is the team. And the big fella never misses a match. Since late 1999 he has played 203 consecutive games. In a team of talented hard workers, it is Goodes who is the brilliant, dashing, play-making game-breaker. His ability to run the lines and give repeat efforts means that he can turn a game in a 10-minute blitz. But he can also lock down to do the nitty-gritty one-percenters when required. Consider this: this year, the dual Brownlow medallist leads his team in hard-ball gets, contested possession and goal assists. And he is second only to Brett Kirk in clearances and disposals.

ADELAIDE NATHAN BOCK

Bock kicked 29 goals last season as a big, burly centre half-forward for the Crows. He didn't finish in his team's top 10 for the best and fairest. He looked an ordinary player. But what a difference a change in position can do. Now settled at centre half-back, he has become his team's most valuable player in just half a season of football. Now fit and mobile and over a back injury, the 25-year-old is starring as a key defender. Last week he beat the Hawks' man of the moment Buddy Franklin comprehensively. And especially in one-on-one marking contests. Bock's figures for a big backman are incredible. He averages 23 disposals a game. Only midfielder Scott Thompson does better. But Bock is No. 1 for the Crows in marks, handball receives and defensive rebounds. With All-Australian defenders around him in Ben Rutten, Andrew McLeod and Nathan Bassett, it is a big statement to say Bock is now the Crows' best defender, but he is.

COLLINGWOOD TRAVIS CLOKE

The Pies' big men don't impose themselves on games. Their three ruckmen, Josh Fraser, Cameron Wood and Chris Bryan, have taken 14 contested marks for the season between them. Travis Cloke alone has taken 23. Cloke also is second on his team's goalkicking list with 19. Pushing up high as a half-forward, Cloke leads the way with inside-50 entries and assists. The Collingwood match committee recognised his value last year, when as a 20-year-old he won the Copeland Trophy as the best and fairest. With Anthony Rocca past his best and the rest of the goalkickers being medium-sized, it is essential for Collingwood's finals hopes that Cloke stands up as a dominant full-forward.

BRISBANE LIONS JONATHAN BROWN

With Brown on the field, his teammates grow in confidence and stature. He is an imposing presence, the strongest force in the game. He has passed the ultimate test (to play well in grand finals) and as such is feared and respected by his peers. Brisbane losing Brown would hurt more than any other omission from any other team.

CARLTON BRENDAN FEVOLA

If Chris Judd was out of the Carlton team it would hurt like hell, but Marc Murphy, Nick Stevens, Heath Scotland and Bryce Gibbs could all step up to help fill the void. No one could step up to fill Brendan Fevola's shoes if he went missing. Why? Because in this Carlton team there is an unhealthy reliance on Fevola kicking the bulk of the goals, unlike the spread of goalkickers at the Cats, Hawks and Bulldogs. Thus far, Fev has kicked 50 goals this season. The next best is Eddie Betts with 15, then Brad Fisher (11). So all is well while Fev stands up, but if he should fall, so will his team. Creating forward-line options has to be high on the priority list of the Carlton coaching staff.

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