A COLLINGWOOD ruckman and a resurgent Swan were the AFL's unlikely one-on-one kings in 2018.
All Australian Magpie Brodie Grundy not only recorded the second-most hit-outs in the competition, but also had the best winning percentage among the top 50 players for offensive contests.
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The 24-year-old won 20 of his 38 one-on-one contests in that scenario – a whopping 52.6 per cent – including marking the Sherrin 12 times, which was also No.1 in that category.
Grundy's all-round talents beyond just his ruck tap prowess are why many consider him the best ruckman in the game.
He averaged 20.2 disposals (12.2 contested), 3.5 marks (1.2 contested), 5.3 clearances and 40 hit-outs, with an impressive 12.8 to his teammates' advantage.
Richmond's 2017 Brownlow medallist Dustin Martin (49.1 per cent win rate), Lance Franklin (46), Justin Westhoff (45.5), Taylor Walker (43.9) and Daniel Menzel (42.5) were the next-best out of the top 50 in offensive one-on-one contests this year.
The raging success of Sydney defender Aliir Aliir's second coming as an AFL footballer is also laid bare in the one-on-one statistics.
The Sudanese star, who was born in a Kenyan refugee camp, was sighted at AFL level only once between round four, 2017 and his recall for the Swans' round 13 defeat this year of eventual premier West Coast.
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Aliir, 24, did not miss another game for the season.
No one in the top 50 players to defend a one-on-one contest had a lower loss rate than the Swan's 10.9 per cent.
Aliir remarkably lost only five of those 46 contests – and he wasn't just thumping the ball away, either.
He also ranked equal-first for average intercept marks (3.7) with Eagles premiership backman and All Australian Jeremy McGovern among those to make double-digit appearances.
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Aliir's stunning campaign came after Longmire flirted with playing him as a forward and even through the ruck in a bid to utilise his obvious athletic ability.
Behind him as other stingy defenders in that top 50 were Will Schofield (15.1 per cent loss rate), Mark Blicavs (15.7), Nick Haynes and Jake Kelly (16.7) and Aidan Corr (18).
