IT'S NOT easy to be your club's second ruckman, especially if your side is the reigning premier.
That's what Richmond's Ivan Soldo is discovering this season, as he waits to play his first senior game of 2018.
Soldo made his AFL debut last year and managed seven games, and all but one was alongside eventual premiership ruckman Toby Nankervis.
THREE BURNING QUESTIONS What are the big concerns at each club?
This season however, he hasn't been so fortunate. The Tigers only have room for one ruckman in their side, that spot goes to the flag winner.
Soldo instead has been made to wait and has been named as an emergency on 12 occasions, the equal-most in the League.
Adelaide's Reilly O'Brien has suffered the same fate behind the consistent and durable Sam Jacobs; 12 times an emergency for no games so far this year.
The two ruckmen have been made to bide their time in the reserves, both featuring regularly for their state league affiliate.
Recent shoulder surgery has ended O'Brien's season prematurely, meaning that rookie Patrick Wilson (nine-time emergency) could overtake O'Brien as Adelaide's 'Mr Emergency' before the season is out.
Other clubs have midfielders or more versatile players as their most regular reserve.
First-year Greater Western Sydney midfielder Aiden Bonar is one such player.
The strong-bodied draftee was taken at pick 11 in last year's NAB AFL Draft and has had to watch on as the 10 players taken ahead of him have made their League debuts.
Bonar, on the Giants' extended bench for round 16, will either make his debut this round or join Soldo and O'Brien at the top of the emergency tree, with 12.
Sydney's Dan Robinson has been in and out of the AFL side on four separate occasions this year and been an emergency nine times.
Dan Robinson slotted a nice goal against Geelong but will it keep him in the team? Picture: AFL Photos
Nick Graham from Carlton has had four separate stints in the senior side, combined with six weeks as one of the Blues' emergencies.
Geelong and Gold Coast have had the most emergencies across the first 15 rounds, with 21 different players each.
The Giants have had the fewest emergencies, with only 14 different players across the first 15 rounds.
Who's been named emergency the most at your club?
Adelaide: Reilly O'Brien (12)
Brisbane: Jake Barrett, Ben Keays (7)
Carlton: Nick Graham, Harry McKay (6)
Collingwood: Jarryd Blair (7)
Essendon: Jackson Merrett (8)
Fremantle: Tommy Sheridan, Ethan Hughes (7)
Geelong: Jackson Thurlow (6)
Gold Coast: Will Brodie (8)
GWS: Aiden Bonar (11)
Hawthorn: Kaiden Brand, Brendan Whitecross (7)
Melbourne: Jayden Hunt, Jeff Garlett, Cam Pedersen, Billy Stretch (6)
North Melbourne: Cameron Zurhaar (8)
Port Adelaide: Jack Trengove (9)
Richmond: Ivan Soldo (12)
St Kilda: Ben Paton (7)
Sydney: Daniel Robinson (9)
West Coast: Brayden Ainsworth (10)
Western Bulldogs: Lewis Young (9)
Emergencies updated to Round 16 (Sunday benches not finalised)
