FIRST-YEAR Adelaide forward Riley Thilthorpe and St Kilda young gun Max King have emerged as contenders for Tom Hawkins' mantle as the best one-on-one forward in the game.

And understated pair Ryan Lester (Brisbane) and Callum Wilkie (St Kilda) have rocketed to the top of the charts for the best defenders in direct contests against an opponent.

Thilthorpe, 18, has won 44.4 per cent of his one-on-one contests in the front half from his five games this season, behind only Hawkins (45.2 per cent).

King comes in next at 44 per cent, ahead of Sydney champion Lance Franklin (42.1 per cent) and re-born Adelaide forward Taylor Walker (40.4 per cent).

The Saints spearhead also joins Hawkins as the forward with the smallest 'loss' rate for one-on-one contests at 16 per cent.

Greater Western Sydney vice-captain Toby Greene (16.7 per cent) comes in next best ahead of Brisbane's Oscar McInerney (18.2 per cent) and North Melbourne's Nick Larkey (19.4 per cent).

Interestingly, McInerney also rates in the bottom five for offensive one-on-one contests won at just 13.6 per cent. He has neutralised his other 68.2 per cent of contests.

Lester (61.9 per cent) ranks as the best defender in the game when placed in a one-on-one situation, highlighting his importance to Chris Fagan's top-four side. 

Wilkie's (59.1 per cent) status at the Saints was cemented this season when he was elevated to the club's leadership group. 

He sits ahead of Melbourne's Adam Tomlinson (57.1 per cent), Lion Darcy Gardiner (55 per cent) and Collingwood All-Australian Darcy Moore (50 per cent) in the top-five.

Tomlinson, who will miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury, conceded just one of his 21 one-on-one contests this season to have him ranked as the most miserly defender for contests lost.

Reigning Essendon best and fairest has conceded just 10.5 per cent of his 19 contests for the season, with Carlton's Liam Jones, Lester and Collingwood veteran Jordan Roughead next in line.

Champion Data ranks each one-on-one contest as either a win, loss or neutralised situation, meaning players' total 'win' and 'loss' percentage won't add up to 100 per cent.