Was 2022 the year of the lock forward? We have elite number 13s now in a quantity that it's hard to remember seeing before.
There are so many different types of locks these days. We have arguably the best ever metre-eating number 13 and two of the best ballplaying middle forwards in history, plying their trade right now.
Truthfully, the ten here were really hard to rank. Numbers five, six and seven could very well have ended up in the top five. The top three all have credentials to finish top of the list.
Spoiler alert! Brandon Smith did not make the list. Despite his incredible talents, he only started on six occasions in the number 13 in 2022.
Below are the top ten locks from 2022. Again, this only takes into account performances in 2022. For a player to qualify, they must have played more games at lock than any other position.
1. Isaah Yeo
Isaah Yeo was other worldly in 2022. He was awarded the Dally M lock of the year, captain of the year and pushed strongly for the medal itself.
His 134 metres run per game and 97% tackle completion make him a true monster on both sides of the ball. His leadership is impossible to quantify.
Murray and Radley are superb ball playing locks but, for mine, Yeo is the best of them all. Simply put, it can do it all!
For a forward to poll 20 Dally M points in a side containing Dylan Edwards, Nathan Cleary, and a plethora of other superstars, says it all.
