Patrick Cripps

Recruited from East Fremantle with pick 13 in the 2013 National Draft, Patrick Cripps arrived at Princes Park facing questions regarding his aerobic capacity but quickly established himself as the cornerstone of the Carlton midfield. A prototypical big-bodied on-baller, he built his reputation on an immense physical presence at stoppages, using his frame to extract contested possessions and feed outside runners. While initially relied upon almost exclusively for his inside grunt work, he evolved into a dangerous drift-forward option, adding significant goal-kicking potency to his clearance dominance.

Throughout a prolonged period of on-field struggle for the Blues, Cripps remained a steadfast figure, rejecting significant overtures to return to Western Australia to instead captain the club through its rebuild. His loyalty and consistency were rewarded with the game's highest individual honours, including multiple Brownlow Medals and John Nicholls Medals. As a long-serving skipper, he cemented his status as a modern club legend, revered not just for his statistical accumulation, but for his capacity to lift the team through sheer physical will in contested situations.