Every Wednesday of the 2022 season, ESPN will combine with Champion Data to provide an in-depth analysis on a particular hot topic in the AFL.
The small forward has long been a position maligned by AFL fans.
They're not the spearheads who steal all the spotlight by crashing packs, taking the big contested marks and kicking long goals, so it's easy for them to 'go missing', so to speak, and therefore be the victim of often-unnecessary supporter criticism.
But these players have had a far-reaching influence on several games this season and their importance to the modern-day make up of a team can't go understated.
They're the crafty ones, you know, the ones who can make something out of nothing and create scintillating moments of magic that get you out of your seat and applauding.
The art of the 'general forward', as Champion Data labels it, was on full display during Round 5 when Western Bulldog Cody Weightman (five goals), St Kilda's Jack Higgins (five), Melbourne sharpshooter Bayley Fritsch (four), and Hawks livewire Dylan Moore (four) all showcased their creative flair.
At the weekend, Collingwood's Jack Ginnivan also bagged a handful on Anzac Day and Brisbane's Zac Bailey (six majors) joined the party, while Higgins made it nine goals in two weeks in a superb Friday night performance against GWS.
But perhaps it's proving to be a trend not lost on footy fans who adore and are naturally drawn to the theatrics and energy these players bring.
With the help of Champion Data, we've been able to reveal which players best fill that very position in the AFL, ranking general forwards by overall performance, scoring prowess and influence, and forward half pressure.
Firstly, to be classed as a 'general forward', a player needs to have spent a minimum of 60% game time in the forward half across the first six rounds, while we are only ranking those that have played at least three matches in 2022. We haven't taken key forwards into account.
Sydney's Isaac Heeney tops the charts and has been far and away the best general forward in the league this season, his elite 18.7 disposals, 5.7 ground ball gets, 6.2 tackles and 2.5 goals per game netting him a superb average of 17.4 rating points.
Ever-reliable Hawk Luke Breust comes in as the second-best general forward in the game after years of forward 50 expertise, while counterpart Moore also slots in fifth thanks to his ripping start to the season which includes an average of 18.2 disposals and two goals per game.
There are also two Lions that feature inside the top 10, but surprisingly, it doesn't include the in-form Bailey who isn't listed as a 'general forward' given the excessive time he spends further up the field.
Freo fleet-footers Sam Switkowski (third most effective forward in the game) and Lachie Schultz will also have All-Australian selectors pondering as we near the halfway mark of the season.
The two pocket rockets have caused havoc weekly in attack and they deserve more recognition than they probably get. Switkowski rates elite for ground ball gets, clearances and pressure acts, while Glendinning-Allan Medal winner Schultz' 6.4 score involvements per game have made him more than a handful for opposing defences.
Meanwhile, a Gold Coast hard nut is also flying under the radar, while no one applies more forward half pressure than an injured Magpie.
So, who are the best 'general forwards' in the game? We've broken it down by category.
Rating points
1. Isaac Heeney (Sydney) - 17.8
2. Luke Breust (Hawthorn) - 14.0
3. Sam Switkowski (Fremantle) - 13.5
4. Alec Waterman (Essendon) - 12.0
5. Dylan Moore (Hawthorn) - 12.0
6. Jack Higgins (St Kilda) - 11.3
7. Stephen Coniglio (GWS) - 11.3
8. Charlie Cameron (Brisbane) - 11.2
9. Jamie Elliott (Collingwood) - 10.8
10. Lincoln McCarthy (Brisbane) - 10.8
Disposals
1. Stephen Coniglio (GWS) - 23
2. Brad Hill (St Kilda) - 20.5
3. Shaun Higgins (Geelong) - 19
4. Isaac Heeney (Sydney) - 18.7
5. Alex Neal-Bullen (Melbourne) - 18.5
6. Dylan Moore (Hawthorn) - 18.2
7. Gryan Miers (Geelong) - 18.0
8. Zac Fisher (Carlton) - 17.3
9. Jamie Elliott (Collingwood) - 17.0
10. Sam Powell-Pepper (Port Adelaide) - 16.3
Forward 50 ground ball gets
1. Jamie Elliott (Collingwood) - 3.3
2. Cameron Zurhaar (North Melbourne) - 2.8
3. Nick Holman (Gold Coast) - 2.7
4. Jack Higgins (St Kilda) - 2.6
5. Josh Rachele (Adelaide) - 2.5
6. Izak Rankine (Gold Coast) - 2.5
7. Sam Switkowski (Fremantle) - 2.3
8. Will Hayward (Sydney) - 2.3
9. Michael Walters (Fremantle) - 2.3
10. Oliver Henry (Collingwood) - 2.3
Goals
1. Jack Higgins (St Kilda) - 2.8
2. Alec Waterman (Essendon) - 2.7
3. Isaac Heeney (Sydney) - 2.5
4. Luke Breust (Hawthorn) - 2.4
5. Bayley Fritsch (Melbourne) - 2.3
6. Jack Ginnivan (Collingwood) - 2.2
7. Dylan Moore (Hawthorn) - 2.0
8. Charlie Cameron (Brisbane) - 2.0
9. Josh Rachele (Adelaide) - 2.0
10. Lachie Schultz (Fremantle) - 1.8
Score assists
1. Luke Breust (Hawthorn) - 2.0
2. Ben Ainsworth (Gold Coast) - 2.0
3. Alex Neal-Bullen (Melbourne) - 2.0
4. Lachie Schultz (Fremantle) - 1.8
5. Tyson Stengle (Geelong) - 1.8
6. Charlie Spargo (Melbourne) - 1.8
7. Sam Switkowski (Fremantle) - 1.7
8. Devon Smith (Essendon) - 1.6
9. Steven Motlop (Port Adelaide) - 1.5
10. Michael Walters (Fremantle) - 1.5
Score involvements
1. Jack Higgins (St. Kilda) - 7.6
2. Shaun Higgins (Geelong) - 7.3
3. Dylan Moore (Hawthorn) - 7.2
4. Alex Neal-Bullen (Melbourne) - 7.0
5. Tyson Stengle (Geelong) - 6.8
6. Stephen Coniglio (GWS) - 6.7
7. Luke Breust (Hawthorn) - 6.6
8. Isaac Heeney (Sydney) - 6.5
9. Lachie Schultz (Fremantle) - 6.4
10. Charlie Cameron (Brisbane) - 6.2
10. Josh Rachele (Adelaide) - 6.2
10. Brad Close (Geelong) - 6.2
Tackles
1. Isaac Heeney (Sydney) - 6.2
2. Jamie Elliott (Collingwood) - 5.5
3. Alex Neal-Bullen (Melbourne) - 5.2
4. Stephen Coniglio (GWS) - 5.2
5. Callum Brown (Collingwood) - 5.0
6. Shaun Higgins (Geelong) - 4.7
7. Dan Butler (St Kilda) - 4.7
8. Sam Switkowski (Fremantle) - 4.3
9. Beau McCreery (Collingwood) - 4.3
10. Jamaine Jones (West Coast) - 4.3
Forward half pressure points
1. Jamie Elliott (Collingwood) - 48.0
2. Dan Butler (St Kilda) - 41.7
3. Callum Brown (Collingwood) - 38.1
4. Sam Switkowski (Fremantle) - 37.4
5. Nick Holman (Gold Coast) - 36.7
6. Lachie Schultz (Fremantle) - 33.6
7. Kysaiah Pickett (Melbourne) - 33.3
8. Alex Neal-Bullen (Melbourne) - 32.8
9. Beau McCreery (Collingwood) - 32.6
10. Dylan Moore (Hawthorn) - 32.5