Geelong’s Matt Scarlett was the only other key defender who could match his team’s key forward in terms of importance when it came to premiership teams in the modern era before Rance helped the Tigers win a flag,only to be followed by McGovern,Balta and May.

Although BrIan Lake was critical to the Hawks’ three-peat,he would have qualified as one of ‘Brian’s bargains’ after he crossed from the Western Bulldogs on a reduced rate to play in a flag,or three.

The game changed to bring the value of a key defender on par with a key forward as numbers folded back on forwards,they kicked fewer goals and defenders became the most likely players on the ground to get an unimpeded run and jump at the ball.

Having at least one star who can either mark or spoil a high ball to then rebound has become even more vital with the advent of the six-six-six rule and shifts in the game that see the ball move from end to end more often.

Clubs will say their defensive system is what matters most,but these individuals allow midfielders and forwards to press up the ground to force turnovers creating what clubs,if they took a lead from golfer Rory McIlroy,might call aggressive defence.

Melbourne planned to do that in the pre-season last year,confident that what they had behind the ball allowed them to be aggressive in attack.

Even the clubs without elite tall defenders now commit about half a million dollars a year to their best prospect in that role because those critical types are thin on the ground,so you don’t want to lose them. Free agents Darcy Gardiner (Brisbane) and Alex Pearce (Fremantle) fit in that category.

So with Moore signed the Pies can rest easily along seven or eight other teams certain they have a defender capable of matching the batch of key forwards starting to excite the fans while the Hawks will not want to be cute about signing Sicily.

With Aaron Naughton (who can play either end),Harry McKay,the King brothers (Max and Ben) and Charlie Curnow already scary and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan,Logan McDonald and Riley Thilthorpe on the horizon all clubs know key defenders will be needed,getting well paid to take on future one-on-one battles.

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