Stat of the round: 21

That was the DT points difference between Hawthorn midfield duo Sam Mitchell (125) and Luke Hodge (104) in round 7. I know because, after an awfully close contest, the winner of this Sunday afternoon intra-club duel looked set to decide whether I won or lost my DT league game.

You see, I had Hodge and my opponent had Mitchell in what proved to be a tight tussle. (I followed it from my computer at work on the excellent FanFooty). Obviously Mitchell, who Hodge has previously admitted to having as captain of his own DT, won by a healthy margin in the end. But the gap between the pair for much of the match was rarely more than a fistful of points.

Other than to relate the tense final-player battle that decided my DT team's fate this week, this stat was chosen to ask coaches out there who they rate as the best midfield pairing in the AFL today. And we're talking DT-wise, of course. A lot of teams have got starting-to-sizzle Judd and gone-cold Kerr. Is old Westie and his apprentice, Dan Cross, a better pick? What about the Burgoyne double act? And, in reality, is there a case to be made for having two or more players from the one club selected across the centre, in defense, up front or in the ruck?

Thoughts?

Merv Gray.