Sam Jacobs: Since moving home to Adelaide from Carlton, Jacobs has become an elite ruckman and is arguably the most important player on the Crows' list. Other than young developing big man Reilly O'Brien, the club has few options in the ruck department and it would be disastrous to lose Jacobs.

Taylor Walker: The captain is back to his best after spending the 2014 season in rehab following a knee reconstruction. 'Tex' is a powerful forward with a tremendous game sense and has the aggression and skill to tear games open. His performance in last Saturday night's elimination final was extraordinary.

Other likely untouchables: Daniel Talia - Harry Thring

BRISBANE LIONS

Harris Andrews: He might have played just one season, but the young defender is one of the most important pieces of the Lions' puzzle. They desperately need key position players at both ends, and the 18-year-old has shown he could lock down a defensive post for the next decade or more.

Dayne Beams: Beams has a long-term deal and in 2015 showed why. He is an elite ball-winner and can go forward and kick goals. That's a rare combination in this league.

Pearce Hanley: The Irishman gives the Lions something they lack – class. His ability to break lines and use the ball with precision makes him the most damaging player on the list. He still has three years remaining on his contract and will be going nowhere.

Other likely untouchables: Tom Rockliff - Michael Whiting

CARLTON

Patrick Cripps: The powerful midfielder is the future face of the club and potential leader. In only his second season at the elite level he carried a heavy workload this year. Runner-up in the NAB AFL Rising Star award, he is destined to play a huge role in new coach Brendon Bolton’s plans.

Sam Docherty: Before succumbing to season-ending hip surgery, Docherty was one of the Blues' most consistent players, particularly in the first half of 2015. The rebounding defender is reliable, plays with passion and never gives up trying, often willing to sacrifice his game to help his teammates.

Marc Murphy: The skipper is likely to win his second John Nicholls Medal on Thursday night, a just reward for a fine season in trying circumstances. As the Blues rebuild with younger players coming into the playing group, his footy smarts and experience will be invaluable resources for Bolton to draw on.

Other likely untouchables: Bryce Gibbs - Howard Kotton

COLLINGWOOD

Scott Pendlebury: The Pies skipper is still the club's best player and leader by a considerable distance. He'll turn 28 in January but his durability could have him playing a variety of roles well into his 30s, much like Hawthorn counterpart Luke Hodge. The young Pies need his guiding hand to relaunch them as a finals contender.

Travis Cloke: There are a few reasons why the Pies spearhead is untouchable but the main one is this: because his coach said so. When Hawthorn legend Jason Dunstall suggested the Pies should consider trading Cloke, Nathan Buckley dismissed it as 'laughable'. Cloke has been far from his best but remains Collingwood's only viable key forward, given Jesse White's inconsistency, Ben Reid's physical issues and Darcy Moore's youth.

Brodie Grundy: In just his third AFL season, the 21-year-old South Australian made the No.1 ruck role his own, and appears set to be one of the competition's premier big men for the next decade. Already a fierce competitor who also makes his presence felt at ground level, Grundy is a player to build a team around.

Other likely untouchables: Steele Sidebottom, Jamie Elliott, Taylor Adams, Tom Langdon - Ben Collins

ESSENDON

Dyson Heppell: Heppell signed a five-year contract at the start of this year to make him a Bomber through to the end of the 2020 season. Having taken on the captaincy during Jobe Watson's injury absence this season, Heppell looks set to be the long-term skipper for the club and is a brilliant midfielder who the Bombers can build around.

Michael Hurley: The star defender enjoyed his best season in 2015, holding down the Bombers' backline and proving his quality. He takes on the best and most imposing opposition forward most weeks and usually wins the battle, and at 25 will play a big role in pushing the Bombers back up the ladder.

Joe Daniher: The 21-year-old has been the focal point of Essendon's forward line the past two years and looks set to take on that responsibility for many years to come. Daniher kicked 34 goals from 22 games this season and improved his accuracy, and if he can get some support around him he will become a very dangerous option.

Other likely untouchables: Jobe Watson, Cale Hooker, Zach Merrett - Callum Twomey

FREMANTLE

Nat Fyfe: The best player in the competition and only 23, Fyfe is the most untouchable player in the AFL. He would be the reason the Dockers win their first premiership if they salute in 2015.  

Lachie Neale: Freo's leading overall possession-winner in 2015, the young midfielder is the future. Has become a key cog in the centre square and is contracted to the end of 2016.

Michael Walters: In a forward line that lacks key targets, Walters is the Dockers' most dangerous goalkicker. He leads the team with 41 goals so far and booted three to get Freo through to a preliminary final.

Other likely untouchables: Stephen Hill, Alex Pearce - Nathan Schmook

GEELONG

Mitch Duncan: His absence through injury underlined Duncan's importance as a running link player that can also win the ball on the inside. He breaks lines and hits targets and is an emerging leader who played in the 2011 flag. At 24, with 111 games experience his best football remains ahead of him.

Tom Hawkins: The forward's links to Geelong are strong and he is now part of the furniture. Apart from that, forwards of his type and calibre are next to impossible to find. For a range of reasons Hawkins did not have his best season but still kicked 46 goals. He is Geelong's key player inside 50.

Joel Selwood: The skipper represents Geelong. He loves the club and, despite being worshipped at Simonds Stadium, remains unaffected and driven for further success. He will evolve as a leader with a new group and will still be as valuable when he comes out of contract at the end of 2017.

Other likely untouchables: Mark Blicavs - Peter Ryan

GOLD COAST SUNS

Tom Lynch: Quality tall forwards don't grow on trees, and in Lynch the Suns have one they can build their club around. He is 22, has finished second and first in the past two club champion awards and is an emerging leader. Lynch is a workaholic, took the most contested marks in the competition this season and should be off-limits to all other clubs.

Steven May: Lynch is critical at one end, and May is the bookend at the other. The aggressive full-back has emerged as one of the best in his position over the past two years. He not only shuts down his opponent, but is often the springboard for the Suns' counterattack with his precise, long kicking.

Jaeger O'Meara: The Suns might be keen to see how the young midfielder returns from his shocking knee injury before over-committing, but this jet should be off limits. Among all their quality midfielders, O'Meara is the one that combines inside ball-winning ability, with explosive pace that can light up his team on the outside. Offers will come, but O'Meara must be backed in.

Other likely untouchables: Gary Ablett, Jack Martin - Michael Whiting

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY

Jeremy Cameron: Coming off a season that produced career-high totals in goals, marks, disposals and games played, Cameron is already a star of the competition. The 22 year-old has been the Giants' leading goalkicker in each of their four seasons, and once he gets his consistency right, will be one of the game's great forwards.

Nick Haynes: Injuries have limited the 23 year-old to just 44 games in four years, but he's a classy key defender that the Giants can build their back six around. Haynes battled a groin problem in 2015 but still managed 17 appearances, and showed off his marking ability and poise under pressure.

Dylan Shiel: One of the many key players GWS lost to injury in the second half of the season, but still managed a seventh placed finish in the Kevin Sheedy Medal despite playing only 14 games. A blistering start to the season should see Shiel feature prominently in the early rounds of the Brownlow Medal.

Other likely untouchables: Callan Ward, Aidan Corr - Adam Curley

HAWTHORN

Jordan Lewis: Looms as the potential next captain – along with Roughead – and is one of the men who will lead the club through the eventual retirements of Luke Hodge and Sam Mitchell. The 29-year-old has become one of the elite midfielders in the competition and should be in his prime for a few years yet.

Cyril Rioli: It feels like Rioli has been around forever, but he's still only 26 and the livewire small forward's body is finally letting him get back to his best. Probably the most popular player amongst Hawks supporters.

Jarryd Roughead: Loved by his teammates and remains among the elite handful of key forwards in the AFL – and they don't grow on trees. Might become the next skipper and will play an important leadership role as veterans wave goodbye in coming years.

Other likely untouchables: Luke Breust, Jack Gunston, Liam Shiels – Travis King

MELBOURNE

Jesse Hogan: Hogan could easily appear on this list three times, given his raw talent and importance to the side. The 20-year-old, who won this year's Rising Star in a canter, is one of the most promising young players in the AFL. Signed until the end of 2017, the Demons will do everything in their power to keep the West Australian out of the reach of Fremantle and West Coast.

Jack Viney: Viney is the heart and soul of Melbourne and has fast become one of the club's best players. Coach Paul Roos described him as one of the toughest players he's ever seen and it is a sentiment that is hard to argue with. He tackles with vigour (his effort to bring down Saint Maverick Weller in round 11 springs to mind) and he is not afraid to put his head over the footy. 

Angus Brayshaw: Melbourne selected Brayshaw with pick No.3 in last year's draft and he already looks like a wise investment. Brayshaw, 19, is exactly the type of player coach Paul Roos relies on – he can win the hard ball and he can pressure the opposition. A future leader at the Demons.

Other likely untouchables: Tom McDonald - Ben Guthrie

NORTH MELBOURNE

Shaun Atley: Speed and outside run are in relatively short supply at Arden Street, so Atley is a precious commodity. The 23-year-old gives North much of its rebound from the back half and the coaches encourage him to take the game on at every opportunity, knowing he can break games open with his ability to burst through opposition lines.

Todd Goldstein: The North ruckman is more untouchable than Elliot Ness after a career-best season that will almost certainly see him named in the All Australian team for the first time. Goldstein has the endurance to ruck almost all game and now imposes himself on general play like never before. At 27, he is at the peak of his powers and the Roos' most valuable player.

Jack Ziebell: The 188cm midfielder is an imposing figure at stoppages and a natural leader on and off the field who looms as Andrew Swallow's logical successor. Ziebell has at times struggled with inconsistency but, at 24, he should be ready to become a regular match-winner. His ability to pinch-hit in attack adds another dimension to his game.

Other likely untouchables: Ben Cunnington - Nick Bowen

PORT ADELAIDE

Travis Boak: The skipper etched his name in club folklore at the end of 2012 by ignoring massive interest from Geelong to re-sign. He symbolises the re-establishment of the Power as a force and his loyalty will mean he'll never be traded.

Robbie Gray: The reigning best and fairest winner could well add a second consecutive John Cahill Medal in early December given another brilliant season. Gray is originally from Victoria, but the Power couldn't allow him to leave. He's one of the smartest and most skillful players in the game.

Chad Wingard: This young man is one of the most talented players to have ever pulled on a Port Adelaide jumper. Whether Wingard plays in attack or through the midfield he finds a way to impact games. Should Port reach its potential, he is likely to leave an incredible legacy.

Other likely untouchables: Ollie Wines - Harry Thring

RICHMOND

Brett Deledio
They struggle when he's not out there, and while he may have been one of many experienced heads that didn't have an enormous influence on Sunday in the elimination final loss to North Melbourne, he's still vitally important as a leader and forward option who can play through the midfield. 

Alex Rance
There's a reason the Tigers fought tooth and nail to keep their full back when clubs like Fremantle and the Brisbane Lions circled earlier this year, and that's because he holds their backline together, is strong one-on-one and attacks from the back half while providing significant leadership.

Jack Riewoldt
Heart and soul player who bleeds yellow and black. While his attitude issues earlier in his career could have seen him at odds with his club – and he was briefly linked to Fremantle and Greater Western Sydney in 2013 – like Deledio and Rance he's since inked a long-term deal and it's hard to see him ever play for anyone else.

Other likely untouchables: Trent Cotchin, Anthony Miles - Jennifer Phelan

ST KILDA

Jack Billings: The young half-forward has been raised in trade speculation but it is unfathomable to think the Saints would deal out their best young talent. Billings has proven a match-winner this season, he has leadership potential and could be the club's best player in the post-Riewoldt era.     

Paddy McCartin: A No.1 draft pick and the player the Saints are pinning their key position hopes on for the next 10 years. Champion key forwards (and McCartin has that potential) are drafted, not traded. 

Jack Steven: Club champion in 2015 for a second time, Steven is the closest thing to a star in the Saints' midfield. Contracted until 2020, the 25-year-old could reach that level in the next 12 months.

Other likely untouchables: David Armitage, Hugh Goddard - Nathan Schmook

SYDNEY SWANS

Isaac Heeney: He's become the face of the Swans academy saga for good reason; Heeney is a gun. A knee injury mid-year robbed him of a chance at winning the NAB Rising Star, but his 13 games have been all quality. The 19-year-old played as a permanent forward in his rookie year, but will be unleashed into the midfield next season, and could be anything.

Dan Hannebery: Signed a long-term deal in 2015 and has produced his best and most consistent year of footy, leading the AFL for disposals. Hannebery has already turned his back on some big money offers to leave the Swans and along with Luke Parker, will be the key figure in the club's midfield for the next few years.

Luke Parker: The youngest player to ever be voted into the Swans leadership group, it's hard to believe Parker is still just 22 and has played 101 games. As a midfielder Parker does it all; he loves contested ball, takes a great mark for his size and is a dangerous option when resting forward. The Swans' likely next captain.

Other likely untouchables: Lance Franklin, Josh Kennedy, Kurt Tippett - Adam Curley

WEST COAST EAGLES

Jack Darling: A rising star of the competition, Darling finished in the top-five of West Coast's club champion award over the past three seasons – and he's still only 23. The Eagles haven't had as much success finding centre half-forwards as full-forwards throughout their history, but Darling looks set to hold down the position for years to come.

Josh Kennedy: The Chris Judd trade deal has worked out tremendously for West Coast, with Kennedy blossoming into the League's dominant forward. The Coleman medallist recently turned 28, so he should be at the peak of his powers over the next few seasons as the Eagles' relatively young list matures.

Nic Naitanui: The star ruckman is the face of the club, a fan favourite, raised in West Australia and after years of development and hype has become a superstar of the competition. Naitanui only turns 26 next May, so the 201cm big man should just be coming into his prime after an injury-interrupted start to his career.

Other likely untouchables: Shannon Hurn, Eric Mackenzie, Jeremy McGovern – Travis King

WESTERN BULLDOGS

Marcus Bontempelli: The 19-year-old didn't quite surpass his debut season heroics, but he didn't go close to second-year blues either. He was an integral member of midfield averaging 21 possessions and five tackles a game. A future superstar of the game.

Jake Stringer: Like Bontempelli, the dynmaic forward possesses rare ability and at just 20, is already one of the Dogs' most important players. Earned in a spot in the All Australian squad off the back of a 56-goal season.

Luke Dahlhaus: The Demons showed interest in the creative 23-year-old in last year's trade period, but the Dogs quickly rebuffed their overtures. The former rookie has become one of the AFL's premier midfield/forwards and was rewarded with a spot in the All Australian squad. 

Other likely untouchables: Tom Liberatore, Tom Boyd, Easton Wood, Jack Macrae, Mitch Wallis. – Ryan Davidson