WITH apologies to Nic Nat, the battle for this year's All Australian ruck spot is a race in two.

Melbourne giant Max Gawn – officially the AFL's premier big man in 2016 – and do-it-all Collingwood ruckman Brodie Grundy are leading the ruck revolution. 

The No.1 ruckman has, perhaps, never been more important, given teams' overwhelming preference to play only one specialist on game day.

Only West Coast (Naitanui and Scott Lycett) and, more recently, Hawthorn (Ben McEvoy and Jon Ceglar) find room for two.

Gawn and Grundy will meet for the sixth time in the biggest Queen's Birthday clash they've ever been involved in, with both sides in the top eight for the first time since 2006. 

They will be focused on their team winning, but each knows the significance of their individual match-up to the overall result – and in who will eventually be the All Australian ruckman. 

AFL.com.au has taken a closer look at the Gawn-Grundy blockbuster. 

TALE OF THE TAPE

THE HISTORY

Gawn and Grundy duked it out five times across the past four seasons, but none of them were quite like what this epic Queen's Birthday ruck battle promises to be.

The first of those in 2014 can be scrapped, because the Demon was still playing second fiddle to Mark Jamar and operating mostly as a forward. 

Gawn usurped Jamar in 2015 and twice did as he pleased in opposition to Collingwood's ruck corps – firstly against Grundy and Jesse White, then a combination of Grundy and Jarrod Witts. 

Melbourne's 208cm beanpole also took the honours over the 203cm Magpie in the 2016 meeting.

Gawn dominated hit-outs (37-25), hit-outs-to-advantage (13-7) and the air (six marks to four and two contested grabs to one) on that occasion, as well as kicking a goal. 

Grundy countered with more disposals (23-15), contested possessions (12-3) and clearances (4-1).

Therein lies their individual qualities and the different ways they hurt teams.

The most recent clash in round 23 last year was a fizzer, too, with coach Nathan Buckley largely handing the ruck keys to Mason Cox and instead playing Grundy as a forward.

Gawn was far too good again in the ruck (13 hit-outs-to-advantage to Cox's and Grundy's combined four) but struggled to have an impact elsewhere with only eight touches.

The Collingwood pair amassed three goals, 30 disposals and 13 marks, with Grundy's share being one, 20 and eight. 

THE STATS 

Which ruckman would you pick on 2018 form?

WHAT THEY SAID

"I've watched enough of Brodie to not have to watch too much this week. I've actually played against him a lot; he was one of the rucks who starts when he's 18 and he's been in the team for a long time. I've played against him maybe four or five times, so it's going to be an exciting battle. He's in form. We have pretty different strengths, but one of our (shared) strengths is ruckwork, so that will be a good battle." – Max Gawn on RSN

"I need to impact on the scoreboard, and contested marking would probably be one of my strengths (too), and then for him I'd have to limit how much ball he gets around the ground, but I'm not going to keep him to four disposals. There is a point there. I've still got to play team structures." – Gawn again on RSN 

"Brodie's recent form has been first-class and obviously Max is having a standout year. (The ruck)'s where the game starts and it's where the game goes back to after every goal. I think both of them, in their way, have really started their teams' prospects. There's no way of avoiding it and they both don't mind that pressure and the responsibility that comes with it. It's going to be a marquee match-up and one to have a look at." – Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley

BREAKING DOWN THE MATCH-UP 

Gawn and Grundy will enter their fascinating ruck duel on Monday knowing their contrasting strengths present a "hit or miss" scenario for them, according to a rival opposition analyst.

They thrive in diverse areas that could make each of them the most influential player on the ground, but equally be seriously exposed.

"They're slightly different beasts and they hurt you in different ways," the scout told AFL.com.au.

"They're both incredibly dangerous ruckmen. Gawn can give his midfielders first use – and that's very damaging – and he pushes forward really aggressively, which you have to be aware of. 

"Grundy can be the extra midfielder getting involved. 

"So when you're playing against (Collingwood), you need to make sure your ruckman is capable of competing in the ruck, but also then following up at ground level and not being outnumbered by Grundy getting after it really quickly."

The opposition analyst said Grundy was the ideal ruckman to expose Gawn once the ball left the stoppage, particularly with the Demon's penchant to "punt forward a little bit".

The Magpies may even turn to Cox, who is 211cm, more often than normal if Gawn's hit-out dominance gets out of hand, the industry insider told AFL.com.au. 

"I would expect Gawn will win the hit-out battle and if Melbourne can make best use of his hit-outs-to-advantage, then he will win the overall battle," he said.

"But if Collingwood's midfielders can nullify Melbourne at ground level, then once the ball spreads from the stoppage, Grundy will have the advantage. 

"If he can do that, and get away from Gawn, who likes to run forward in transition, then Grundy could be the best player on the ground. That's how damaging he could be."

The analyst went as far as saying the ruck contest could decide which club enters the bye on a winning note. 

"These two, and probably Nic Naitanui at his best as well, are the three guys you'd love to see in this all-day, one-on-one battle to see who can do the best for their team," he said.

"It's going to be one of the very big 'watch this space' (match-ups) within the game. Probably whoever wins that battle is going to go a fair way to winning the game."