The Coleman Medal was already looking lean before West Coast's Josh Kennedy had to sit out nearly a quarter of the AFL season.
Unless someone goes on a rampage in the last five rounds, this year's winner will continue the trend away from the game's prolific goalkickers.
Tony Lockett, Gary Ablett Snr and Matthew Lloyd would have been great in any era, but they'd be playing their key forward roles differently now.
These days, it's just as much about tackling pressure and working hard further up the ground for the key forward as it is kicking goals.
Current goalkicking leader Lance Franklin was the last player to kick the ton, with his breakout 102 for Hawthorn in their 2008 premiership season.
Since then, the highest total has been Brendan Fevola's 86 for Carlton the following year.
Kennedy has won the past two Coleman Medals with 75 and 80 - finals goals do not count towards the award.
The Eagles' star is fourth this season with 43 goals, from only 12 games.
All the other leaders have played 16 or 17.
Kennedy is averaging 3.6 goals per game, easily the best of the Coleman contenders this season - none of the other top five is averaging better than three goals.
If Kennedy had not missed six games with a lower leg injury and stuck to his average, he'd be the runaway leader on 61.
Franklin is on 50 and, on his average of 2.9, will finish with 64.
Accuracy is a perennial issue for the Swans' star and Franklin has kicked 50.49.
North Melbourne's Ben Brown is second with a much more dead-eye 47.22.
Even third-placed Joe Daniher, who sprayed 1.6 against Melbourne earlier this season, has kicked 47.27.
Richmond's Jack Riewoldt won the Coleman in 2012 with 65.
It's instructive to look at top side Adelaide, who are the most-prolific scorers this season.
Captain Taylor Walker, a genuine key forward, is equal-fifth among the goalkickers with 42.
Just one goal behind Walker is teammate Eddie Betts, the game's premier small forward.
It's also worth noting that Geelong broke the game's defensive trend with a much more free-flowing, attacking style of play in their three premierships between 2007 and 2011.
In that time, the Cats never produced a Coleman Medallist.
While key forwards will always have their place, it is now all about the spread of goalkickers.
AFL COLEMAN MEDAL LEADERBOARD AFTER ROUND 18:
Lance Franklin (Syd) 50 goals, 17 games
Ben Brown (NM) 47 goals, 17 games
Joe Daniher (Ess) 47 goals, 17 games
Josh Kennedy (WC) 43 goals, 12 games
Jack Riewoldt (Rich) 42 goals, 17 games
Taylor Walker (Adel) 42, 16 games
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