Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves is the closer.
As a 16-year-old playing for the Dandenong Stingrays, Hibbins-Hargreaves became his side's finisher in tight games. He kicked 11 of his 23 goals in the final term that year, including a gamewinner over Tobie Travaglia's Bendigo Pioneers.
It isn't by chance that the mercurial forward has the ball in big moments. He stares down those opportunities.
"I put it on myself as a leader to take games over," Hibbins-Hargreaves told ESPN.
"Give me the ball as much as you can, I'm trying to win this for us. That's my mindset to be honest."
The likes of Dustin Martin, Shaun Burgoyne, and Jimmy Bartel have made a name for themselves as big game players. When the contest is at its most frantic and mistakes are being made in bunches, they are players processing and executing. It's what makes them winners.
"I was comfortable with the high-risk, high-reward nature... you could be remembered forever for winning, or it could sting forever for losing. I actually enjoyed those stakes," Bartel aptly put speaking to afl.com.au.
Those high stakes moments, where others falter under the weight, is where Hibbins-Hargreaves shines.
"I feel like under pressure I thrive better. I don't really believe in nerves to be honest, the only reason I'll get nervous is if I don't think I can do it, or if I feel like I haven't done the work prior to it.
"If I have that much belief in what I can do, I have no reason to be nervous. It's generally gonna take care of itself if I've done the work I reckon."
Those moments have played out again and again over his past 18 months for the silky ball user.
Against WA, he kept Vic Country in the contest, kicking two goals in as many minutes in the third quarter before replicating the effort late in the fourth to put his side in front.
His third major was his best. Down nine points late in the fourth term, Hibbins-Hargreaves received the football breaking the paint up against the boundary. He rode the bump of an oncoming defender before lifting his eyes to goals, settling himself in his final two steps and kicking truly from the tightest of angles.
A minute later he was winning his side a free kick inside the 50 with a ferocious tackle and putting them ahead on the big stage.
It was his 'ice in the veins' moment 17 years in the making.
"I loved the idea thinking about it as a kid, kicking the winning goal," Hibbins-Hargreaves admitted.
"I have a lot of trust in what I can do. I've done all the work I can to make my kick so perfect that it can do that sort of stuff."
Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves is built for the big moments. The 17yo in the fluoro Pumas has made a name for himself in the clutch - and it isn't by chance: "If I have that much belief in what I can do, I have no reason to be nervous".
— Jasper Chellappah (@Jasperc53) August 26, 2025
Interview drops tomorrow on @ESPNAusNZ #AFLDraft pic.twitter.com/vX0oFfJLdp
His trust in performance is born of routine.
Everything Hibbins-Hargreaves does is fluid; he's brilliant in the air for his 187cm frame, landing like a cat and dashing forward with exceptional balance. He's a poised kick of the football on his preferred right foot, slowing himself on his final step and dropping the ball low onto the laces.
It's a classic, repeatable action, just like his deadly accurate set shot routine.
"I look at the ball, see which side I'm going to hit, then put it on the ground to make sure it looks right," Hibbins-Hargreaves says, running us through his system.
"Wipe my shorts, make sure my hands are dry, then I do one flip and think goals. I'm 10 steps and seven run-ins. I naturally have a little stutter at the end sometimes and that's my routine."
It's a simple action producing brilliant results. In blustery conditions at Mars Stadium a fortnight ago the forward booted five goals straight, all from set shots.
It was possibly the most dominant all-round display draft watchers have seen this year; Hibbins-Hargreaves dismantled GWV to the tune of 29 disposals and five majors from the midfield. He won hard balls, found pockets of space and was at his damaging best drifting into the forward 50.
"I came out with something to prove to put my name back up there, make people realise that I'm not just an outside, flashy player or someone who kicks goals late. I'm someone who can be consistent across the whole day."
Here's NHH as a 16yo for the Stingrays #AFLDraft pic.twitter.com/Tv3lV01dNm
— Jasper Chellappah (@Jasperc53) August 26, 2025
It's a fair indication of what he could become at the next level. The talent jumps off the page when you bring the qualities together. The Mornington Peninsula native plays above his height in the air, is a beautiful ball user and hits the scoreboard playing a difficult role at half forward. Those qualities have been used to great effect on a wing, and he's spent five years of junior football across halfback to which he credits his reading of the ball in flight.
But there are knocks, too. Hibbins-Hargreaves best is sensational, and would see him in the top five mix if it was produced against top competition consistently.
Unfortunately he's been prevented from proving it. The young gun had pre-season injections in his calves to alleviate tension he'd dealt with in 2024, and his season was stalled by a grade two AC sprain to his shoulder, preventing him from playing for the AFL Academy.
His return after six weeks through the championships was cut short against Vic Metro, suffering a concussion that wiped out senior football experience.
"It sort of hit me on the ear and my ear started blowing up and looked like it was going to be a cauliflower," Hibbins-Hargreaves laughed.
"I had the concussion protocols which took me away from playing Richmond VFL games. I was ready to start training and fly out to the Gold Coast and then play at Frankston down near my way in a night game.
"If it had happened last year I would have gone into a bit of a shell and not been able to bounce back from those opportunities, but you can't control what's happened in the past."
It's that growth mindset that is holding Hibbins-Hargreaves in good stead through adversity. He's a leader by nature, captaining Dandenong this year and showing the way for a younger squad.
"As a leader I'm more about driving standards," he told ESPN.
"I remember being at the Vic Country summer hub as a bottom-ager. It's obviously a little daunting and we had a great side that year, but I wanted to make the top-agers better. So I line up on Finn O'Sullivan in the first training, and he's sort of looking at me like 'Is this guy serious?'
"That was my way of going, yeah, let's get to work. I think it was a bit of inspiration for the bottom-agers to think we're a part of this side too."
Hibbins-Hargreaves' step-father, whom he also refers to as his Dad, is four-time WAFL premiership player Mark Haynes. He's in part the reason the teen has lived with a ball in his hands growing up. His Mum is in part the reason he wears fluoro Pumas -- so she can spot him on the field easily.
The boots and game are flashy, as are the speaker duties for every pre-game.
"I keep adding and taking away from the same playlist for the past two years.
"The coaches like the '80s and '90s hits, INXS and stuff. Then the boys like something they can sing along with and get the vibe.
"There's a song that you'll always play before you go out... we like to go out to Never Tear Us Apart."