Former Western Bulldogs leading ruckman Luke Darcy has paid Richmond star Alex Rance a massive compliment, rating him as the best full-back in league football history.

Rance, an All-Australian representative for the past three years, and the Tigers’ 2015 Jack Dyer Medallist has worked his way into impressive form in the early rounds this season.

He was one of Richmond’s best in its narrow loss to the Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium last Saturday night, finishing with 16 disposals, including a game-high nine intercepts, five rebound-50s, plus eight marks and 403 metres gained, further underlining his all-round ability in the key defensive post.

Darcy, these days a respected football commentator, claims Rance has now gone past two of the best defenders of the modern era in Geelong’s Matthew Scarlett and Carlton’s Stephen Silvagni.

“Matthew Scarlett was an unbelievable player, I saw the great Stephen Silvagni play, (but) he’s taken it to a level beyond what they were able to do,” Darcy said on 7Mate’s ‘Talking Footy’ program earlier this week.

“The Bulldogs spent almost 80 percent of their night trying to work out a way to stop the full-back Alex Rance from dominating the game.

“He’s just an extraordinary player.

“No one has ever been that influential as a full-back in the game.

“If I had to pick a defender now as the best player I’ve seen play, Alex Rance is the best defender I’ve ever seen play the game.”