The sight of Richmond midfielder Anthony Miles climbing from the bottom of a pack and handing the ball back to the umpire has become part of the game.
No player has held the ball more to force a stoppage in the past two seasons than Miles, having caused a stoppage 94 times since his Tigers debut in round 12, 2014.
It's because Miles hunts the ball like a burglar might rifle through someone's chest of drawers in the dead of night.
Desperate, intense and focused, he is rarely beaten to the ball.
In the past month Miles averages first possession 8.8 times a game, rated fifth in the competition for that time and is equal 13th in the competition for that statistic since 2012.
Having Tiger hands on the ball not only helps the attack but it minimises the opposition's chances for a quick breakaway.
Miles' style also draws free kicks as he fearlessly burrows in to the bottom of packs, having earned 52 free kicks for the season (behind only Geelong's Joel Selwood and the Brisbane Lions' Allen Christensen) and he is often at the centre of the action.
Richmond's stoppage coach Brendon Lade said Miles plays the same way regardless of the standing of his opposition and his consistency reflects his attitude.
"He got an opportunity with us and I think he just makes every post a winner. Every chance he gets he's going to go at it 100 per cent and get the best out of himself," Lade told AFL.com.au.
"He's not the tallest midfielder but he gets in there and gets his knees dirty a lot. He wins a lot of free kicks but that is because his head is always in the hole and winning the hard ball."
But there is more to Miles when you watch closely. He's often the Tigers' springboard from congestion.
He has created an average of 12.3 points from clearances in the past month as he charges up the charts to sit fifth in the competition on that measure this season.
Ahead of him this season on average points from clearances are the game's best, Geelong's Joel Selwood, Port Adelaide's Robbie Gray, Fremantle's Nathan Fyfe and Adelaide's Scott Thompson.
It's making Miles an intriguing player, proving once again the importance of finding unrealised value in the talent pool if clubs want to make a step from 'just' to 'nearly' (no wonder AFL clubs are watching Greater Western Sydney's NEAFL team so closely).
In 2014, after 10 games with the Giants in the previous two years, Miles was forced to put together a batch of good performances in the VFL as a Tigers rookie before earning senior selection.
Since Miles broke into Richmond's senior team in round 12 last year the Tigers have won 20 of their 33 games, a good record given Richmond lost the first three games he played for the club.
This season he has averaged 23.8 disposals a game with an even spread of contested and uncontested possessions.
For a player who uses the ball in traffic he has recorded an excellent 75.2 per cent disposal efficiency in 2015, with his handballing efficiency elite.
WATCH: Deledio on Game Day, August 23
"Our expectations have grown of 'Milesy' a fair bit," Lade said.
As his consistency has grown, so the Tigers have improved because he has made good players better.
Lade said Miles often flicks out the ball to the more creative types in the team such as Trent Cotchin, Brett Deledio and Dustin Martin, but few notice in real time.
"He's a guy that you won't see get a handball out to those people," Lade said.
Deledio earned 11 Brownlow votes from 12 games in 2014 after Miles made his debut, after earning just one in the first seven games without him, admittedly at a time when the star midfielder was battling injury.
Miles' presence has also allowed the Tigers to release Martin from the centre of the action when his strength is needed up forward.
As the Tigers become even more confident to use him in bursts, Martin has kicked six second-half goals in the past three games after kicking nine of his first 13 goals for 2015 in the first half.
Miles has worked two ways in 2015, gaining 10.1 per cent of his possessions in the defensive 50 and 14.5 per cent in the forward half, making him and the team less predictable.
In 2014, the respective figures were 7.9 per cent (in defence) and 10.7 per cent (forward) but he manages to work back hard early before becoming more attacking as the game tilts the Tigers' way.
He has kicked just five goals from 20 games this season, down slightly on his five goals from 13 games in 2014. It is an aspect he will develop as his confidence grows.
But right now he is a surprise packet that is making the Tigers better quickly.
"We value him very highly and he has certainly found a niche," Lade said.
