Young midfielder Tom Liberatore has this season stepped into the elite category of clearance players in the AFL, but ruckman Will Minson says it’s old news.

Minson’s past two seasons have been highly productive, often being talked about as a potential All-Australian — and the ruckman credits Liberatore for his resurrection over the past 18 months, not just 2013..

“He’s certainly the best clearance player in and under that I have played with, no question,” Minson said.

“He’s pretty quiet but he says just the right things at just the right times and I enjoy working with him and playing good footy with him, because he is always there when you need him.

“My work would be useless without a good working relationship with the other onballers and Tom has certainly made my numbers look more attractive at the time.”

Set to challenge Essendon’s in form ruck pair Patrick Ryder and Tom Bellchamber on Sunday, Minson is not taking the match up lightly.

“Paddy Ryder is certainly having an exceptional season and he is a very athletic ruckman and I will certainly have my work cut out for me against him on the weekend,” he said.

The Bulldogs currently average ten more hitouts than their direct opponent this season and Minson has forged a reputation as the form ruckman of the competition, but the 28-year-old is not relying on past performances come this weekend.

“It can be such a cat and mouse game in the centre bounce at times, you can jump early, you can jump late, you can avoid them , you can run around them,” he said.

“It doesn’t take much for the bounce to go in one direction and you can look pretty silly in a flash.”