AFL Hall of Famer Terry Wallace said breakout St Kilda star Rowan Marshall was the league’s most improved player last season.

The 24-year-old moved into a predominantly ruck role in 2019, playing 20 games and averaging 28 hitouts.

Wallace said by the end of the season, Marshall was one of the most dominant ruckmen in the competition and deserved to be recognised by the wider football fraternity.

“I just thought he was fantastic (in 2019),” he said on SEN Drive.

“When they put him into the ruck, if he wasn’t the third best ruckman in the league, he was right up there with the elite ruckman in the competition.

“From where he came from and where he finished the year, I would’ve thought Rowan Marshall was as good as any for the most improved player.”

Wallace questioned why a most improved player award isn’t given out annually, calling for it to be form part of the one of the league’s awards nights moving forward.

“I just wonder why we don’t have a most improved player (award) in the AFL,” he said.

“Why (couldn’t) it be apart of the MVP night or one of those because it gives someone an opportunity who has made a quantum leap in their performance over a particular year that gets a pat on the back.

“Most junior football clubs have a most improved (award), I don’t understand why we don’t have a most improved in the AFL.”

Sports including the NFL and NBA have most improved awards given out annually.