West Coast pair Jack Darling and Josh Kennedy are no long the premier forward combination in the competition, according to North Melbourne champion Wayne Carey.

Carey believes Richmond’s Tom Lynch and Jack Riewoldt had “easily” overtaken the Eagles pair due to Kennedy’s late-season “flat patch”.

Aside from a seven-goal haul against North Melbourne in round 19, the dual Coleman medallist has struggled for form in the past two months with two goalless outings and three more with one goal.

The 32-year-old’s premiership teammate Darling has held up his end of the bargain, reaching 50 home-and-away season goals for the first time in his career.

Former Gold Coast co-captain Lynch has been one of the recruits of the season since crossing on a seven-year deal, kicking two-plus goals in nine consecutive matches.

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He has 53 for the season, while his partner in crime Riewoldt has 12 in an injury-hampered year.

The pair combined for five majors in Sunday’s epic six-point win over West Coast at the MCG, the Tigers’ eighth straight victory.

“I think the best two big forwards in the game right now are Lynch and Riewoldt, I think they’ve gone past Darling and Kennedy,” Carey told Talking Footy.

“Kennedy’s had a little bit a of a flat patch, we know that he’s had an interrupted year this year, he’s had sickness as well, but he’s only had one bag of seven in the last eight weeks.

“I do think he’s capable of coming back, he’s had a lot of nearly moments in some big games.”

Carey rated the Eagles’ forward-line as the best in the competition, thanks to their mosquito fleet of Willie Rioli, Liam Ryan, Jamie Cripps and Jack Petruccelle.

“Their smalls are just a little bit more dynamic, they’re both unbelievable forward lines and I think (Oscar) Allen adds another piece to West Coast, he’s a really good marking big forward as well,” he said.