So there doesn't seem to be much interest in the proposed thread. So I'll let it go.
I will however walk-the-walk and post my top ten of the year here.

Only official TF figs (no 3P, Macross, SW, etc) that I acquired in 2021.
Also I tend to rank with a bias toward the "toy" aspect, as opposed to just best figure or display piece.

TOP TEN

10: CW Aerialbots
Being 7 figs, didnt quite know how to handle this, but felt I had to include them. Not great by themselves, but together are a nice set that I really enjoy mucking about with.

9: SS86 Jazz
Shows that a well designed fig need not be complicated or super fancy. Great in both modes, screen accurate, but needed toyhax labels to really shine. Spent a lot of time as one of my desk-bots. Dicky knee tab and clear plastic prevent it scoring higher.

8: BW Neo Longrack
Always wanted this and so glad to now have it. Its so... beast wars-y with all its kibbly wierdness, gimmicks and daft 3rd mode, but damn I love it. Only 8th due to being less toy and more display piece because its... precious. Oh so precious.

7: RtS Jazz
Nifty fig that (I think) still holds up against new figs. Really enjoyed this one. Strange that I wasn't particularly fussed on this when it was first released. Getting SS86 Jazz inspired me to pick this up.

6: KD Blackarachnia
Best deluxe fig of the year. BA is one of my BW favourites but I've never liked any of the toys. So this happily filled a hole in my collection. And its a passable effort of a difficult beast mode. All round awesome toy. This nearly made number 5....

5: KD Rodimus Prime
Hard to image we'll ever see, or need, a better version of Rodimus. (Mind you I did say that after the PotP one...). There are plenty of well (over?) engineered TFs that fail at being a good toy. Not this one. A figure deserving of a Prime with neat engineering that displays well and still manages to be a good toy (esp if you consider trailer). However... I still dont love the winnebago mode or the price.

4: SS86 Grimlock
Not much to add here. Its the king so its always going to rank highly. Not perfect (sword!), but pretty damn close. Saved me buying the MP version.

3: KD Dinobot / KD Grimlock
Same mould so I'm ranking them the same. Big fan of both these anyways. Sure the alt mode is a little wonky, but for me the bot mode is outstanding. So thankful for a proper (definitive?) representation of DInobot.


1 and 2 were really close, and swapped positions several times over the course of the year.


2: ER Sky Lynx
Magnificent figure and toy.

1: KD Cyclonus
Masterpiece figure? Damn near perfect. Probably the peak of the WfC line. Pipped SkyLynx because of my preference for the character and G1 toy.


HONORABLE MENTION:
SS-29 DOTM Sideswipe. Bought on a whim for $10. Surprised the hell out of me how much I ended up liking this.
TR Blitzwing. Good, but looses out on the 'new toy' feels since I've had the Meggs version of this mould for 4 years.

MOST DISAPPOINTING:
KD Optimus Primal. Not a bad fig, but didnt quite hit the mark (or high expectations) that I had for it.
ER Sunstreaker. I love Sunstreaker, but I felt that Hasbro really phoned this one in. I'm still salty that I felt I had to buy an upgrade kit and toyhax labels just to make him passable.