1988 - Scott Pendlebury
We're down to three from the 1988 cohort, with Todd Goldstein and Travis Boak still going strong. However, Scott Pendlebury remains the standout, his feel for the game has shown minimal decline.
1989 - Dayne Zorko
There is no other choice except Zorko, but if there was he would likely still lead the bunch with the 35-year-old in as good of form as ever.
1990 - Patrick Dangerfield
Seasoned veterans Dane Rampe, Luke Breust, Jeremy Howe, Callan Ward and Taylor Walker make up the remaining 1990-born players, but when Dangerfield takes the field he can still be as commanding as ever.
1991 - Max Gawn
Max Gawn is more than likely the best ruckman in the game and he has been for some time, meaning he easily edges out the likes of Liam Jones, Steele Sidebottom and Nat Fyfe to be 1991's best player.
1992 - Jeremy McGovern
McGovern remains a premier backman in the competition with his ability to intercept still as strong as ever. The cohort features Jason Johannisen, Jack Darling, Tom Liberatore, Andrew Gaff and many more, yet unlike some, McGovern's age at 32 rarely shows.
1993 - Lachie Neale
With most of the 1993-born players being 31 years old they are probably coming to the end of the absolute prime of their careers, yet the output of this bunch is still extremely high. Jeremy Cameron, Adam Treloar, Rory Laird and Toby Greene are all strong contenders, but capping off a magnificent season with a premiership seals the deal for Neale.
1994 - Lachie Whitfield
Ollie Wines, Jack Macrae and Charlie Cameron all had down years this year and even with the successful seasons that Joe Daniher, Nick Vlastuin and Brodie Grundy had, Lachie Whitfield still feels like the stand-out player from 1994. His rebounding proficiency off half back along with his speed and ball-winning ability elevate him above the rest.
1995 - Marcus Bontempelli
The Brownlow medallist has to be the best player born in 1995, right? Well, it just so happens that The Bont was also born the same year as Patrick Cripps, leaving it a line-ball decision. But Marcus Bontempelli's silky smooth and match-winning ability gives him a narrow edge.
1996 - Isaac Heeney
Isaac Heeney's elite season had him firmly in the Brownlow mix for a significant period of the year. Although his form tapered off, his overall performance remained impressive. Christian Petracca was also born in 1996 and if not for his injury might have challenged Heeney to be the best born in that year. Harris Andrews is also a standout performer among players born in '96.
1997 - Josh Dunkley
Had Charlie Curnow not let the Coleman Medal slip through his hands, the title of best player born in 1997 might be his. But alas, Josh Dunkley's great season which culminated in a premiership gives him that title. Clayton Oliver had a poor season by his standards and Jacob Weitering had arguably his best, yet the Lion still comes out on top.
1998 - Shai Bolton
Shai Bolton's ability to play forward and run through the midfield while operating at high speed makes him an extremely valuable asset. His season in a struggling Richmond team was one of the few highlights of their year. He nudges past Hugh McCluggage, Andrew McGrath, Nick Larkey, Tim Taranto and Josh Daicos in 1998.
1999 - Luke Davies-Uniacke
'99 was quite possibly the toughest year to pick a standout player from, but Luke Davies-Uniacke felt like the right choice. Countless players could very well receive the honour like Andrew Brayshaw, Cam Rayner and Sam Taylor, but LDU's ability to win the ball and do it with such smoothness is a joy to watch.
2000 - Sam Walsh
The top end of this year is extremely talented with Connor Rozee, Zak Butters, Nick Blakey and Bailey Smith all born in 2000. But even though Sam Walsh had a tough year with injury the year prior, his latest was fantastic.
2001 - Chad Warner
Chad Warner could not replicate his 2022 grand final performance in this year's big dance, but his season leading up to it was the best he has had yet. He earned himself an All-Australian blazer in 2024 and edges out the likes of Tom Greene, Caleb Serong, and Noah Anderson to be 2001's best.
2002 - Errol Gulden
Errol hasn't got a whole heap of competition to be 2002's best player, but as this cohort continues to develop Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, Max Holmes and Tanner Bruhn could offer a challenge.
2003 - Nick Daicos
Coming into the league, Daicos has not put a foot wrong. You could argue he would be a Brownlow medallist by now and is clearly the best player from 2003. Jason Horne-Francis and Sam Darcy had breakout years but haven't reached the heights of Daicos.
2004 - Harry Sheezel
Will Ashcroft winning the Norm Smith Medal gives Sheezel a real run for his money to be named the best player from this year, but his consistency throughout the year solidifies him as the best.
2005 - Harley Reid
Plenty of first-year players had fantastic starts to their careers like Darcy Wilson, Logan Morris, Nick Watson, Colby McKercher and many more, but the buzz around Harley Reid is real. His explosiveness and clearance work make him look like a seasoned AFL player. There is no telling where all of these players will be further down the line, but after our brief look at them Harley Reid stands out as 2005's best.
