Forwards win memberships and defenders win Premierships, the old adage goes.
The men at the back are not only integral in keeping opposition scores down, they also provide the first line of attack.
In the AFL era, 1990 until the present day, plenty of players have called the defensive fifty home. Many of this aforementioned group have also retired champions of the game, or at least look set to.
With the off-season slowly creeping to a close, we here at Zero Hanger have attempted to create a list of every club's best three defenders that never played together.
However, there are four rules to this exercise.
1. Three players must be selected from each club.
2. Even if they have played for multiple clubs, no player can be selected on the list of two teams.
3. All players must have played at least a portion of their careers from 1990 onwards.
4. As mentioned, no player can have played an in-season match with any of their colleagues.
For example, should Glenn Archer be selected for North Melbourne, then all of his backline buddies between 1992 and 2007 become ineligible.
With that in mind, here is our best stab.
Let us know how we have gone and which clubs you feel have fared best.
Sydney
Dennis Carroll โ 1981-1993 (219 games)
Although originally hailing from country New South Wales, Dennis Carroll's first season as a Swan was spent at the Lake Oval.
Following his debut in Round 8 of 1981, Carroll played a further 13 games with South Melbourne before the club flew north to Sydney for the 1982 season.
With brilliant foot skills on both sides of his body, Carroll's form across the half-back line saw him named Sydney's captain from 1986-1992.
The Ganmain man led the Swans to the finals in 1987, before they were bundled out in the semis by a red-hot Melbourne to the tune of 76 points.
Following his retirement after 219 games in red and white, Carroll was honoured with selection on the half-back in the Swans' team of the century.
Paul Roos โ 1995-1998 (67 games)
After 13 seasons, five best and fairests, five All-Australians and a league MVP, Paul Roos upped and moved from Fitzroy to the harbour city.
Despite the vast majority of his 356 games spent with the Roys, Roos' form for the Swans at centre half-back was still of an elite standard.
Although the Swans failed to win the flag in 1996, Roos again won All-Australian honours that year and repeated the dosage for a final time 12 months later.
Better known to younger fans of the game as a coach, the Beverley Hills junior led the Swans to the 2005 flag, breaking a 72-year drought in the process.
Ted Richards โ 2006-2016 (228 games)
After three seasons and 33 games in a red sash, Ted Richards was dealt to the Swans at the end of 2005 for picks 19 and 50.
Richards immediately repaid the club's faith in him with his ability to keep many of the game's greatest spearheads quiet.
Despite injuries derailing his career in 2009, Richards was able to return to both the senior team and form in 2010.
Throughout the remainder of his next six seasons with Sydney, the Victorian's name was close to the first selected on a weekly basis by the match committee.
His work ethic was rewarded in 2012 with All-Australian honours and a Premiership medallion, as well as Hall of Fame status with the Swans in 2020.
