With our picks for the best defensive groups that never overlapped in the AFL era in the books, it is now time to shift our focus to the opposite end of the field.
When we think about the game's greatest highlights, it is usually the men in the goal square that acted as architects.
When we as fans cast our minds back to the first numbers we ever had stitched onto our replica jumpers, it was usually the full forward's digits that we selected.
They are the men that keep both the scoreboard and the turnstiles ticking.
With the AFL era now 32 years old (1990 to the present day), we here at Zero Hanger have decided to select a group of club greats on each line whose careers never overlapped.
As with our group of defenders, here are the ground rules for selection:
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 during their time at their selected club.
For example, should Jason Dunstall be selected for Hawthorn, then all of his forward line friends from 1985 to 1998 will fail our criteria.
With that in mind, here is our best stab.
Let us know how we have gone and which clubs you feel have fared best.
Hawthorn
Jason Dunstall – 1985-1998 (269 games and 1254 goals)
The selection of Jason Dunstall on a list comprised of superstar forwards should surprise nobody.
However, if you are baffled, check this CV out for size:
12 times Hawthorn's leading goalkicker.
Six times a century goalkicker.
Four Premierships.
Four Best and Fairests.
Four All-Australians.
Three Coleman medals.
One league MVP.
Hawthorn Team of the Century status.
AFL Hall of Fame legend status.
A career goals per game average of 4.66.
Any arguments? I didn't think so.
Lance Franklin – 2005-2013 (182 games and 580 goals)
Despite splitting his time in the game between Hawthorn and the harbour city, we have selected Franklin as a Hawk.
With six club goalkicking awards, four All-Australians, two Colemans, a pair of Goal of the Year awards and the title as the last man to crack the tonne coming in his time in brown and gold, it was a pretty easy decision.
Although he will never add to his total of 580 goals for Hawthorn, we here at Zero Hanger have every finger and toe crossed that he can kick the 56 goals required to become only sixth man to surpass 1000 majors.
Tim O'Brien – 2013-Present (78 games and 61 goals)
When you select two generational talents on a capped list, you are sometimes forced to find a ringer for your final position.
Rounding out Hawthorn's trio is the marginally less productive Tim O'Brien.
However, if this hypothetical Hawks offensive ever made it out onto the park at their peak, I am sure that the redhead's teammates would more than pick up his slack.
