Hindsight is a beautiful thing, and in the world of football we as fans tend to get caught up in the events of days gone past.
Every footy fanatic has that one player that they long to see take the field, however long gone their days of handling a Sherrin may be.
Whether it be Daicos or Doull, Ricciuto or Richardson, fans can usually point to a single figure that captured their imagination during their formative years of watching AFL football.
Similar to our 'If your club could steal one player...' series, this trio of pieces will go through all 18 teams in the league, pointing at the weak spots in their best 22 and picking one of four past players to slot into their lineup and remedy their club's ailments.
We start off today with the first six teams of the competition based on alphabetical order.
Option 1: Tony Modra
Adelaide's lineup needs attention in several areas, however plinking "Godra" into any side's attacking-50 guarantees breathtaking marks, goals and perhaps more goals.
Modra is a certified legend of the game, and is pure royalty at West Lakes for his return of 440 goals in just 118 games between 1992 and 1998. His final goal tally included his stunning second season of AFL where he booted 119 goals during the home-and-away season.
The marks that he pulled off were out of this world, claiming Mark of the Year a record three times in his ten years of AFL football. The McLaren Vale-native won the Coleman Medal in 1997 with a haul of 81 goals and finished as the Crows' top goal-kicker in five of the seven years he called Adelaide home.
Despite being traded to the Dockers for the 1999 season, Modra would go down as one of the, if not the, greatest Crow to ever kick a Sherrin.
Option 2: Mark Ricciuto
Mark Ricciuto was an awe-inspiring player at his best, lighting up Football Park with his unbridled finesse and vision.
'Roo' possesses one of the most impressive collection of honours the game has ever seen, with the 46-year-old having made the All-Australian side a whopping eight times over the course of his career as well as winning a Brownlow Medal in 2003 and a premiership in 1998. Late on in his career, Ricciuto was deployed down forward and finished as the Crows' top goal-scorer in 2006 with 44 goals to his name.
Retiring at the end of season 2007 with a final tally of 292 goals in 312 games, Ricciuto and the aforementioned Modra are regularly mentioned in the same breath - and for good reason too.
Option 3: Eddie Betts
Eddie Betts' stint at West Lakes was impressive considering the output he had in the six years he called Adelaide home.
The Port Lincoln-born forward played on 132 occasions for the Crows, however, managed a staggering 310 goals for the club.
So good was his time in South Australia that a pocket of the Adelaide Oval is now known as "Eddie's Pocket" as a result of the mind-boggling goals that he managed to kick from that section of the ground.
Mirroring Modra with his Mark of the Year achievements, Betts somehow won Goal of the Year on three separate occasions during his time at Adelaide and earned an All-Australian blazer in three consecutive seasons. There is no doubting that based on his abilities and achievements, Betts is the best small forward to ever grace West Lakes.
Option 4: Andrew McLeod
This dual Norm Smith medallist was the face of Adelaide's premiership sides of 1997/98. Often deployed in midfield however equally at home across halfback, McLeod is revered by the Adelaide faithful.
The Darwin-born legend spent 15 years at the Crows, chalking up a club record 340 games as well as booting 275 goals.
It was his poise with the ball in hand and ability to beat his man that had his coaches - Malcolm Blight included - stunned at what he could do on the field.
McLeod won five All-Australian blazers throughout his career as well as the club's best-and-fairest on three occasions as well, securing his status in Adelaide folklore as one of the very best to pull on the blue, yellow and red.
With the current state of Adelaide's side, the area that needs addressing the most is their attack. With the unpredictability and flair that he brings, it'd be a disservice to pick anyone else other than Tony Modra.
His marking ability and eye for goal is something the Crows don't wield enough of at this point in time. There is no doubt that Modra would win games off his own boot should he magically step back into Matthew Nicks' Adelaide side, inspiring his relatively young teammates.
Option 1: Jonathan Brown
One of the most imposing presences to ever play the game, triple premiership player Jonathan Brown is one of a kind.
At 6'5" and 102kg, the sight of Brown leading at full tilt would send a shiver down any opposition defenders spine. His tally of 594 goals in 254 games was a sizeable return for a key forward, with the Victorian-native lining up at his preferred spot at centre half-forward.
Brown won a plethora of accolades over his career, with one Coleman Medal, three club best-and-fairests and two All-Australian blazers rounding off what was a star-studded career for one of the game's true hardmen.
Option 2: Simon Black
Simon Black is a name amongst Lions fans that is incredibly revered considering the immense career he forged in Brisbane.
One Brownlow, three flags and a Norm Smith medal is just the tip of the iceberg when scrolling through Black's honours, with the gut-running midfielder arguably the best engine room player to tread the turf at the Gabba alongside partner-in-crime Michael Voss.
The fact that he was in the upper echelon of midfielders for so long makes him that much more special in the eyes of not just Brisbane fans, but neutrals too.
Option 3: Justin Leppitsch
Another hardman in the Lions' three-peat setup was big-bodied defender Justin Leppitsch.
The Victorian started his career at full-forward, his highest goal tally being 50 in 1997 before coach Leigh Matthews decided to move him down to his eventual home in defence.
Leppitsch was a key cog in the Lions' three-peat side of 2001-2003. His bravery set him apart from the common man and with the attacking instinct instilled in him from his time up forward, Leppitsch was sometimes moved up the field if need be to help out the offence.
The three-time All-Australian will forever be a hero at Brisbane, and the example he set will serve to inspire young Lions defenders for generations to come.
Option 4: Michael Voss
Arguably Brisbane's favourite son, Michael Voss is regarded as one of the best to ever do it when it comes to pure courage.
The man from country Victoria had a booming right foot on him despite being relatively average size for an AFL midfielder, and his ability to put his body on the line whenever needed was one of the reason's why he endeared himself so much to the Lions faithful.
A three-time premiership player and Brownlow Medal winner in 1996, Voss is footballing royalty and surely will be one of the best tutors Carlton's young list could possibly have to coach them through the foreseeable future.
When examining the Lions' list needs at the minute, the main holes lie in defence. With Joe Daniher having a very solid first season in Queensland, the need for another key forward may not be as urgent as first thought.
At the other end of the field however, reinforcements to help Harris Andrews and co. down back could be needed, especially with the retirement of the reliable Grant Birchall. Therefore, Justin Leppitsch would be the wisest option out of the listed superstars.
His courage and competitiveness would complement Andrews' interception ability big time, with Leppitsch being able to use his bulky figure to disrupt the opposition forwards capability to get a clean run at the ball. Furthermore, Chris Fagan would be able to shift him up forward to partner Joe Daniher at certain points throughout the match and would certainly do damage on the scoreboard should the opposition treat him lightly.
Option 1: John Nicholls
The greatest ever Blue according to many, Nicholls was a hard-nut ruckman despite being unconventionally sized for the role.
Standing at just 189cm, the bulky Victorian somehow turned out to be Carlton's best ever ruckman by using sheer footy smarts to dominate opposition talls.
Nicholls managed to win three flags with the Blues between 1968 and 1972, making the AFL Team of the Century and winning a staggering five club best-and-fairests, with the medal subsequently being named after him in 2004.
Finishing his 18 season career with 328 games and 307 goals from his ruck role, it's easy to see why there is so much nostalgia surrounding "Big Nick" and the legend he created at Princes Park.
Option 2: Stephen Silvagni
It'd be hard not to throw "Soss" onto this list, with the legendary defender touted by many to be the best defender to ever play the game.
A one-club player, Silvagni ran out for the Blues on 312 occasions and was imperious wherever he was deployed. At times he was even put down at full-forward, booting 202 goals throughout his career, including a mammoth haul of 10 goals against Fitzroy in 1993.
Even though he could score goals regularly the man from Marcellin College's bread and butter was defending. So good was Silvagni that he claimed full back in the AFL Team of the Century for his sheer dominance as a backman.
His son Jack now dons the famous navy blue, however, the forward will have to pull out a remarkable career to fill the Herculean boots left behind by his father.
Option 3: Brendan Fevola
One of the most enigmatic players of this century so far, Brendan Fevola delighted Blues fans for years with his habit of getting the crowd off their feet.
Carlton still haven't found someone quite like "Fev" yet, and likely never will with the high-flying forward being one of a kind. Finishing with 623 goals in 202 games for Carlton, at points throughout the 2000s it seemed like the only thing bringing Blues fans through the turnstiles was the promise of seeing Fevola in action.
His best year, 2008, saw him boot a mammoth yet still disappointingly total of 99 goals throughout the home and away season, famously falling short of the tonne against the Hawks when Lance Franklin famously booted his 100th major of the year to cue pandemonium at Telstra Dome.
Despite his footy career ending in controversial scenes in Brisbane, Blues fans still cherish the memories that 'Fev' gave to them through his footballing genius.
Option 4: Bruce Doull
Throughout his star-studded career which spanned three decades, Bruce Doull is fondly remembered by those fortunate enough to witness him strut his stuff for the Blues
Famously nicknamed "The Flying Doormat" on account of his matted hair, Doull is heralded as one of the most consistent performers to ever play football with his 356 games in the navy blues a testament to his longevity.
Doull managed to rack up four VFL premierships over his 17-year stint as a footballer, as well as the same amount of Carlton best-and-fairest awards. The ever-steady half-back flanker was honoured in 1996 by being named across half-back in the AFL Team of the Century as well as inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame for his efforts on-field.
You could genuinely make a case for each one of these past icons to be picked to slot straight into the present-day Carlton side, however it's no secret that with the departure of Liam Jones in the off-season the Blues' back-six needs reinforcing.
Therefore, it seems that the most suitable option would be none other than Stephen Silvagni, with the legendary defender improving the standard of the current Carlton defence dramatically should he slot in.
His dominance in the air, as well as footballing intelligence, was unparalleled and we have yet to see a backman rival him for the title of the greatest ever defender since his retirement. With the reliable Jacob Weitering alongside him, suddenly the Blues defence would transform in a very tough nut to crack.
Option 1: Saverio Rocca
When the name Saverio Rocca is uttered, the first thing that comes to mind is his ridiculously powerful right boot that saw many Sherrins almost split in two.
Rocca played on 257 occasions, starting off his career in Sydney before making the switch to the Pies in 1997 where his goalscoring habit ramped up significantly. The Northern Knights product finished with 748 goals when he retired in 2009, however, produced some enigmatic performances over the years to cement himself as a Pies cult hero.
So good was Rocca's kicking that he decided to swap AFL footy for the bright lights of the NFL at age 32, playing with the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins until his release in 2014.
In his prime, Rocca was one of the scariest figures an opposition fullback could see when walking down to the goalsquare, with his huge physique meaning that even if he marked it well outside the 50-metre arc, chances are that the Sherrin would be sailing through the big sticks post-high.
Option 2: Peter Daicos
Peter Daicos needs no introduction.
Footballing fans country-wide know the freakish nature of "The Macedonian Marvel" and what he did for the Pies over his 15-year footballing career.
Playing 250 games and booting 549 goals for Collingwood, Daicos might as well have had the ball on a string with the unbelievable control he had over it, booting goals from outlandish angles and using his nimble frame to evade defenders with ease.
Although he never won a Brownlow, Daicos guided the Pies to their 1990 premiership win as well as winning the club best-and-fairest on two occasions. The enigmatic forward also managed to finish as the Pies' top goal-scorer on five occasions with his best season being in 1990 where he managed to boot a stunning 97 majors over the course of the year.
Now his legacy sits with his two sons Josh and Nick who are both on the books at his former side, with the latter of the two generating an enormous amount of hype prior to his drafting at the end of 2021.
Option 3: Bob Rose
Although not many today could say they saw Bob Rose ply his trade, the man from Nyah West is etched in the very fabric of Collingwood's famous black and white.
Despite only managing to play 152 games for the Pies in his nine years at the club, Rose was remembered as the most courageous player to pull on the Collingwood jumper through the workman-like shifts he put in week-in week-out in midfield.
A skilled sportsman all-around, Rose won the 1953 premiership and was runner-up in the Brownlow Medal count in the same year and finished his career as a four-time club best-and-fairest winner - incredibly impressive for such a relatively short stint as an AFL footballer.
Rose passed away in 2003, however his legacy very much ensues at the club with a statue of him outside the Holden Centre reminding Pies players of the standard they should hold themselves to every time they run out for the club.
Option 4: Gordon Coventry
Coventry is a sacred name in AFL footy, with no one barring one being able to eclipse his downright ridiculous goal-kicking record set over the course of his 306-game career.
Playing from 1920 until his retirement in 1937, the legendary full-forward managed to boot an astounding 1299 goals over the course of his career. What was even more remarkable is that he did it whilst standing at 183cm, which we know is a relatively abnormal height for a key forward.
His average of 4.25 goals per game puts into context how utterly dominant he was, with those who played with 'Nuts' constantly bewildered at how he managed to out mark and outwit every opponent he came up against.
Coventry held the AFL/VFL goalkicking record until 1999 when the great Tony Lockett broke the record playing for Sydney. Despite this, Coventry is still revered as one of the greatest to ever do it, with the forward having an end at Docklands Stadium named after him in honour of his achievements.
It hasn't exactly been a secret over the past few years that Collingwood are in dire need of a true key forward that can boot a hefty tally, with the side being on the lower end of the scoring charts in recent times.
In this case, it can't be anyone other than the great Gordon Coventry. The prospect of having someone who has booted just shy of 1300 goals being the spearhead of the attack would be mouthwatering for Pies fans.
How would he stack up against modern defenders? A good question yes, but with the sheer output of scoring that Coventry did you'd be hard-pressed to say that he wouldn't still have a pretty big say on the outcome of games even in this day and age.
Option 1: Dick Reynolds
It's hard to pick somebody at Essendon that has been more successful on an individual level than the great Dick Reynolds.
Reynolds is one of only four players ever to have won three Brownlow Medals, with all of them coming within five seasons. Throw in a whopping seven club best-and-fairests and four premiership wins, and just like that there is no one at Essendon who comes close to what "King Richard" achieved as a player.
Achieving all of this in 320 games, Reynolds was captain-coach of the club from 1939 until 1951, when he hung up the boots and coached the side until 1960. Despite being one of the greatest rovers to ever play the game he was named on the half-forward flank in the AFL Team of the Century in 1996, with his adeptness to go forward and boot goals exemplified in his final tally of 442 career goals.
Option 2: Matthew Lloyd
One of modern footy's most enduring figures, Matthew Lloyd is remembered as one of the great full-forwards of the 21st century.
A footy career that spanned 15 seasons and contained a huge 926 goals, "Lordo" wielded one of the most trusty set shots of the modern era with the majority of his shots - no matter if they were inside or outside the 50-metre arc - usually hitting true.
The man from St Bernards College managed to crack the tonne in back-to-back seasons, being 2000 (109 goals) and 2001 (105 goals). A three-time Coleman Medal winner and a five-time All Australian, Lloyd is in rarified air when it comes to Essendon full-forwards and is the club's all-time leading goalkicker.
Should Lloyd have not sustained the injuries he had over his career - including rupturing a tendon in his finger and tearing his hamstring off the bone - there is little doubt that he could have surpassed the elusive mark of 1000 career goals.
Option 3: John Coleman
A player who has only played 98 games throughout their career would seldom be remembered as one of the greatest to ever do it, but for John Coleman it only took him two shy of a century of matches to earn himself legend status.
The man from the Mornington Peninsula burst onto the scene in 1949 for the Bombers, booting 12 goals on debut and going on to boot 100 goals in 21 games that season to guide his side to one of two flags throughout his short career.
Coleman managed to boot 100+ goals in three of his six playing years, averaging a hard-to-believe 5.48 goals per game as he finished his career with 537 goals. Sadly, a dislocated knee in 1954 prematurely ended his time as a footballer with the forward having already booted 43 goals in the six games prior to his injury.
Even though his time on-field was short-lived, many wonder about what might have been should John Coleman have played for just a few more years, with the trajectory he was on meaning that the stars truly were the limit for him.
The award given to the leading goalkicker across the league at season's end was named in his honour in 1981, with no player in the game's history having such an impact in such a short time since.
Option 4: Dustin Fletcher
'Inspector Gadget' himself slides in on this list for the incredible career he forged at Windy Hill over the record 22 years he had at AFL level.
Fletcher managed to win two flags in his time as a Bomber - one in 1993 and the other in 2000 - also picking up his first and only Crichton Medal in the latter of the two premiership years. His aforementioned nickname came from his ability to wrap himself around opposition forwards and get a hand to the ball from seemingly impossible positions.
Apart from his gangly figure, Fletcher had one of the longest kicks in the game with his barrels from kick-outs regularly travelling over 70 metres. Arguably his most famous barrel came in 2007 when he unloaded from 75 metres out to goal for the Bombers against the Saints.
Despite the Bombers supplement saga marring the twilight years of his career to an extent, Fletcher is sorely missed amongst Essendon fans for his consistently rock-solid displays over the course of his 400 game career.
Examining the current Essendon lineup, there are some significant holes in some integral places. Their defence could use some reinforcement however, similarly to many other teams on this list, key forwards seem to be the order of the day.
Despite Matthew Lloyd being tried and tested against modern-day defenders, John Coleman's ridiculous stats means that it is so hard to look past him.
537 goals in 98 games is next level, and in Essendon's current lineup Coleman would provide arguably the best possible target for midfielders to hit up - with his small frame deceiving defenders into thinking they had him covered.
Option 1: Luke McPharlin
With the Dockers being one of the AFL's most recent additions, the club's past players list isn't as extensive as many of the older sides in the league. However, Fremantle can point to key defender Luke McPharlin as one of the club's most consistent past figures.
McPharlin's Fremantle career spanned 14 seasons, with the Perth native starting off his stint at Subiaco Oval down forward, booting 34 goals in his best year in 2005.
Over time 'Woosh' established himself as one of the most solid defenders in the entire league - especially in the club's better years between 2012 and 2015 despite being marred by injury in the latter stages of his career.
McPharlin earned himself an All-Australian blazer in 2012 for his efforts during that campaign and has been remembered as one of the best defenders to play for the Dockers so far.
Option 2: Peter Bell
Delisted from the Dockers in 1995, ball-winning midfielder Peter Bell only cemented himself in Freo folklore after he was begged to return in 2000.
The South Korean-born star won two flags with North Melbourne before returning to Perth to ply his trade with his original club. Bell was one of the club's standout performers throughout the early 2000s when the Dockers were the whipping boys of the competition.
Bell racked up three club best-and-fairest medals during his time at Fremantle, captaining the side from 2002 to 2006 and appearing on 161 occasions for the side.
At only 175cm and originally regarded by Dockers coach Gerard Neesham as "too slow", Bell proved his doubters wrong and ended up finishing his career in 2008 as one of the greatest Dockers ever to pull on the purple.
Option 3: Aaron Sandilands
Aaron Sandilands was an incredibly dominant ruckman on his day, and it wasn't hard to be with the help of his 211-centimetre tall frame.
Debuting in 2003, Sandilands was the first choice Fremantle ruckman for the vast majority of his 271-game career, topping the total hitout charts on several occasions throughout his career by virtue of his mammoth frame.
The big man won two Doig Medals in 2009 and 2015 and made the All-Australian team on an impressive four separate occasions. It's safe to say that there hasn't been a ruckman like him throughout the club's relatively short history, and the truth is there probably won't be for some time with Sandilands' physique being both rare and incredibly desirable for AFL ruckmen.
Option 4: Matthew Pavlich
There should be no arguments over who Fremantle's best forward to date is, with Matthew Pavlich leaving his heart and soul on Subiaco Oval every time he ran out for his side.
Spending the entirety of his 17-year AFL career with Freo, "Pav" was the main man for his side through thick and thin. Finishing with 700 goals in 353 games and an incredible six club best-and-fairests, it's hard to picture what the Dockers would have been like without him considering he finished eight times as the club's leading goalkicker.
Pavlich dabbled in multiple roles across the ground, starting at fullback before moving to his native position down forward - such was his versatility that at times he was even deployed in midfield.
The Dockers stalwart made the All-Australian team on six occasions, appearing at fullback in his third season of AFL football. His star-studded career sadly never saw him acquire a premiership medal, however his love for his club endeared himself incredibly to the fans that he played for.
It's really no contest here.
Matthew Pavlich has to be the one, with his versatility and goal output exactly what the Dockers need at the minute.
Although they have unearthed forward Josh Treacy and drafted key tall Jye Amiss, having "Pav" back in the lineup would be decisive for Justin Longmuir's side as they build towards getting back to September footy.
If he is needed further up the ground too for whatever reason, he is able to do just that as seen in the past with his defensive work being tried and tested on several occasions.