Throughout the history of the AFL, there have been champions and then there have been the unfortunate teams who never quite climbed to the top of the mountain.
The Zero Hanger team have identified and ranked the best 10 teams to never win a flag since 2000.
Two important factors made up our criteria - each club could only be represented once and was ineligible if they won a premiership the season before or after.
Without further ado, here are our 10 best AFL teams to never win a premiership since 2000.
4. 2002 Port Adelaide
The 2001-04 Port team was a very good unit, but through the process of elimination, the โ02 team gets the spot. They got 18 wins for the season, only to be toppled by the mighty Lions in the Preliminary Final.
Warren Tredrea will be remembered as one of Portโs greatest players, and he again showed his worth, kicking 49.41 in 25 games, but it was Stuart Dew who led Portโs attack with 51 goals for the season. They also had Peter Burgoyne kick over 40 goals, whilst Chad Cornes was quite the menacing presence as well.
Matthew Primus was the All-Australian ruckman in 2002, averaging over 20 hitouts and nearly a goal per game in arguably his greatest season before knee injuries wrecked his career. He was palming them down to the likes of Josh Francou, Roger James, Nick Stevens and Josh Carr most weeks. Those four were very strong and could mix it with the best of them.
Brett Montgomery was in career-best touch, winning his one and only All-Australian selection in this season, whilst he was surrounded by decent defenders such as Darryl Wakelin, Matthew Bishop and Adam Kingsley.
B: Damien Hardwick, Darryl Wakelin, Adam Kingsley
HB: Brett Montgomery, Matthew Bishop, Jared Poulton
C: Nick Stevens, Josh Carr, Gavin Wanganeen
HF: Stuart Dew, Chad Cornes, Jarrad Schofield
F: Che Cockatoo-Collins, Warren Tredrea, Peter Burgoyne
FOL: Matthew Primus, Josh Francou, Roger James
INT: Brent Guerra, Shaun Burgoyne, Kane Cornes, Brendon Lade
