Western Australia has continued to develop and produce some of the best players to grace an AFL field for decades.
With Brownlow medallists, Coleman Medal winners, soon-to-be hall of famers and a seemingly endless list of premiership stalwarts, many out of the WAFL's pathways have gone on to be AFL icons this century alone.
Taking a look back on the best players to come from the WAFL, we've named the greatest player each club has produced for the AFL since the century began.
Here's who we've selected, along with a few honourable mentions for each WAFL club...
The two-time Brownlow Medal winner narrowly edges out cross-town champion Jeremy McGovern, with both players having exceptional CVs and decorated careers to date.
Fyfe, a product of Lake Grace, was drafted out for Claremont with the 20th overall pick in 2009 and managed to have a quick rise at Fremantle - winning the AFLCA's Best Young Player of the Year in his second season.
He would take out his first of three Doig Medals in 2013 and, within the next two years, had a further best and fairest crown, two AFLPA MVP gongs, two All-Australian selections and his maiden Brownlow Medal.
Fyfe would also captain the Dockers from 2017 and had arguably his career-best year two years later to claim his second Brownlow and captain the All-Australian side.
McGovern, a five-time All-Australian - 2024 included - is stiff to fall short, with premiership teammate Tom Barrass, reigning Coleman Medal winner Jesse Hogan and Brownlow Medal winner Tom Mitchell also among the best out of the Tigers.
Josh Kennedy
West Coast legend Josh Kennedy inches past Carlton captain Patrick Cripps as the No.1 Shark of this century.
Kennedy's numbers stack up tremendously, being an eight-time club-leading goalkicker, a premiership player, a two-time Coleman medallist, a three-time All-Australian and kicking the most goals in West Coast's history.
Cripps' second Brownlow Medal win this year significantly closed the gap, and he may well surpass Kennedy by the time his career is over.
Both players were drafted out of East Fremantle to Carlton, with Cripps proving to be a bargain at Pick 13 over a decade ago. The midfield bull has four All-Australian selections, an AFLPA MVP and five best-and-fairests to add to his Brownlow Medal.
Fremantle greats Paul Hasleby and Aaron Sandilands are worth noting, as are former Essendon, Port Adelaide and St Kilda ruckman Paddy Ryder, two-time Geelong premiership defender Harry Taylor and West Coast ace Elliot Yeo.
Had the criteria for this exercise been open to even the 1999 intake, Duncan wouldn't be at No.1 from the Royals.
The dual premiership Cat has had a stellar career at Kardinia Parl since switching from Western Australia, playing 296 games and having 11 consecutive seasons of at least 20 disposals per game- including a career-best 29.08 in 2017.
Duncan has played in a staggering 28 finals and could add to that tally in 2025, which may be his last year in the AFL.
It's worth noting his ex-teammate and fellow East Perth product Joel Corey was drafted to the Cats in 1999, but it's West Coast champion Dean Cox - who was recruited to the Eagles the same year - that would be regarded as arguably the best from the Royals.
Triple-premiership Hawk Ben Stratton and current Lions defender Brandon Starcevich are also among the best from East Perth, with Fremantle forward Jye Amiss and West Coast youngster Reuben Ginbey ones to watch over the next decade.
A two-time best and fairest for North Melbourne, the scintillating Wells had a stellar AFL career across his time with the Kangaroos and Collingwood.
After being drafted out of Peel at Pick 2 in 2002, Wells would play 243 games in the blue and white for a return of 150 goals.
He would quickly become a fan favourite at Arden Street and eventually secured a move to Collingwood ahead of the 2017 season after 14 years with North Melbourne.
Wells quickly earned the respect of his new faithful but faced a luckless run with injury at his new club, playing just 15 games in three seasons before retiring.
Former Fremantle goalsneak Hayden Ballantyne, dual premiership Tiger Kamdyn McIntosh and Western Bulldogs spearhead Aaron Naughton are others to thrive at the top level after being drafted out of the Peel Thunder.
The Demons were once home to the greatest forward of this century, Lance 'Buddy' Franklin.
The athletic and powerful key forward was drafted with the fifth overall pick in the 2004 draft and would end his career as a 1000-goal forward across a stellar career with Hawthorn and Sydney.
Franklin claimed four Coleman Medals and a record-tying eight All-Australian selections through 354 games while also collecting two premierships in the brown and gold along the way.
The Western Australian would also lead his club's goalkicking in 13 separate seasons - six as a Hawk and seven as a Swan.
Fremantle great Michael Johnson is another notable name from the Demons to be drafted this century, as are 2023 Norm Smith Medal winner Bobby Hill, three-club midfielder Jaeger O'Meara and former Dockers and Magpies utility Chris Mayne.
It's worth noting the 1999 Perth class, consisting of Leon Davis, Chance Bateman, and Ryan Hargrave and led by West Coast champion Darren Glass.
The Bulldogs' best from this century are mostly contemporary, hence the nod to Kelly in this exercise.
The Cat-turned-Eagles star is seen as one of the best mature-aged recruits since 2000, having been plucked out of South Fremantle in 2017 after averaging over 26 disposals and kicking 26 goals from 23 games that year.
Geelong's masterstroke selection of the flashy onballer would quickly have an impact on the Cats's flag contention, with Kelly polling 13 Brownlow votes in his maiden campaign at AFL level. He would poll a further 24 the following year to finish fifth overall, earning an All-Australian selection the same year.
Kelly pursued a move back to Western Australia ahead of the 2020 season and hasn't quite managed to live up to the high price the Eagles paid for his services despite a best and fairest last year.
Current AFL stars Shai Bolton and Tim English have also been drafted out of South Fremantle in recent years, while premiership Lion Ash McGrath and former Hawthorn sharpshooter Mark Williams are worth mentioning.
The Bulldogs' products through the 1980s and '90s certainly lead the way, with Brad Hardie, Nicky Winmar, Peter Matera, Glen Jakovich, Jeff Farmer and Peter Bell also healing from South Fremantle.
Another local recruit who thrived in WA, Priddis is often a forgotten figure when it comes to the greats of West Coast.
The curly-haired onballer had a stellar stint with Subiaco before being drafted to the Eagles, claiming the Simpson Medal in 2005 before taking out the Sandover Medal the following year before being drafted.
The 2014 Brownlow medallist was a consistent operator in midfield for the Eagles, leading the club's engine room in the era after Ben Cousins, Chris Judd and Daniel Kerr dominated.
Priddis claimed an All-Australian selection and a John Worsfold Medal across his 12-year playing career before retiring after 240 games in the royal blue and gold.
Former Brisbane defender Daniel Rich is a solid runner-up, while new Eagle Liam Baker - who also spent time with West Perth - joins fellow ex-Lions Liam Ryan and Dom Sheed at West Coast from next season.
A five-time All-Australian, Rance headlines a stacked list of Swans products who have dominated at AFL level since 2000.
The former Richmond backman and 2017 premiership player is noted as one of the best key defenders of his generation, finishing his 200-game career early after earning a best and fairest and finishing runner-up twice during his time at Punt Road.
Rance's ties to Swan Districts run deep, with his father, Murray, a three-time premiership player at the club.
Narrowly trailing the Richmond champion to be drafted from the WAFL club this century are his old teammate Nathan Broad, Brisbane ace Charlie Cameron, ex-Eagles ruckman Nic Naitanui, former Sydney and West Coast speedster Lewis Jetta, Fremantle veteran Michael Walters and GWS duo Stephen Coniglio and Sam Taylor.
The fourth West Coast player to make this list, Darling has wrapped up his time with the Eagles but will continue his career in Victoria from 2025 with North Melbourne.
He leaves the club as their second-best goalkicker ever, having booted 532 goals from his 298 games as an Eagle, playing a role in the club's 2018 premiership win and claiming All-Australian honours the following year.
While working in tandem with the aforementioned Josh Kennedy, Darling led the Eagles' goalkicking in four separate seasons across his 14 years with West Coast.
He narrowly beats three-club, three-time premiership player Brad Hill to be the Falcons' No.1 since 2000, while fellow ex-Eagles sharpshooters Quinten Lynch and Mark LeCras get a mention, as do Nathan van Berlo, Stephen Hill and Oscar Allen.