Throughout the final years of the 1990s,ย AFLย clubs across the land looked backward rather than forward, with selectors, historians and superstars converging to name their Teams of the 20th Century.

So, as we near the quarter-time mark of the 21st century, what better time to run the rule on which players are likely to feature when the selectors of tomorrow get together in several decades' time?

While every club has an array of deadset legends that can be called on, we here at Zero Hanger have employed the following rules of selection:

  • Only statistics recorded and achievements accrued since the start of the 2000ย AFLย season will be acknowledged.
  • All statistics and awards must have been accrued while playing for the club in question.
  • Any player selected must have played at least 100 senior games for their respective club since the start of the 2000ย AFLย season.

For our final instalment, we head west to assess who the top Dogs are at the Whitten Oval.

PREVIOUS TOP TENS: CROWS,ย LIONS,ย BLUES,ย PIES,ย BOMBERS,ย DOCKERS,ย CATS,ย SUNS,ย GIANTS,ย HAWKS, DEES,ย ROOS,ย POWER,ย TIGERS,ย SAINTS, SWANS, EAGLES

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10. Brian Lake (2002-2012)ย 

1 x best and fairest (2007)
2 x All-Australian (2009 and 2010)
197 games,ย  6.4 marks per game, 3.7 rebound 50s per gameย 

Ahead of his successful move to Hawthorn, Lake - or Harris in his earliest days - was a full-back more than worth his salt.

Tasked with quelling the greatest spearheads of the era, Lake would often come out on the winning end, routinely guiding the Bulldogs into September from his post at the back.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 01: Brian Lake of the Bulldogs handballs during the round one AFL match between the Western Bulldogs and the West Coast Eagles at Etihad Stadium on April 1, 2012 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
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