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
5. Jack Macrae (2013-present)
3 x All-Australian (2019, 2020 and 2021)
1 x premiership player (2016)
230 games, 28.6 disposals per game, 106 Brownlow votes, 0.5 votes per game
If leather poisoning were a true ailment, Jack Macrae would be forced to the sidelines every second week, with the Oakleigh Charger well-acquainted with the feel of the Sherrin in his hands.
While Macrae is not the Top Dog in Luke Beveridge's engine room, few have ever stuffed the stats sheet with greater ease and frequency than the former first-round draftee.
