Throughout the final years of the 1990s,ย AFL 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.
  • Any player selected must have played at least 100 senior games for their respective club since the start of the 2000ย AFLย season.

Next up, we head to Princes Park to catalogue the crรจme de la crรจme of the Carlton Football Club.

SEE ALSO: BEST CROWS SINCE 2000, BEST LIONS SINCE 2000ย 

6. Anthony Koutoufides (2000-2007)

1 x Leigh Matthews Trophy (2000)
2 x best and fairest (2001 and 2005)
1 x All-Australian (2000)
130 games, 20.5 disposals per game, 42 Brownlow votes, 0.3 votes per game

An Adonis in every sense of the moniker, Koutoufides was the face of the Blues for the better part of a decade, tasting success early in his career before being force-fed the opposite to end it.

The superstar's early 2000s form was otherwordly, and if not for knee injuries, 'Kouta' may have had a Brownlow to his name, as well as a second flag.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 7: Anthony Koutoufides #43 for the Blues celebrates a goal during the round nineteen AFL match between The Essendon Bombers and the Carlton Blues at the M.C.G. on August 7, 2004 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)