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're crossing over to Olympic Park to catalogue the cream of Collingwood's crop of champions.
PREVIOUS TOP TENS: CROWS, LIONS, BLUES
5. Travis Cloke (2005-2016)
1 x best and fairest (2007)
4 x leading goalkicker (2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014)
2 x All-Australian (2011 and 2013)
1 x premiership player (2010)
246 games, 441 goals, 1.8 goals per game
Although routinely potted for his waywardness, Cloke proved a consistent figure in Collingwood's forward arc, bagging four straight leading goalkicker gongs after Chris Tarrant went west.
A dual All-Australian, a Copeland Trophy winner and a legacy Magpie, Travis is easily the most decorated member of the Cloke clan, holding bragging rights over brothers Jason and Cameron, as well as his old man, David.
