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
2. Dane Swan (2002-2016)
1 x Brownlow Medal (2011)
1 x Leigh Matthews Trophy (2010)
3 x best and fairest (2008, 2009 and 2010)
5 x All-Australian (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013)
258 games, 26.85 disposals per game, 186 Brownlow votes, 0.7 votes per game
Although renowned for his heavily inked arms, Swan earned the many awards on his mantle by the ball in the hands at the end of them more often than not.
Despite a slow start as an AFL footballer, Swan shot to superstardom before long, claiming AA blazers either side of the Pies' 2010 premiership - a flag he played a leading role in helping to fly.
