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.
  • 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 west to decide which Dockers can be counted as the ten best of this century.

PREVIOUS TOP TENS:ย CROWS,ย LIONS,ย BLUES,ย PIES, BOMBERS

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1. Matthew Pavlich (2000-2016)ย 

6 x best and fairest (2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2011)
8 x leading goalkicker (2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2012)
6 x All-Australian (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008)
353 games, 700 goals, 1.98 goals per game, 126 Brownlow votes, 0.35 votes per game

While plenty would have had Nat Fyfe leading this list, it is Pavlich sitting at the top of the pops because when you think Fremantle, you think Pavlich.

Across the course of his 17 seasons in the west, the uber-talented South Australian starred on all three lines, proving the most potent up forward, with the inspirational spearhead bagging just shy of two goals a game for the length of his star-studded career.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 25: Matthew Pavlich of the Dockers looks on during the round four AFL match between the Fremantle Dockers and the Sydney Swans at Domain Stadium on April 25, 2015 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
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