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.
However, for the league's young expansion clubs, the chance to sit down and select their finest sides has not yet arisen.
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.
Next up, we head to Carrara to run the rule of the best Gold Coast Suns to have shone since inception.
PREVIOUS TOP TENS:ย CROWS,ย LIONS,ย BLUES,ย PIES,ย BOMBERS,ย DOCKERS, CATS
1. Gary Ablett Jr. (2011-2017)
1 x Brownlow Medal (2013)
2 x Leigh Matthews Trophy (2012 and 2013)
4 x best and fairest (2011, 2012, 2013 and 2017)
2 x leading goalkicker (2012 and 2013)
4 x All-Australian (2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014)
Who else was it going to be, really?
While Ablett only spent seven seasons on the Gold Coast, with several of his latter campaigns curbed by injury, the son of man came, saw and conquered on a personal level, adding a swathe of awards to his already stacked mantel.
Although Ablett couldn't drag the Suns into the September action, his name will feature heavily in their history books for many, many years to come.
