Throughout the final years of the 1990s, 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 2000 AFL 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 2000 AFL season.
Next up, we run the rule over Melbourne, to see which Demons proved deadliest.
PREVIOUS TOP TENS: CROWS,ย LIONS,ย BLUES,ย PIES,ย BOMBERS, DOCKERS, CATS, SUNS, GIANTS, HAWKS
1. Christian Petracca (2015-present)
1 x Norm Smith Medal (2021)
2 x best and fairest (2020 and 2023)
1 x leading goalkicker (2019)
4 x All-Australian (2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023)
1 x premiership player (2021)
176 games, 23.3 disposals per game, 170 goals, 0.97 goals per game, 98 Brownlow votes, 0.55 votes per game
Up forward, in the middle and everywhereย else on the ground, Petracca has proven himself to be a handful that very few opponents can quell.
A deadset bull with an insatiable appetite for the contest, the Eastern Ranges product's current masterpiece came when it mattered most, with Petracca racking up 39 disposals and slotting two goals during the Demons' drought-breaking win in the 2021 grand final.
Like his midfield running mate Oliver, if the Demons are to turn a one-off flag into something resembling a dynasty, plenty will fall at this jet's capable feet.ย
