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 he to Arden Street to separate the the wheat from the Roos' chaff.

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4. Ben Cunnington (2010-2023)

2 x best and fairest (2014 and 2019)
238 games, 21.6 disposals per game, 5.7 clearances per game, 4.6 tackles per game, 71 Brownlow votes, 0.3 votes per game

Never had the cliches of 'harder than nails' or 'lead by example' been more befitting than when applied to Ben Cunnington.

Far too tough to have frills, and far too focused to worry about the why, for 14 seasons, the country boy put his head down and got to work, sometimes dragging the Roos across the line almost on his lonesome.

While never an All-Australian or a premiership player, Cunnington is royalty at Arden Street, make no shinbones about that.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 22: Ben Cunnington of the Kangaroos celebrates the win with fans during the round five AFL match between the North Melbourne Kangaroos and the Hawthorn Hawks at Etihad Stadium on April 22, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)