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.
- 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 Punt Road to run a rule over the top ten Tigers of the century.
PREVIOUS TOP TENS: CROWS,ย LIONS,ย BLUES,ย PIES,ย BOMBERS,ย DOCKERS,ย CATS,ย SUNS,ย GIANTS,ย HAWKS,DEES,ย ROOS, POWER
4. Alex Rance (2009-2019)
1 x best and fairest (2015)
5 x All-Australian (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018)
1 x premiership player (2017)
200 games, 5.7 marks per game, 3.2 rebound 50s per gameย
For the better part of a decade, Rance was not only the finest defender on Richmond's roster but, perhaps, the best in the competition.
Although the Western Australian would miss the final two of the Tigers' three flags after hanging up the boots to pursue matters of faith, it is fair to say that Richmond's recent run of September success may have looked more than a little different had Rance never called Punt Road home in the first place.
