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 turn to Moorabbin to rank the Saints 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,ย POWER, TIGERS

2. Lenny Hayes (2000-2014)

  • Norm Smith Medal (2010)
  • 3x All-Australian (2003, 2005, 2009)
  • 3x Best & Fairest (2003, 2010, 2012)
  • St Kilda captain (2004, 2007)
  • 281 games, 22.5 disposals per game, 129 Brownlow votes

Easily one of the most adored Saints in the club's history, Hayes lived and breathed the mantra of toughness and grit in the contest with a level of inspiration that could bring a diehard Saint to tears.

As bittersweet a moment as it was, Hayes was clearly the most fitting candidate to take home the Norm Smith Medal in the 2010 draw, winning the disposal and tackle count on the day and kicking perhaps the longest set-shot goal of his career to give the Saints life in the fourth.

He would never seek the limelight, he never captained for a long period of time but was more than willing to hold the mantle in place of Nick Riewoldt when called upon.

Saints great Lenny Hayes has been inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame (Image: ABC)

Not only was he the best midfielder on the team during the two grand final runs, he was the beating heart of a club which without him, stood no chance of achieving the grand success, as found when his ACL injury ended his 2011 campaign and the Ross Lyon tenure entirely.

Few players in the history of the game match the level of heart & soul that Lenny Hayes brought to his club for more than 16 years.