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 the Harbour City to separate the Swans' wheat from their chaff.
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, SAINTS
1. Adam Goodes (2000-2015)
2 x Brownlow Medal (2003 and 2006)
3 x best and fairest (2003, 2006 and 2011)
3 x leading goalkicker (2009, 2010 and 2011)
4 x All-Australian (2003, 2006, 2009 and 2011)
2 x premiership player (2005 and 2012)
352 games, 17.4 disposals per game, 445 goals, 1.3 goals per game, 162 Brownlow votes, 0.5 votes per game
With a pair of Brownlows and All-Australians blazers earned across three lines, you would be hard-pressed to name a more versatile footballer than Adam Goodes.
Damaging in so many ways, opponents could never fully prepare themselves for an afternoon trailing the ruckman-cum-forward-cum-midfielder-cum-rebounder.
If the catalogue of Goodes' achievements in the game are of Kosciuszko proportions, then his work since being run out of the game must be measured at Everest heights.
