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
6. Jarrad McVeigh (2003-2019)
2 x best and fairest (2008 and 2013)
1 x All-Australian (2013)
1 x premiership player (2012)
325 games, 19.3 disposals per game, 3.2 tackles per game
As they are wont to do, when one leader steps aside inside the Swans' four walls, another steps up to take the baton and run, with McVeigh picking up exactly where Kirk and company left off.
Uncompromising and operating with a team-first ethos, the native Sydneysider eked everything out of himself across a 14-season career, eventually handing the reigns over to the next generation in due course.
