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
2. Lance Franklin (2014-2023)
2 x Coleman Medal (2014 and 2017)
7 x leading goalkicker (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021 and 2022)
4 x All-Australian (2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018)
172 games, 486 goals, 2.8 goals per game, 99 Brownlow votes, 0.6 votes per game
It is no secret that Sydneysiders love a celebrity as much as they love a winner, and in Lance Franklin, the Harbour City had both for a decade.
Inarguably the greatest forward of the century, 'Buddy' completed a second Hall of Fame-worthy career after trading feathers at the end of the 2013 season, bagging more than two-and-a-half goals a game across more than 170 outings.
With the Swans proving so good at honouring their greats, you can expect to see the Western Australian cast in bronze at Moore Park before too long.
