This year's draft will see another injection of youth into all 18 clubs, bringing an x-factor and unpredictability which can be vital in achieving success.
However, with the majority of modern day premiership sides boasting an average age of 24+, clubs also need experienced and reliable veterans to help lead them to victory.
Here is Zero Hanger's Top 10 players aged 30 and over ahead of the 2020 season.
An honourable mention goes to 37-year-old Shaun Burgoyne who couldn't quite crack our top 10 but deserves a mention as the league's oldest player.
Going into his 13th AFL season, Sydney's ever-reliable midfielder is slowly starting to show signs of regression, but is still a vital part of the Swans' engine room.
The former father-son Hawk played 19 games in 2019, his lowest tally since his 2009 season at Hawthorn, but still averaged over 26 disposals a game and ranked top 10 in the league for both clearances and tackles per game.
At 31, the three-time All Australian may still have another opportunity to play in a second Sydney premiership, with the club building a talented young roster around him.
Kennedy has been one of the competition's leading midfielders for the best part of a decade and with his contract set to expire at the end of next season, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for the Sydney captain.
If this list was created ahead of the 2019 season Travis Boak probably wouldn't have made it in. However, after a terrific year which saw him take home his second best-and-fairest eight years after his first, he was hard to ignore.
After struggling as Port Adelaide captain and as a forward going into 2019, the Geelong Falcons product decided to step-down from the leadership position and moved back into the midfield with aplomb.
Boak led all 30+ players in disposals per game with a career-best 30.3 and also averaged 6.9 clearances per game, another career-best and the sixth-most in the entire league. With the Power set to draft heavily again this year, Boak will not only be essential to the club on gameday, but also in helping to develop the next generation of the club's midfield, with a premiership perhaps just out of reach for the 31-year-old.
Shane Edwards is the first of three Richmond players on this list and has been a crucial aspect of their enormous success in recent years. The South Australians impact on the club's 2017 and 2019 flags has flown under the radar, with discussions dominated by superstars Dustin Martin, Alex Rance and Tom Lynch.
However, Edwards has made a name for himself in the Tigers midfield and is important around the stoppage when the likes of Martin and Cotchin are drawing heavy attention.
Edwards averaged 21.9 disposals and 3.6 clearances in 2019, both career-bests, to earn the Jack Titus Medal for a second-placed finish in the club's best-and-fairest. The 31-year-olds crowning jewel has been his ability to create opportunities for his teammates. In 2018, Edwards finished second in the AFL for score assists and earned his maiden All-Australian jacket in the same year.
Geelong's key forward led all 30+ players in goal-kicking in 2019, booting 56 majors to help his side reach the Preliminary Final. However, Hawkins missed the penultimate round of finals due to suspension and the Cats struggled, kicking just nine goals for the game and losing to eventual premiers, Richmond.
Geelong have recruited Josh Jenkins this offseason to provide more backup for Hawkins, but the two-time premiership winner will still need to be at its best if Geelong are to succeed in 2020.
The farm boy from New South Wales has led Geelong's goal-kicking for eight straight years, picking up a best-and-fairest and two All-Australians to go along with his premierships in 2009 and 2011. In 2019, not only did Hawkins finish sixth in the Coleman Medal, but he also finished top five in the league for goal assists and marks inside 50.
Despite being 31 years of age, Hawkins is showing no signs of slowing down but with his contract set to expire and Geelong's ageing core, 2020 could be now or never for Hawkins' third premiership.
Like many players on this list, Shannon Hurn has only gotten better with age. The 269-game player chalked up career-bests in 2019 with 23.3 disposals per game and 6.8 rebound 50s, which was top 10 in the league. The Eagles defender has gone from strength to strength since taking on the club captaincy in 2015, including the 2018 premiership victory.
Although Hurn is best known for his booming right foot, which can set up attacks from the his own goal square, his intercepting ability has also been a key component of West Coast's imposing defence. The 32-year-old averaged over seven intercepts per game in 2019, finishing top 10 in the league for the stat. With the Eagles adding Tim Kelly to the mix this offseason, Hurn has a strong opportunity to lead his club to their second premiership in three years.
The Little Master will be going around for one more season in 2020 in what will be his final opportunity to win a third flag. Father Time has caught up to the two-time Brownlow Medallist, who is not as explosive or agile as he once was, but you would be mistaken for thinking he is any less impactful.
The eight-time All-Australian performed well as a small forward in 2019, kicking 34 goals and finishing top 10 in the competition for inside 50s and goal assists. Ablett couldn't will his side over the line in their Preliminary Final loss to Richmond last year, but if he can avoid injury, the 35-year-old will still play a key role next season, especially following the loss of Tim Kelly to West Coast.
Despite missing the entirety of the 2019 season due to an ACL tear, Alex Rance will still be considered one of the top defenders in the game when he makes his return. Although Rance couldn't contribute to Richmond's premiership campaign on the field, his efforts to provide support and leadership off the field cannot be understated.
In the aftermath of their 2019 success, Richmond players noted how influential Rance was behind the scenes as a mentor, with the five-time All-Australian helping to coach their backline.
Prior to his injury, Rance was dominant, ranking first in intercepts and second in on-percenters in 2018 and was instrumental in the 2017 Grand Final win, locking down Adelaide's dangerous forwards to finish third in the Norm Smith Medal tally.
The dashing left-footer was unfortunate not to win a Norm Smith Medal in either of Richmond's premiership successes, but his influence on both matches were pivotal to his side's victories. Coming into the 2019 season, Houli's standing within the Richmond side was in question following an injury-interrupted 2018 and a host of young defenders vying for spots.
However, Houli had a superb year, earning his first All-Australian jacket after averaging five rebound 50s and almost 28 disposals per game. The half-back also polled 11 Brownlow votes, the most of his career, and was dubbed the second-most improved player in the league according to Champion Data.
Despite his age, the 31-year-old still boasts line-breaking speed and his efforts rebounding out of the backline and generating pressure will be required in 2020 if the Tigers are to go back-to-back.
With the Lions struggling for much of Zorko's career, the small midfielder has stayed out of the spotlight. However, with Brisbane bursting onto the scene in 2019, fans and opposing teams saw first-hand just how devastating the 30-year-old can be. In 2019, Zorko not only led the league in inside 50s and tackles inside 50, but he also finished top five in tackles and metres gained.
The Brisbane captain, nicknamed "the magician", is invaluable to the club not just because of his ability to gather the football and deliver it inside 50, but also his ability to finish off the plays. Zorko has averaged over a goal a game for the past four seasons, kicking 23 in 2019, which makes him a difficult match-up for any side.
At 30 years of age, Zorko is one of the youngest players on this list and will have multiple chances to lead his club to their first flag since 2003.
The former no. 5 pick in the 2005 Draft has been a figure of consistency for Collingwood ever since making his debut in 2006. The Pies' captain and premiership player was as dangerous as ever in his 14th season, earning his sixth All-Australian selection as well as an ANZAC Day Medal to equal James Hird's record of three.
The 31-year-old does not possess incredible power like Nat Fyfe or electric speed, but he does have an uncanny ability to create space where there is none.
Pendlebury's evasiveness and agility, built through a basketball background, allows him to shrug off would-be tacklers and set up plays for his teammates through his terrific ball use.
In 2019, Pendlebury not only ranked top 10 for disposals, but also for disposal efficiency, making every possession count. Regardless of his age, Pendlebury is one of the most reliable players in the AFL and you can expect him to average over 25 disposals for the 12th straight season and lead the Magpies to another finals campaign in 2020.