We've compiled the lists for a hypothetical 2023 AFL match between Victoria and 'The Rest' of Australia to see how the best of each looks on paper.
Some of the many snubs of this year's All-Australian team finally receive their plaudits with selection in this experiment, while some members make this team in an adjusted role to fit in the fringe players.
This piece will compare the positional groups of each side, making judgements on superiority where possible, but leaving the end result up for debate.
Here are what the two sides could look like...
3. Forwards
Much like the defenders, the forward battle starts with the two big guns. In this case, it's Charlie Curnow and Nick Larkey competing against Oscar Allen and Taylor Walker.
Curnow and Walker are clearly the top dogs, providing a three-goal-a-game presence, elite goal-kicking accuracy, damaging field kicking and strong contested marking.
Larkey and Allen were both All-Australian contenders playing in the two worst teams in the competition, making for an exciting thought experiment as both feature here on stacked sides.
Suddenly, neither need to worry about being clamped by an entire defensive unit which knows where the ball is going with every inside 50.
If goals are the deciding factor in this battle, Victoria take the clear edge with 152 vs 129.
Teammates Joe Daniher and Charlie Cameron feature in the interstate pockets, competing with Luke Breust and Dustin Martin on the other side.
Here are two dynamically different pairs of forward pocket players, with Daniher playing the third tall role and pinch-hitting in the ruck, while Breust and Martin make up a more conventional small-forward pairing.
Again, it's hard to decide a winner here, given the 2023 team form of Brisbane compared to Hawthorn and Richmond.
The forward flank battle is another interesting one; Christian Petracca & Gryan Miers against Connor Rozee and Toby Greene.
Petracca and Rozee add further midfield depth, though Petracca gets the slight edge in this battle. Greene, however, is hard to compete with for the interstate side, as skilful as Miers is entering forward 50.
The interstate team arguably gets the nod thanks to their powerful mix of key-post dominance, small-forward speed and craft as well as midfield depth.
