With our picks for the best defensive groups that never overlapped in the AFL era in the books, it is now time to shift our focus to the opposite end of the field.
When we think about the game’s greatest highlights, it is usually the men in the goal square that acted as architects.
When we as fans cast our minds back to the first numbers we ever had stitched onto our replica jumpers, it was usually the full forward’s digits that we selected.
They are the men that keep both the scoreboard and the turnstiles ticking.
With the AFL era now 32 years old (1990 to the present day), we here at Zero Hanger have decided to select a group of club greats on each line whose careers never overlapped.
As with our group of defenders, here are the ground rules for selection:
1. Three players must be selected from each club.
2. Even if they have played for multiple clubs, no player can be selected on the list of two teams.
3. All players must have played at least a portion of their careers from 1990 onwards.
4. As mentioned, no player can have played an in-season match with any of their colleagues during their time at their selected club.
For example, should Jason Dunstall be selected for Hawthorn, then all of his forward line friends from 1985 to 1998 will fail our criteria.
With that in mind, here is our best stab.
Let us know how we have gone and which clubs you feel have fared best.
Carlton
Stephen Kernahan – 1986-1997 (251 games and 738 goals)
With two Premierships, the record for the most games captained in the history of the game and the most goals in Carlton’s history, Stephen Kernahan was a lock for this list.
‘Sticks’ was awarded the Blues’ best and fairest award on three occasions (1987, ’89 & ’92), but the 11 instances in which he led Carlton’s goalkicking tally is unlikely to be bettered for some time.
His 738 majors at an average of 2.94 a game also looks safe to retain its status atop a storied list of navy blue names.
Brendan Fevola – 1999-2009 (187 games and 575 goals)
Following Kernahan on this list is the man that currently sits at third for goals scored by a Carlton player – Brendan Fevola.
The formerly shaggy haired spearhead announced his abilities to the footballing world on the last day of the millennium when he kicked 12 goals against arch rivals Collingwood in a pre-season fixture.
Although these majors would not count towards his final total of 575 goals as a Blue, the ‘Fevolution’ left us all aware of his prowess in attack after his Coleman medals in 2006 and 2009 and his seven leading goalkicker awards across 11 years at Princes Park.
Despite his time at Carlton ending acrimoniously, Fevola is still a fan favourite of those that back the Bluebaggers.
Harry McKay – 2016-Present (48 games and 71 goals)
You could argue that Charlie Curnow may deserve this spot, but due to his lack of luck with injuries and McKay’s ability to thread the big sticks, we have gone with the latter.
What can be agreed upon is that we have definitely not seen the best of either budding forward yet.
With tallies of 21, 27 and 21 goals in his last three seasons, McKay’s form has reached a steady plateau that has seen him finish as Carlton’s leading goalkicker in the past two years.
Should the service he receives and his conversion rate continue to improve, there is no telling just how good the 23-year-old could be.
