The saying ‘aged like fine wine' is one not normally found in the confines of AFL discussion. However, for these ‘old mates', the wine has never tasted better, with Scott Pendlebury's ANZAC Day performance last week showing the extent of treating age as just a number.
Some of the competition's all-time legends are still among the league's best despite being out of their primes, with some even now playing the best footy of their careers.
Here's my ranking of the top 10 players in the AFL who are aged 30 and above. I am basing this list on current form rather than assessing their careers and the age cut-off criteria will be turning 30 years before the 2026 season started.
6Christian Petracca (30 years)
The youngest on the list has had a bit of a shaky start with the Suns after dealing with a hamstring injury, but has shown more than enough promise in the games he's played on his way to his own 4-1 record. His impact on the field cannot be underestimated as one of the more complete players in the competition, whether it is setting his side up through clearances or causing dents to the scoreboard at an average of 2 goals a game.
