Throughout the final years of the 1990s, AFL 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 2000Â AFLÂ 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 2000Â AFLÂ season.
Next up, we head down the highway to run a rule over the cream of the Cats' crop.
PREVIOUS TOP TENS: CROWS, LIONS, BLUES, PIES, BOMBERS, DOCKERS
1. Joel Selwood (2007-2022)
3 x best and fairest (2010, 2013 and 2014)
1 x Ron Evans Medal (2007)
6 x All-Australian (2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017)
4 x premiership player (2007, 2009, 2011 and 2022)
355 games, 24.6 disposals per game, 214 Brownlow votes, 0.6 votes per game
He may not have the Brownlows of Ablett, Bartel and Dangerfield, nor the Norms of Chapman and Stevie J, but when you think Geelong, you think of Joel Selwood, the living embodiment of the football club.
A gun from the get-go, Selwood bookended his career with a Ron Evans Medal and a premiership medallion.
As for the in-between, anyone who bore witness will tell you just how good Selwood was, as there is next to no chance the humble champion will tell you himself.
