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 2000 AFL 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 2000 AFL season.
Next up, we head out to Waverley to hunt down which Hawks have made the cut.
PREVIOUS TOP TENS: CROWS, LIONS, BLUES, PIES, BOMBERS, DOCKERS, CATS, SUNS, GIANTS
5. Jarryd Roughead (2005-2019)Â
1 x Coleman Medal (2013)
3 x leading goalkicker (2013, 2014 and 2017)
2 x All-Australian (2013 and 2014)
4 x premiership player (2008, 2013, 2014 and 2015)
283 games, 578 goals, 2.04 goals per game
Unlike his close mates Lance Franklin, Jordan Lewis and Sam Mitchell, Roughead's loyalty to the brown and gold cause never wavered, with the second pick of the 2004 AFL Draft remaining a Hawk from go to woah.
Although a second fiddle to Franklin during their days stalking the forward 50 together, the Leongatha native hit his straps after 'Buddy' became a Swan, with Roughead bagging a trio of leading goalkicker gongs and a Coleman Medal of his own in 2013.
