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 to the Harbour City to separate the Swans' wheat from their chaff.

PREVIOUS TOP TENS: CROWS, LIONS, BLUES, PIES, BOMBERS, DOCKERS, CATS, SUNS, GIANTS, HAWKS,DEES, ROOS, POWER, TIGERS, SAINTS

9. Jude Bolton (2000-2013)

2 x premiership player (2005 and 2012) 
316 games, 18.1 disposals per game, 4.7 tackles per game, 89 Brownlow votes, 0.3 votes per game

Ever-smiling but a fearsome competitor, in the lengthy history of the Sydney-South Melbourne Football Club, no Swan has ever racked up more tackles than Jude Bolton.

Coming complete without frills, the see-ball, hunt-ball operator completed almost 1500 tackles at a rate of better than four-and-a-half per game for 15 seasons.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 3: Stuart Maxfield #11 and Jude Bolton #24 for the Swans celebrate their win in the round 14 AFL match between the Carlton Blues and the Sydney Swans at Optus Oval July 3, 2004 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Dadswell/Getty Images)