best afl players of the 21st century

His 2016 campaign will go down as one of the greatest seasons in recent history, collecting a then-record 35 Brownlow votes, both AFLPA and AFLCA awards and a Carji Greeves medal to cap off a record breaking debut season with Geelong. He averaged 29.5 a game in 2000 then accumulated 46 touches (plus 20 contested possessions, 13 inside 50s, eight clearances and a goal) against Fremantle early in 2001 in an awesome solo display. Bens twin brother Max from St Kilda (who surprisingly has the least millenniums on their list with five) will play in tandem with Ben as the two 202 cms show amazing athleticism. These players have all played at some point throughout 21st century, however based on their entire career. The game's all-time leader for marks was the focal point for the Saints for over a decade, claiming five All-Australian selections, six best and fairests and four leading goal-kicker awards across 336 games for St Kilda. Picture: Annette Dew, There are few better sights in footy than Lance Franklin in full flight. Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Changkuoth Jiath had some solid moments in defence for Hawthorn in his first pre-season appearance and rising midfielder Jai Newcombe was also among the best with 27 disposals. The 100 best players of the 21st Century: the greatest Ballon d'Or hoggers, serial winners and cult heroes since the turn of the millennium. Buckley won a record six Copeland Trophies during his 15 season in the AFL, averaging above touches disposals in every year in the system. The fact he actually improved as a player when he moved north his first four years at the Suns, numerically, were the finest of his career to join an expansion club that was always going to start slowly is a testament to his drive, professionalism and talent. New York, As if scoring that goal wouldn't endear himself to the Manchester City faithful, the Argentinian became the all-time overseas Premier League hitman, the club's record scorer and one of the greatest forwards of all time. Arsene Wenger once claimed that he only really won the Arsenal players' trust when he arrived in England because they could see he'd brought a top player with him. Franck Ribery more than lived up to the billing. The 100 greatest players of the 21st century, featuring Lionel Messi and Ronaldo By Kobe Tong Published Oct 18, 2019 The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Xavi made the top ten Want. The Pole with the goals has gone from strength to strength, with an outrageous late career peak. Itsnot just players who have played in the last 20 years. And fair to say there is some big names on this one! And hes a Buddy legend. The four-time All-Australian would flex his versatility when called upon, in midfield, ruck or forward. Patrick Vieira was the beating heart of every side he led, winning the Euros with France, a double and unbeaten title with Arsenal and covering more grass than just about any other teammate. Players whose careers began prior to the year 2000 . The Top 20 players of the past 20 years have been revealed. Chelsea didnt take long to pounce and it was at Stamford Bridge that the dynamic winger established a reputation as one of the best in the business, scoring 110 goals over seven seasons with the London club and wining a stack of individual awards to go with two Premier League and two Europa League titles. At Madrid, he has scored one of the greatest goals in Clasico history a winner during the 2014 Copa del Rey final as well as one of the greatest goals in a Champions League final one of three Champions League final goals hes nabbed, while totting up four winners medals. If Judd had maintained that same level after his sensational move to Carlton, hed probably be higher on this list. Atletico Madrids flamboyant Frenchman has inspired club and country to success in the last decade. Amazing to think Ablett would have even gotten close to the level of his father when he first arrived at Kardinia Park, but now we could argue he has surpassed his senior. Wherever El Tigre has gone, goals have followed. Tonight, AFL and Carlton fans alike will get their first look at prized No. Buffon broke the world record for a goalkeeper back in 2001, and as of 2022, he is still playing, in a career that has seen him make over 1,000 appearances for clubs and country. Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access, Enjoy your first month for just 1 / $1 / 1, *Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription, Current page: There were devastating patches of brilliance. Anyone can contribute to The Roar and have their work Comparing different eras in football is a thankless task . An Italophile since growing up on a diet of Football Italia on Channel 4, he now counts himself among thousands of fans sharing a passion for Ross County and Lazio. Source: FOX SPORTS David Zita from Fox Sports @DavidZita1 May 10th, 2020 6:57 pm All players have been selected and ranked based on their 21st century performances only, so any seasons prior to 2000 havent been considered. CB, CM, CF. The Czech Republic international was behind four league titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups and a Champions League triumph during his 11-year spell with Chelsea, before clinching another FA Cup at Arsenal. Vincent Kompany joined Manchester City the same month as the Abu Dhabi United Group. Credit: PA 'Saint Nick' was everything a coach could ask for in a player. I think that holds a lot of weight, if your players and your peers vote you as the best captain it shows what they think about you. AFL Club Essendon Other Teams Coburg Lions, All Boston sides Dec 19, 2022 #352 1. Menzel, who played 80 AFL games across stints with both Geelong and Sydney in a career spanning a decade, ranked the leaders based on who hed want to follow into the field. Get the best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week. Novak Djokovic (tennis) 18. Every now and then, you get caught on YouTube watching freakish Judd highlights from the mid-2000s. They (will) have a lot of youth and enthusiasm, Tuck said. Former AFL forward Daniel Menzel has ranked his top seven AFL captains of the 21st century. Years active: 2010 - current. NY 10036. For the AFL world will never see players of the talent and calibre of Gary Ablett and Lance Franklin again. AFL Premier Partners. Please refresh the page and try again. In the back-end of 2000, he went on a ridiculous six-game streak where he averaged 31.2 disposals and polled Brownlow votes in five of the matches. As we are now a fifth of the way through the new millennium and the babies born in the first few years of the 2000s are beginning to make a name for themselves on the players lists at all 18 AFL clubs. Create Account. Judd . The 100 best players of the 21st Century: the greatest Ballon d'Or hoggers, serial winners and cult heroes since the turn of the millennium. Its no coincidence that in his three years at an increasingly galactic Real Madrid, he picked up two La Liga titles and a Champions League, while the club had to wait another four years to lift another domestic title and 11 years to lift a European title once he left for Chelsea. Modern-day forwards like him arent supposed to average 3.5 goals per game across multiple seasons. 5. Or why not treat yourself? He kicked 113.88 which included nine bags of six goals or more in a stunning solo campaign. Reckon you can pick the best team? Hes one that if you ran out there beside him, you know what youd get from him every single time.. He is the very embodiment of the football club. In 2000, Rio Ferdinand became the most expensive defender in the world and the most expensive British footballer ever when he moved to Leeds for 18m. A key component for Real Madrid's early 00s triumphs, the Portuguese was the statesman on home soil in 2004. He would win every ball, stride with purpose and could launch rockets from outside of the area. Round 13 and 14 rising stars Brandon Starcevich (Brisbane Lions) and Giant Jake Riccardi both miss the age barrier by less than six months but all the other rising star winners are in as are North Melbournes Tarryn Thomas, Bailey Scott and Jack Mahony, while Adelaides Chayce Jones and Fischer McAsey join Lachlan Sholl in the squad. Ballack was the complete package as a central midfielder, capable of bossing opponents physically, spreading passes around the pitch with both feet and scoring goals. But in all honesty, selecting the superstars at No. The shaggy-haired Spaniard captained Barcelona to an incredible 18 major titles, including six La Liga crowns and three Champions Leagues, and his magnetic effect on trophies extended to international level too. Bath Ive got Scott Pendlebury at 5. Picking then ranking the 20 best AFL players of the past 20 years has been a painstaking and hair-tearing task thats consumed many hours of isolation life. Its hard to make a case against Barlows game as the best AFL debut since the start of the century and he didnt slow up recording 34 disposals the very next week against Essendon. Create. Menzel, who played 80 AFL games across stints with both Geelong and Sydney in a career spanning a decade, ranked the leaders based on who he'd want to follow into the field. Sidney Crosby (ice hockey) Credit: PA 20. Click here to subscribe on iTunes Slow succeeded in a fast environment thanks to the genius flashing behind his eyes. Birthplace: Rosario, Argentina. Smith, Kelly, Hird, Fyfe, Mitchell and Bedford may take the AFL trophy this century and Coleman, Young, Carroll and Rowell may be leading goal-kickers and what supporter would not want another Rioli, King, Stephens, Weightman, West, Neale, Walsh, Hamill, Serong, Clark or Evans playing again? THE NUMBERS: 33disposals, 6 marks, 4 tackles, 4 clearances, 2 goals Debuting as a skinny 17-year-old in 1992, Voss went on to play 289 games for Brisbane, and is arguably their greatest ever player. Throughout of the rest of the noughties, he simply oozed more of the class he'd displayed in the 90s. FourFourTwo is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Already the number of players eligible if we include the category A and B rookies is 215 but obviously, a lot of these have not yet had the opportunity to show their skills in the hot cauldron of Australias finest football competition. As well all know, Rutten served as a key defensive pillar for the Crows until his retirement in 2014, but with nine goals (including one with his last kick in footy) to his name from 229 games, his first three kicks are something Rutten wont forget anytime soon. He won the Scudetto in 2001 before a World Cup in 2006, reinventing himself from a false nine, second striker and attacking midfielder along the way. Michael Voss The star of the Lions three-peat dynasty, Voss would add to his already stellar career with record breaking season after season following the conclusion of the 20th century. It's ironic that Kroos running riot against the Selecao has become the defining image of his career: he's far more restrained, usually. 15-11: Four Brownlow Medallists and the fifth deserves one, 10-6: Four game-changing freaks and a controversial legend. Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? Falling just short of the best player of the century, Franklin deserves a podium finish for his astounding career-to-date. Weve never seen a footballer like him and never will see one like him after he retires. Luis Gonzalez Matt Kemp Jason Kendall Mike Lowell Hideki Matsui Brandon Phillips Gary Sheffield Grady Sizemore Jason Varitek Vernon Wells Pitchers Bronson Arroyo A.J. Pryor is of course known as one of the best running quarterbacks in OSU history, but check out his passing stats in 2010: 2,772 passing yards, a crisp completion percentage of 65.0, and 27 . The two-time Norm Smith medalist has reached unparalleled feats and continues to prove to be a one in a generation-type player. Who is your club's best ruck of the 21st century? His last 10 minutes of the 2002 Grand Final when he controlled the game, he took it from a 50/50 to getting the Lions the win, probably should have own the Norm Smith as well. Griezmann won the Golden Boot and player of the tournament at Euro 2016 as France reached the final, only to succumb to Portugal, but he made amends two years later by leading Les Bleus to their first World Cup victory in 20 years, winning man of the match in the final victory over Croatia. Ablett 2. A powerhouse of the 21st century that hauled in four premierships in the Alastair Clarkson era (including three in a row from 2013-2015), the Hawks last played finals in 2018. They held on to claim a two-point win and Polo took home three of five career Brownlow votes. Get insight to top players, instructions & drills and extensive coverage of equipment. New customers only. Left-footers like him arent supposed to have a better chance of kicking a goal from the boundary on the wrong side for a left-footer. For the best odds on the game sign up with Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Yet the silverware he craved so much, a Collingwood premiership, eluded him until the end. Channel 7 AFL commentators Luke Hodge and Shaun Burgoyne are also Hawthorn icons and teammates of Mitchell. The 100 best players of the 21st Century: 40-26. In 2002, he broke both those records again when he moved to Man United for 30m. The Chelsea legend established a reputation as one of the Premier Leagues greatest-ever defenders during 19 years at Stamford Bridge. Inducted in 1987: Rod McGregor - 1905-1920 One of the brightest stars of his era, Rod McGregor was a four-time Premiership player for the Navy Blues in a 236-game career that stood as a club record for more than half a century. Di Maria has won league titles in Portugal, Spain and France, and finally added an international honour to his cabinet last year by scoring the only goal of the Copa America final against Brazil. He was probably stiff not to win Buckleys 2002 Norm Smith Medal too. Randomn but heading into the 2023 season I was thinking who would be stop the AFL Mt Rushmore of the 21st Century. Brian Taylor makes outrageous Nick Daicos call for 2023 AFL season, AFL star heartbroken after losing best friend in freak accident, Indore pitch rated poor with excessive and uneven bounce after Aussies win, Shane Warnes children remember cricket legend on first anniversary of his death, UFC champion Valentina Shevchenko reveals unique training camp, Penrith Panthers teammates involved in heated argument after shock loss, Knights star fuming after being dragged from the field: Im literally fine, practice match against Collingwood in Tasmania on Thursday. THE NUMBERS: 7 disposals, 4 marks, 3 goals CHRIS JUDD (WEST COAST EAGLES/CARLTON), 2000-2020 stats: 279 games, 228 goals, 210 Brownlow votes, averaged 22.9 disposals, 2000-2020 CV: Eagles premiership captain, Norm Smith Medallist, two-time Brownlow Medallist, two-time AFLPA MVP, six-time All-All Australian (one as captain), five-time best and fairest. Among those to depart were Brownlow medallist Tom Mitchell (to Collingwood), gun mid Jaeger OMeara (to Fremantle) and star forward Jack Gunston (to Brisbane). AFL's biggest question 'everyone's talking . The 100 best players of the 21st Century: 60-41. Voss presence within the midfield lifted those around him, making some of the greatest onballers within the league better, perhaps producing the 'fab four' himself. If you havent, do yourself a favour. Plus tips on how to play better and interviews with the biggest names. Lewangoalski has defined the 2020s so far. In particular, Judds leadership helped Carlton emerge from one of the clubs darkest periods into one of great promise during the late 2000s and early 2010s. Still, were nit-picking. The level of talent in this tournament -- especially among the top few teams -- is unprecedented. THE NUMBERS:12 disposals, 5 marks, 5 goals The technically gifted winger is often less lauded than some of his illustrious team-mates for club and country, but hes been a consistent source of goals and assists throughout his career. Europes biggest prize, the Champions League, still eludes De Bruyne and his club-mates, but for how long? Where Robben was direct, obvious, powerful and bold, Ribery was deft, thoughtful and capable of the unexpected. He was irreplaceable when he left, too. Hawthorn have won 11 wooden spoons in their history but the last time they ended up on the bottom of the ladder was in 1965. Random. Enjoy! Over the last decade, he has done exactly what was needed for every manager, providing an almost unrivalled passing range, superb positioning and moments of genius in abundance. Best Performance: Chanderpaul scored five hundreds against Australia including one remarkable out-of-the-box effort - the fifth-fastest Test ton of all time, from just 69 balls as West Indies chased down a world record 418 in Antigua, 2003. UNLUCKY DOZEN: The 12 AFL legends brutally snubbed from top-20 list, *Odds are current as of 4th March 2023, 6:03pm AEST. Both Matthew Richardson and Luke Hodge have serious fears for Hawthorn in the 2023 season. He was also a dangerous goalkicker, punctuated by his 36-goal season in 2002 and a seven-goal haul against Adelaide in early 2004. Few have put the fear of God into quite so many defenders. Ahead of the 2020 Draft, ESPN decided to look back at the last 20 No. Burnett Bartolo Colon Dan. The 253-game Essendon hero won two best and fairests and three All-Australian selection after entering the 21st century, earning him Hall of Fame honours. The Manchester United legend ranks among the greatest English midfielders of all time, and has earned praise from illustrious quarters. Gold Coast have a very impressive 19, four of whom won rising star awards in 2020. Four Brownlow Medallists and the fifth deserves one, Four game-changing freaks and a controversial legend, The 12 AFL legends brutally snubbed from top-20 list. Now we present the top five ranked players in foxfooty.com.aus Top 20 of the Past 20. Courageous, humble and dedicated. The precocious starlet of France's 2006 World Cup crusade grew into a cultured wide man who swept all before him. Hes played with some of the best midfielder of any generation Xavi, Iniesta and Yaya Toure, to name a few and while his contributions may be less eye-catching, theres a reason he has spent more than a decade at the heart of Barcelonas midfield. The 8 Best AFL Debut's of the 21st Century TONIGHT AFL and Carlton fans alike will get their first look at prized No. The four selectors picked their separate teams, from which the final team was named. But from that effervescent starlet grew a dependable leader: Spain's reliable backbone through three consecutive international trophies. Along with Hodge and Burgoyne, Richmond legend Matthew Richardson, AFLW trailblazer Daisy Pearce, former Geelong captain Cameron Ling, and 7NEWS football reporter Ryan Daniels also believe that the Hawks are on track to break a 58-year wooden-spoon drought. Alasdair Mackenzie is a freelance journalist based in Rome, and a FourFourTwo contributor since 2015. Thats why the likes of Wayne Carey and Robert Harvey arent on the list. A key figure in the side's maiden AFL premiership success, Cornes is the club's only 300-game AFL player, won four best and fairests in seven years and was named in two All-Australian sides. After being named as a co-captain in 1997 at 21 years of age, Voss lead the Lions to three successive premierships between 2001 and 2003. Hawthorn draftee Cam Mackenzie had an eye-catching performance, picking up 24 disposals, one goal and two assists, while James Worpel returned to his best with a 30-possession game. His move to Carlton raised questions surrounding his ability to perform without a number of stars around him, but his critics were soon silenced. The Hall of Famer was a staple in Geelong's three premierships between 2007 and 2011, with Scarlett adding six All-Australian selections and a Carji Greeves Medal from his 284-game career. Picture: Phil Hillyard. It will be an interesting exercise to look back at these players careers when another decade has passed. 12 - Nat Fyfe (Fremantle) Games: 181+. Hawthorn are bracing for a world of pain in the 2023 AFL season, according to two of their most decorated players. It had become too high in velocity, too intense. Commentators also will have fun with pronouncing or making fun of Mosquito, Tsapatolis, Lukosius, Oea, Bosenavulagi and Uosis. Whilst most teams boast a clutch of these youngest players, the teams from lower down the ladder who have put their faith in rebuilding over time have the most. More importantly, three premierships, and I think he changed the way he was as a leader. It was the first major honour of his career, but far from the last. Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated. Lionel Messi. Hes Buddy brilliant. THE NUMBERS:27 disposals, 5 clearances, 5 tackles THE NUMBERS:28 disposals, 6 marks, 3 goals, 3 Brownlow votes Alastair Clarkson has defended his temper after a clash with a reporter earlier this month, saying he cannot guarantee it will not flare up again. Italiano . His ability to dominate within the middle of the ground as well as lead as a key target in the Bombers forward line gave Hird the label as one of the best utility players to stop foot on a footy field. Arguably the game's greatest ever full-back, Matthew Scarlett's dominance over the league is yet to be reached by any there player since his retirement. The fact most started to quickly drop the Jnr from his name and even started to refer to his dad as Gary Sr proved hed arrived. 1 pick Sam Walsh with the Blues confirming hes a certain starter against Richmond. Your first AFL game is a pretty monumental occasion, but Toby Greenes debut was different from others. The Zero Hanger team recently undertook the major project of ranking the 15 AFL best players of the century in every position - defenders, forwards, ruckmen and midfielders. Smith, Kelly, Hird, Fyfe, Mitchell and Bedford may take the AFL trophy this century and Coleman, Young, Carroll and Rowell may be leading goal-kickers and what supporter would not want another Rioli, King, Stephens, Weightman, West, Neale, Walsh, Hamill, Serong, Clark or Evans playing again? There was a problem. Last season the Hawks finished thirteenth (or sixth last) which was, in fact, a slight improvement on their previous seasons. Andrew Walker reached great heights (pun intended) during his 204-game career at Carlton. He earned legend status over 11 years at the Bernabeu and remains the foreigner with the most appearances for the club. A star midfielder, an unstoppable forward and overall legend for the Bombers. Western Bulldogs acknowledge that we reside on traditional lands of the Kulin Nation. Catch up and settle in with no installation & no lock-in contract. The 100 best players of the 21st Century: the greatest Ballon d'Or hoggers, serial winners and cult heroes since the turn of the millennium (opens in new tab) Page 4 of 6: There was a problem. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, And there's no doubt about it. You will receive a verification email shortly. This year has been one of especially deep, painful . He captained Brisbane to the 2001, 2002, 2003 premierships and even in the 2004 Grand Final. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Haselby himself could hold his head high though with the former No. Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access, Enjoy your first month for just 1 / $1 / 1, *Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription, Current page: Get the best features, fun and footballing frolics straight to your inbox every week. No one will ever forget the exhaustion and disappointment of the players as the final siren rang and neither team could claim victory. Dennis Comettis call of cometh the moment, cometh the man the son of the man was so apt, as it was a goal when his team needed him most in its most important win of the season. I dont necessarily know a lot of these guys in terms of how they lead inside the four walls because I wasnt with them, so Ive gone off the way they act on the field.. Black also sits in exclusive company as one of only six players to win a Brownlow, Premiership and Norm Smith, joining the likes of Bartel, Williams, Hird, Judd and Martin. Lloyd started the 21st century like no other, having two 100+ goal seasons in 2000 and 2001 and added a third Coleman Medal in 2003. He is PSGs all-time top assist provider, while at Real Madrid his ability to morph into a central midfielder under Carlo Ancelotti helped the club win La Decima - their long-awaited 10th Champions League title. 10 greatest AFL players of all time. But any suggestions the unprecedented long-term deal has been failure are off the mark, as his influence at the Swans has gone beyond footy. Abletts rise to superstardom genuinely kickstarted in 2007 and mirrored Geelongs rapid rise. AFLW Premier Partners. Ferdinand was a ball-playing defender of the European school, rather than the bruising centre-halves more associated with the English school of thought. Without further ado, it is time to unveil the All-21st-Century team through 2019. A World Cup winner and 10-time Serie A winner, his three times on the losing side of a Champions League final feel thoroughly undeserving of a player who has become the godfather of modern goalkeeping. And there have been moments. The Magpies selected the best team in their history, comprising 21 players (with three on the interchange bench in accordance with the AFL's interchange rules at the time it was named) and coach Jock McHale. And boy was this a tough job! Premier League and Champions League victories have been the reward, while at international level the winger captained Egypt to their first World Cup in 28 years in 2018 and runners-up finishes in two Africa Cup of Nations. This was a massive reason as to why they had success and he led them to that success.. They put him in there because they knew he was a cool head, a calm head and could get the best out of his team and I think he is a massive reason as to why Geelong has had sustained success for such a massive period of time.. The Czech sensation won a league and cup double with Lazio in 2000, before replacing Zinedine Zidane at Juventus and firing the Turin club to two league titles and the Champions League final, achievements that helped him clinch the 2003 Ballon dOr. King Kun arrived in the Premier League with promise: he left a hero. Contents 1 Top 10 AFL Players Right Now 1.1 Dustin Martin - Richmond 1.2 Christian Petracca - Melbourne 1.3 Max Gawn - Melbourne 1.4 Jack Steele - St. Kilda 1.5 Toby Greene - GWS 1.6 Lachie Neale - Brisbane 1.7 Marcus Bontempelli - Bulldogs 1.8 Jack Macrae - Bulldogs 1.9 Nic Naitanui - West Coast 1.10 Zach Merrett - Essendon He was a fast skilful, accurate, hungry and strong onballer for both the Cats and Suns, proving he can lead a team of stars and one with next-to none. Espaol. His character and prowess was unmatched within the league, with Goodes ending his career after a club record 372 games in 2015, having spent 17 seasons in the AFL. The surrounding blur and rush did not disrupt his tempo, nor impair his vision. Cam Mackenzie was a standout for the Hawks during the practice against Collingwood in Tasmania. It was clear from an early age that there was something special about Hazard. Naming the 10 best AFL players of all-time is a thankless task when you consider the talent the competition has had in its long history. The 21st century has provided a stage for new evolutions in the game of basketball. The club's CEO at the time, John Anderson acted as non-voting chairman of the panel. 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That is the reason I gave him the best captain of the last 23 years., 2023, SEN All Rights (Weve also collated a 12-man list of snubbed players, which you can check out here.). Champions League and La Liga titles with barcelona are also on his honours list, while he captained the Ivory Coast to long-awaited Africa Cup of Nations glory in 2015 after twice finishing as a runner-up. At the time, Bradd Dalziells 32 touches were the most ever recorded in an AFL debut. Aged 24, Mbappe is already a World Cup winner, only the second player to net a hat-trick in the final, a Golden Boot winner as well as being widely considered among the best current players in the world.