best afl players of the 21st century

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. To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide. Create Account. Goodes is a two-time Brownlow Medalist, two-time premiership player and three time best and fairest with Sydney. The criteria incorporates consistency at an elite level, match-winning ability, contribution to team success and influence during their playing stints across the past two decades. And there have been moments. San Iker still holds the clean sheet record in the Champions League and racked up over 1,000 professional matches in a two-decade career. Not only was he playing the first game of his career, but his debut coincided with the first game in GWS Giants history. Deutsch. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, 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. Franck Ribery more than lived up to the billing. Australia's #1 independent AFL news source, Eddie McGuire tips Collingwood-Richmond blockbuster to reopen season, Jordan Lewis reveals he nearly went to Carlton after Hawks departure, Richmond confirm Jack Ross sidelined with injury, Forward or back? 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. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, Luke Hodge is as hard as they come, as much of a leader you want to play for out of anyone and I found it hard not to put him at no.1. I dont want to put any pressure on the kids shoulders, but his debut is one of great anticipation, with some dubbing him a Brownlow chance (keep a lid on it) before the season has even begun. 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. 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. 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. Available now! Across his 174-game career, Fyfe has won both All-Australian selections and a Doig Medal on three occasions as well as the Leigh Matthews Trophy twice. 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. For the best odds on the game sign up with Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. NY 10036. Debate about the best players of the 21st Century goes . A two-time premiership player with Geelong, Ablett had notched up close to 200 games for Geelong before leaving for the Gold Coast, winning a Brownlow Medal, four All-Australian selections, two best and fairests, three AFLCA Player of the Year awards and three Leigh Matthews trophies before 2011. 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. He later joined Inter Milan and was just as classy: intelligent, creative and with the ability to control the cauldron, he's one of his country's finest ever players. As we near the last Saturday in September, to help whet your appetite for the big day, here are the 10 Best AFL Grand Final Moments of the 21st Century in chronological order. His progression from left-back to to one of Europes most feared forwards at Spurs landed him the PFA Player of the Year, PFA Young Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year in 2012/13 (a feat only matched by Cristiano Ronaldo), as well as an 85m move to Real Madrid. 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. Still, were nit-picking. 100 greatest NFL players of the 21st century Aug 21, 2020 at 11:05 am Expand Autoplay 1 of 100 100. We want to see it. Plus tips on how to play better and interviews with the biggest names. 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.. 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. At the age of 36, McCulloch scored 17 goals in the 2013-14 season to bring Rangers back into the Scottish Premiership. The Belgian was the youngest Ligue 1 Player of the Year winner ever in 2011, aged 20, after helping Lille win a league and cup double. Cechs individual records stack up high: he has the most clean sheets ever in the Premier League with 202, as well as the most in a single season, 24, while hes a four-time Golden Glove winner and has gone longer than any other keeper without conceding, 1,025 minutes in 2004/05. 245 games as captain, the most games as captain, the most wins as captain. Hawthorn champion Dermott Brereton recently told Fox Footy Live Judds best football was the best midfield football Ive seen. 2000-2020 stats: 161 games, 137 goals, 94 Brownlow votes, averaged 22.1 disposals, 2000-2020 CV: Three-time premiership Lion (all as captain), two-time AFLPA MVP, three-time All-Australian (two as captain), three-time best and fairest. He played at least 21 games in each of those seven seasons. Falling just short of the best player of the century, Franklin deserves a podium finish for his astounding career-to-date. Across his stellar two-club career, 'Buddy' has also added four Coleman Medals, two premierships and a best and fairest from his 300-game career. The two-time Norm Smith medalist has reached unparalleled feats and continues to prove to be a one in a generation-type player. Randomn but heading into the 2023 season I was thinking who would be stop the AFL Mt Rushmore of the 21st Century. Dean Polo is one such player. The four-time All-Australian would flex his versatility when called upon, in midfield, ruck or forward. Share 2010 - Collingwood vs St. Kilda. Menu . Week by week Scarlett would claim a new scalp from the oppositions best forward, using his high-level footballing IQ and unrivalled consistently to do so. When not pulling on the FFT shirt, he can be found at Reuters, The Times and the i. 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. 21st century accolades: One NBA title, one-time Finals MVP, one-time MVP, 14-time All-Star, four-time 1st Team All-NBA, five-time 2nd Team All-NBA, three-time 3rd Team All-NBA, three-point. Lewangoalski has defined the 2020s so far. Franklin 3. Andrew Walker reached great heights (pun intended) during his 204-game career at Carlton. Alasdair Mackenzie is a freelance journalist based in Rome, and a FourFourTwo contributor since 2015. He was the Adelaide captain between 2001-2007, he won the AFLPAs best captain in 2005 and 2006. 0. Bath 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. Become a member to join in Australia's biggest sporting debate, submit articles, receive updates straight to your inbox and keep up with your favourite teams and authors. The club also lost its much-loved captain and No.1 ruck Ben McEvoy, who decided to hang up the boots, and 255-game veteran Liam Shiels also retired (but then found his way to North Melbourne). Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated. Hes one that if you ran out there beside him, you know what youd get from him every single time.. Please gamble responsibly. He dresses as he played, achieving class in the smart and the casual. 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. Eight current AFL players, including Andrew McLeod and Adam Goodes, have been included in the league's indigenous team of the century, announced today. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Picture: Colleen Petch, Sign up to all of Foxtel Now with a 10-day free trial. Weve counted down the top 15 players of the century. This list was composed by taking the players with the best careers in the 21st Century (2000-2019). The 100 best players of the 21st Century: 100-81 The 100 best players of the 21st Century: 80-61 The 100 best players of the 21st Century: 60-41 The 100 best players of the 21st Century: 40-26 The . Europes biggest prize, the Champions League, still eludes De Bruyne and his club-mates, but for how long? Players whose careers began prior to the year 2000 . In fact he probably became a wiser and more-rounded player at the Blues. After drawing in the first game, at 68 points each, St. Kilda and Collingwood met again a week later to determine a winner. Alasdair Mackenzie is a freelance journalist based in Rome, and a FourFourTwo contributor since 2015. Not only was it the only win he played in, McGrath kicked an unreal five goals from 12 touches in the Tigers triumph against the Western Bulldogs. 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. Sydneys Tom McCartin despite already playing 48 games and scoring 28 goals is ineligible as he was born two days before the calendar ticked over to the year 2000 as is Jordan Butts being born on New Years Eve 1999. 2. . He shows real poise and is able to scan and find targets, Hawthorn assistant coach Chris Newman said. Van Dijks 75m move to Liverpool from Southampton in January 2018 has often been pointed to as the moment Jurgen Klopp added the final piece to his Reds jigsaw, and you can see why. A combination of icy cold finishing and red-hot drive through the centre of the pitch made him utterly unstoppable at his best. When the game was on the line, he won two Norm Smith Medals (in Grand Finals) he was a captain in. The nicknames he inspired over the course of his playing career, il Maestro and lArchitetto, capture Pirlos appreciation for composition, design and set-pieces.. With his technical ability and intelligence, he would still slot into elite teams in the modern game, many years after he left his six-Premier League title-winning career behind him. Martin boasts two best and fairest honours, three All-Australian selections and 251 goals from his 225 game career. He is electric. You will receive a verification email shortly. Luke Hodge (Hawthorn) 19. Records have fallen, horizons have expanded, and fans have been treated to the best basketball yet. Tom Harley led Geelong to the 2007 premiership and the 2009 premiership, they were coming off a premiership drought since 1963, so it was a long time. 295. Anyone can contribute to The Roar and have their work 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. Dalziell held the disposals record for less than two years before another mature-aged player stole his thunder. But the trait that defined Voss career was his ferocity at the contest. 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. Hawks great Dermott Brereton, who wore the same No. He was probably stiff not to win Buckleys 2002 Norm Smith Medal too. CB, CM, CF. Can use the ball really well. You will receive a verification email shortly. It got me thinking though, with plenty of fresh faces set to chalk up the first game of their careers this weekend, which players have had the best performances in their first AFL contest since 2000? (We've also collated a 12-man list of snubbed players, which you can check out here.) Birthdate: June 24, 1987. Ferdinand was a ball-playing defender of the European school, rather than the bruising centre-halves more associated with the English school of thought. THE NUMBERS: 33disposals, 6 marks, 4 tackles, 4 clearances, 2 goals 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: (Weve also collated a 12-man list of snubbed players, which you can check out here.). Our criteria was that players had to have played at least five seasons in the 21st century. The criteria was a player had to play more than 50 games from 2000 onwards. But when Brisbane was in the midst of its premiership dynasty, Voss was at the peak of his powers both as a player and, subsequently, as a leader. A modern-day Liverpool great, Salahs arrival from Roma in 2017 acted as a catalyst to the Reds outstanding period of success under Jurgen Klopp. A complete striker, Aguero put beauty in ball-striking, making an art of finding space around the penalty area. The club's CEO at the time, John Anderson acted as non-voting chairman of the panel. It will be an interesting exercise to look back at these players careers when another decade has passed. Get the best features, fun and footballing frolics straight to your inbox every week. 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. 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? Birthplace: Rosario, Argentina. Jonathan Brown (Brisbane Lions) 20. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Time to Find Out Who the 2019 Denver Nuggets Really Are. Stay tuned, and check out the other runners and riders. Lionel Messi. Wherever El Tigre has gone, goals have followed. If youd like to view this content, please adjust your Cookie Settings. Sun Sign: Cancer. That's why the likes of Wayne Carey and Robert . Reserved. Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? Whether it is high flying marks, bone jarring tackles or freakish goals, Australian Rules has it all. 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. The 280-game Collingwood star had the archetype like no other. No one will ever forget the exhaustion and disappointment of the players as the final siren rang and neither team could claim victory. He's one of England's finest players ever. 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. Here is our top 15 players of the century. After three previous top-five finishes, he finally broke through to claim a maiden Brownlow Medal. He was also a dangerous goalkicker, punctuated by his 36-goal season in 2002 and a seven-goal haul against Adelaide in early 2004. Rounding off the top five are Brazilian icon Ronaldinho and Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta. Italiano . 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. Get the best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week. Statistically, Black is one of the greatest midfielders to grace the game, leading the all-time count for games, disposals, tackles, inside 50's, clearances,contested possessions and Brownlow votes for the Lions alone. Dane Swan (Collingwood) Now we present the top five ranked players in foxfooty.com.au's Top 20 of the Past 20. After spending a few seasons on Richmond's list Polo. The wingers scorching pace, mind-bending trickery and ability to win games single-handedly make him a joy to watch, and a future Ballon dOr seems all-but inevitable already. 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. The top-scoring midfielder in Premier League history only tells a fraction of the story of Frank Lampard who incredibly had to be defended by his uncle Harry from disbelieving West Ham fans as a youngster getting into the first team.