With the NRL season shut down and no footy to . Footballers of Franklins size arent supposed to cover the ground as quickly and athletically as he does. Michael Barlow looked composed beyond his years against the Crows to start 2010 as he effortlessly chalked up 33 touches, becoming a Freo fan favourite from day one. UNLUCKY DOZEN: The 12 AFL legends brutally snubbed from top-20 list, *Odds are current as of 4th March 2023, 6:03pm AEST. 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. The top 10 players in your ranking, below, will next go head-to-head with our winningest pre-80 and 80-99 stars for the battle to determine the one true bass GOAT. 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. Oops! 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. 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. 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. 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. 1 and No. 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 Civil Rights Movement displayed how the African Americans fought against the tremendous alienation that they had faced for centuries. (Mackenzie) is a great kid. Pele said if I played with him, I wouldve scored many more goals, Thierry Henry described Scholes as the greatest Premier League player ever, and Xavi called him a role model. Robert Lewandowski netted 344 goals in 375 Bayern Munich games. 11. Martin boasts two best and fairest honours, three All-Australian selections and 251 goals from his 225 game career. Since that year it has been a freefall down the ladder. Dane Swan (Collingwood) Now we present the top five ranked players in foxfooty.com.au's Top 20 of the Past 20. Alasdair Mackenzie is a freelance journalist based in Rome, and a FourFourTwo contributor since 2015. The 21st century has provided a stage for new evolutions in the game of basketball. It shouldnt take away from his outstanding Blues stint, which netted him a second Brownlow Medal and three best and fairests. CB, CM, CF. But their passion for their old club has not prevented them from having a very dim view of the season ahead. The WA-born prospect had to toil to break into the Lions side, but he was rewarded with seven straight games late in the 2008 campaign going on to average over 26 touches in those matches. He was a key contributor in the Giants first AFL season, illustrating his talents from day one as he tied for the second most touches for his side in an expectedly ugly loss to the Swans. He is electric. By Seb Mottram 9 minutes ago Former AFL forward Daniel Menzel has ranked his top seven AFL captains of the 21st century. Randomn but heading into the 2023 season I was thinking who would be stop the AFL Mt Rushmore of the 21st Century. Share But Pirlo still found time and he never failed to discover space. Our criteria was that players had to have played at least five seasons in the 21st century. Few footballers have been this influential and even fewer have been quite so adored. He is the very embodiment of the football club. And fair to say there is some big names on this one! Analysis, local footy and the biggest moments, Seven and 7plus are the home of footy shows for every fan. Pictures: Getty Images Defining the greats of any sporting era is a tough ask - but with the AFL on hiatus for. 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. The Belgian was one of the most imperious centre-backs in Europe at his peak, adored by every manager who worked with him. Ahead of the 2020 Draft, ESPN decided to look back at the last 20 No. The nicknames he inspired over the course of his playing career, il Maestro and lArchitetto, capture Pirlos appreciation for composition, design and set-pieces.. 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. 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. Shevchenko was great at an overachieving Dynamo Kyiv side in the 1990s, but its his time at AC Milan in the 2000s that earns him a place here. The surrounding blur and rush did not disrupt his tempo, nor impair his vision. Gold Coast Suns also have a big contingent with Noah Anderson, Connor Budarick, Caleb Graham, Ben King and Matt Rowell who although played only five games before his season-ending injury in 2020 had already shown the depth of his talent. 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. Another Champions League crown and the La Liga title came at Real Madrid, followed by three consecutive Bundesliga triumphs at Bayern Munich. It was the first major honour of his career, but far from the last. He was probably stiff not to win Buckleys 2002 Norm Smith Medal too. He won Serie A, a Coppa Italia and the Champions League itself as part of one the most iconic Milan sides in history, and earned himself the Ballon dOr in 2004. Former AFL forward Daniel Menzel has ranked his top seven AFL captains of the 21st century. It had become too high in velocity, too intense. We offer our respect to the Elders of these traditional . But not all former Hawks are in agreement with the doom-and-gloom forecast. 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. 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. As a 21-year-old, Franklins 2008 season was the stuff of legend. Originally a striker, Roberto Carlos bombing runs, fierce shot and bending free-kicks made him possibly the most entertaining left-back the game has ever seen. Whatever way you slice and dice the numbers, weve never seen a player like Ablett and that includes his father Gary Sr, who might still be the greatest player in VFL/AFL history yet had nothing on his sons insane, unprecedented ball-winning ability. Not only was he playing the first game of his career, but his debut coincided with the first game in GWS Giants history. 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. 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? 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. Hawthorn 400-game champion Michael Tuck recently made a bold call, telling Channel 7 he thinks the Hawks can play finals despite having one of the youngest playing lists in the competition. 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 he'd want to follow into the field. One of only four players to win two Norm Smith medals, Hodge was another match winner and showcase player, lighting up the biggest of stages with his professionalism alone. Sidney Crosby (ice hockey) Credit: PA 20. 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? Comment on stories, get exclusive content and submit your own articles! The Brownlows, All-Australians, best and fairests and flags flowed, even after he sensationally walked away from the Cats at the end of 2010 to become new club Gold Coasts marquee player. These are guys you want to go out to battle with. Get insight to top players, instructions & drills and extensive coverage of equipment. That rangy, young Frenchman would soon blossom into one of Europe's most complete midfielders. 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. Few deserved the accolade more. Or why not treat yourself? Language. Former coach Leigh Matthews said his enduring image of Voss would be of him as a missile attacking the ball. 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.. 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. FourFourTwo is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Powerful yet graceful, explosive yet incredibly footy smart, Buckley at his best was the perfect midfielder. Get the best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week. Greatest player of the 21st Century (so far)" thread, where we could all share some of our favourite stories of the great man. While. Andrew McLeod (Adelaide) 18. Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappe, Salah: The top 100 players of the 21st century ranked Football Football Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappe, Salah: The top 100 players of the 21st century ranked By. James Horncastles reflections on Andrea Pirlo remain unmatched: Many thought the regista was a relic consigned to the past. The issue for his opponents, though, was he was anything but buddy-like to them on the field. THERE aren't many players that can claim they were the best player on the field in their first AFL game. Nedved was already a decade into his playing career by the turn of the millennium, but he saved some of his best form for the 21st century. When not pulling on the FFT shirt, he can be found at Reuters, The Times and the i. Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? At the age of 36, McCulloch scored 17 goals in the 2013-14 season to bring Rangers back into the Scottish Premiership. 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. "In his prime; Falcao looked absolutely unstoppable: Chelsea fans still have traumatic memories of his impressive prone-trick in the first half of a 4-1 victory in the UEFA Super Cup for Atleti in 2012, he completed a report that carried some of the best things. Individual awards: 2 x Brownlow Medal, 3 x Doig Medallist. 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. The outstanding performer for Germany in Brazil in 2014; the steady metronome during Real Madrid's Threepeat. But the trait that defined Voss career was his ferocity at the contest. Falling just short of the best player of the century, Franklin deserves a podium finish for his astounding career-to-date. 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. And hes a Buddy legend. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, 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. No player has polled more Brownlow Medal votes. That's why the likes of Wayne Carey and Robert . Even if you go back to the summer of 1933, when The Sporting News hailed baseball's first official . Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.