The Hindsight Cup: AFL 2000–2009 vs 2010-Present

We’ve seen some of the best players grace the field this century, yet which decade produced the best overall team. 2000–2009 or 2010-Present?

Rules:

• Players must have made an All-Australian team during their respective era
• If a player has made an All-Australian team in both eras, they will be selected in the team in which they have won more All-Australian selections.
• If a player has won more All-Australian selections in the previous era, they will be ineligible. E.g Nathan Buckley was All-Australian 3 times between 1990–99 and only twice between 2000–09 therefore was unable to be selected.

With the help of two very special guests – Jack and Lach McDonald (as well as a mystery vote from Mollie Mcdonald) we will use the magic of odd numbers to deduce which player would win their 1-on-1 match-up with their opposing player.

For the sake of the debate, each player will be judged during their All-Australia years and the vote will come down to which player would come out on top in their match-up.

Whichever team has the most player match-up victories will be crowned the best overall team in the first official Hindsight Cup.

2000–2009 Best Line Up

FB: Dustin Fletcher. Matthew Scarlett. Luke Hodge

HB: Andrew McLeod. Justin Leppitsch. Nigel Lappin

C: Simon Black. Michael Voss (c) Brent Harvey

HF: James Hird. Jonathon Brown. Matthew Pavlich

FF: Jason Akermanis. Matthew Lloyd. Brad Johnson

FOLL: Dean Cox. Chris Judd. Ben Cousins

INT: Steve Johnson. Adam Goodes. Mark Ricciuto. Nick Riewoldt

COACH: Leigh Matthews

2010–Present Best Line Up

FB: Corey Enright. Alex Rance. Heath Shaw

HB: Grant Birchall. Jeremy McGovern. Harry Taylor

C: Nick Dal Santo. Sam Mitchell. Patrick Dangerfield

HF: Jarryd Roughead. Lance Franklin. Dustin Martin

FF: Eddie Betts. Josh Kennedy. Robbie Gray

FOLL: Aaron Sandilands. Gary Ablett Jnr. Dane Swan

INT: Joel Selwood (c). Nat Fyfe. Scott Pendlebury. Trent Cotchin

COACH: Alastair Clarkson

Match-Ups:

2010-Present Forward Line: (All-Australian year)

- Match-up winner and votes.

• Dustin Fletcher (2000,2007) vs Jarrod Roughead (2013,2014) – Roughead 3–0
• Justin Leppitcsh (1999,2002,2003) vs Josh Kennedy (2015-2017) – Leppitsch 2–1
• Luke Hodge (2005,2008,2010) vs Eddie Betts (2015-2017) – Betts 2–1
• Matthew Scarlett (2003,2004,2007-2009,2011) vs Lance Franklin (2008,2010-2012,2014,2016,2017) – Franklin 3–0
• Andrew McLeod (1998,2000,2001,2006,2007) vs Robbie Gray (2014,2015,2017) – McLeod 3–0
• Nigel Lappin (2001-2004) vs Dustin Martin (2016,2017) – 3–0 Martin

Midfield:

• Simon Black (2001,2002,2004) vs Nick Dal Santo (2005,2009,2011) – Black 3–0
• Michael Voss (1996,1999,2001-2003) vs Sam Mitchell (2011,2013,2015) – Voss 2–1
• Patrick Dangerfield (2012,2013,2015-2017) vs Brent Harvey (2000,2005,2007,2008) – Dangerfield 4–0 (mystery mollie vote)
• Dean Cox (2005-2008,2011,2012) vs Aaron Sandilands (2008-2010,2014) – Cox 3–0
• Chris Judd (2004,2006,2008-2011) vs Gary Ablett Jr (2007-2014) – Ablett 3–0
• Ben Cousins (1998,1999-2002,2005,2006) vs Dane Swan (2009-2013) – Cousins 2–1

2000–2009 Forward Line:

• James Hird (1995,1996,2000,2001,2003) vs Grant Birchall (2012) – Hird 3–0
• Jonathan Brown (2007,2009) vs Jeremy McGovern (2016,2017) – Brown 3–0
• Matthew Pavlich (2002,2003,2005-2008) vs Harry Taylor (2010,2013) – Pavlich 2–1
• Jason Akermanis (1999,2001,2002,2004) vs Corey Enright (2008–2011,2013,2016) – Enright 2–1
• Matthew Lloyd (1999–2001,2003) vs Alex Rance (2014–17) – 3–0 Lloyd
• Brad Johnson (1999,2000,2002,2005 – 07) vs Heath Shaw (2015,2016) – Johnson 3–0

Interchange:

• Steve Johnson (2007,2008,2010) vs Joel Selwood (2009,2010,2013,2014,2016,2017) – Johnson 2–1
• Mark Ricciuto (2004,2005) Scott Pendlebury (2010–14) – Pendlebury 2–1
• Adam Goodes (2003,2006,2009,2011) vs Nat Fyfe (2014,2015) – Fyfe 2–1
• Nick Riewoldt (2004,2006,2008,2009,2014) vs Trent Cotchin (2012) – Riewoldt 3–0

Coaches:

• Leigh Matthews (2001–2003) vs Alastair Clarkson (2008,2013–15) – Clarkson 3–0

Voting Totals:

2000–09: 13

2010-Present: 10

Winner:

2000–2009

Club Representatives:

Adelaide: 4

Brisbane: 7

Carlton: 2

Collingwood: 2

Essendon: 3

Fremantle: 3

Geelong: 7

Gold Coast: 1

GWS: 1

Hawthorn: 5

Melbourne: Nil

North Melbourne: 1

Port Adelaide: 2

Richmond: 3

St. Kilda: 2

Sydney: 2

West Coast: 5

Western Bulldogs: 1