AFL 25: Glenn McFarlane and Jon Ralph name their second best 23 of the century so far

Cripps. Akermanis. Brown. Ricciuto. There were so many big names that missed out in our AFL Team of the Century that Glenn McFarlane and Jon Ralph have picked a second 23.

There’s stiff and then there’s Brent Harvey.

It killed us not to have the AFL games record holder in our team of the 21st century so far.

But could you really squeeze Dustin Martin or Patrick Dangerfield out of a forward line that also needs a pure crumber in Cyril Rioli?

Many have Patrick Cripps as a walk-up start in their side, too, with 15 per cent of the first 2500 reader votes deciding the Blues skipper was the most unluckiest player to miss out.

But, to be frank, he could do with a Dangerfield-style legacy flag – and it might yet come.

TEAM OF THE CENTURY: SEE THE FULL SIDE AND THE REASONS WHY

The second AFL best 23 of the century

The AFL Team of the Century

For all of Cripps’ brilliance, he has played in only four finals and was quiet in two of them, even if he has carried the Blues on his back like Team of the Century stars Nick Riewoldt and Matthew Pavlich before him.

After having spoken to many of the game’s great forwards, they franked our opinion that Riewoldt and Pavlich are among the four best key forwards of the 21st century, alongside Lance Franklin and Matthew Lloyd.

But, gee, the second-choice forward line would take some stopping, too.

So, led by those big names who just missed out on the first team, here is our second best 23 from the past 25 seasons of footy.

Fletcher v Lloyd. Brown v McGovern. Cox v Gawn. Hawkins v Scarlett. Cousins v Pendlebury.

Pitting both sides together delivers some mouth-watering match-ups.

The Team of the Century still wins, right?

Originally published as AFL 25: Glenn McFarlane and Jon Ralph name their second best 23 of the century so far