AFL 25: Matt Turner names his Adelaide Crows Team of the Century so far

Robran or Jenkins? Rehn or ROB? Bickley or Dangerfield? The Crows were top of the AFL in the late 90s, but picking a team since 2000 is much tougher. See Matt Turner’s team — and pick your own.

Adelaide’s best team of the past 25 years features a host of club greats and handful of premiership players.

Just how many of those 1997 and 1998 flag winners you fit into the side is tricky.

The Crows gave us a headstart to this exercise three years ago.

They formed a panel that picked the club’s best 22 from its first 30 seasons.

The issue is our timelines are different.

SCROLL DOWN FOR THE FULL TEAM AND TO PICK YOUR OWN

Ultra-reliable centre half-forward Matthew Robran (36 games), matchwinner Darren Jarman (34) and champion ruckman Shaun Rehn (16) barely featured after 2000, while former club captains Chris McDermott and Tony McGuinness, and superstar full-forward Tony Modra had left before that.

So had dual premiership-winning coach Malcolm Blight.

That ensures seven immediate changes to the Crows’ best-of team.

Difficult calls are on premiership skipper Mark Bickley (87 matches this century) and long-serving swingman Nigel Smart (91).

Crows coach Malcolm Blight with Mark Bickley.

Both have been overlooked.

Present-day captain Jordan Dawson was the only player chosen who had not played 100 games as a Crow since 2000.

Two club champion awards and an All-Australian nod landed him in the team despite featuring in only 67 matches in the tricolours.

The bulk of the line-up picks itself.

Players like Mark Ricciuto, Andrew McLeod, Simon Goodwin, Tyson Edwards, Taylor Walker, Rory Sloane, Eddie Betts, Scott Thompson, Patrick Dangerfield, Ben Hart, Ben Rutten, Rory Laird, Graham Johncock and Daniel Talia.

Rory Sloane. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images.

Scott Thompson. Picture: Morne de Klerk/Getty Images.

Sam Jacobs, who earnt three All-Australian squad selections and four fourth-placed finishes in the Crows’ best-and-fairest, got the nod as lead ruckman.

The forward line was the toughest to select.

Josh Jenkins is polarising among the supporters but is the club’s fourth-highest goalkicker in its history with 296 majors and provides back-up ruck support.

It was either him or Kurt Tippett for that spot.

Jenkins played 43 more games than Tippett, kicked the third-most goals in the 2017 grand season and finished third in the 2018 best-and-fairest.

High-flying entertainer Brett Burton, who led the Crows’ goalkicking during their 2002 preliminary final campaign, as well as in 2008, was chosen in a forward pocket.

Richard Douglas, a Malcolm Blight Medallist in 2010 and runner-up in 2013, was named at half-forward after a 246-game, 164-goal career.

Brodie Smith’s consistency over a long period, Matt Crouch’s record, including a Malcolm Blight Medal win in 2017 and three other top-four finishes, Nathan Bassett’s reliability and 2006 All-Australian nod and Tom Lynch’s versatility.

Bernie Vince, Nathan van Berlo, Michael Doughty, Scott Welsh and Tyson Stenglein were the toughest cuts.

Originally published as AFL 25: Matt Turner names his Adelaide Crows Team of the Century so far