Revealed: Ballarat's top AFL draft stars of the past 25 years

So, who are our top 25 of the century to date? We've done the numbers and come up with this list.

To select the best footballers for the first quarter of the 21st century, we've taken into account premiership success, personal and club records and overall impact on the game.

The players selected have played for the North Ballarat VFL team, the North Ballarat Rebels, the GWV Rebels or clubs aligned to the BFNL or CHFL.

The players listed have been drafted into the AFL or AFLW since 2000, so that means players such as Adam Goodes and Shane O'Bree are not included as they arrived at their clubs prior to 2000.

Also, we've held off listing players who have been drafted in the past couple of years in order to give them time to develop their careers. Players such as Aaron Cadman, Ben Hobbs, Sam Lalor and Jonty Faull have not been selected.

1 Jeremy Cameron (Dartmoor/GWV Rebels) - Arguably the best key forward in the AFL. Has to date played 254 games and kicked 648 goals. 2019 Coleman Medalist, He was a 2022 premiership player and club best and fairest in the same year. An 11-time club-leading goal kicker and a four time All-Australian.

2 Drew Petrie (Ballarat/North Ballarat Rebels) - Champion North Melbourne forward who finished his career at the West Coast Eagles. Played 332 games and kicked 442 goals. He was a five-time North Melbourne leading goal kicker and an All-Australian in 2011.

3 Isaac Smith (Redan/North Ballarat VFL) - A four time premiership player with Hawthorn and Geelong. Smith was recruited to Hawthorn from the North Ballarat VFL side. He played 280 games and was also the 2022 Norm Smith Medalist.

4 Zak Butters (Darley/GWV Rebels)- Port Adelaide's midfield superstar has played 119 games since debut. He has made two All-Australian teams and was voted the Coaches Association player of the year in 2023. A two-time Port best and fairest winner.

5 Jake Lloyd (Horsham/North Ballarat Rebels) - Has played 249 games for the Sydney Swans since being taken in the rookie draft in 2013. Debuted in 2014 and has played in four grand finals. Is a two time club best and fairest in 2018 and 2020.

6 Hugh McCluggage (Koroit/GWV Rebels) - At just 26, McCluggage has already played 182 games and broke through for his first premiership in 2024 with the Brisbane Lions. A four-time All-Australian nominee and current Lions vice captain.

7 Daniel Rioli (East Point/North Ballarat Rebels) - 183 games and three premierships with Richmond. A best and fairest winner in 2024 and the AFL goal of the year winner in 2017. Rioli will begin a new chapter of his career with Gold Coast in 2025.

8 Cam Guthrie (Sunbury) - A 2022 premiership player with Geelong including sharing the best and fairest award with Jeremy Cameron in 2022. He also won the Cargi Greaves Medal in 2020 in another grand final year. 240 games to date, All-Australian 2020.

9 Mark Blicavs (Sunbury) - Like his great mate Cam Guthrie, a two-time best-and-fairest at Geelong in 2015 and 2018. All-Australian team member in 2022 and premiership player in that same year. Has played 270 games to date.

10 Jordan Roughead (Damascus College/North Ballarat Rebels) - 201 games with the Western Bulldogs and Collingwood including the 2016 premiership with the Bulldogs. The defender and ruckman was a key component in the drought-breaking flag win.

11 Tom McDonald (North Ballarat/North Ballarat Rebels)

12 Nick Maxwell (North Ballarat VFL)

13 Brad Sewell (Newlyn/North Ballarat Rebels)

14 Dan Butler (Lake Wendouree/North Ballarat Rebels)

15 Seb Ross (Horsham Demons/North Ballarat Rebels)

16 James Frawley (Damascus College/North Ballarat Rebels)

17 Shaun Grigg (Redan/North Ballarat Rebels)

18 Rowan Marshall (North Ballarat/GWV Rebels)

19 Darren Jolly (North Ballarat/North Ballarat Rebels)

20 Brad Crouch (Beaufort/North Ballarat Rebels)

21 Willem Drew (Koroit / GWV Rebels)

22 Troy Chaplin (Maryborough Rovers/North Ballarat Rebels)

23 Matt Crouch (Beaufort / North Ballarat Rebels)

24 Jacob Hopper (St Patrick's/North Ballarat Rebels)

25 Jarrod Berry (Horsham/North Ballarat Rebels)

Michael Jamieson (North Ballarat/North Ballarat Rebels), Nathan Brown (Ballarat/North Ballarat Rebels), Liam Duggan (Bacchus Marsh) Nick Hind (Clunes), Brett Bewley (Darley), Nick Suban (Bacchus Marsh) Kai Lohmann (Lake Wendouree) Adam Kennedy (Melton), Matt White (Sunbury) Oscar McDonald (North Ballarat) Zac Guthrie (Sunbury)

1 Amy McDonald (Redan) - A three-time Geelong AFLW best and fairest winner, McDonald has played 56 games for the Cats. She is an AFLW All-Australian in season seven and remains a key midfield presence in the AFLW.

2 Jenna Bruton (Trentham) - Two-time AFLW premiership player with the Western Bulldogs in 2018 and North Melbourne in 2024. North Melbourne best-and-fairest winner in 2019. Has played 65 games to date.

3 Kaitlyn Ashmore (Ballarat/Melbourne University VFLW)- Pioneer of the women's game, Ashmore has played 81 games with three clubs, Brisbane Lions, North Melbourne and now with Hawthorn. She was North Melbourne's leading goal kicker in 2020.

4 Richelle Kranston (North Ballarat) - Another pioneer of the game, Kranston was recruited from North Ballarat. She played 60 games and kicked 31 goals with Melbourne, Geelong and the Western Bulldogs. Two-time Geelong leading goalkicker

5 Paige Scott (Carisbrook/GWV Rebels) - A rising star of the AFLW, Scott has played 28 games and kicked 12 goals for Essendon since being drafted in 2022. She was the AFLW Rising Star nominee after her first game.