It will begin at pick No.80 and count down to No.1, taking in the first year of the draft in 1986 and spanning to the most recent in 2015.

It is not the best 80 players ever drafted; rather, the best player taken at each of the 80 individual selections – for instance, the best No.1 pick ever, the best No.2 pick ever, and so on.

Have your say on our selections of the best ever picks from 80-20, and be sure to come back to realfooty.com.au and vote on the best top-20 picks of all time. Your votes will shape the final countdown.

THE CRITERIA:

Selections are based on a player's overall career and not just his value to the club that originally drafted him.

Players who originally came into the AFL system via one club, but then left and had a greater impact elsewhere, are not discounted. But players are only considered at the selection where they first entered the system.

This means players who might have been "redrafted" by another club at a different pick, or players who originally entered the system via the rookie draft and were later "elevated" by the same club through the national draft, are not considered at that new selection number.

Father-son players are only counted when clubs had to use a specific draft pick to secure them.

Our list does not encompass pre-draft, zone, compensation, uncontracted player, merger, 17-year-old access or any other additional selections. Only players whose careers could be traced back to a specific number in the national draft are included.

The list covers only the national draft – not the pre-season or rookie drafts.

Longevity – games played and years in the system – is sometimes used to break deadlocks.

Draft orders were taken from the official AFL records.

Without further ado, here's our picks from 60-51:

Pick No.60

Brad Scott

(Hawthorn, 1994, 168 games)

A neutral supporter just going to the footy to watch any given day might say the laid back, freakishly skilled Derek Kickett (actually drafted first by North Melbourne in 1988) was the better player. And Adam Schneider (Sydney, 2001) also went close. But Scott played in parts one and two of Brisbane's premiership three-peat, including a key shutdown role on James Hird in the 2001 grand final.

Pick No.59

Anthony McDonald

(Melbourne, 1996, 104 games)

Healthy competition at this pick, with Craig Bird (Sydney, 2007), Simon Tregenza (originally taken by the Bulldogs in 1987), Matthew Dundas (Fitzroy, 1988) and Craig Biddiscombe (Geelong, 1993) all in he mix. But McDonald's consistency in good Melbourne teams of the late 90s/early 2000s, narrowly edged out Bird - a member of the Swans' 2012 premiership side.

Pick No.58

Dane Swan

(Collingwood, 2001, 257 games)

The 2011 Brownlow medallist sits on top of an honest group of players. Ben Hudson (Adelaide, 2003), Ian Prendergast (Carlton, 1998), Patrick Bowden (Western Bulldogs, 1999) and Nathan Lonie (Hawthorn, 2000) to name a few, while emerging Fremantle midfielder Lachie Neale (2011) was also taken at this pick.

Pick No.57

Andrew Embley

(West Coast, 1998, 250 games)

A "light" pick aside from the versatile Embley, an under-rated part of the Eagles' mid-2000s premiership-contending teams. However the 2006 Norm Smith medallist stands comfortably in the company above and below. Western Bulldogs sharp shooter Tory Dickson (2011) gets an honourable mention.

Pick No.56

Ryan O'Keefe

(Sydney, 1999, 286 games)

Gold Coast have pick No.56 this year and if history is any guide they are holding a good-luck charm. Aside from Norm Smith medallist O'Keefe, other players who have come through this slot include Cameron Mooney (221 games), Daniel Bradshaw (231 games), Matthew Clarke (258 games), Daniel Cross (249 games), Andrew Dunkley (217 games), Paul Medhurst (168 games), Rayden Tallis (163 games) and Chris Knights (102 games).

Pick No.55

Darren Jarman

(Melbourne, 1986, 230 games)

This was the first time Jarman's name officially "entered the system" so he is considered at this pick, and simply put, he was a superstar. One of the most skilful players ever, a triple premiership player and his performances in the 1997 finals series (and 1998 grand final) are footy folklore. Robbie Gray (2006) was a worthy silver medallist at a selection that has also bred Chris Newman (2000), Sam Fisher (2003) and Ryan Crowley (2002).

Pick No.54

Michael Sexton

(Carlton, 1988, 200 games)

Cale Hooker (Essendon, 2007) could possibly develop into a defender to rival Sexton, the dependable centre half-back of Carlton's champion 1995 premiership team, but he's not there yet. Options were scarce otherwise, with a personal favourite - former Western Bulldog Sedat Sir (1993) - one of the blasts from the past.

Pick No.53

Lindsay Thomas

(North Melbourne, 2006, 174 games)

One to ponder given another dangerous small forward Michael Walters (Fremantle, 2008) and three hard-working midfielders - Michael Braun (West Coast, 1996), Adam Selwood (West Coast, 2002) and Dan Jackson (Richmond, 2003) - were also in the conversation, as well as coming-of-age Melbourne key defender Tom McDonald (2010). Thomas went up the batting order because he has more "shots" than the on-ball brigade, and more runs on the board than the other two.

Pick No.52

Rod Jameson

(North Melbourne, 1989, 153 games)

The shaved head and booming long kick is the image most footy fans think of when the name "Rod Jameson" is mentioned, but he was also a handy player, too, winning Adelaide's goal-kicking in 1991 before turning into a reliable key defender. It was line-ball between he and Amon Buchanan (Sydney, 2000), given both played in premierships - Buchanan with the Swans in 2005 and Jameson with the Crows in 1997.

Pick No.51

Clay Sampson

(Melbourne, 1994, 64 games)

The 1997 Adelaide premiership player would be chuffed to be involved in any "best of" list on the same page as Dane Swan and Darren Jarman, but he is one of the few "hits" at a pick cursed with misses. Dion Woods (Fremantle, 2000), remember him? Neville Jetta (Melbourne, 2008) and Fairfax Media's own Tim Boyle (Hawthorn, 2002) were also in the running, but besides them, it was a shallow field.