It's finals time, a time for footy heroes. So who are the greatest finals heroes of the past 50 years of September action? The players whose names instantly come to mind when thoughts turn to fantastic finals performances?

It's a tough call and the answers may vary significantly depending upon your criteria. How do you weigh one famous, if decisive, moment in a grand final, alongside years and years of September consistency?

An example? Well, St Kilda's Barry Breen makes this list on the strength of one very wobbly punt which scraped through for a behind. Why? Because there's been no more famous behind in history, one which won the Saints their one and only premiership.

These aren't necessarily the best 20 players in finals history, but they are the ones who have carved their names in our football memories.

There's those name synonymous with the biggest finals of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, Kevin Bartlett, Wayne Schimmelbusch and Dermott Brereton. And their latter-day equivalents, Chris Judd, Jimmy Bartel, Luke Hodge.

Ranking their finals greatness is a thankless task. But we've had a crack at coming up with a top 20. Here's the finalists alphabetically, the order to be determined throughout this finals month.

But we want your help as well. Complete our poll and have your own input. You won't find it easy. But you will doubtless, as we did, go on your own September football memory trip as you do so.

THE FINALISTS

GARY ABLETT SNR. (Geelong)

The man they called "God" had his share of ordinary finals. But when he did fire he managed to turn in what is probably the most spectacular individual series of games in September history in 1989, culminating of course in a record-equalling nine-goal haul in one of the game's most storied premiership play-offs.

Gary Ablett rises during the 1989 grand final Photo: The Age

GARY AYRES (Hawthorn)

The best comment on the five-time premiership player's finals prowess is the fact that on Sunday the AFL Coaches Association announced a new award for best finals player to be called the Gary Ayres Award. One of only three dual Norm Smith medallists, the tough, long-kicking defender was a rock for the Hawks in their 1986 and 1988 grand final wins.

LEON BAKER (Essendon)

The media-shy centreman was a late starter to VFL, at the age of 28, but a stellar first season with the Bombers was capped with a big September, most notably a superb game-turning grand final performance on grand final day. It was no one-off, with Baker one of the Dons' best in their 1985 back-to-back triumph as well.

Leon Baker: an iconic Essendon player. Artwork: Richard Giliberto

LEO BARRY (Sydney)

"Leo Barry, you star!" They've become immortal words uttered by Channel 10 commentator Stephen Quartermain in the dying seconds of the 2005 grand final, and rightly so, given the enormity of one of the great grand final marks, the Swan defender with the enormous leap launching himself sideways into a pack to defy a desperate last thrust by West Coast.

JIMMY BARTEL (Geelong)

Other Cats have been more spectacular, but none so consistently good in the biggest of occasions as the tough, skilful, versatile and smart Cat midfielder, a constant feature of Geelong's three premierships and four grand finals, and the Norm Smith medallist in 2011, always producing at the critical moments.

KEVIN BARTLETT (Richmond)

The champion Tiger rover was a star week in, week out, but saved his absolute best for September during Richmond's greatest era of 1967-1982 when the club appeared in seven grand finals and won five premierships. A ball magnet and dangerous near goal, Bartlett won the 1980 Norm Smith Medal at 33 with seven goals from half-forward.

Former Richmond champion Kevin Bartlett Photo: John Donegan

BARRY BREEN (St Kilda)

Barry Breen captained the Saints, won a best and fairest, and is one of only five players to have played 300 games for the club. But it is a scrappy, hurried snap in just his 25th game which most resonates. For it was Breen's point deep into time-on of the 1966 grand final against Collingwood which gave St Kilda their one and only flag.

DERMOTT BRERETON (Hawthorn)

Where do you start? Five goals in his first game in 1982, a semi-final against North Melbourne. Eight goals in Hawthorn's losing 1985 grand final against Essendon. And the famous 1989 grand final, when, after being poleaxed by Geelong's Mark Yeates at the opening bounce, Brereton recovered to courageously mark and goal just minutes later.

WAYNE CAREY (North Melbourne/Adelaide)

Carey was instrumental in North Melbourne's premiership wins of 1996 and 1999 and turned in one of the great finals series in 1994 with 32 disposals, 10 marks and 4.4 in the qualifying final won in extra time against Hawthorn, then 14 marks and 6.4 in the heartbreaking preliminary final loss to Geelong two weeks later.

WAYNE HARMES (Carlton)

With only a kick the difference deep into time-on of the 1979 Carlton-Collingwood grand final, Harmes' miscue from half-forward dribbled into the forward-pocket, seemingly out of bounds. Not to be denied, Harmes chased his own kick, diving full-length to fist the ball across goal to a grateful Ken Sheldon. Harmes would win the first Norm Smith Medal, Carlton a premiership.

JAMES HIRD (Essendon)

For consistent brilliance across a finals career, Hird ranks as a September great. He played in 20 finals and was named among Essendon's best in a dozen of them. The pick were a 1996 semi-final against West Coast in which he kicked four goals and had 31 disposals and his Norm Smith Medal-winning 2000 grand final, reaping 29 disposals and a couple of goals.

LUKE HODGE (Hawthorn)

The fact Hodge is a dual Norm Smith Medal winner says it all, but his finals consistency is as good as any player in history. The courageous Hawthorn captain has played 21 finals and been named among the Hawks' best in 15 of them, a phenomenal strike rate of 71 per cent, his hard-as-nails physicality symbolic of what it takes to win the big games.

Luke Hodge is a finals specialist  Photo: Getty Images

TED HOPKINS (Carlton)

Pivotal in probably the greatest grand final of them all for Carlton, coming off the bench at half-time of the 1970 playoff against Collingwood with the Blues 44 points down. Hopkins kicked three goals in the third term to spearhead the revival, another in the last, and set up another for Syd Jackson as Carlton stormed home to win by 10 points.

DARREN JARMAN (Hawthorn/Adelaide)

Darren Jarman had an ordinary first grand final with Hawthorn in 1991. The next two in which he played he as good as won for his second club, Adelaide. In 1997 against St Kilda, his five-goal last quarter destroyed the Saints. He followed up with a five-goal haul in the comeback victory against North Melbourne.

ALEX JESAULENKO (Carlton)

The star Blue was central to probably the most memorable moment in football history, his towering mark over Collingwood's Graeme Jenkin in the 1970 grand final. But "Jezza" did a lot more than that in September, Carlton's best performer in that famous win and a host of other finals, booting seven goals in their 1972 victory against Richmond.

CHRIS JUDD (West Coast/Carlton)

Only Luke Hodge has played as consistently well in modern era finals as the dual Brownlow medallist and Norm Smith medallist, and in Judd's case, at two clubs. Judd appears in the "best" in 12 of the 17 finals he played, his two grand final efforts for West Coast in 2005-06 and a dominant second half in Carlton's 2013 finals win over Richmond the pick.

ANDREW McLEOD (Adelaide)

Another perennial September performer, with two Norm Smith Medals to back it up. The dynamic Crow small man saved his absolute best for the most critical moments. In the 1997 grand final win over St Kilda he finished with 31 disposals; in 1998, against North Melbourne, 30. The week before, McLeod kicked seven goals in the preliminary final.

Andrew McLeod in action for the Crows Photo: Joe Armao

LEIGH MATTHEWS (Hawthorn)

A popular choice as the game's greatest player, Matthews featured so prominently in September it's hard to remember the whole roll call. Twice booting seven goals in finals, Matthews was close to best afield in the 1978 grand final and played a blinder in the last of his four premierships in 1983 with six goals against Essendon.

WAYNE SCHIMMELBUSCH (North Melbourne)

The North wingman played in 29 finals. In 16 of them he was among his team's best. A prolific ball-winner and hard runner, Schimmelbusch kept the Roos in the drawn 1977 grand final with his efforts. His best finals performance may have been his last, with 27 disposals and two goals in an amazing elimination final comeback against Carlton in 1985.

MICHAEL VOSS (Brisbane)

The skipper of Brisbane's hat-trick of flags from 2001-03 didn't lead in name only. The Brownlow medallist's skilful and tough game made him a consistent key to the Lions in the big games, most memorably in the tight closing minutes of the 2002 grand final against Collingwood, when Voss controlled the game and kept his team in front.