In our series leading up to round one, AFL.com.au writers will debate the best moments, players and teams since the turn of the century. From the pick of the Brownlow and Norm Smith medallists to the finest wooden spooners, non-finalists and premiership teams, a rotating panel will turn their minds to footy's big moments since 2000.

This week, Ben Collins, Michael Whiting, Ben Guthrie and Nat Edwards discuss the best season produced by a Brownlow medallist this century. Was Patrick Dangerfield's 35-vote season better than Dane Swan's 34-vote year in 2011? Where does Nat Fyfe's 2014 season rank? And how do you split Gary Ablett's pair of Brownlow-winning years?

Nat Fyfe, 2015

Some of the game's greatest midfielders have won Brownlows in the 21st century – among them, Judd, Ablett and Buckley – but in the end this was a battle between two contested-ball beasts who are surely on their way to greatness: Nat Fyfe (2015) and Patrick Dangerfield (2016). In Fyfe's medal year this power pair waged an epic head-to-head duel at Adelaide Oval and the umpires awarded three votes to Fyfe and two to 'Danger'. I reckon Freo's first medallist just takes the points here too. Since 1968, Fyfe is one of just two players (Essendon's Gavin Wanganeen was the other in 1993) to have claimed the medal in just 18 games. Lake Grace's favourite son missed four of the last six rounds with groin and leg injuries but still amassed 31 votes (a tally bettered only five times), including an unprecedented 29 votes after 13 games, and an equal-record nine best-on-grounds. In an extraordinary surge between rounds four and 13, he polled 26 of a possible 30 votes! Even Danger would be in awe of that. – Ben Collins

Nat Fyfe was on another level in season 2015. Picture: AFL Photos

Gary Ablett, 2013

There's no real losers in this debate, and Collo's selection of Nat Fyfe is hard to argue with. And while his recognition of Patrick Dangerfield's season last year is also fair enough, I've looked a little further afield to go with the Little Master. Ablett didn't have the total votes (28) or best on grounds (seven) as Fyfe or Dangerfield – or even Dane Swan or Chris Judd in earlier years – but he was playing on a Suns team that won a paltry eight matches. While almost every Brownlow Medal winner this century had a midfield sidekick to take the pressure off, Ablett had a bunch of youngsters in David Swallow, Dion Prestia and a first-year Jaeger O'Meara as his major help. Opponents had just one player to lockdown on against the Suns that season, making his average of 31 disposals (15 contested), six clearances and total of 28 goals even more remarkable. Remember his 49-disposal, two-goal game at Metricon in an upset win over Collingwood? What about his opening round 34 and four goals against the Saints? Go and check the highlights and you'll be reminded just how amazing Ablett's 2013 season was. - Michael Whiting

Patrick Dangerfield, 2016

You can't break the all-time Brownlow votes record (35) and be overlooked. That Dangerfield polled in 15 games to set a new mark and matched the record nine best on grounds set jointly by 1994 winner Greg Williams and 2015 medallist Nat Fyfe highlights his dominance. The superstar Cat began the season on fire with 43 disposals against Hawthorn and rarely cooled off. Dangerfield then had 48 touches, an AFL season high, as well as 13 clearances in an extraordinary performance against North Melbourne in round 12. Dangerfield averaged 32 disposals, five marks, five tackles and a goal, while he set a new AFL record for most inside 50s (194) in a single season. But what made Dangerfield's season even more meritorious is that he did it with intense focus bearing down on him after he left Adelaide, his base for eight seasons, and sought a trade back home to Geelong. Despite the external pressure, Dangerfield delivered one of the most impressive seasons by an individual player in the game's history. It's difficult to beat that. – Ben Guthrie

Patrick Dangerfield smashed the all-time Brownlow votes record in 2016. Picture: AFL Photos

Chris Judd, 2004

Guthers is right, it certainly is hard to beat Dangerfield's 2016 season. The lads haven’t left me much to work with, but it would be remiss of me not to throw Chris Judd into the mix. He has two Brownlows in his trophy room, but it was his first at West Coast, that was his finest. His 2004 season began with a lazy 23 touches and four goals against the Western Bulldogs, and it ended against Melbourne in round 22 with an extraordinary 34 possessions (23 of those contested), and nine clearances. He polled 30 votes in 2004, and while that is not as impressive as Danger's record of 35 votes, it was still seven votes clear of runner-up Mark Ricciuto. But perhaps what is most incredible, is that Judd achieved this feat at the age of 21. Yes, that's right, 2004 was just his third AFL season. In fact, he was the youngest Brownlow medallist since Gavin Wanganeen (20) in 1993. Now if you compare his third year to the other three contenders, they don't even come close. In Dangerfield's third season he received a total of two Brownlow votes, Ablett had three, while Fyfe amassed 14. So while most 21-year-olds are out celebrating their coming of age, Judd was making his mark as one of the most celebrated players in the modern era. - Nat Edwards

Chris Judd won his first Brownlow in just his third AFL season. Picture: AFL Photos