To the armchair critics who, for reasons best known to themselves, still make a sport of questioning Stephen Silvagni’s selection as VFL/AFL Full-Back of the 20^th Century, here’s a reminder of why the man in the No.1 guernsey made the cut at full-back in League football’s greatest team in 100 years.

Tony Lockett, widely regarded as the game’s greatest full-forward, is on record as saying “SOS” was his greatest opponent. And who could possibly argue with League football’s most prolific goalkicker; the man who booted a lazy 1360 career goals.

Lockett is not a lone voice either. The likes of Wayne Carey and Jason Dunstall have also previously volunteered Carlton’s No.1 as their Numero Uno.

“Stephen Silvagni and Glen Jakovich are, for different reasons, the two best backmen I ever played on,” Carey is on record as saying.

And this from Dunstall. “Stephen Silvagni was probably the opponent I most worried about. I had the toughest time on him”.

Presumably Gary Ablett sen. concurs. Whenever the Seven Network trots out that Ablett highlights reel, you never see a grab from the ’95 Grand Final. That’s because “Sos” kept “Gazza” goalless in the game that mattered most.

The VFL/AFL’s Team of the Century was named some 18 years after the careful deliberation of the selectors - true luminaries of football of the calibre of Percy Beames, Bill Jacobs and David Parkin.

And to quote “Parko”, who witnessed Silvagni’s greatness first-hand for season after season: “I haven’t lost a moment’s sleep over choosing him”.