It started with the dominance of Collingwood and Geelong and finished with Richmond flexing their muscle.
Stars were born, legends were made and tears were shed as yet another decade passed by in the football world.
But who was the best of the best, standing out from the pack and cementing their legacy?
MORE: AFL Draft 2019: Club-by-club selections and player profiles
It wasn't an easy task, but Sporting News has put together our AFL team of the decade for 2010 to 2019.
AFL Team of the Decade: 2010-2019
Back pocket: Shannon Hurn (West Coast)
The reliable South Australian has been a mainstay of the Eagles backline as the powerhouse club continually challenged for major honours. He skippered West Coast for five seasons, including the successful 2018 campaign and been named All Australian twice.
Full back: Alex Rance (Richmond)
No-brainer here. Five-time All Australian, playing on the opposition's best forward every single week.
Back pocket: Corey Enright (Geelong)
He may have retired in 2016 but that was still enough time to pick up four All Australian jackets in the past decade. Took on the most dangerous small forward every week and rarely had his colours lowered.
Half-back flank: Shaun Burgoyne (Hawthorn)
Moved to the Hawks at the start of the decade and racked up three premierships and one of the classiest highlight reels in football history. Rarely has a nickname, Silk, been more appropriate.
Centre half back: Jeremy McGovern (West Coast)
Only made his debut in 2014 but hard to argue against his inclusion in this side. Regularly kickstarts West Coast counter attacks with his intercept marking and already has four All Australian selections to his name.
Half-back flank: Luke Hodge (Hawthorn, Brisbane)
The general and our captain choice. Surprisingly only one All Australian jacket in the selection period but his worth to the team is far more than that shown on the stat sheet. Claimed two Norm Smiths (one in the past decade), captained three flags and his stocks rose even further following a two-season stint marshalling Brisbane's young defence.
Wing: Dane Swan (Collingwood)
Maybe not a true winger but you try to make a team of the decade without one of the modern era's great ball winners. Did his best work in the early part of the decade but that included a Brownlow Medal, an MVP, four All Australians, a flag and two Anzac Day Medals.
Centre: Nat Fyfe (Fremantle)
His 2015 season is considered by many (including myself) to be the best individual year in recent history. Power, finesse and scoreboard impact saw the Freo star cement his place in the upper echelon of the comepetition and he finished the decade off with another 'Charlie' in 2019.
Wing: Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood)
May well be the most consistent and durable player of the past decade. Skippered the Pies for the past six seasons, won six best and fairests, six All Australians, three Anzac Day Medals and a Norm Smith in the 2010 premiership.
Half-forward flank: Dustin Martin (Richmond)
If Fyfe's 2015 was the best, Dusty's 2017 wasn't far behind. On his day, the Tigers star simply can't be contained. Now a two-time Norm Smith Medal winner and two-time premiership player to go with a host of other accolades.
Centre half forward: Lance Franklin (Hawthorn, Sydney)
The most dominant forward of the decade, booting 639 goals in the past 10 seasons. Since 2010, Buddy has claimed three Coleman Medal, seven All Australians, a premiership, and two Goal of the Year awards just for good measure.
Half-forward flank: Robbie Gray (Port Adelaide)
The Power star is class personfied and has built a resume to rival many of the modern greats. Four All Australians, three best and fairests, a Coaches Association gong and an incredible five Showdown Medals make the Victorian an easy choice.
Forward pocket: Cyril Rioli (Hawthorn)
One of the all-time great highlight reels (perhaps only rivalled by the other forward pocket selection), the former Hawks star might have the best-ever possession to impact ratio. Claimed three flags, three All Australians and a Norm Smith in the last decade.
Full forward: Josh J. Kennedy (West Coast)
Second only to Franklin in terms of goals per game in past decade, leading the club's goalkicking six times and claiming two Coleman Medals and three All Australian selections.
Forward pocket: Eddie Betts (Carlton, Adelaide)
You don't get a pocket named after you for nothing. Without a doubt the best small forward of the past decade, booting 477 goals since the start of 2010, claiming four All Australians, leading the goalkicking six times for his club and showing off with three Goal of the Year gongs (four in total).
Ruckman: Max Gawn (Melbourne)
Perhaps the hardest position to select. Dean Cox was dominant in the early part of the decade, Nic Naitanui, Todd Goldstein, Paddy Ryder and Brodie Grundy have all had periods as the game's best big man, but we feel Gawn has the runs on the board as far as longevity and impact go. Three All Australians, two best and fairests and Coaches Association Award make a solid case.
Onballer: Patrick Dangerfield (Adelaide,Geelong)
Absolute X-factor player and has been dealing with a tag pretty much every week for most his career. Took his game to another level once getting to Geelong and while yet to experience team success has collected seven All Australians, a Brownlow Medal, an MVP and four best and fairests to name a few.
Onballer: Gary Ablett Jr. (Geelong, Gold Coast)
Such as his been his dominance over a glittering career, Ablett is a walk-up start in the team of the decade for the 2000-2009 period as well as this one. Since 2010, he has claimed a Brownlow Medal, two MVPs, four All Australians and four best and fairests. All-time great.
Interchange:
Jack Riewoldt (Richmond)
Has reinvented himself from one of the competition's best goalkickers into the ultimate team man and a key cog in Richmond's recent dominance. Three Coleman Medals, three All Australians, two flag and two best and fairests.
Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn, West Coast)
Easy to forget just how crucial and consistent he was to the Hawks' era of dominance. Was everpresent in the league's best engine room, claiming three flags, a Brownlow Medal, three best and fairests and three All Australians in the past 10 years.
Joel Selwood (Geelong)
The Cats skipper has taken leading by example to a whole new level. Puts his head where other players won't, seeing him end the decade with five All Australians, three best and fairests, a premiership and, fittingly, three Most Courageous Player awards to go with a host of other honours.
Josh P. Kennedy (Sydney)
Moved to the Swans at the start of the decade and quickly became one of the competition's elite contested players, maintaining those standards as Sydney remained perennial contenders. Won three All Australians, three best and fairests and a premiership in that time.
Coach: Alastair Clarkson (Hawthorn)
Without question the best coach in the competition. Masterminded the three-peat and has reinvented the team to ensure they remain competitive throughout.
