Mike Sheahan is one of the most esteemed football journalists in the history of our great game.

For decades, Mike has enlightened, entertained, and, occasionally, exasperated us, with his forthright views on all the enthralling, exciting, turbulent happenings within the league football world.

A feature of Mike’s illustrious journalistic career at the ‘Herald Sun’ newspaper was his list of the top 50 players in the competition each season.

Predict Mike's top five Tigers of the last 50 years for your chance to win, thanks to Jeep!

It was a hugely-popular piece of work, which always prompted plenty of discussion and debate.

That, however, was a relative breeze, compared to the assignment he has now undertaken at the behest of us here at richmondfc.com.au.

We asked the multi-award-winning football journalist to compile a list of the top 50 Richmond players he had seen on the field of battle during the past 50 years.

Given that time span incorporates the greatest era in Tigerland history, with four premierships under Tommy Hafey’s coaching guidance (1967, 1969, 1973 and 1974), and another flag with Tony Jewell in charge (1980), the magnitude of the task we set Mike is apparent.

Many of the greatest players in league football history have pulled on the famous Yellow and Black guernsey throughout this half-century period – the likes of Bartlett, Bourke, Barrot, Clay, Green, Hart, Richardson, Roach, Stewart and Weightman – to name just a few.

So, how did Mike go with this Tigerishly tough task?

You’ll find out over the next four weeks, starting today, as Mike Sheahan unveils his top 50 Tigers in 50 years . . .