They have been selected in the AFL North Coast's second-ever team of the decade for their efforts over a long period of time.

"I'm really happy for my mates who got selected," Schmidt said.

"It means so much to Craig and Rod especially in the twilight of their careers.

"Rod and Dylan as defenders deserve the recognition and Craig wears his heart on his sleeve; very happy for them getting the reward for a decade of hard work."

Collectively the selected players have won 48 AFL North Coast Senior Premierships, nine League Best and Fairest Medals, and six Woodlock Medal for best on ground in the Grand Final in the past decade alone.

"The selectors must have been needing to make up numbers with the addition of me," Sonogan said.

"It's pretty special to see the players from other teams that you have played against and know how skilled they are and how difficult they can be to play on.

"It's a chance to step back and appreciate their ability instead of the usual tactical thoughts of how you can beat them."

Meanwhile, the Pioneers of Women's AFL on the North Coast have been recognised for the key role they played in establishing the thriving local competition that goes from strength to strength.

It is widely acknowledged throughout all levels of AFL North Coast that the introduction of women's footy has been an absolute bonus for the code, clubs, and community alike.

With the competition only two years' old it was not yet time to announce a women's team of the decade, but it was appropriate to recognise those who were there from the outset and quickly became role models for their peers.

Alana Hanson, speaking on behalf of the Female Pioneers said "we've just seen exponential growth in Women's footy as more and more players come across and it's something that I never really thought could get this big."

"It's grown so much over a short space of time that we're trying to keep up but it's absolutely amazing to see."

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