Almanac Footy Teams – Political Football
I have assembled a team of VFL/AFL players with namesakes who have been President or Prime Minister of a country. This week seems an apt time to publish it.
Notes on selection:
This is the best 22* players I could come up with who share their surname with a 20th/21st-century head of government. It allows only one player per leader, a restriction might have cost the likes of Josh Kennedy and ‘Mopsy’ Fraser a spot. There are two Wilsons because, Woodrow and Harold.
I excluded only Smiths, for the combined weight of legal and practical reasons. Many would argue that Ian Smith was not the legitimate leader of Rhodesia; but anyway, there are too damn many champions of that name. Sorry to Bernie, Norm, Len, Ross, etc, etc. (Jonno Brown nearly missed out too, on the latter basis.)
It turns out the leaders are all from the Anglosphere. I’d be grateful to hear ANY player surname that matches a non-Anglo leader.
* The last two on interchange, it is fair to say, are not in the best 22. They get their guernsey solely for matching both first and second names. The other one in that category, John Kennedy, gets there on merit.
B: Bob (‘Tas’) Johnson (Melb), Rod Carter (Fitz/Syd), Steven May (GC/Melb)
HB: Kevin Heath (Haw), Paul Abbott (Haw/Fitz), Sam Fisher (StK)
C: George Bruce (Carl), Tim Watson (Ess), Ian Law (Haw)
HF: John Kennedy Jr (Haw), Ken Fraser (Ess), David McMahon (Fitz)
F: Brian Wilson (Foots/NM/Melb/StK), Jonathan Brown (Bris), David King (NM)
R: Clark Keating (Bris) (capt.), Dustin Martin (Rich), Garry Wilson (Fitz)
Inter: Ryan Turnbull (WC), Tom Lynch (GC/Rich), Richard Nixon (Rich), David Cameron (Gee/Bris)
Captain: Clark Keating, for knocking off two extras (Canada, NZ) with his given name.
Coach: ‘Checker’ Hughes
Umpire: ‘Razor’ Ray Chamberlain (at least no one can accuse him of being an appeaser)
Counts from the above names, not counting the Clarks:
Australian PM: 9
British PM: 7
US President: 5
Canadian PM: 2
Irish Taoiseach: 1
Matching surnames to their namesakes is left as an exercise for the reader.
Out: Albert Morrison (Foots)
To be considered when available: George Shorten (Ess)
For other novelty footy teams, click HERE.
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About Andrew Gaylard
Andrew used to do computers; now he does books and writing. 1963, 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2022 were particularly good years in his football-following life.
Well compiled Andrew.
PNG’s PM Peter O’Neill has at least eight namesakes – Terry (Sth Melb/Fitzroy) and Bob (Richmond) are examples.
Neil Hawke was a brilliant footballer for my West Torrens and for East Perth (where he kicked 114 goals in 1959). Won 2 flags there and played interstate footy for both SA and WA. Strongly built with great hands and mobility. Gave up footy to concentrate on cricket where he opened the bowling for Australia in 27 Tests and was a handy late order batsman. Got down to a 2 handicap at golf later in life. One of the great all round sportsmen (and PM) who deserves a spot in the side.
Paul Hawke – 114 games for Sydney and Collingwood if we must stick to VFL players.
Well played PB (he says kicking himself).
Clement Attlee / Shaun or Joe Atley were near misses.
A non-Anglo nomination: Chris Schmidt (West Adelaide/Bris/Adel).
Watch this space for another political team…
Another near miss: Helmut Kohl / Michael and Nigel Kol
Lee Kuan Yew / Dick Lee (Collingwood)
Paul Roos-evelt? Staying Presidential – Vic (Harry) Truman (11 games – Carlton & Fitzroy). Chris (Ulysses S) Grant (Bulldogs). Taylor, Marcus or Frank “Bluey” (John Quincy) Adams.
Bill Churchill (17 games – South Melbourne) would never surrender.
Non Anglo countries – Vincente Fox (Mexican President 2000-06) and St Kilda’s Lindsay or Sydney’s Robbie.
Near miss for Josh Francou (Port Adelaide) and Spanish dictator for 36 years Francisco Franco.
Current Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa and long term Geelong President Frank.
Friedrich Ebert (Russell, Craig, Brett, Brad) was President, Prime Minister and Chancellor of Germany for various periods after WW1.
From outside the Anglosphere – Graeme Brandt (South Melbourne)/ Willi Brandt (West Germany).
Josh Francou (Port Adelaide) spells his name differently from the former Spanish dictator but the pronunciation is the same.
To the best of my knowledge, the name Lindner has no president qualifications, however Bruce Lindner (Crows and West Adelaide) was known, here in SA anyway as “The President” or “Pres”
Very timely, Andrew.
Well played!
Thanks to all responders, and especially the handful of non-Anglosphere nominations. Of those, Peter’s Ebert was a standout – he and ‘Swish”s Lee are perhaps the two that have a genuine claim in the best 22 under the somewhat restrictive terms of my project.
Neil Hawke did spring to mind when I was flipping through our own country’s leaders (gee, that term doesn’t seem to apply these days). My earliest memories of first-class cricket involve him and Garth McKenzie bowling for their State (yes, children, Shield cricket was a thing in those days) and country. Because I have little info on interstate history, and like to lead a rules-based existence, I let him go through to the keeper, but he was so damn great he did really warrant an asterisk.
As a Cats supporter I must note that Fox and O’Neill both have Geelong associates, in the first case a premiership player, but neither could break into the side. I couldn’t fit any Cats in except for David Cameron under the full-name rule, but a favourite of mine, Gordon ‘Butch’ Reid, came close, and The Prez (great get, Fisho) is another contender for an asterisk.
I forgot that it’s customary to include a musician for team song purposes. George Clinton would go well, on the basis that (a) he was a leader in Parliament, and (b) he could use his namesake on sax.
Andrew, I would now have Douglal Howard (Port Adelaide/St Kilda) at centre half back instead of Paul Abbott. I would also have Ricky Nixon (Carlton/St Kilda/Hawthorn) on the interchange bench instead of Richard Nixon. The following players weren’t the best but because of their surname I had to mention Doug Menzies (Footscray 14 games 1937 – 1939), Wal Gillard (Collingwood 37 games 1897-1899) and Billy Rudd (21 games for Richmond 1917-1918).
Andrew, I also think that the following players also deserve to be mentioned, by having an Australian Prime Minister’s surname but who weren’t good enough to make your team:
John Holt 71 games for North Melbourne 1981 -1988, Shane Watson (Collingwood 141 games 1992 – 2000), Jarry Lyons (Adelaide, Gold Coast, Brisbane Lions), Hugh McEwen (Fitzroy 32 games 1897-1901). I know you mentioned Albert Morrison who won 2 best and fairests for Footscray but Peter Morrison was a pretty handy footballer for South Melbourne from 1976-1981, playing 91 games in total for South Melbourne and Footscray. I know you mentioned Checker Hughes as the coach but for a player Danny Hughes from Melbourne and Adelaide played a total of 135 games.
Andrew, another political surname suggestion for a musician or musicians is the Australian rock band, The Whitlams, as The West Coast Eagles have now got a more pop music version to their club song and the club song for GWS could almost pass for the famous pop song “Moscow”.
As we’re often reminded on the news about the upcoming US elections in 2 months time on November 5th, it will be interesting to see if Leon Harris (Fitzroy) can be added as the sub to this team or will Kamala Harris be Trumped?
This team will play a match against the Royals team, named by Glen on January 29, 2019.
The match would be played at Northwest Stadium in Washington, which is 14.6 miles from the Oval Office.
Entertainment would be provided by Marilyn Monroe’s song “Happy Birthday Mr President”, the trailer to “All the President’s Men”, the previously mentioned Australian rock band The Whitlams, the song “My Sweet Lord” and a singer from the King’s Coronation Concert.
Transport will be provided via limousines from JFK airport in New York to Northwest Stadium in Washington.
The after match refreshments will include Devonshire Tea, chocolate royal biscuits, and for those more hungry, hamburgers and french fries. The drink will be Coca-Cola.
A special guest appearance will be made from former Footscray footballer, Brian Royal.
If the venue gets changed for any reason, it will be held at Manuka Oval in Canberra, the same ground as the Prime Minister’s X1 cricket matches.
Let’s hope for a good game of football in prime time, with many AFL Club Presidents in attendance!
Following the US election debate today between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, it got me thinking that the moderator is like the equivalent of an AFL umpire. Therefore, “Razor” Ray Chamberlain, in honour of former UK Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, can be the umpire for the match between this team and the Royals team.
Oh dear Anon, we’re only too aware of Neville Chamberlain’s last attempt to bring ‘Peace in our time’.
What result could “Razor Ray”, achieve?
With a Harris in political action which Harris will turn up on the playing field; David Harris, Leon Harris, Bernie Harris or ?
Glen!
You make very valid points. I was actually more aware of the surnames itself for this article, rather than the unfortunate political connotations. I never studied Politics growing up or even later. Social Studies was probably the closest. Nowadays, Google can help people catch up with just about any topic. As others before me have mentioned, thanks for the history lesson, even if it was brief. I was too obsessed with sports like AFL football, cricket and tennis and still am.
As far as “Razor Ray” is concerned, I’m not a fan of his umpiring in AFL matches, especially if the free kicks go to the opposition. Ray Chamberlain may not bring peace on the field to the players or to the supporters themselves, but what I do know, is that he has the “gift of the gab.”
He won’t be up for any nonsense on the field by any player, otherwise he will give 50 metre penalties. Nowadays, as umpires can be heard wearing a microphone, Ray will explain in detail his decision. He will tackle (pardon the pun, not that umpires actually tackle but I remember an AFL umpire actually taking a mark in a St Kilda v Fremantle game) any issues on the field and if he is to bring any type of peace at all, he will prevent any melees turning into brawls on the field, or after the siren on the field, like the infamous May 18,1974 on field brawl at Windy Hill between Richmond and Essendon.
Thankfully, 50 years later, that doesn’t happen anymore for many reasons. Last weekend, the incident where Jason McCartney, the current List Manager from GWS brushed past Tom Papley from Sydney was worlds apart from that 1974 brawl.
Following the recent US elections, it got me thinking of doing a Prime Ministers XI, where the actual surnames of every player named in the team, is of a former or current Australian Prime Minister. The criteria is that the cricketer can come from any country and doesn’t need to have played Test cricket, just first class level. In the case of Nathan Lyon, it’s close enough to the spelling of the surname for Joseph Lyons and Jake Fraser-McGurk is close enough to the spelling of the surname of Malcolm Fraser.
Here is the Australian Prime Minister’s XI:
Phil Hughes (wk)
Graeme Watson
Shane Watson
Jake Fraser-McGurk
Daniel Hughes (81 FC NSW 2013-)
John Morrison (17 Tests NZ 1973-83)
Neil Hawke
Merv Hughes
Nathan Lyon
Danny Morrison
Bruce Reid
Sean Abbott (12th man)
Stephen Howard (concussion substitute 20 FC Tas 1969/70-1978/79)
This team will play a match against the Mc/Mac World Test team, which was named by yours truly recently, titled “Irish Correspondent: Dublin cricket looks bright amid the mizzle” article of the Footy Almanac.
The match will be played at the Manuka Oval in Canberra.
Entertainment will be provided by The Whitlams.
Transport will be by Limousine.
Let’s hope for a good game of cricket that’s sure to get your Vote of approval!
Following the recent announcement that the Australian Federal Election will be held on Saturday 3 May 2025, it got me thinking about a football team where the players’ surnames are the same names as Australian Electoral Divisions.
The players’ surnames can only be used once and the spelling of the player’s surname must be the same as the Australian Electoral Division.
This is the VFL/AFL Team of Australian Electoral Divisions:
B: Laurie FOWLER (Rich/Melb/NSW), Andrew DUNKLEY (Sydney/VIC), Trevor BARKER (St Kilda/SA)
HB: Colin ROBERTSON (Hawthorn/NSW), Sam FISHER (St Kilda/QLD), Ken HUNTER (Carlton/NSW)
C: Graeme WRIGHT (Collingwood/QLD), Josh KENNEDY (Haw/Syd/QLD), Dane SWAN (Coll/WA)
HF: Ken FRASER (Essendon/VICTORIA), Lance FRANKLIN (Haw/Syd/TAS), Ian COOPER (St Kilda/VIC)
F: Jack HIGGINS (Rich/St K/VICTORIA), Drew PETRIE (North Melb/QLD), Michael MONCRIEFF (Haw/QLD)
R: John NICHOLLS (Carlton/VICTORIA), Tim WATSON (Essendon/NSW/NSW), Sam MITCHELL (Haw/WC/NSW)
Interchange: Todd GOLDSTEIN (NM/Ess/VIC), Andrew WILLS (Geel/Frem/VIC), Geoff CUNNINGHAM (St K), Dennis BANKS (Coll/NSW)
Sub: Paul HAWKE (Syd/Coll/VIC)
Emergencies: Dean SOLOMON (Ess/Frem/NT), Josh BRUCE (GWS/St K/WB/VIC), Danny HUGHES (Melb/Adel/NSW), David HOLT (NM/VIC), Scott CHISHOLM (Frem/Melb/VIC), Sam LALOR (Rich/VIC)
Captain Coach: Sam MITCHELL (Haw/WC/NSW)
This team will play an exhibition match against the VFL/AFL Team whose namesakes have been Prime Minister or President of a country, which was named at the beginning of this article.
The match will be played at Manuka Oval in Canberra.
Entertainment will be provided by The WHITLAMS and Joni MITCHELL.
Let’s hope for a good game of football that will get your vote of approval!
Who says sport and politics don’t mix?
Now, for the trivia buffs out in Almanac land; who was won the most VFL/AFL grand finals in a Federal Election year? I won’t ask about the equivalent victories in the year of a Victorian State election.
Anyhow adding spice to the dialogue, this is a cricketing post of mine from a few years prior .
https://www.footyalmanac.com.au/almanac-teams-cricketing-politicians/
Glen!
With the upcoming Federal Election this Saturday, together with Victoria being a big part of the election, got me thinking about doing a football team where each players’ surname shares a surname with a Premier of Victoria.
The criteria is that the players’ surnames must be the same as the spelling of the Premier’s surname.
This is the VFL/AFL Team of Premiers of Victoria:
B: Garry Hamer (Geel 1961-65/Rupert Hamer 1972-81), Alistair Nicholson (Melb/William Nicholson 1859-60), Ian Prendergast (Carl 2001-06/George Prendergast 1924)
HB: Ian McCulloch (Fitz/James McCulloch 1863-77), Ron Andrews (Essendon/Collingwood/Daniel Andrews ), Kevin Murray (Fitzroy/John Murray 1909-12)
C: Michael Turner (Geel/George Turner 1894-1901), Jarrod Berry (BL/Graham Berry 1875, 1877-80, 1880-81), Peter Francis (Carl/Fitz/Rich/Ess/James Francis 1872-74)
HF: Daniel McPherson (Syd/William McPherson 1928-29), Tom McDonald (Melbourne/John McDonald 1950-52), Roger Duffy (Foots 1952-58/Charles Duffy 1871-72)
F: Stephen MacPherson (Foots/NM/John MacPherson 1869-70), Jesse Hogan (M/F/GWS Edmond Hogan 1927-32), Matthew Allan (Carl/Ess/John Allan 1924-27/Jacinta Allan)
R: Len Thompson (c) (Coll/SM/Fitz/Lindsay Thompson 1981-82), Ian Dunstan (Foots/NM/Albert Dunstan 1935-43), Liam Shiels (Haw/NM/William Shiels 1892-93)
Interchange: Michael Patterson (Rich/James Patterson 1893-94), Rowley Watt (Ess 1922-31/William Watt 1912-14), Ricky McLean (Carl/Rich/Allan McLean 1899-1900), Frank Munro (Carl/Rich/1954-57/Jack Munro 1890-92)
Sub: Jamie Lawson (Syd 1991-94/Harry Lawson 1918-24)
Emergencies: Jim Haines (SM 1971-72/William Haines 1855-57), Arthur Irvine (Geel 1947-51/William Irvine 1902-04), George Peacock (Melb 1905-07/Alexander Peacock 1901-02, 1914-17, 1924), Tom Gillies (Geel/Melb 2009-13/ Duncan Gillies 1886-90), Fred Kennett (1 game SM 1920/Jeff Kennett 1992-99)
Playing Coach: Michael Patterson (Rich1959-69/St K coach/James Patterson 1893-94)
This team will play a pretend exhibition match against the last VFL Premiers, before it became the AFL.
The match will be played at VFL Park.
Let’s hope for a good game of football, where the Premier team will win!
As today is the Federal Election, together with the recent article by Rodney for Elected Members of Parliament, it got me thinking of doing a football team where there’s a surname namesake for Rodney’s team.
As I could only find 17 out of his 21 with the same surname, Clayton Oliver was included to make up the 18, as Steven Oliver (Carl 1992-94) ran for the 2010 State Election Seat of Bendigo West, but wasn’t elected.
Some players were played out of position, so they could be included in the team.
Football and Politics do mix and this is the Opposition Team to the Elected Members of Parliament:
B: Mark Thompson (c) (Ess/Murray/Richmond), Marcus Drum (Frem/Damian/Geel), Michael Patterson (Rich/Stephen/Coll)
HB: Mike Delahunty (Coll 1971-1975/Hugh/Ess), David Sykes (Fitz 1961-68/Bill/Fitz), James Trezise (Rich 2023-pres/Neil/Geel)
C: Graham Heal (NM 5 games 1968/Stan/Melb), Touk Miller (GC/Bob/Melbourne), Alan Chipp (1game Fitz 1957/Don/Fitz)
HF: Cyril Rioli (Hawthorn /Maurice Sr/Rich), Chris Groom (Adel/Frem/NM/Ray/Melb), Bob Galbally (Coll 1944/Jack/Coll)
F: Ashley McGrath (Bris L/2001-14/Bill/Ess), Barry Hall (St K/Syd/WB/Peter/Carl), Ben Dixon (Hawthorn/Brian/Melb)
R: Simon Madden (Ess/Justin/Ess/Carlton), Clayton Oliver (Melb/Steven/Car 92-94), Michael Bowden (Rich 1967-71/Joel/Rich)
Captain Coach: Mark Thompson (Ess/Coached Geel/Ess)
This team will play a pretend exhibition match against the Elected Members of Parliament.
The match will be played at the MCG, not far from Parliament House.
Entertainment will be provided by the songs “Another Brick in the Wall”, by Pink Floyd and “Happy Birthday Mr President”, by Marilyn Monroe.
Transport will be by train to Parliament Station, for those who ELECT to attend this game.
Let’s hope for a good game of football that will get everyone’s vote of approval!