Almanac Footy Teams: Spielen ist der Anruf! (or a team of players with Deutsche names)

 

 

How many readers understand this heading ? For those whose lingua franca is not Deutsch: play on’s the call!

 

Germany (Deutschland to some of us) has produced some of the great figures in human history. People as talented as Karl Marx and Marlene Dietrich, Bertolt Brecht and Steffi Graf, not to mention Clara Zetkin and Boris Becker. All hail from what we know as Germany.

 

Well what about a team of footballers who’ve got German origins? How does this look?

 

B:          Daryl Gerlach, (Essendon); Don Grossman, (South Melbourne); Michael Schulze, (Geelong)

HB:      Wells Eicke, (St Kilda/North Melbourne); David Neitz, (Melbourne); Aaron Henneman, (Essendon)

C:          Harry Frei, (Footscray); Adam Schneider, (Sydney, St Kilda); Neville Bruns, (Geelong)

HF:       Bruce Lindner, (Geelong/Adelaide); Nick Riewoldt, (St Kilda); Stewart Loewe, (St Kilda)

F:          Justin Koschitzke, (St Kilda); Jack Riewoldt, (Richmond); Steve Hoffman, (South Melbourne/Footscray)

Foll:    John Schultz, (Footscray); Carl Ditterich, (St Kilda/Melbourne); Don Gross, (Essendon)

 

Inter: From Heinz Tonn, (Fitzroy); Wolfgang Dietrich, (North Melbourne); Jack Ziebell, (North Melbourne); George Heinz, (Melbourne/Geelong/St Kilda); David Schwarz, (Melbourne); Otto Landmann, (Essendon/Melbourne); Barry Goring, (North Melbourne); Mitchell Hahn, (Western Bulldogs).

 

This team includes some legends of the game like Wells Eicke, Jon Schultz and Carl Ditterich. Club favourites, like, but not limited to, Bruce Lindner, Adam Schneider, Justin Koschitzke and Neville Bruns are included.

 

How could a German team leave out Wolfgang Deitrich and Otto Landmann?  Then of course there’s Harry Frei who was born in what was called West Germany. For a long time I thought he was the only German-born player to appear at the highest level, but I’m advised Hamburg-born Heinz Tonn played for Fitzroy in the late 1940s.

 

Anyhow I’m sure there are players missing. Please tell me who you would have in this team.

 

Prost.

 

Glen!

 

 

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Comments

  1. Peter German of course

  2. Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt says

    Stephen Schwerdt (Centrals, Adelaide)
    Russell Ebert (Port Adelaide, North Melbourne), plus Craig and Brett
    Andrew Obst (Port Adelaide, Melbourne), plus Trevor and Peter
    Grenville Dietrich (North Adelaide, West Torrens)
    Everyone who ever played for Adelaide Lutheran Football Club.

  3. Wayne and Daryl Schimmelbusch appears German

    Murray, Mark and Sam Weideman along with Wayne Weidemann

    Peter Mann of North Melbourne and Fremantle

    A lot of South Australians such as Tony Modra, Grant Fielke, John Klug, Simon Tregenza, Shaun Rehn, Stephen Schwerdt, Matthew Kluzak, Bryan Bienke, Tyson Stenglein all sound German

    Harry Himmelberg of GWS sounds German as it would translate as Sky Mountain.

  4. Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt says

    Daryl Schramm can be the man in weiss

  5. Otto Buck (Carlton)
    Herman Dohrmann (Carlton)
    Jordan Doering (Carlton)
    Carl Keller (Carlton and Fitzroy)
    Henry Dedrich Lampe (South Melbourne)
    Alex Ruscuklic (Fitzroy and Carlton)
    Paul Schmidt (Carlton)
    Charlie Schunke (Carlton)
    Conrad ten Brink (Essendon)
    Dean Terlich (Melbourne)

    Harry Frei also played first-class cricket for Queensland

  6. Ta folks.

    Alex Ruscuklic and Peter Ruscuklic are two i forgot: silly me. Alex Ruscuklic, like Alex Jesaulenko: was he born in Europe?

    The Schimmelbusch brothers were Latvian, or Lithuanian?

    South Australia of course has a big Germanic presence; Rehn, Fielke, Stenglein and Klug are just some of the names to have graced AFL grounds since Adelaide came into the national competition.

    Glen!

  7. Way too many South Australians to mention. You could form half a dozen teams from Sturt, or the Barossa boxheads from Centrals.

  8. What is this the Fussball Teutonmanac very cool or should that be kühl !!

  9. Mark Duffett says

    John Schneebichler of South Adelaide would surely get a guernsey in a South Australian side.

  10. Michael Crawford says

    Das ist sehr gut.
    John Sudholz (South Melbourne). 86 games 176 goals.
    Lutheran from the Wimmera – Rupanyup.

  11. 4 FIFA World cups, 8 finals and a record 13 top 4 finishes (and a whole lot of that done without unification!) … little wonder us Germans would be good at Aussie Rules too. Some great players mentioned so far. I’ll bet there’ll be a whole lot more who have ancestry, but not the surname (i.e. the way Shane Warne has a German mother.)

  12. Ta Gerry. That’s 3 players born in Deutschland.

    Punx Pete, i had ‘Warney’ in the German cricket side i posted last week.

    For the team geurnsey i reckon the yellow, red and black St Kilda wore for a few years until the outbreak of the ‘Great Trade War’, would be the way to go.

    Glen!

  13. Luke Breust

  14. Ray Huppatz, SA import to the dogs in the 80’s

  15. Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt says

    Gordon Schwartz has to do the match report.

  16. Emmett Dunne (Rich, Bulldogs) sounds German. He had a distinguished career with Victoria Police and now sits in the Richmond board.

  17. Robert Klomp (Sturt & Carlton). The Sachse brothers Neil (CHB – North Adelaide & Footscray) and Dennis (FF – NA) both played state football for SA. The check side prodigy Peter Endersbee and Pastor Peter Wiebusch were both notables in those teutonic Sturt champion sides of the 60’s and 70’s.
    Searching through the 1966 set of Mobil Footy Cards in my head I remembered South Adelaide’s Dick Roennfeldt who played 121 games and was in their best players in the famous last to first 1964 flag coached by Neil Kerley.
    Keith Kuhlmann played 230 games for West Adelaide and Glenelg 1974-84 and was SA full back.
    Speaking of SA full backs, Swish has subliminally removed Central Districts Ian Kroehn from his memory banks after the 10 goal mauling by Jezza in 1973.

  18. Daryl Schramm says

    Thanks Swish. The Barossa/Centrals link could form a team on its own I reckon.

  19. Phillip Dimitriadis says

    Uber team Glen !

    Not many German Magpies to choose from: Andrew Schauble perhaps ?

  20. Mark Bos? Or is that Dutch? Handy player too btw.

  21. Mark Duffett says

    Leo Schlink could also take on reporting duties. And I thought Robbert Klomp was Dutch? Sachses and Kuhlmann are good gets though, Peter B

  22. Paul Spinks says

    Wow, A lot of big names there, Glen, and a few that wouldn’t have immediately come to mind as being Deutsch.

    Can’t see Hassa Mann among any of the above – is he of German extraction?

    “Ich bin ein Aussie Rules-er”

  23. Colin Ritchie says

    Graeme Schultz (Ess) Michael Werner (Ess & Syd) Kyle Riemers (Ess) (?) Stephen Taubert (Ess & Rich) (?)

  24. Justin Koschitzke’s surname is actually of Polish origin. I would put therefore drop Koschitzke for the German surname of Gehrig, Fraser Gherig, and he would play in the forward pocket. Peter Schwab from Hawthorn has a German surname. I would put him on the wing and drop Harry Frei.

  25. Thanks chaps.

    DB, i’m pretty sure Bos is Dutch.

    Colin a few of those names crossed my mind, especially the first and last of the four you mention. I thought of Stephen Taubert, though there’s a (forgotten) reason i didn’t pick him.

    Tom i can concur with both changes. Yes Koschitzke is not your ‘typical teutonic’ name, but i was of the impression the family came from the N E corner of Deutschland not far from Poland. Around Silesia.

    Glen!

  26. Michael Voss has a German surname as does Mathew Leuenberger.

  27. Great to see a good representation of St Kilda players in the best 18. It’s a long shot but have you done any research into the origins of former St Kilda players Leigh Fisher and Sam Fisher, as the German equivalent is spelt Fischer? Of course, St Kilda has the same colours as the German Empire flag of red, white and black. In 1915, St Kilda changed its colours to red, yellow and black, to avoid playing in the colours of the German Empire’s flag during a war against that country; in honour of the allied power Belgium, they played in its flag colours for the remainder of the First World War.

  28. It has been brought to my attention that other AFL footballers who have a surname with a German heritage include Ariel Steinberg from Essendon, Mordy Bromberg from St Kilda and Todd Goldstein from North Melbourne.

  29. Another St Kilda fan says

    Troy Schwarze from St Kilda warrants a mention. Many St Kilda fans will remember his winnng goal from 55 metres out in the dying minutes of the match against the Brisbane Lions in round 6, 2004. That night, Troy did his German surname of Schwarze proud. Well done Troy. For that achievement alone, you can be put on the extended interchange bench.

  30. Josh, those three fellows you mention are of Jewish origin.

    Maybe some Deutsch links, but certainly inclusions in a Jewish side if some one wants to compile one.

    Glen!

  31. Entertainment for our team would surely come from HANS from America’s Got talent fame.

  32. In response to Glen’s message on Feb 9, here is the Jewish side.
    I wish to remain anonymous, as full credit needs to be given to the very respected senior writer, Ashley Browne,
    who had previously spent a great deal of time doing research of past and present Jewish players in the VFL/AFL.

    B: Michael Zemski (Hawthorn), Ariel Steinberg (Essendon), Mordy Bromberg (St Kilda)
    HB: Dean Solomon (Essendon), Ian Synman (St Kilda), Ezra Poyas (Richmond)
    C: Andrew Krakouer (Richmond/Collingwood), Trevor Korn (Melbourne), Nathan Krakouer (Port Adelaide/Gold Coast)
    HF: Phil Krakouer (North Melbourne/Footscray), Michael O’Laughlin (Sydney), Keith Baskin (South Melbourne)
    F: Gary Lazarus (Fitzroy), Julian Kirzner (Essendon/North Melbourne), Henry Ritterman (Melbourne)
    R: Todd Goldstein (North Melbourne), Jim Krakouer (North Melbourne/St Kilda), Bert Rapiport (Fitzroy)
    Reserve: Barney Lazarus (Carlton)

    In the end, I was struggling to make a full team. Ariel Steinberg is not Jewish. He has a Jewish surname but his parents travelled to
    Israel and fell in love with the country. They wanted him to have a Hebrew first name of Ariel, like his siblings Hadassah, Yael and Asher. He grew up in country Victoria. He has no known Jewish links but was included for his surname.

    Todd Goldstein is not Jewish but he has a Jewish father. To be Jewish, your mother has to be Jewish. Therefore, because he has
    Jewish links, he was included for team balance.

    I can see raised eyebrows for the Krakouers. Jimmy, Phil, Andrew and Nathan Krakouer all descended from an English Jewish convict,
    Theodore Krakouer, who married a local Noongar woman. These Krakouers were needed to add a bit of class to the team.

    Former Fitzroy forward Gary Lazarus and Dean Solomon have Jewish ancestory but are not Jewish. They were still needed for the team.

    The only Reserve in Barney Lazarus was Jewish and played 7 games for Carlton in 1902. The rover in Bert Rapiport was Jewish
    and played for Fitzroy in the VFL at the age of 31 in 1897.

    Michael O’Laughlin had a Jewish grandfather. Michael is not Jewish. Everyone else in the team is Jewish.

    Some of these players have been put in different positions on the field as there were no better options.

    Once again, thank you Ashley for your research.

  33. It should also be noted that out of the Jewish born players in this team, Ian Synman must be recognised for being a member of St Kilda’s only premiership team to date in 1966. I have made him the captain. Former AFL coach of Port Adelaide, Mark Williams, who is not Jewish, but coached the Jewish senior amateur team Ajax in the VAFA a few years ago, has been appointed coach of this team.

    In line with the German team, the half time entertainment will be provided free of charge by the legendary singer, Neil Diamond, and comedians Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, not that there’s anything wrong with that!

  34. Sorry, but I also forgot to mention that the Jewish team have made two very late appointments. Firstly, Albert Einstein’s descendants have been appointed to the coaching panel to help Mark Williams construct a much better game plan against the much stronger German team, who on paper, will win this match by a record VFL/AFL margin. Secondly, the descendants of Sigmund Freud, have been put in charge of player welfare, to console the players after the game.

  35. Anonymous, it’s a marvelous side. Some wonderful selections.

    To you and Ashley, Vielen Danke.

    Interesting to be Jewish it must be on the maternal side. I never knew that.

    Were John Gallus & Trevor Burgman, both of who played for Melbourne in the early 70’s, Jewish? I thought they were.

    However i may challenge your half time entertainment as i always had the idea Neil Diamond was Greek. Could you sub him with Roy Rene, or maybe Bette Midler ?

    Glen!

  36. Whoops , i posted too fast.

    Anonymous, what was the cultural back ground of the Schimmelbusch brothers? I always had them as Jewish.

    Glen!

  37. Thank you for your comments Glen.

    This time, I had to do some investigation. According to Jewish law, only those born to a Jewish mother are considered Jewish. The exception is if the mother is not born Jewish, she can undergo a conversion to Judaism process before she has children, for her children to be considered Jewish. I believe that the reason the mother has to be Jewish is because when the baby is still in the mother’s womb, the baby and the mother are considered as the one person.

    Wayne Schimmelbusch was born in Vienna and his surname is of German origin. The Schimmelbusch brothers were not on Ashley Browne’s list of Jewish VFL/AFL players, therefore they have no known Jewish links. The same applies to John Gallus and Trevor Burgman. There can be Jewish Bergmans (notice the spelling) but the famous German actress Ingrid Bergman was not Jewish.

    I googled Neil Diamond. He was born in New York to a Jewish family descended from Russian and Polish immigrants. His mother was Rose (formerly Rapaport) and his father was Akeeba “Kieve” Diamond, a dry goods merchant. Neil Diamond’s classmate at school was Barbara Streisand, who is also Jewish.

    Therefore the entertainment might have to have both pre match, half time and after match entertainment to fit in the likes of Neil Diamond, who could even do a duet as well with Barbara Streisand, Roy Rene (maybe his descendants are talented too), Bette Miller, Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld.

    Hope the match between the German and the Jewish teams goes well and some good football can be played. To the likes of Jack Riewoldt, Nick Riewoldt, Justin Kositchke and Fraser Gherig, Bruce Lindbner and Stuart Loewe (if the latter has his accurate kicking boots on), there’s every chance you will break Fred Fanning’s goal kicking Record of 18 goals in this match, but I have heard on the grapevine that Mark Williams’ brain trust will flood the backline if those players cut loose.

    Anyway, may the better German team win, but football will be the real winner.

  38. Wow Anonymous, your research has put mine to shame.

    The Schimmelbusch, Gallus, Burgman reply gives me food for thought. I always thought i was cognisant of a Bergman, Burgman dichotomy, the spelling indicating the different ethnic origins.

    Back to Melbourne teams of the early 70’s, i would/could have sworn the names Ritterman, Fitzsimmons, Gallus and Bergman were all Jewish. However i’m wrong with only one gaining inclusion in your team.

    What is the origin of the name Sarau, as in Jeff Sarau? I always considered it Jewish.

    Glen!

    PS: A Yiddish team; now that would be an intriguing combination.

    Glen!

  39. When compiling a Jewish team, surely the famous explainer Dr Isaac Asimov, inventor of the 3 laws of robotics, must be included.

  40. You guys have been keeping me on my toes.

    Jeff Sarau has no Jewish heritage, likewise his brother Mark Sarau. However, Mark Sarau did coach Ajax Senior Football Club
    in the VAFA from 1994 – 1995.

    Getting back to Ajax, having googled the History of the Ajax Football Club many of the Jewish born players in the Jewish team ended up tasting premiership success for Ajax either before or after their VFL or AFL careers ended. These included Mordy Bromberg, Henry
    Ritterman, Michael Zemski, Trevor Korn and Julian Kirzner. Also, former Australian Test cricketer Julian Wiener and former Australian Twenty 20 representative Michael Klinger who are both Jewish, represented Ajax Senior cricket club.

    As far as the Yiddish team is concerned, Dr Isaac Asimov was brought up speaking fluent Yiddish, and as he was the inventor of the 3 laws of robotics, his descendants could perhaps help Mark Williams with coaching the Jewish team with set plays that appear to be robotic. I strongly doubt that Ashley Browne or anyone else would be able to help find out any footballers with Yiddish speaking abilities.

    I know you have mentioned in several comments regarding footballers that you thought were Jewish but weren’t. There is no easy explanation which is why I have relied on Ashley’s research.

    However, I have done a bit more research of my own regarding Jewish surnames and I have had to google relevant information:

    You generally can’t identify Jewish ancestory by a surname alone. Actually, there are really only three surnames (and their vacations)
    that are generally specific Jewish, Cohen, Levy and Israel. Yet even variations of these common Jewish-specific surnames may not
    be Jewish in origin. The surnames Cohan and even Cohen, for example, could instead be an Irish surname, derived from O’ Cadhen
    (descendant of Cadhon).

    There are clues to surnames that may be Jewish:

    Names ending in berg (Weinberg, Goldberg)
    Names ending in stein (Einstein, Hofstein)
    Names ending in witz (Rabinowitz, Horowitz)
    Names ending in baum (Metzenbaum, Himmelbaum)
    Names ending in thal (Blumenthal, Eichenthal)
    Names ending in ler (Adler, Winkler)
    Names ending in blum (Weissblum, Rosenblum)

    As you can see, many common Jewish surnames sound German.

  41. Anonymous, stay on those twinkling toes.

    I’m not going to mention Fred Goldsmith as a contender for the Jewish team. But i’ll digress to another popular sport down under: cricket. In a recent posting i chose an Australian XI of Deutsch origins, could you match them against a team of Jewish opponents?

    In my youth i considered this trio of Victorian batsmen as Jewish: Julian Wiener, Jeff Moss and Graham Yallop. Re the latter i’m wrong as it’s apparently an old Cornish name. The first player is confirmed as Jewish, but Jeff Moss? Anyhow please post a side that can battle the finest cricketers to hail from Deutschland.

    Prost,

    Glen!

  42. Firstly I have been doing more research and Adam Schneider, who was named in the centre for the German team isn’t Jewish, but has a Jewish father and a Catholic mother, like Todd Goldstein. The Jewish team could do with Schneider in the centre and put Trevor Korn to the interchange bench. The German team could then take Jack Ziebell from the bench and put him into the centre if that’s fine with the selectors.

    Also, although Fred Goldsmith has a surname that can be Jewish, he was not Jewish and had no known Jewish ancestory.. However, like Ariel Steinberg, I have decided to include him in the Jewish team at full back and Ariel Steinberg can go to the interchange bench.

    Here is the best Jewish cricket team of all time. As Australia don’t have enough quality representatives, I had to do more research
    into overseas players and this time the whole team appear to have been born Jewish.

    1 Julien Wiener (Victoria)
    2 Michael Klinger (Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia)
    3 Ali Bacher (South Africa)
    4 Adam Bacher (South Africa)
    5 Dennis Garnsy (South Africa)
    6 Jonathan Moss (Victoria, New South Wales)
    7 Ray Phillips (Queensland)
    8 Morris Sievers (Victoria)
    9 Norman Gordon (South Africa)
    10 Fred Trueman (England)
    11 Steve Herzberg (Western Australia/Tasmania)

    Julien Wiener played 6 Tests for Australia with a highest score of 93 against Pakistan. He was a great batsman for Victoria.

    Michael Klinger played 3 Twenty 20 matches for Australia, averaging 47. He played 182 first class matches
    with 11,320 runs at an average of 39.30. He played well for the Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash.

    Ali Bacher played 12 Tests for South Africa from 1966 to 1970. He made 679 runs with a highest score of 73 at an
    average of 32.33.

    Adam Bacher played 19 Tests for South Africa from 1996 to 1998. He made 833 runs at an average of 26,
    with a highest score of 96.

    Dennis Garnsy played 2 Tests for South Africa in 1969-70 and scored 39 runs at an average of 19.50
    with a highest score of 30.

    Jonathan Moss was an all rounder for Victoria and New South Wales and played 83 first class matches.
    Please note that former Victorian and Australian Test batsman Jeff Moss is not Jewish and has no known
    Jewish links but Jonathan Moss is Jewish.

    Ray Phillips was a wicket keeper for Queensland and played 89 first class matches.

    Morris Sievers was an all rounder from Victoria and he played 3 Tests for Australia against England
    in 1936-37. His best Test bowling was 5 for 21 and his top Test score was 25 not out.
    His 9 Test wickets was at an average of 17.88 .

    Norman Gordon, from South Africa, born 1911, passed away 2014.
    He took 5 for 103 and 2 for 59 in his 1st Test match against England in 1938-39.
    With 20 wickets, he was the leading wicket-taker on either side in what was his only Test series.
    According to the England captain, Walter Hammond, he “ showed himself a really reliable right hander,
    always attacking and very difficult indeed to knock onto the defensive”.
    The son of Russian immigrants, Gordon was the first openly Jewish cricketer to play for South Africa
    and the first Test player to live to 100.

    Fred Trueman only found out that his maternal grandmother was Jewish not long before his death. Therefore his mother
    was Jewish, meaning that Fred Trueman was Jewish.
    Fred played 67 Tests for England and took 397 Test wickets at an average of 21.57.

    Steve Herzberg was a right arm off break spin bowler for Western Australia and Tasmania and played 9
    first class games.

    Once again, thie Jewish cricket team will have their work cut out against the strong German cricket team which I had looked at
    on your other recent posting.

    Paul Reiffel can both umpire the game and play for the German cricket team. I am sure he will be fair.
    When Reiffel bats and bowls, there will be the second umpire officiating.

    There will be no pre match, half time or after match entertainment because the cricket will be entertaining enough,
    especially if it’s a Twenty 20 game. Even if it’s a one day game or a Test match, the crowd will see good cricket.
    The players will appear for no monetary fee at the Junction Oval and all proceeds from the game
    will be donated to the Bushfire Relief Fund.

  43. Hey Annonymouse, did you hear about the young lady that fell asleep in front of a synagogue and woke up with a heavy due (jew0 on her tummy?

  44. Gold Star Anonymous. I was wrong with Jeff Moss.

    Denis Gamsy is one for the trivia buffs. He played the opening two tests during the Australian tour of 1969-70, prior to Denis Lindsay’s recall as the wicket keeper. I never understood why Lindsay missed the opening two tests as he flayed us on the previous tour of the Veldt.

    Gee whizz this Norman Gordon had a good innings; 103, same score as Kurt Douglas.

    Prost,

    Glen!

  45. Not bad, Fisho.

    This time, I have relied on the research of another respected sports writer, Daniel Cherny, from The Age.

    In an article from The Age back in December 2015, Daniel wrote:

    Have you heard the one about the Jew and the Muslim?
    At Coburg, it’s no joke. Already a club with a reputation for promoting multiculturalism, the Lions
    took things a step further when they signed forward Jake Lew from amateur club Ajax. Lew is Jewish,
    and was set to line up against perhaps the most ethnically diverted forward line ever assembled.
    Lew’s signature followed that of former St Kilda goalsneak Ahmed Saad, a Muslim who returned to state ranks
    to play alongside mates Danny Younan and Ozgar Uysal. Younan was born to a Lebanese mother and a Syrian
    father, while Uysal is Turkish. The Lions forward line also included Lech Featherstone, who was named after a Polish
    Union leader of the 1980s.

    This article from Daniel got me thinking who are the best AFL/VFL Muslim players of all time?
    I could only think of Bacher Hoult (Richmond), Adam Yze (Hawthorn), Ahmed Saad (St Kilda), Adam Saad
    (Gold Coast/Essendon), Danny Younan ( Coburg) and Ozgur Uysal (Coburg).
    This is only one third of a best 18, so I could not make a full team. Are there others I have left out and are there
    enough Muslim players to make a team?

    In breaking news, Billy Birmingham has offered his services to do the entertainment in the cricket match between
    the German and Jewish cricket teams. He has even suggested he could be 12th men for both teams.

    Also, as Glen had previously asked if someone could make up a best Jewish football team and subsequently a best
    Jewish cricket team, it got me thinking who are the best Jewish tennis players of all time?

    Firstly, it should be noted that any Davis Cup or Fed Cup situation, Germany definitely hold the upper hand with players
    of the calibre of Boris Becker, Steffi Graf and Angelique Kerber who have all won multiple Grand Slam singles titles.
    Of course Germany have had numerous other top players over the years.

    However, like in football and cricket, a lot less is commonly known about Jewish tennis players.
    Once again I have relied on the research of the American writer, David A Goodman, as Australia does not have any
    quality representatives on the list.
    In fact, there are actually 126 known Jewish tennis professional players but I am only going through the best of them.

    The Jewish Grand Slam singles champions are:
    1 Dick Savitt (USA)
    2 Brian Teacher (USA)
    3 Zsuzsa (Suzy) Kormoczy (Hungary)
    4 Helen Jacobs (USA)
    5 Vic Seixas (USA)

    Dick Savitt won Wimbledon in 1951 and the Australian Open in 1951. He was born in 1927 and will turn 93 on 4th March.

    Brian Teacher won The Australian Open in 1980. Teacher taught Warwick a lesson that day, winning the match
    in straight sets. Sorry to the Kim Warwick fans.

    Suzy Kormoczy won the 1958 French Open singles and is the only Jewish female to win a Grand Slam singles title.

    Why is Helen Jacobs only 4th on the list? She won the US Open 1932 to 1935 and Wimbledon in 1936.
    It’s because she had only a Jewish father.
    After Fisho’s joke about the synagogue, and Glen’s very early observation about the mother only being Jewish, I needed to do more research about this matter.
    Apparently, the orthodox synagogues for strictly practicising religious Jewish people, require the mother to be Jewish for
    the child to be Jewish, otherwise a strict conversion process is required to covert the mother to the Jewish faith before she has
    children.
    However, there are what’s known as Liberal synagogues where if the father is Jewish and the mother isn’t Jewish, the children
    will still be accepted into the Jewish faith. It all depends on what view you take. I hope I haven’t confused you.

    Vic Seixas had a Jewish father only and won Wimbledon in 1953 and 1954. Vic Seixas recently passed away aged 96.

    The Jewish Grand Slam doubles and mixed doubles champions are:
    1 Justin Gimelstob ( USA)
    2 Ilana Kloss (South Africa)
    3 Angela Buxton (United Kingdom)
    4 Eliot Teltsher (USA)
    5 Tom Okker (Netherlands)
    6 Jonathan Erlich (Israel)
    7 Andy Ram (Israel)
    8 Jim Grabb (USA)

    Other Jewish singles tennis players of note include:
    1 Brian Gottfried (USA)
    2 Harold Solomon (USA)
    3 Aaron Krickstein (USA)
    4 Solomon Glickstein (Israel)
    5 Amos Mansdorf (Israel)
    6 Dudi Sela (Israel)
    7 Nicholas Massu (Chile)
    8 Brad Gilbert (USA)
    9 Anna Smashnova (Israel)
    10 Shaar Peer (Israel)

    Current top Jewish players include:
    1 Diego Schwartzman (Argentina)
    2 Denis Shapavalov (Canada)
    3 Camilla Giorgi (Italy)

    Denis Shapavalov is a strange one. He is a Jewish mother and a Christian father. He wears a cross to identify
    with his father’s religion. However, his mother was recently quoted as saying that Denis is Jewish because
    she is Jewish.

    Anyway, although the Jewish team has some talent, it will be game, set and match to the more talented
    German team.

  46. The reason why it’s game, set and match to be the more talented German team is this:

    The German Grand Slam singles champions are:
    1 Steffi Graf
    2 Boris Becker
    3 Angelique Kerber
    4 Hilde Sterling
    5 Gottfried Von Cramm
    6 Cilly Aussem
    7 Michael Stich
    8 Henner Henkel

    Steffi Graf is the greatest German tennis player of all time. She won a staggering 22 Grand Slam singles titles. Some critics would argue that the number was inflated due to the horrific incident suffered to her rival, Monica Seles, at the peak of Seles’ career. That may be true as Seles was never the same player again, adding just one Grand Slam singles title to her 8 Grand Slam singles title at the age of 19.
    Yet Graf still got the job done against lesser opponents than Seles in other Grand Slam singles finals so Steffi was a great tennis player.
    Does the cricketer Shaun Graf have any German heritage?

    Boris Becker won 6 Grand Slam singles titles, including 3 Wimbledons, 2 Australian Opens and 1 US Open title. Who can forget his breakthrough Wimbledon singles title at age 17 and unseeded!

    Angelique Kerber has currently won 3 Grand Slam singles titles. They are The Australian Open in 2016, US Open 2016 and Wimbledon in 2018.

    Hilde Sperling won 3 French Open singles titles from 1935 to 1937.

    Gottfried Von Cramm won 2 French Open singles titles in 1934 and 1936.

    Cilly Aussem was awesome in winning the French Open and Wimbledon, both in 1931.

    Michael Stich won Wimbledon in 1991, defeating fellow German Boris Becker in the final.

    The German Grand Slam doubles champions are:
    1 Kevin Krawietz/Andreas Miles
    2 Phillipp Petscner
    3 Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
    4 Michael Stich

    Other German tennis players of note include:
    1 Rainer Schuttler
    2 Anke Huber
    3 Tommy Haas
    4 Nicholas Kiefer
    5 Carl Ube Steeb
    6 Bettina Bunge
    7 Eva Pfaff
    8 Sylvia Hanika
    9 Horst Skoff

    Current top German tennis players include:
    1 Angelique Kerber
    2 Alexander Zverev
    3 Phillipp Kolschreiber
    4 Jan-Lennard Struff
    5 Sabine Lisicki
    6 Julia Georges
    7 Andrea Petkovic
    8 Daniel Masur

    Both Hank Pfister and Fritz Buehning from the United States have German surnames.
    Wally Masur has a German surname. Sam Stosur’s surname sounds German but she has a Polish grandfather.
    John Newcombe married German tennis player Angelina Pfannenberg. Bewdy Newk!
    Andre Agassi married Steffi Graf. Andre Agassi was previously married to the famous American actress Brooke Shields, whose grandfather was American tennis player Frank Shields, who made the 4th round of the French Open in 1931, the final of Wimbledon in 1931 and the final of the US Open in 1930. He was an actor also.

    Anyway, let the Davis Cup and Fed Cup matches between the German and Jewish teams begin. It could be a double bagel for the German team but tennis, like cricket and football is a funny game.

  47. Glen, how about a team of Dutch names? Is it possible?
    Van der haar, Bos, Rutten, Klomp, Van berlo, etc.

  48. Anonymous wasn’t it Schlomo Glickstein ? He won a tournament in Hobart in the eraly 80’s. Ex-Israel army.

    DB, a Dutch side. Sounds good. As my background is Celtic & Deutsch i’ve not thought much about Dutch players so i need to think about it. Beyond the five you’ve mentioned who else comes to mind?

    Glen!

  49. Yes it was Shlomo Glickstein. Apologies to Shlomo. I actually had noticed that I had typed Solomon Glickstein after posting the comment, instead of Shlomo Glickstein. Shlomo was a singles quarter finalist of the Australian Open in 1981.

    Anyway I did some more investigation, and if you google Elena Svitolina, under Wikipedia, it states that she is Jewish. I honestly don’t know how accurate this information is. Elena made the semi finals of the Wimbledon singles in 2019 and the semi finals of the US Open singles in 2019 and is currently ranked number 6 in the world.

    Current Swiss player Timea Bacsinzsky has a Jewish father. Timea made the semi finals of the French Open singles in 2015 and 2017.

    Other current Jewish female tennis players include Madison Brengle from the United States and Canadian doubles player Sharon Fichman.

    Former USA player Mady Fish was Jewish. He made three Grand Slam singles quarter finals.

    I also want to make a correction with Fred Trueman’s number of Test wickets. He took 307 Test wickets, not 397 Test wickets. I noticed that typing error straight away after posting it.

    Anyway I’m sure I have left out more good German and Jewish tennis players but as long as the best of them have been mentioned, that
    should be more than enough.

  50. I don’t think anyone had mentioned the late Geelong and St Kilda footballer Jeff Fehring, whose surname is German. Of course he was famous for his huge torpedo punt that was measured at around 86 metres, kicked from the centre circle at Moorabbin in 1981.

  51. Also, this time I’ll get in first and admit that I typed Mardy Fish as Mady Fish. Apologies to Mardy.. Also I know I made several other name typing errors along the way including Stuart Loewe instead of Stewart Loewe, Phillipp Petscner instead of Phillip Petzschner, Bruce Lindbner instead of Bruce Lindner. Regarding Solomon Glickstein instead of Shlomo Glickstein my IPad keyboard was still thinking of Solomon from Harold Solomon. I also should have typed Bacher Houli instead of Bacher Hoult. I should have typed Eliot Teltscher instead of Eliot Teltsher and Julia Goerges instead of Julia Georges. I am normally good at spelling words but names are different and typing is different.

    I know I mentioned Henner Henkel as a German Grand Slam winner but I wanted to state that he won the French Open singles in 1937.

    Getting back to Jeff Fehring, rumour has it that when he kicked that miraculous goal from the centre circle at Moorabbin in 1981, the crowd roared and then chanted “Fezza You Bewdy”. Of course Alex Jesaulenko was coaching St Kilda at the time and when Alex Jesaulenko was marking and kicking goals for St Kilda as their captain coach, rumour has it that the crowd roared and chanted “Jesaulenko (Jezza) You Bewdy”.

  52. True Geoff Fehring, ex-Geelong, St Kilda ruckman. That huge roost was back in R 2 1981, almost 40 years back. Where have the last four decades gone ?

    Elliot Teltscher, there’s a blast from the past. Harold Solomon had a veritable contemporary twin, Eddie Dibbs. Not Jewish.

    These sides are intriguing. I’m happy to have footy and cricket sides of Deutsch origin, acknowledging my heritage. Re my Celtic family links too many options. In respect to my cheese’n’kisses a few years back i did a team of footballers from across the ditch . How many more teams can we conjure up ? What did Bob Dylan sing about, ‘Spanish is the loving tongue?’ A side of those with a Spanish heritage. What are the prospects of teams from Asia or Africa?

    Readers, Anonymous, Phil D, suggestions, teams.

    What did Bertolt Brecht say about so many reports, so many questions?

    Glen!

  53. Firstly, I’ll finish off my corrections. I should have typed Denis Shapavalov has a Jewish mother and a Christian father not Denis Shapavalov is a Jewish mother and a Christian father. If it was the latter, then that would be strange.

    Secondly, I should have mentioned that the German tennis team could win a double bagel match against the Jewish tennis team, instead of stating that it could be a double bagel for the German team, because the latter would imply that the German team would lose 6-0, 6-0.

    Thirdly, I should have mentioned that John Newcombe married former German tennis player, Angelique (Angelika) Pfannenberg, instead of Angelina Pfannenberg. She was the number 2 junior player in Germany when she met John Newcombe in Hamburg. Newk refers to her as Angie and John Newcombe’s parents also met on the tennis court.

    Of the current big names, Roger Federer married former Swiss professional tennis player, Miroslava (Mirka) Vavrinec. As far as I know Djokovic’s wife, Jelena Ristic, who he met in high school, has never played tennis seriously. Likewise, the same applies to Nadal’s wife Xisca Perello. Although I remember Nadal joking in a media interview on the Rod Laver tennis court after he won a match that his wife (or then girlfriend) has been given a “wildcard” to be in Australia with him. Andy Murray’s wife, Kim Sears, never played tennis seriously but her father is former professional player and is now a seasoned British coach, Nigel Sears.

    Before your last comment I was going to suggest doing the best German soccer team of all time after winning the World Cups in 1954, 1974, 1990 and 2014) but soccer is not my strength. Is it yours? However, your other suggestions of an AFL team from Spanish, Asian and African heritages sounds good but maybe it would be easier for you to do a combined best 22 or more from these 3 countries combined, otherwise you may struggle to get a best 22 from either of those countries.

    I know it may have been done somewhere else but have you have previously done a best 22 of all time from VFL/AFL footballers who have an Indigenous (Aboriginal) heritage? If not, I honestly think that would be the most exciting team to do literally and there would be probably be many good players who would miss out. The interchange bench would probably have to extend considerably.

  54. Both the German and the Jewish tennis teams can lay claim to rising young American tennis star, Taylor Friitz. Firstly, Taylor Fritz has a strong Jewish heritage but is not Jewish. His maternal grandfather was David May II, a Jewish leader in LA and ran the family business in his time – May Department Sores Co. that his grandfather started. At the time of David May II’s passing in 1992, the company had 324 department stores in 31 states.

    I was just going to write about Taylor Fritz’s surname being German, when I literally stumbled upon the above information.

    He is currently ranked number 38 in the world and has a similar game to Nick Kyrgios. His mother Kathy May Fritz was a top 10 player, and his father Guy Henry Fritz also played professional tennis and was named US Olympic development coach of the year for 2016. Taylor Fritz was the world’s top junior in 2015. He is now 22 years of age. When he was 19, he married tennis player Raquel Pedraza in July 2016, after dating for over 2 years. They met at the Junior tennis circuit. Raquel gave birth to the couple’s child, a boy named Jordan, in January 2017.

  55. Ta Anonymous.

    I surmise when you posted yesterday with the word countries, you meant continents ?

    If we go beyond German tennis players, to tennis players with German names Fritz Buehnig was handy in the early 80’s.

    I’d be staggered if there was no all time best team of indigenous. You could have multiples, or maybe a Koorie team, a Noonga team and a Murri team. All would be damn good.

    Soccer i know nought about. A few years back i did a team of English players from the Veldt. I don’t think i did an English team from the Caribbean, or sub-continent though.

    Certainly food for thought.

    Glen!

  56. How about a team of players that only managed the 1 game each?

  57. Glen, you are right about Fritz Buehning and I had mentioned him in the sentence after my current top German players posting, where I mentioned both American players Hank Pfister and Fritz Buehning as having German surnames. Also, yes I meant to type a combined team including players from the country Spain (or Spanish heritage) and players from the continents of Africa and Asia (or African and Asian heritage).

    However, having thought about that, I still think it would not be easy to come up with a combined full team that’s good enough from those heritages.

    Fisho, not a bad idea and there’s more than 22 players who would fit that category but unfortunately I believe that the majority of those
    players who have only played 1 game each did so because they weren’t really good enough. It’s still a great achievement to play one VFL/AFL game but the quality of the team would not really make for great reading. That’s just my opinion.

    Like with the football team of players with German heritage, you want a team where there are enough players to make a best 22 or more, but still have enough quality players in the team.

    I have looked through the novelty teams in the past years from the Footy Almanac and I these are my best suggestions:

    1 Best Indigenous Players of all time team
    2 Best father and son team
    3 A combined team of Italian, Greek and Dutch players into a best 22

    There was no mention in previous Footy Almanac teams of a best Indigenous team.

    A best father and son team was also not mentioned previously and for example, you could have Gary Ablett Senior at full forward and Gary Ablett Junior on a half forward flank or on the ball. I don’t know if you could fit Nathan Ablett in that team.

    I was going to suggest a best brothers team but I saw that has been done previously in the Footy Almanac.

    As far as the combined Dutch, Italian and Greek heritage teams are concerned, there may even be enough quality players to do a separate Greek and/or Italian teams.

    Anyway, Glen, I’m sure you’ll come up with an idea for a team that you like and that enough of the readers will like too.

  58. G’day Fisho. A couple of Almanackers are currently undertaking that project.

    Glen!

  59. I remember Harry Frei as a swing bowler for Qld I admit I can’t rember him as a footballer
    Jeff Fehring RIP lost the battle to the big black dog.Randal Gerlach ruckman key forward from Port Adelaide who also is no longer with us was a top player thanks,Glen

  60. As today is the State of Origin bushfire relief match between Victoria and the All Stars, I thought now is the appropriate time to pay credit to the best All Star Teams of Indigenous, Italian and Greek Origins.

    This is the best Indigenous team, as voted by SEN listeners:

    B: Chris Johnson (Fitzroy, Brisbane), Darryl White (Brisbane), Gavin Wanganeen (Essendon)
    HB: Norm McDonald (Essendon), Adam Goodes (Sydney), Shaun Burgoyne (Port Adelaide, Hawthorn)
    C: Nicky Winmar (St Kilda), Maurice Rioli (Richmond), Peter Matera (West Coast
    HF: Cyril Rioli (Hawthorn), Lance Franklin (Hawthorn, Sydney), Syd Jackson (Carlton)
    F: Jeff Farmer (Melb, Frem), Michael O’Laughlin (Sydney), Eddie Betts (Carlton, Adelaide)
    R: Graham Farmer (Geelong), Andrew McLeod (Adelaide), Barry Cable (North Melbourne)
    Int: David Wirrpanda (West Coast), Byron Pickett (North, Port, Melb), Michael Long (Essendon), Chris Lewis (West Coast)
    Em: Michael McLean (Footscray), Phil Matera (West Coast), Jim Krakouer (North, St Kilda), Peter Burgoyne (Port Adelaide)
    Captain: Graham Farmer
    Coach: Barry Cable

    This is the Italian team of the century. Please note that Anthony Koutufides has both Italian and Greek heritage so will be included in both teams. Ian Stewart was born Ian Cervi, to an Italian migrants. John Kennedy Jnr is of Italian descent through his maternal grandparents.

    B: Frank Curcio (Fitzroy), Stephen Silvagni (Carlton), Len Incigner (South Melbourne, Melbourne)
    HB: Alec Epis (Essendon), Anthony Koutifides (Carlton), John Kennedy Jnr (Hawthorn)
    C: Robert Dipierdomenico (Hawthorn), Ian Stewart (St Kilda, Richmond), Peter Matera (West Coast)
    HF: Peter Riccardi (Geelong), Alan Martello (Hawthorn), Mark Mecuri (Essendon)
    F: Phillip Matera (West Coast), Saverio Rocca (Collingwood), Brendan Fevola ( Carlton, Brisbane)
    R: Steve Alessio (Essendon), Mark Ricciuto (Adelaide), Peter Pianto (Geelong)
    Int: Seorgio Silvagni (Carlton), Scott Camporeale (Carlton, Essendon), Tony Liberatore (Footscray), Joe Misiti (Essendon)
    Captain: Mark Ricciuto
    Coach: Ron Barassi Jnr (Carlton, North Melbourne, Melbourne, Sydney)

    The Greek team of the century was a squad of 28 players supplied by AFL historian and statistician Col Hutchinson,
    for the selectors to pick the final team.

    Please note that the criterion for selection was that any Greek blood whatsoever constituted eligibility for the team.
    The farthest blood line was Russell Morris, whose fourth great grandfather was Greek.

    Luke Beveridge (Melbourne, Footscray, St Kilda), Steve Malaxos (Hawthorn, West Coast)
    Ang Christou (Carlton), Alex Marcou (Carlton, St Kilda)
    Peter Daicos ( Collingwood), Daniel Metropolis (West Coast, Fremantle)
    Andrew Demetriou (North Melbourne, Hawthorn), Russell Morris (Hawthorn, St Kilda)
    Garry Frangalas (Sydney, Richmond), Alby Panham (Collingwood, Richmond)
    John Georgiou (St Kilda), Charlie Pannam Snr (Collingwood, South Melbourne)
    Con Gorizidis (St Kilda, Footscray), Charlie Pannam Jnr (Collingwood, Richmond)
    Peter Kannis (Footscray, Hawthorn), Chris Pavlou (Carlton)
    Arthur Karanicolas (North Melbourne), Lou Richards (Captain, Collingwood)
    Anthony Koutifides (Carlton), Ron Richards (Coach, Collingwood)
    Spiro Kourkoumelis (Carlton, St Kilda), John Rombotis (Fitzroy, Port, Adelaide, Richmond)
    George Lakes (Melbourne, South Melbourne), Jason Trianidis (St Kilda)
    Angelo Lekkas (Hawthorn), Zeno Tzatzaris (Footscray)
    Spiro Malakellis (Geelong), Vasil Varlamos (Carlton)

  61. Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt says

    I’d have Derek Kickett and Gilbert McAdam ahead of the lesser Matera and Burgoyne. Wilbur Wilson, Sonny Morey, Flash Graham and his cousin Phil Graham also stiff. :)

  62. Rulebook Harry Frei played for Footscray in the early ’70s. I recall him playing @ Kardinia Park in 1973.

    Anonymous you’re really on fire with these teams. Do we have another players for a team from Africa: Majak Daw, Jason Johannesen,etc, Or Asia; Lin Jong, Danny Seow; who else. Then there’s the Americas; Mason Cox, Jose Romero, Martin Pyke.

    I’d be happily surprised seeing a team from any of those three A’s.

    Glen!

  63. Correct Glen, he played six games for Footscray in 1973
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Frei

    And that would be Mike Pyke, the Canadian

  64. Yes Gerry , Mike Pyke the Canadian rugby international would be in a team from the America’s. That was a error confusing him with the former Lord Newry Hotel frequenter and premiership player, Martin Pike.

    Whilst we’re looking at players (teams) from all corners of the globe back on 27/8/2014 i picked a team of players from, ‘across the dutch’ (ditch, as pronounced with a New Zealand accent).

    Any how teams from Africa, Asia or the America’s would be interesting.

    Any takers: Anonymous?

    Glen!

  65. Anonymous says

    The Asian football team is:

    B: Christian Salem (Melbourne, Lebanese ancestory), Alex Silvagni (Fremantle, Carlton, Anglo-Indian mother), Ben McNiece (Essendon, Anglo-Indian mother)
    HB: Adam Saad (Essendon, Lebanese ancestory), Alex Rance (Richmond, Indian mother), Bacher Houli (Richmond, Lebanese ancestory)
    C: Andrew Embley (West Coast, Anglo-Burmese father), Daniel Kerr (West Coast, Anglo-Indian father), Clancee Pearce ( Fremantle, Indian mother)
    HF: Trent Dennis-Lane (Sydney/St Kilda, Burmese father), Lin Jong (Western Bulldogs, Taiwanese mother), Mathew Stokes (Geelong/Essendon, Filipino ancestory)
    F: Robin Nahas (Richmond/North Melbourne, Lebanese ancestory), Paul Medhurst (Fremantle/Collingwood, Malaysian mother), Blaine Boekhurst (Carlton, Indian mother)
    R: Danny Seow ((Collingwood/Melbourne, Chinese father), Mil Hanna (Carlton, Lebanese ancestory), Peter Bell (Fremantle/North Melbourne, Korean mother)
    Int: Sudjai Cook (Adelaide, born in Thailand), Robert Ahmat (Collingwood/Sydney, Malay ancestory)

  66. Anonymous says

    This is a combined African and the Americas team as there were not enough players to form either team.

    B: Aubrey Mackenzie (Melbourne/St Kilda, 1914-24, South African born), Aliir Aliir (Sydney, Sudan), Changkouth Jiath (Hawthorn, Ethiopia)
    HB: Heritier Lumumba (Collingwood/Melbourne, Brazilian born), Ian Muller (Carlton/St Kilda, South African born), Andrew McGrath (Essendon, Canadian born)
    C: Jason Johanissen (Western Bulldogs, South African born), Jose Romero (North Melbourne, Western Bulldogs, Chilean born), Reuben William (Brisbane 2016/7, Sudan)
    HF: Ian Perrie (Adelaide, Zimbabwean born), Mason Cox (Collingwood, American born), Sanford Wheeler (Sydney, American born)
    F: Mabior Chol (Richmond, Sudan), Majak Daw (North Melbourne, Sudan), Don Pyke (West Coast, American born)
    R: Mike Pyke (Sydney, Canadian born), Jack Baggott (Essendon/Richmond 1927/37, South African born), Peter Bell (Fremantle/North Melbourne, American father)
    Int: Jason Holmes (St Kilda, American born), Ted Garside (Hawthorn, 1931 South African born), Ivan Astruc (Fitzroy 1897 Mauritius)

  67. Anonymous says

    I have decided to do a team of Irish AFL players who were either born in Ireland or have Irish ancestory.

    B: Tadhg Kennelly (Sydney), Sean Wight (Melbourne), Conor Glass (Hawthorn)
    HB: Zac Tuohy (Carlton, Geelong), Aidan Corr (GWS), Colm Begley (Brisbane/St Kilda)
    C: Michael Quinn (Essendon), Pearce Hanley (Brisbane/Gold Coast), Conor McKenna (Essendon)
    HF: Brett O’Hanlon (Richmond), Dermott Brereton (Hawthorn/Sydney/Collingwood), Paul Early (Melbourne)
    F: Brian Stynes (Melbourne), Setanta O hAilpin (Carlton), Caolan Mooney (Collingwood)
    R: Jim Stynes (Melbourne), James Magner (Melbourne), Dermott McNicholl (St Kilda)
    Int: Conor Nash (Hawthorn), Mark O’Connor (Geelong), Ciaran Byrne (Carlton), Ciaran Sheehan (Carlton)
    Emerg: Neil McKeever (Brisbane), Tommy Walsh (Sydney), Jamie O’Reilly (Richmond), Darrgh Joyce (St Kilda), Colm O’Riordan (Sydney)

    Captain: Jim Stynes (Melbourne)
    Coach: Jock McHale (Collingwood)

  68. Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt says

    Collingwood’s Marty Clarke had a better record than many of those chosen for the Irish

  69. Here is an AFL team of father and son combinations:

    B: John Scarlett (Geelong, South Nelbourne), Stephen Silvagni (Carlton), Mathew Scarlett (Geelong)
    HB: Jack Hawkins (Geelong), Dustin Fletcher (Essendon), Brian Brown (Fitzroy, Essendon)
    C: Heath Shaw (Collingwood, GWS), Jobe Watson (Essendon), Ken Fletcher (Essendon)
    HF: John Murphy (Fitzroy, Sth Melb, Nth Melb), Jonathan Brown (Brisbane), Tim Watson (Essendon)
    F: Tom Hawkins (Geelong), Gary Ablett Sr. (Hawthorn, Geelong), Gary Ablett Jr. (Geelong)
    R: Luke Darcy (Western Bulldogs), Sergio Silvagni (Carlton), Marc Murphy (Carlton)
    Int: Mathew Richardson (Richmond), Alan Richardson (Richmond), Liam Picken (Western Bulldogs), Ray Shaw (Collingwood)
    Emerg: Bill Picken (Collingwood, Sydney), David Darcy (Footscray)

  70. As today is Anzac Day, I have come up with an AFL Football team, where the players’ surnames represents something to do with the Armed Forces, Anzac Day or the military in general, with the army ranking positions, battles, wars and fights.

    Here is the team:

    B: Jayden Hunt (Melbourne), Josh Battle (St Kilda), Josh Hunt (Geelong)
    HB: Mark Hunter (Footscray), Ken Hunter (Carlton), Taylor Hunt (Geelong, Richmond)
    C: James Harmes (Melbourne), James Worpel (Hawthorn), David Marshall (Adelaide)
    HF: Wayne Harmes (Carlton), Jayden Post (Richmond), Karmichael Hunt (Gold Coast)
    F: Charlie Constable (Geelong), Rex Hunt (Rich/ Geel/ St K), Lachie Hunter (Western Bulldogs)
    R: Rowan Marshall (St Kilda), Patrick Dangerfield (Adelaide/Geel), Ron Reiffel (Richmond)

  71. The interchange players for the above team are David Armitage (St Kilda), Fred Waugh (South Melbourne 1897, 1900) and Norman Waugh (Essendon 1897-1898)

    John “Bomber” Hendrie (Hawthorn) is the extra sub in case the team needs more ammunition and Mark “Bomber” Thompson will be the coach.

    For the emergency, Charlie Constable could drop out of the selected team and become an emergency as Constables are good for an emergency. The team’s nickname will be The Bombers, like Essendon and let’s hope this team can get on fire.

    Jeremy Guard (Fitzroy) will be in charge of the team’s Security.

    The entertainment will be provided by the Australian Army Band Corps. Highlights of Steve and Mark Waugh’s Test centuries will also be played on the big screen.

    Former Australian Test cricketers Craig Serjeant and Paul Reiffel will be making appearances, with Reiffel to umpire the game and Serjeant to help control the crowd.

    The Army Reserve will be a sponsor like they were with the Army Reserve Cup for the Reserves VFL Competition back in the 1980s.

  72. Not a bad line up Anonymous. There’s a few real blasts from the past in those ranks of big shots.

    Even if they lost they’d go down all guns blazing.

    If the situation was difficult could the ‘Scud’ be called in?

    Glen!

  73. Anonymous says

    While we are still in lockdown, I have come up with a Home Lockdown Team, which represents anything to do with houses, how houses are built, as in materials, parts of houses and rooms in houses.
    The Away team represents the reasons we can leave our homes such as for medical, educational, exercise and buying essentials like food and drink. I have left out water because you can get water at home and I have also left out work reasons because an Occupation team has been done previously.

    This is the Home team for lockdown:

    B: Michael Malthouse (St K/Rich), Darren Glass (West Coast), Conor Glass (Hawthorn)
    HB: Tarkyn Lockyer (Collingwood), Andrew Lockyer (West Coast), Easton Wood (W/Bull)
    C: Bryan Wood (Rich/Ess), Peter German (North M), Jack Steele (GWS/St K)
    HF: Robin Close (Ess), Chris Dawes (Coll/Melb), Jay Lockhart (Melb)
    F: Barry Hall (St K/Syd/WBull), Tony Lockett (St K/Syd), Mason Wood (North M)
    R: Majak Daw (North M), Darren Steele (North), Anthony Rock (North/Haw)
    Int: Darren Holmes (Syd/Fitz), Chris Stone (St K)

    If more Woods are needed, the team can get Tony, Paul and Shane Mirkwood.
    If the team needs to sell Wood, they can get Joel, Troy and Adam Selwood.
    If there is more room needed in the house you can put Peter BEDford in.
    The captain is Easton Wood and the coach is Mick Malthouse.

    This is the away team:

    B: Dean Rice (St K/Carl), Ray Ball (Rich/South), Des English (Carlton)
    HB: Bailey Rice (St Kilda), Sean Wellman (Adelaide/Ess), Ray Walker (Footscray)
    C: Leon Rice (Hawthorn), Greg Wells (Melb/Carlton), Peter German (North)
    HF: Peter Box (Footscray), Paddy Ryder (Ess/Port/ St K), Wayde Skipper (W B/Hawthorn)
    F: Luke Beveridge (Foots/Melbourne/ St K), Jason Ball (WC/Sydney), Tim English (WB)
    R: Paul Salmon (Ess/Hawthorn), Ollie Wines (Port), Luke Ball (St K/Collingwood)
    Int: Max Walker (Melbourne)

    The emergency is Darrel Baldock. He is really the best player but “The Doc” is the best for an emergency.

    The sponsor of the game is Metricon Homes and the match will be played at Metricon Stadium.

    The game will be shown on delay on Channel 7’s Home And Away Program.

  74. Anonymous says

    Sorry that should be Tony, Shane and Paul Morwood if more Wood is needed.

  75. Anonymous says

    Sorry, Peter German should only have been put in the Away team only for Educational reasons as in learning German like Tim English and Des English for learning English. Therefore, the centreman for the Home lockdown team instead of Peter German is Joel SelWOOD. Majak Daw represents Magic Door and Chris Dawes (Doors). Let’s hope this team is in their premiership “window”.

    The captain of the Away team is Wayde Skipper because Skipper represents a captain as well as exercise as in skipping rope. Peter Box was included as you can box for exercise as in boxing, not to mention he was a Brownlow Medalist.

    All The 3 Balls were all selected for exercise balls, let alone footballs.

    Other interchange, emergency players or more appropriately Assistant Coaches and Medical and General Staff for the Away team include Brian Teacher, the former Australian Open singles winner in 1980, who will educate or more likely help teach the players the game plan. Apparently Brian Teacher is ace!

    Seymour Nurse, the former West Indian Test Cricketer will assist in taking the temperatures of players after the game in this Coronavirus era. Nurse will also help with the nursing of the players’ injuries. Former Test cricketer Michael Beer will deliver the drinks to the players on the field. He will also check if the players can drive after parties, so that they are below .05, if they haven’t had any beers.

    Former ATP tennis player Mardy Fish will be the team’s dietician, to ensure they are eating healthy fish and will even go on fishing trips with the players in the off season.

    The Home (lockdown) team may have the home ground advantage and having Tony Lockett at full forward could prove the difference. However, the Away team, especially if Darrel Baldock (The Doc) comes into the selected team, will not go Away!

  76. Anonymous says

    Luke Beveridge has been appointed Coach of The Away team. He will also make sure that the players drink plenty of fluids but not alcohol.

    Former English Test cricketer Tony Lock, has been appointed as an Assistant Coach for The Home Lockdown team.

    Apparently, LOCK will be the KEY to the team’s success and he will LOCK DOWN the oppositions’ best players by SPINNING a few tricks and balls!

  77. There was a time when hospital orderly’s were called porters. Mike Porter, former Hawthorn flanker can put in a claim.

    If we’re looking at expanding the health services we could include Kevin Goss, former Hawthorn player and Port Melbourne legend. At one point in his career he was nicknamed ‘The Dentist’ for removing the teeth of opposition players.

    Glen!

  78. Anonymous says

    This is a belated Bushfire Relief Fund AFL team, based on the players surnames regarding anything to do fire such as firecrackers, burns, ashes and more importantly water, to beat the fire.

    Here is the team:

    B: Ray Byrne (Carl/Coll), Terry Waters (Coll), Chris Waterman (West Coast)
    HB: Scott Burns (Collingwood), Beau Waters (West Coast), John Byrne (North Melbourne)
    C: John Burns (North Melbourne), Greg Burns (St Kilda), Nathan Krakouer (Port Adelaide/GC)
    HF: Phil Krakouer (North, Footscray), Jake Waterman (West Coast), Andrew Krakouer (Richmond/Collingwood)
    F: Rod Ashman (Carlton), Clive Waterhouse (Fremantle), Ronnie Burns (Geelong/Adelaide)
    R: Michael Byrne (Melb, Haw, Syd), Marcus Ashcroft (Brisbane), Jim Krakouer (North, St Kilda)
    Int: Shannon Byrnes (Geel/Melbourne)

    The Emergencies are Barry Waters (Fitzroy 1949), Bryan Waters (Hawthorn 1956-57), Gordon Waters (Hawthorn 1937-41), Chris Waterson (Ess, Bris 1982-88), Chris Waterson (Fitzroy 19990-91), Colin Waterson (Richmond 1978-81) and George Waterhouse (Sth Melbourne/Richmond/Fitzroy 1925-27) because you need as much water as you can get in an emergency to put out the fire.

    If a spark or two is needed, the team will call on Bradley Sparks (Melbourne 1987-88) and John Sparks (Melbourne 1975-77).

    This team will play matches against the Home Lockdown team and The Away team listed in the above posts.

    Proceeds from the matches will go the Bushfire Relief Fund and players will play free of charge.

    The entertainment will be provided by fireworks and Katie Perry will also sing her hit song “Firework”.

    Let’s hope this team gets on fire, but not literally. They should have “fire in the belly”.

    There could also be a few “Smokies” added to the team.

    Marcus Ashcroft will be the Captain and Scott Burns the coach.

    Highlights of former Tennis Champion Arthur Ashe’s Wimbledon victory in 1975 will be shown on the big screen.

    The matches will be played somewhere in the Bush and the ground will be called Arthur Ashe Stadium.

  79. Anonymous says

    This is a belated AFL Easter team for AFL/VFL Players’ surnames who represent Easter in any way such as Good Friday, Easter Monday, Easter Bunny, Easter Carols, the Christian religion, Christ in their surname, Priests and Bishops in the church, or similar spelling to Good like Goodes and Goode for Good Friday, Mundy for Easter Monday, Bonney for Easter Bunny and Carroll for Easter Carols.

    Here is the team:

    B: Ken Christou (Melb 1951-55), Doug Priest (South M 1966-69), Matthew Bishop (Port A/Melb 1998-2006)
    HB: Ang Christou (Carlton), Michael Christian (Collingwood), Dennis Carroll (South Melbourne)
    C: Martin Christensen (Geel 1985-92), Allen Christensen (Geel, Brisbane), John Bonney (St Kilda late 1960s-early 1970s)
    HF: Damien Christensen (Geel 1983-86), David Mundy (Fremantle), John Christou (Fitzroy 1975-77)
    F: Frank Goode (North M 1950s), Adam Goodes (Sydney), Kerry Good (North M late 1970s-early 1980s)
    R: Ross Christensen (Footscray 1982-83), Brett Goodes (W Bulldogs), Jim Christou (Fitzroy 1972-76)

    As you may notice, it’s a GOOD forward line.

    There was a lack of appropriate quality players to put as interchange and emergencies.

    The team’s nickname is The Saints.

    The captain is Adam Goodes.

    This team will play against the Bushfire AFL relief fund team listed in my last post.

    The entertainment will be provided by the Church Choir.

    Highlights of former Australian Test cricketer Adam GilCHRIST’s Test centuries will be shown on the big screen.

    The game will be played at Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, the city of Churches.

    Donations to the game will be given to the church, as well as the Bushfire Relief Fund.

    The winner of the match will achieve their “holy” grail.

  80. Anonymous says

    Please note that Frank Goode, who coached Footscray in 1 game in 1981 has been appointed Coach of The Easter AFL team.

    There were no other appropriate Coaches for this team, other than the team’s Transport of a horse drawn carriage COACH to take to the church or the football ground.

    The only other possible alternative to coach this team was Winston CHURCHill, who was a great leader of men.

    The ground will also create another Churchill stand for the occasion.

    The crowd will try to “egg” the players on.

    There will also be highlights of former Australian Test cricket players Ian and Greg CHAPELl’s Test centuries on the big screen.

  81. Anonymous says

    I have prepared an AFL Mother’s Day team for the surnames of AFL players whose names represent what mother’s do like cook, as well as the types of flowers like flowers themselves, lilys and roses, as flowers are a gift for Mother’s Day.

    Stephen May was included as Mother’s Day itself is in the month of May and Sam Day was included for day in Mother’s Day.

    As the family celebrates Mother’s Day, cousins are part of a family, which is why Ben Cousins and James Cousins were included.

    Shane MUMford was included because he has Mum in his surname, and his nickname is “Mummy”.

    Here is the team:

    B: John Lilley (St Kilda 1967-71), Sam Day (Gold Coast), Bill Rose (Coll 1950-55)
    HB: Charlie Lilley (Melb 1913-25), Stephen May, (GC, Melb), Kevin Rose.(Coll 1958-67)
    C: Robert Flower (Melbourne), Bob Rose (Coll 1946-53), Tom Flower (Melb 1977-79)
    HF: Troy Cook (Syd/Frem 1997-07), Ralph Rose (Coll 1962-63), James Rose (Syd 2015-19)
    F: Sudjai Cook (Adel1998), James Cook (Carl, WB, Melb 1994-2000), Brett Cook (Fitz/ St K 1994-99)
    R: Shane Mumford (Geel, Syd, GWS), James Cousins (Hawthorn), Ben Cousins (WC, Rich)

    I left out surnames ending in son, even if son is part of the family because there were too many that you could have a full team of sons only, For example, Johnson, Anderson, Richardson, Robertson, Henderson, etc.

    The Coach is Bob Rose and Stephen May is the Captain.

    James Cook was included because he showed plenty of ENDEAVOUR.

    Highlights of the careers of former Test players Dennis Lillee and Javed MianDAD (Dad is part of the family) will be shown on the big screen, as well as their infamous Aluminium Bat incident at the WACA around 40 years ago.

    Entertainment will be provided by the film “Mother’s Day”.

    This team will be playing an exhibition game in MOTHERwell, Scotland against Hawthorn, the family club.

    The team’s nickname will be Mummy’s Boys, and they will also be that literally because of Shane Mumford.

  82. G’day Anonymous. Sorry for the slow reply.

    Re the Easter side i don’t see any surnames including Cross: Andrew Cross, Daniel Cross,Brent Crosswell, etc. Did any players have the nickname ‘nails’ bestowed on them?

    My mother never believed in Mothers Day seeing it as a commercial occasion. Would you include Pat Cash snr in the line up to show the real commercial nature of the day?

    Glen!

  83. Anonymous says

    Glen, you’re right about the Crosses. I actually realised that not long before I did the Mother’s Day team.

    Therefore, here is the amended AFL Easter team:

    B: Brendan Whitecross (Hawthorn), Doug Priest (South M), Mathew Bishop (Port A/Melb)
    HB: Ang Christou (Carl), Michael Christian (Coll), Dennis Carroll (South M)
    C: Martin Christensen (Geel), Daniel Cross (WB, Melb), Allen Christensen (Geel, Bris)
    HF: Damien Christensen (Geel), Brent Crosswell (Carl, NM, Melb), John Christou (Fitzroy)
    F: Andrew Cross (St K/Fitz/Rich), Kerry Good (North M), Frank Goode (North M)
    R: Maurie Pope (Carlton 1956-58), Ross Christensen (Footscray), Jim Christou (Fitzroy)

    In: Brendan Whitecross, Daniel Cross, Brent Croswell, Andrew Cross, Maurie Pope
    Out: Ken Christou, John Bonney, David Mundy, Adam Goodes, Brett Goodes

    Maurie Pope played 7 games for Carlton from 1956 to 1958. At 6ft 6 inches, he has put into the ruck for his height and his name. You could say he is a big name player.

    I dropped Ken Christou because there were too many Christou’s and Whitecross is a better defender with an appropriate name too.

    John Bonney was left out because Bonney is spelt differently to Bunny.

    David Mundy was left out because Mundy is spelt differently to Monday.

    Adam and Brett Goodes were left out because Goodes is spelt differently to Good, but Goode was left in because Goode is spelt closer to Good than Goodes.

    Therefore, more talent has been left out than has come in but I needed better team balance for the surnames themselves.

    I don’t know of any player with ‘nails’ as a nickname but hopefully I have done a better job of nailing the team.

    Further entertainment will be provided by the film, “Life of Brian”, as well as the song, “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life”.

    Frank Goode will remain the coach and Dennis Carroll has been appointed the new captain.

    As far as Pat Cash Senior is concerned for Mother’s Day, you’ve hit the NAIL on the head but he can also serve as the collector of donations made to the Church, as well as collecting any memberships paid to the club. He would prefer all donations to be made in cash, as cash is better than a cheque. Like in the 1987 Wimbledon Final, Pat Cash Jnr beat the Czech, Ivan Lendl. On that day, Cash was better than a Czech (Cheque).

  84. Anonymous, you’ve nailed it.

    Glen!

  85. Anonymous says

    Regarding the official announcement last week that the AFL season for 2020 will resume on the 11th of June, there will be no crowds attending AFL matches for the majority of this season, or certainly at a reduced capacity should crowds be allowed to attend AFL matches much later in the season, possibly around finals time.

    As the AFL season for 2020 will be based around a television game, I have come with an AFL team where the players’ surnames are the same as well known fictional TV characters’ surnames, or real famous TV personalities’ surname, or the player has a famous nickname which is the same as a famous character on a well known television show.

    Here is the team:

    B: John Kennedy Snr (Haw), Verdun Howell (St Kilda), Nigel Smart (Adelaide)
    HB: Phil Stevens (Geel/St Kilda), Rick Kennedy (Footscray), Brett Stephens (Fitzroy)
    C: Simon Hogan (Geelong), Gerard Healy (Melb/Syd), Dean Kent (Melb/St Kilda)
    HF: John Kennedy Jnr (Haw), Jack Gunston (Adel/Haw), Rene Kink (Coll/Ess/St K)
    F: Jesse Hogan ( Melb/Frem), Josh J. Kennedy (Carl/WC), Greg Healy (Melbourne)
    R: Graham “Polly” Farmer, Josh P. Kennedy (Haw/Syd), Darrel Baldock (St Kilda)
    Int: Wayde Skipper (Haw/WB), Tom Gilligan (Adel 1997), Peter Brady (St Kilda 1898-99)
    Emerg: Tom Brady (NFL Star)

    The Captain will be Wayde Skipper, as Skipper means Captain.

    The Coach will be John Kennedy Senior.

    All the Kennedys were named after The King of television, Graham Kennedy.

    Verdun Howell was named after Thurston Howell III in Gilligan’s Island and Tom Gilligan was named after Gilligan,
    the main character in “Gilligan’s Island”.

    Wayde Skipper was named after The Skipper in “Gilligan’s Island”.

    Phil Stevens and Brett Stephens were named after Darrin Stephens, a main character in “Bewitched”.

    Simon Hogan and Jesse Hogan were named because of the famous television comedian Paul Hogan
    and the television show “Hogan’s Heroes”.

    Gerard Healy and Greg Healy were named because of Major Roger Healey, one of the main characters in
    “I Dream of Jeannie”.

    Dean Kent was named after Clark Kent from “Superman”.

    Polly Farmer was named because of one of the main characters of Polly in the comedy television show “Fawlty Towers”.

    Rene Kink’s nickname is “The Incredible Hulk”, named after the character in the television show, “The Incredible Hulk”.

    Darrel Baldock or “Doc” was named after “The Doc”, in the television show, “The Love Boat”.

    Nigel Smart was named after “Maxwell Smart”, in the television show, “Get Smart”.

    Peter Brady was included because of the well known character Peter Brady in “The Brady Bunch”. Likewise Tom Brady,
    from the NFL, was named as part of “The Brady Bunch”.

    Let’s hope that this AFL television team gets good TV ratings.

    The sponsor will be Sony Panasonic television.

    Channel 7 television will provide a live coverage of the game between The AFL Television team and The AFL Easter team team above,
    as the curtain raiser to The Good Friday AFL game.

    The television special comments will be provided by Gerard Healy.

  86. Anonymous says

    As we are only 18 days away from the resumption of the AFL season, I thought it would be an appropriate time to come with an AFL team of players that played very well for one club and almost equally very well, if not better for the club they changed too.

    Players who played very well for 2 clubs but not a third club were overlooked as were players who played very well for one club but not the other club that they changed too.

    Barry Hall was the only player I found that played very well for 3 clubs, St Kilda, Sydney and the Western Bulldogs whereas Greg Williams played very well for Sydney and Carlton, but not that well for Geelong.

    Some players may be out of position as I could not find a better alternative.

    As this season involves change regarding fixtures, length of quarters, hubs, training and tests for Covid 19, I had to find a group of very good players that adapted well to change, when they changed clubs.

    Here is the team:

    B: Zac Toohey (Carl/Geel), Alastair Lynch (Fitz/Bris), Val Perovic (St K/Carl)
    HB: Brendan Goddard (St K/Ess), Paul Roos (Fitz/Syd), Barry Davis (Ess/NM)
    C: David Rhys Jones (Syd/Carl), Ian Stewart (St K/Rich), Patrick Dangerfield (Adel/Geel)
    HF: Darren Jarman (Haw/Adel), Barry Hall (StK/Syd/WB), Fraser Gherig (WC/St Kilda)
    F: Doug Wade (Geel/North M), Tony Lockett (St K, Syd), Eddie Betts (Carl/Adel)
    R; Peter Moore (Coll/Melbourne), Chris Judd (WC/Carl), Gary Ablett Jnr(Geel/GC)
    Int: Ben McEvoy (St K/Haw), Carl Ditterich (St K/Melb), Aaron Hamill (Carl/St Kilda)

    Captain: Chris Judd
    Coach: Leigh Matthews (Premiership coach at Collingwood and 3 time premiership coach at Brisbane)

    Ron Barassi was overlooked as coach as he did not have success coaching Melbourne and the Sydney Swans.

    Allan Jeans was overlooked as coach as he did not have success coaching Richmond.

    Kevin Sheedy was overlooked as coach as he did not have success coaching GWS.

    Tom Haley was overlooked as coach as he did not have success coaching Geelong, Collingwood and the Sydney Swans to a flag.

    Michael Malthouse was overlooked as coach as he did not have success coaching Footscray and Carlton to a flag.

    Let’s hope the best players in this team will be a game changer!

    This team will play against the best Indigenous AFL team of all time, named earlier in these postings, although that game may be subject to change.

    All donations to this game will come from the fans’ loose change.

    Fans are advised to be prepared for the changing weather.

    The game might have to be changed from Marvel Stadium to the Junction Oval.

    There may be late changes to the team.

  87. Anonymous says

    I should also mention that David Parkin was overlooked as coach because he did not coach Fitzroy to a flag.

    John Kennedy Snr was also overlooked as coach as he did not coach North Melbourne to a flag.

    As for transport, the fans may have to change trains, or change from a train to a team.

    Leigh Matthews may have to change the team’s game plan as well as make positional changes on the field.

  88. Anonymous i seriously beg to differ re Greg Williams at Geelong.

    He made his debut in R 1, 1984 alongside Mark Jackson, and oh yes, Gary Ablett, as the home side easily accounted for Fitzroy. Williams made a big impression on debut, collecting 38 possessions, with 3 Brownlow votes. In his brief time for Geelong in 1984, 85 he stood out as a champion to be.

    He did a knee @ the Western Oval in R 12, 1984, then had full season in 1985. In the latter season he won the Carji Greeves medal, also the VFL Players Association most valuable player. As well he set records for both the most handballs in a match, also the most handballs in a season.

    However 1985 was his last season at the ‘Cattery’. We know Tommy Hafey was replaced as coach after that season, thus Hafey went to Sydney taking some very good players, including G Wllliams, with him.

    Anonymous, G Williams was a top player with all three clubs, though his spell @ the ‘Cattery’ was far too short.

    Glen!

  89. Anonymous says

    Fair enough, Glen, I did originally have Greg Williams in my best 18 for The AFL Change team, but took him out as I could not fit him in the centre as I thought Ian Stewart, with 3 Brownlow Medals and flags at both St Kilda and Richmond was a better centreman.

    I also put Chris Judd ahead of Greg Williams as a ruck rover and Gary Ablett Junior ahead of him as a rover, Eddie Betts ahead of him as a forward pocket and Fraser Gherig ahead of him as a half forward flanker because of their superior goal kicking ability.

    I originally put Greg Williams on a wing but I thought he would be too slow there, which is why I put David Rhys Jones ahead of him, with Patrick Dangerfield on the other wing. There is no other position in the best 18 that I feel he would be better suited to rather than the selected 18.

    Therefore, I have made a change and added Greg Williams on the interchange bench with Ben McEvoy, Carl Ditterich and Aaron Hamill.

    Glen, which position in the best 18 would you place Greg Williams or would you also put Greg Williams on the interchange bench?

  90. Anonymous says

    The field umpire will be Jordan Bannister, who played for Essendon and then changed clubs to Carlton, and then changed to a field umpire.

    The Assistant Coaches for Leigh Matthews will be Ron Barassi, Allan Jeans, Michael Malthouse and David Parkin as those 3 coaches still coached 2 different clubs to premierships.

    Tom Hafey could be an emergency Assistant Coach because although he only coached one club, Richmond, to 4 flags, he still coached Collingwood, and Sydney in finals matches, but not Geelong.

    The sponsor for this team will be Change Healthcare.

    The entertainment for the match between the AFL Change team and the best AFL Indigenous team will be provided by both
    Taylor Swift and Christina Aguilera, who will both perform their singles titled “Change”.

    The emergencies for The Change team are Josh Caddy (Gold Coast, Geelong, Richmond), Dion Prestia (Gold Coast, Richmond), Darren Jolly (Melbourne, Sydney, Collingwood), Tom Lynch (Gold Coast, Richmond), Tony McGuinness (Footscray, Adelaide), Charlie Cameron (Adelaide, Brisbane) and Luke Ball (St Kilda, Collingwood).

    Although Darren Jolly was the understudy to Jeff White at Melbourne, he still played well enough there before being a premiership player at both Sydney and Collingwood.

  91. Anonymous says

    Sorry, apologies to Jeff Farmer, who should go directly to the forward pocket and Eddie Betts can go to the extended interchange bench.

    Another possible inclusion to the emergencies could be Jeff White, who was a good ruckman for Fremantle and Melbourne, although he was more successful at Melbourne, having been the number 1 draft pick, when originally selected by Fremantle.

  92. Ta anonymous.

    Put him on the half forward line ahead of Fraser Gehrig. Gehrig was very good, good enough for the bench in this great side.

    Williams footy smarts, his ball skills,would see him creating havoc on a forward flank. creating goals, kicking goals, doing the hard work he’s a monty for the spot.

    Glen!

  93. Anonymous says

    Yes, I agree with that.

    This is the amended (changed) AFL Change team:

    B: Chris Johnson (Fitz, Bris), Alastair Lynch (Fitz, Bris), Brendan Goddard (St K, Ess)
    HB: Paul Roos (Fitz, Syd)), Ross Glendinning (North M, WC), Barry Davis (Ess, NM)
    C: David Rhys-Jones (Syd, Carl), Ian Stewart (St K, Rich), Patrick Dangerfield (Adel, Geel)
    HF: Darren Jarman (Haw, Adel), Lance Franklin (Haw, Syd), Greg Williams (Geel, Syd, Carl)
    F: Doug Wade (Geel, North M), Tony Lockett (St K, Syd), Jeff Farmer (Melbourne, Frem)
    R: Peter Moore (Coll, Melbourne), Chris Judd (WC, Carl), Gary Ablett Jnr

    I brought in Ross Glendinning to play at Centre Half Back, and shifted Paul Roos to the Half Back Flank.

    I put Brendan Goddard in the back pocket. Zac Tuohy was dropped to the third AFL Change team.

    I also brought Chris Johnson into the other back pocket and dropped Val Perovic to the second AFL Change team.

    Lance Franklin was brought into the team at Centre Half Forward and Barry Hall was dropped to the second AFL Change team.

    I have come up with the second best AFL Change team which is:

    B: Heath Shaw (Coll, GWS), Brian Lake (WB, Haw), Martin Pyke (Melb, Fitz, NM, Bris)
    HB: Lewis Jetta (Syd, WC), Val Perovic (Melb, Haw), John Rantall (SM, NM, Fitz)
    C: Brad Hill (Haw, Frem, St K), Dylan Shiel (GWS, Ess), Fraser Gherig (WC, St K)
    HF: Charlie Cameron (Adel, Bris), Roger Merrett (Ess, Bris), Barry Hall (St K, Syd, WB)
    F: Bernie Quinlan (Foots, Fitz), Tom Lynch (GC, Rich), Eddie Betts (Adel, Bris)
    R: Gary Dempsey (Foots, NM), Russell Greene (St K, Haw), Tony McGuiness (Foots, Adel)

    I have come up with my 3rd best AFL Change team:

    B: Brent Guerra (Port A, St K, Haw), James Frawley (Melb, Haw), Carl Ditterich (St K, Melb)
    HB: Joel Smith (St K, Haw), Jordan Roughead (WB, Coll), Zac Tuohy (Carl, Geel)
    C: Bryan Wood (Rich, Ess), Dion Prestia (GC, Rich), Dayne Beams (Coll, Bris)
    HF: Aaron Hamill (Carl, St K), Earl Spalding (Melb, Carl), Mitch Robinson (Carl, Bris)
    F: Allen Christensen (Geel, Bris), Tom Boyd (GWS, WB), Barry Round (Foots, Syd)
    R: Justin Madden (Ess, Carl), Josh Caddy (GC, Geel, Rich), Adam Treloar (GWS, Coll)
    Int: Darren Jolly (Melb, Syd, Coll), Max Crow (Ess, St K, Foots), Ken Sheldon (Carlton, St Kilda), Luke Ball (St K, Coll)
    ,

  94. G’day Anonymous, Ken Newland started with Geelong, went to Footscray for 1976 then back to Kardinia Park for 1977, 1978. At the very least he could warm the bench for the second team, though i’d certainly rate him higher than a few of the starters in that team.

    Maybe Graeme Landy, Geelong, Richmond, Geelong could fill a berth in the 3rd best team.

    Just thinking.

    Glen!

  95. Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt says

    It’s easy to be picky after you two have done the heavy lifting, but what about Shane Woewodin (Mel/Coll)?

  96. Anonymous says

    OK Glen, Ken Newlands can go to the interchange bench for the second team.

    Shane Woewodin can go to the wing for the second team and Fraser Gherig can be dropped to the interchange bench for the second team, for team balance.

    I also thought that David Cloke (Richmond/Collingwood) should come into the third team at centre half forward, and Earl Spalding can be demoted to an extended interchange bench for the third team.

    Otherwise, if we were to keep the current standard of 4 players on the interchange bench, either Max Crow or Earl Spalding would be demoted to an emergency for the third team, for team balance.

  97. Anonymous says

    Sorry Glen, I forgot to mention your suggestion of Graeme Landy. Unfortunately I couldn’t fnd a spot for him in the best 18 for the 3rd team, but maybe he could either be on an extended interchange bench or vie for a spot on the interchange bench against Luke Ball or Ken Sheldon.

    I think if we were to use the standard interchange bench of 4 players, then Graeme Landy would be demoted to an emergency.

    That’s unless you can come up with a case for Landy to be ahead of any of the current players in either the starting 18 or the current interchange bench for the third team or as mentioned earlier, simply extend the interchange bench to more than 4 players.

  98. Ta anonymous,i’ll take that.

    Landy came down to Geelong from Echuca as a half forward flanker kicking a few goals in the latter part of 1975. 1976 started well, but over the next few seasons he fell out of favour with the selectors.

    Off to Punt Road he went , that was where he played the majority of his career including the 1982 Grand Final, though he missed the 1980 premiership.

    He returned to Geelong in 1987, finishing his career after the R4 match of 1988, an encounter where Geelong trounced Richmond by 79 points, with Garry Ablett kicking a lazy 10. Landy finished his career with 174 games to his credit.

    Glen!

  99. Anonymous, you’ve talked of players who have played well for two clubs.

    Ian Stewart is probably a stand out with Brownlows, and Premierships across two clubs.

    Some have Brownlows with two clubs, others have Premierships with two clubs, but to my knowledge only ‘Stewie’ has got both rewards with each club.

    Glen!

  100. Anonymous says

    Glen, firstly congratulations for bringing up your own century of comments for your original article.

    I think this is the 1st time in Footy Almanac history that 100 comments have been brought up.

    You may raise your bat to the applause of your fellow Almanackers!

    Secondly, I should point out my typing errors for the 2nd team in my above posting where Val Perovic should be (St K , Carl instead of Melb, Haw) and Eddie Betts should be (Carl, Adel, Carl not Adel, Bris).

    Thirdly, both Greg Williams and Barry Hall played well for 3 clubs. I really think that Brad Hill can join them by playing well for St Kilda after playing well for Hawthorn and Fremantle.

    Fourthly, I was thinking the same thing about Ian Stewart being the only player to have played in flags for 2 different clubs in St Kilda in 1966 and Richmond in 1973 as well as winning Brownlow Medals for 2 different clubs with St Kilds in 1965 and 1966 and Richmond in 1971.

    Ian Stewart must go down as one of the best Australian Rules footballers of all time.

    The other 4 players in history to have won Brownlow Medals at 2 different clubs are:

    1. Peter Moore, Brownlow Medalist at Collingwood in 1979 but no flag with Collingwood. Brownlow Medalist at Melbourne in 1984 but no flag with Melbourne.

    2. Greg Williams, Brownlow Medalist at Sydney in 1986 but no flag with Sydney. Brownlow Medalist at Carlton in 1994 with a flag in 1995 with Carlton.

    3. Chris Judd, Brownlow Medalist at West Coast in 2004 with a flag at West Coast in 2006. Brownlow Medalist at Carlton in 2010 but no flag with Carlton.

    4. Gary Ablett Junior, Brownlow Medalist with Geelong in 2009 and flags with Geelong in 2007 and 2009. Brownlow Medalist with Gold Coast in 2013 but no flags with Gold Coast.

    That got me thinking as to the best AFL Brownlow Medalist teams from 1964 onwards, so I could come up with an even number of 54 players to make 3 complete teams of the best, 2nd best and 3rd best 18s.

    Here is my best team:

    B: Gavin Wanganeen (Ess, Port A), Kevin Murray (Fitz), Jimmy Bartel (Geel)
    HB: Nathan Buckley (Coll), Ross Glendinning (NM), Mark Riccuito (Adel)
    C: Keith Greig (NM), Ian Stewart (St K, Rich), Nat Fyfe (Frem)
    HF: James Hird (Ess), Adam Goodes (Syd), Dustin Martin (Rich)
    F: Bernie Quinlan (Foots, Fitz), Tony Lockett (St K, Syd), Gary Ablett Junior (Geel, GC, Geel)
    R: Peter Moore (Coll, Melb), Chris Judd (WC, Carl), Bob Skilton (South M)

    The 2nd best team is:

    B: Brad Hardie (Foots, Bris), Noel Teasdale (NM), Barry Round (Foots, Syd)
    HB: Dane Swan (Coll), Graham Moss (Ess), Paul Kelly (Syd)
    C: Patrick Dangerfield (Adel, Geel), Greg Williams (Geel, Syd, Carl), Robert Dipierdomenico (Haw)
    HF: Robert Harvey (St K), Malcolm Blight (NM), Peter Bedford (South M, Carl)
    F: Ben Cousins (WC, Rich), Kevin Templeton (Foots, Melb), Jason Akermanis (Bris, WB)
    R: Gary Dempsey (Foots, NM), Michael Voss (Bris), Simon Black (Bris)

    My 3rd best team is:

    B: Shane Woewodin (Melb, Coll), Scott Wynd (Foots),
    Ross Smith (St K)
    HB: Adam Cooney (WB, Ess), Gordon Collis (Carl), Tony Liberatore (Foots)
    C: Shane Crawford (Haw), Paul Couch (Geel), Paul Kelly (Syd)
    HF: Matt Pridis (WC), Brian Wilson (Foots, Melb, St K), Trent Cotchin (Rich)
    F: Tom Mitchell (Syd, Haw), Graham Teasdale (Rich, Syd), Sam Mitchell (Haw (
    R: Jim Stynes (Melb), Gerard Healy (Melb, Syd), John Platten (Haw)

    Please note several players were played out of position due to a lack of key position players, especially in the 2nd and 3rd best teams.

  101. Anonymous says

    Firstly, apologies for forgetting about Gavin Wanganeen (Ess, Port A). He has come straight into the 1st AFL Change team in the back pocket and Brendan Goddard has been demoted to the interchange bench for the 1st AFL Change team.

    Glen, when you mentioned about Ian Stewart being the only player to have won both flags and Brownlow Medals with 2 different clubs, it got me thinking as to the best team of champion AFL players who never won a flag or a Brownlow Medal with any AFL/VFL team.

    The criteria, like my Best of Brownlow Medal teams, is from 1964 onwards.

    I also want to leave out any current day AFL players, as they still have an opportunity to win a flag and/or a Brownlow Medal.

    I also wanted to pick players that are suited to their position on the field or close enough to where they played their best football.

    Here is the team of Champion players who did not win a flag or a Brownlow Medal:

    B: Nathan Burke (St Kilda), Trevor Barker (St Kilda), Danny Frawley (St Kilda)
    HB: Brendan Goddard (St K, Ess), Chris Grant (WB), Nicky Winmar (St K, WB)
    C: Doug Hawkins (Foots, Fitz), Lenny Hayes (St K), Robert Flower (Melb)
    HF: Brad Johnson (W Bulldogs), Stewart Loewe (St K), Nick Riewoldt (St K)
    F: Peter McKenna (Coll, Carl), Gary Ablett Snr (Haw, Geel), Jeff Farmer (Melb, Frem)
    R: Aaron Sandilands (Frem), Des Tuddenham, (Coll, Ess), Gary Wilson (Fitz)
    Int: Gary Lyon (Melb), Carl Ditterich (St K, Melb), Stephen Milne (St K), Jim Krakouer (North M, St K)
    Emerg: Phil Krakouer (North M, Foots), Barry Price (Coll), Phil Carman (Coll, Melb, Ess, North M), Tony Modra (Adel, Frem)
    Captain: Nick Riewoldt
    Coach: Ross Lyon

    This team of champions will play a match against either the 2nd or 3rd best Champion team of Brownlow Medalists.

    The entertainment will be provided by The Coodabeen Champions and the rock band Queen, who will perform
    their hit single, “We Are The Champions”.

    Former Brisbane Bears / Lions player, Richard Champion, will toss the coin before the start of the game.

    The sponsor will be Champion U.S.A., an American manufacturer of clothing, specializing in sportswear.

  102. Anonymous says

    It is exactly 2 weeks away until the resumption of the AFL Football season.

    Although it has been a long wait, the AFL has made some things shorter this year, such as a shorter season and shorter quarters.

    Speaking of shorter, I have come up with an AFL team where all the lines on the field (i.e. full back line, half back line, etc.) are either short sentences or phrases or commands.

    The criteria is you can only use the surname once.

    Many players will be out of their normal position, so that the line can read better.

    Here is the Short Sentences, Phrases, Command team:

    B: Cook White Rice
    HB: Kickett Close Twomey
    C: Foote Ball Champion
    HF: Gamble Moore Betts
    F: Lockett Brown Daw
    R: Jolly Long Waite
    Int: Bright Young Mann
    Wright Short Card
    Em: Good Day Kruse

    The sentence Cook white rice was Brett Cook (Fitz, StK), Daryl White (Bris), Dean Rice (St K, Carl)

    The sentence Kick it close to me was Derek Kickett (Ess, Syd), Robin Cliose (Ess), Bill Twomey Jr. (Coll)

    The phrase football champion was Les Foote (North M), Luke Ball (St K, Coll), Richard Champion (Bris).

    The command or sentence Gamble more bets was Ryan Gamble (Geel, St K), Peter Moore (Coll, Melb), Eddie Betts (Carl, Adel, Carl).

    The command Lock it, brown door is Tony Lockett (St K, Syd), Jonathan Brown (Brisbane Lions), Majak Daw (North M)

    The phrase jolly long wait is Darren Jolly (Melb, Syd, Coll), Michael Long (Ess), Jarrad Waite (Carl, North M).

    The phrase bright young man is Terry Bright (Geelong), George Young (St Kilda), Peter Mann (North M, Frem).

    The command or sentence Write short card is Peter Wright (Gold C), Jayden Short (Rich), Ray Card (Geel).

    The phrase good day cruise is Kerry Good (North M), Sam Day (Gold C), Max Kruse (South M, Syd).

    The captain is Jayden Short, not Jonathan Brown because the team is for short sentences, phrases, commands.

    The coach is Frank Goode, because he had a SHORT coaching career of only 1 game for Footscray.

    John Kennedy Snr will also give out commands, as the team lines can also be commands and of course, Kennedy’s Commando’s.

    This short sentence team will play a match against a long sentence team, which have players with longer sentences, be that they were reported and/or suspended many times for on field incidents or received a lengthy suspension or off field incidents or brought shame among themselves with football related stories or trouble with the law.

    The entertainment will be provided by Elvis Presley, who will sing “Jailhouse Rock”, Randy Bewman, who will sing “Short People”,
    Billy Joel, who will sing “For The Longest Time” and ACDC, who will sing “It’s a Long Way To The Top”.

    The game will be played with shorter quarters, four 16 minute quarters plus time on.

    The game was meant to be played at either Moorabbin in front of The Animal Enclosure but it has been transferred to Victoria Parkia, in front of unruly Collingwood fans, who will give the short sentence team an unwelcome reception when they run onto the field.

    The game was supposed to be short and sweet, but it is more likely to be on for young and old, with many reports for striking.

    The Security will be working overtime, both with the unruly crowd and the behaviour of the Long Sentence players.

    This is the AFL Long Sentence team:

    B: Chris Yarran (Carl, Rich), David Dench (North M), Glenn Archer (North M)
    HB: Marlion Pickett (Rich), Phil Carman (Colll, Melb, Ess, NM), David Rhys-Jones (Syd, Carl)
    C: Robbie Muir (St K), Greg Williams (Geel, Syd, Carl), Robert Dipierdomenico (Hawthorn)
    HF: Nick Stevens (PA, Carl), Dermott Brereton (Haw), Nicky Winmar (St Kilda)
    F: Andrew Krakouer (Rich, Coll), Wayne Carey (NM, Adel), Ben Cousins (WC, Rich)
    R: Carl Ditterich (St K, Melb), Daryn Creswell (Syd), Jim Krakouer (North M, St K)

    The captain of the long sentence team is Wayne Carey.

    The coach of the long sentence team is Mark Thompson.

    The long sentence team will also be involved with The Long Walk, where they will meet the Long family.

  103. Anonymous says

    With the news that the Western Bulldogs and Collingwood are going to use cardboard cut-outs of members at their first home game when the AFL resumes next month in empty stadiums, it got me thinking not only about the cut to shorter quarters and the cut to a shorter season, which AFL players got the cut (were delisted) and then played well or much better for the next AFL Club they played for after being cut.

    The criteria is the player had to have played at least one senior AFL game for the AFL Club they were cut from.

    Also, it has to have been a cut (delisting) and not a trade for any players or picks.

    Here is the AFL Cut team:

    B: Michael Malthouse (St K, Rich), Craig Bolton (Bris, Syd), Brent Guerra (Port A, St K, Haw)
    HB: Bacher Houli (Essendon, Rich), Tim McGrath (NM, Geel), Matthew Hogg (Foots, Carlton)
    C: Chris Bond (Carl, Rich, Frem), Jarryd Lyons (Adel, GC, Bris), Dean Rice (St K, Carl)
    HF: Josh Mahoney (Coll, WB, PA), Tim Membrey (Syd, St K), Mitch Robinson (Carl, Bris)
    F: Brad Pearce (Brisbane, Carlton), Gary Ablett Snr (Haw, Geel), Jose Romero (North M, Foots)
    R: Shane Wakelin (St K, Coll), Brett Voss (Bris, St K), Peter Bell (Frem, North M, Frem)

    The captain is Peter Bell.

    The coach is Leigh Matthews. Although he coached Collingwood to a flag, he was sacked as coach
    after 1995. He then coached Brisbane to 3 flags.

    This team is sponsored by Visy, one of Australia’s largest recyclers if cardboard.

    This team will play a match against the short sentence AFL team named in my last posting.

    Hopefully, this team will be cut out to play against better opposition.

    Entertainment will be provided by Gloria Estefan, who will sing her single, “Cuts Both Ways”.

    The game will be played at Marvel Stadium, where the players can take a SHORT CUT through the city.

    The admission to the game will be a cut-price for the fans.

    Highlights of former Australian professional tennis player Charlie Fancutt will be played on the big screen.

  104. Anonymous, Charlie and his brother Michael were on the tennis circuit back in the early 1980’s.

    Charlie’s claim to fame was beating Ivan Lendl @ Wimbledon in 1981.

    Glen!

  105. Tolle arbeit anonym.

    Das ist ein kreativer Geist bei der Arbeit.

    My little posting re Deutsch footballers has now gone past 100 comments thanks to your contributions.

    Vielen Danke,

    Glen!

  106. Anonymous says

    Thank you Glen. It was a team effort .

    Before you had written your last posting, I was going to do a contribution every day from now up until the day before 11th June,
    the resumption of the AFL football season, with football number teams.

    The countdown has officially started with 12 days to go to June 11th.

    Therefore, here is the AFL team of Number 12s:

    B: Neil Crompton (Melb), John Blakey (Fitz, North M), Gary Colling (St Kilda)
    HB: Matthew Lappin (St Kilda) Ross Dunne (Collingwood), Colin Sylvia (Melbourne, Frem)
    C: Harold Bray (St K), Josh P. Kennedy (Haw, Syd), Dom Tyson (GWS, Melb, NM)
    HF: Jason Akermanis (Brisbane, WB), Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda), Michael Conlan (Fitzroy)
    F: Denis Banks (Collingwood), Jack Mueller (Melbourne), Jack Titus (Richmond)
    R: Matthew Richardson (Rich), Todd Viney (Melbourne), Mickey Crisp (Carlton)
    Int: Lindsay Thomas (North M, Port A), Alan Richardson (Richmond)

    Ross Dunne was named at Centre Half Back as more height was needed for a key position back man.

    Matthew Richardson was named in the Ruck as there was no ruckman in the team and he is the tallest player in the team,

    Harold Bray was a pacy centreman who played 156 games for St Kilda from 1941-1952. He won St Kikda’s Best and Fairest award
    twice, represented the VFL in interstate football and fell shy of winning the Brownlow Medal by 2 votes in his final season, 1952,
    after finishing 3rd in 1949 and 2nd in 1947.

    Mickey Crisp, 281 goals for Carlton from 1931-1941 was named in the forward pocket ahead of Lindsay Thomas, 212 goals
    for North Melbourne and Port Adelaide, inclusive.

    This team will be playing a game against the Number 11s Team, to be named tomorrow.

    Entertainment for this match will be provided by “The Twelth Man”, Billy Birmingham as well as from the film’s
    “Ocean’s Eleven”, Ocean’s Twelve” and “12th Man”.

  107. A better choice of film would be the ’49 award winning, “THE THIRD MAN”. A brilliant movie with a haunting theme.

  108. Anonymous says

    It’s now 11 days to go to the resumption of the AFL season for 2020.

    Here is the AFL/VFL Guernsey Number 11 team:

    B: Joel Bowden (Richmond), Ashley McIntosh (WC)), Glenn Archer (North M)
    HB: Bruce Doull (Carlton), Joel Corey (Geelong), Leigh Montagna (St K)
    C: Matthew Priddis (WC), Peter Bedford (SM, Carl), Laurie Kerr (Carlton)
    HF: Gary Buckenara (Haw), Bruce Monteith (Rich), Laurie Mithen (Melb)
    F: Geoff Blethyn (Ess), Alastair Lynch (Fitz, Bris), Tony McGuinness (Foots, Adel)
    R: Jim Stynes (Melbourne), Greg Wells (Melb, Carl), John Birt (Essendon)
    Int: Max Gawn (Melb), Shane O’Bree (Bris, Coll), Rod McGregor (Carl), Jack McCrae (WB)
    Em: Michael Doughty (Adel), Michael Firrito (North M)

    Laurie Kerr played 149 games for Carlton from 1950 to 1959. He kicked 48 goals, played interstate football
    and was a Carlton Hall of Famer. He was an emergency for the Carlton Team of the Century.

    Laurie Mithen played 153 games and kivked 108 goals for Melbourne from 1954 to 1962.
    He played in 5 flags in 1955, 56, 57, 59 and 60. He was in the Melbourne Team of the Century.
    He won the best and fairest twice in 1958 and 1959 and was Melbourne’s leading goal kicker in 1962.

    John Birt played 193 games and kicked 303 goals for Essendon from 1957-67.
    He represented Victoria 11 times in interstate matches and played in 2 flags in 1962 and 1965.
    He won the Best and Fairest in 1961, 1965 and 1967.

    Rod McGregor played 236 games and kicked 26 goals for Carlton from 1905 to 1912 and 1914 to 1920.
    He played in 4 flags in the centre in 1906, 1908, 1914 and 1915.
    He played interstate football and was an emergency for the Carlton Team of the Century.

    Joel Corey and Bruce Monteith had to play in the key positions of Centre Half Back and Centre Half Forward respectively,
    as there were no better options. Although Max Gawn is tall, it was better he was left on the interchange bench, as the
    understudy to Jim Stynes, as Gawn is not a good key position player, other than a ruckman.

    It should be a good SPECTACLE between the Number 11 (Elf) and the Number 12 (Zwolf) AFL/VFL Teams, especially with
    Geoff Blethyn playing.

  109. Anonymous says

    With 10 days to go to the resumption of the AFL season, this is the Number 10 (zehn) Team:

    B: Gary Foulds (Essendon), Alan Noonan (Ess, Rich), Kevin Sheedy (Rich)
    HB: Marcus Ashcroft (Bris), Neil Roberts (St Kilda), Steven Baker (St Kilda)
    C: Paul Williams (Coll, Syd), Anthony Stevens (NiM), Barry Mitchell (Syd, Coll, Carl)
    HF: Shane Edwards (Rich), Peter Everitt (Stk, Haw, Syd), Bill Mohr (St Kilda)
    F: Michael Walters (Frem), John Coleman (Essendon), Bob Pratt (South Melbourne)
    R: Carl Ditterich (St K, Melb), Scott Pendlebury (Coll), Adrian Gallagher (Carl, Foots, Melb)
    Int: Nathan Eagleton (Port A, WB), Joe Ryan (Foots)

    Joe Ryan kicked 252 goals for Footscray from 1937-1948.

  110. Anonymous says

    As there are nine days remaining until the resumption of the AFL season, this is the Number 9 (neun) team:

    B: Wayne Campbell (Rich), Fraser Gherig (WC, StK), James Kelly (Geel, Ess)
    HB: Tyson Edwards (Adel), David Neitz (Melbourne), Shaun Burgoyne (PA, Haw)
    C: Brian Dixon (Melbourne), Patrick Cripps (Carl), Robert Dipierdomenico (Haw)
    HF: Michael Turner (Geelong), Laurie Sandilands (Foits, Coll), Rory Sloane (Adelaide)
    F: Trent Cotchin (Richmond), Brian Taylor (Richmond, Coll), Robbie Gray (Port Adel)
    R: Nic Naitanui (West Coast), Ben Cousins (West Coast), Shane Crawford (Hawthorn)
    Int: Peter Wilson (Rich, WC), Paul Hudson (Haw, WB, Rich), Col Austen (Haw, Rich), Alan Johnson (Melb)
    Em: John Northey (Rich), Brendan Edwards (Haw), Laurie Fowler (Rich, Melb), Bill Findlay (Foots, NM),
    James Freake (Fitz), Basil McCormack (Rich)

    Colin Austen played 85 games for Hawthorn from 1941 to 1943, 1946 to 1949 and 51 games for Richmond from 1950 to 1952.
    He won the Brownlow Medal for Hawthorn in 1949, and the Best and Fairest for Hawthorn in 1949.

    Brendan Edwards played 109 games for Hawthorn from 1956 to 1963 and kicked 29 goals.
    He won the Best and Fairest in 1960 and represented Victoria at interstate football in the same season.
    He played in Hawthorn’s premiership in 1961.

    Bill Findlay played 5 games for Footscray from 1933-34 and 168 games for North Melbourne from 1935-45.
    He kicked a total of 360 goals as a rover and a forward.
    He played interstate football and was a 3 time leading goal kicker for North Melbourne.

    James Freake played 174 games for Fitzroy from 1912 to 1924 and kicked 442 goals.
    He played in 2 flags in 1913 and 1922,
    He was a 7 time Fitzroy leading goalkicker (he was a freak!) and was Fitzroy Club Champion in 1918.

    Basil McCormack played 199 games for Richmond from 1925-36 as a half back flanker.
    He played in 2 premierships in 1932 and 1934 and won 2 Best and Fairests in 1927 and 1928.
    He played in 13 interstate games and is Richmond’s Team of the Century and Richmond’s Hall of Fame.

    The captain of The Number 9 team will be David ditzy and the Coach will be John Northey.

    The match between the Number 9 and Number 10 Teams will be televised live by both Channel 9 and Channel 10.

    Entertainment will be provided by the film “10”.

  111. Fraser Gehrig, a century goalkicker @ full back ?!? Fair enough, there’s a bit of goal kicking talent in this side.

    I look forward to firstly acht,then the remaining numbers.

    Would i be bold enough to surmise Gott, no not Doug, at full foward for funf?

    Glen!

  112. Anonymous says

    For the number 9 team, there were no better options than to put Fraser Gherig, at full back, due to his height.

    Fraser Gherig played at full back in his first season at St Kilda, before being shifted to full forward.

    Of course, he would have been better suited in the forward line, but Laurie Sandilands had no experience playing in the backline,
    likewise Brian Taylor.

    All the interchange players and emergencies weren’t tall enough for a key position backman, likewise the other back men
    named in the team.

    Also, David Neitz would have made a better Centre Half Forward but once again, he was needed at Centre Half Back for his height,
    and he also had experience playing in the back line at Centre Half Back.

    Similarly, Alan Noonan was chosen at full back for the number 10 team because of his height and there were no better options,
    In his final season at Richmond, he played in defence. Of course, he was noted as a forward throughout his career.

    Here is the AFL/VFL Number 8 (acht) team:

    B: Josh Hunt (Geel, GWS), Max Hudghton (St K), James Clement (Frem, Coll)
    HB: Callan Ward (WB, GWS), Nathan Bassett (Carl), Tim Notting (Brisbane)
    C: Daniel Wells (North, Coll), Glen Elliott (St K, Melb), Dick Clay (Richmond)
    HF: Jack Riewoldt (Richmond), Lance Whitnall (Carl), Phil Krakouer (NM, Foots)
    F: Darren Bewick (Essendon), Michael Roach (Rich), Ron Evans (Essendon)
    R: Matthew Kruezer (Carlton), Shaun McManus (Frem), Trevor Keogh (Carlton)
    Int: Simon Minton-Connell (Carl, Syd, Haw, WB), Robert Scott (Geel, NM), Hamish Hartlett (Port Adel),
    Alan Morrow (St Kilda)
    Em: Taylor Duryea (Haw, WB), Jeff Dunne (St K), Bruce Lindner (Geel, Adel), Ronnie Burns (Geel, Adel),
    Doug Gott (Coll), Craig Devonport (St K, Carl)

    Nathan Bassett was named at Centre Half Back, as he was the tallest available option out of the remaining defenders.

    Jack Riewoldt was named on a half forward flank because he would be a better option to play there than Michael Roach,
    who was more suited to full forward only.

    Due to poular demand, both Doug Gott and Craig Devonport were included as extended emergencies (not interchange).

    Maybe after I have finished the Number 1 Guernsey AFL/VFL Team, I shall do a team of VFL/AFL footballers that were good
    cricketers too. There might have to be quite a few teams of that nature, with Doug Gott included in one of those teams, if he’s
    GOT it!

  113. Ta Anonymous. I do recall Fraser Gehrig playing at full back amongst a range of other positions , prior to settling in the attacking goal square in his latter years.

    Laurie Sandilands played at both ends of the ground . He started his career in the back line, later on Billy Goggin switched him back to defence. I’m fairly confident he played on Larry Donohue in the 1976 Elimination Final .

    I’m trying to recall Alan Noonan on the back line with Richmond. I know in one of his last few games he kicked 5 against Carlton.

    Keep them coming Anonymous.

    Vielen Danke,

    Glen!

  114. Anonymous says

    Firstly, Rick Kennedy (Footscray) has been added to the emergencies for the Number 8 team.

    I couldn’t find any other position for Rick Kennedy in the team, as he was more suited to full back only,
    compared to the other tall defenders named in the team and Max Hudghton was a better full back.

    This is the Number 7 (sieben) AFL/VFL team:

    B: Gary Ayres (Hawthorn), Nigel Smart (Adel), Adam Simpson (North M)
    HB: Jack Ziebell (North M), Harry Taylor (Geel), Lachie Hunter (Western B)
    C: Doug Hawkins (WB, Fitz), Paul Couch (Geel), Nicky Winmar (St K, WB)
    HF: Lindsay White (Geel, SM), Jock Spencer (NM), Brett Ratten (Carlton)
    F: Bill Hutchison (Essendon), Gordon Coventry (Coll), Alan Ruthven (Fitz)
    R: Nat Fyfe (Fremantle), Lenny Hayes (St Kilda), Scott West (Western B)
    Int: Alby Morrison (Foots), Jack Viney (Melb), Adam Treloar (GWS, Coll), Zach Merrett (Ess)
    Em: Warwick Irwin (Fitz, Coll), Stuart Trott (St K, Haw)

    There are many players out of position because I could not find enough good defenders, so I had to go with a gut feel
    as to which players I thought would do well in those positions such as Adam Simpson, Jack Ziebell and Lachie Hunter.

    Brett Ratten was put on a half forward flank, mainly because I thought that Paul Couch was a better option for the centre, and
    likewise Lenny Hayes and Scott West ahead of him for the ruck rover and riover because they had more endurance.

    Like Greg Williams, who was put on a half forward flank for the AFL Change team, Ratten could be useful in that position for
    his football “smarts”. Ratten would be too slow for the wing so I put Nicky Winmar there.

    Nat Fyfe was put in the ruck because there were no ruckman in this team and if anyone can do well in the ruck, it’s Nat Fyfe.

    I could have put Harry Taylor in the ruck who is taller, but he was needed at Centre Half Back.

    Jock Spencer was therefore the next best option for Centre Half Forward. He played 153 games and kicked 475 goals for North Melbournefrom 1948 to 1957. He topped North Melbourne’s goal kicking every year up until 1956 with the exception of 1953
    when he only managed to play four games. He regularly represented Victoria at interstate level.

    Lindsay White played for Geelong and South Melbourne from 1941-50 and kicked 540 goals. He was a 5 time leading
    goalkicker for Geelong and a 1 time leading goalkicker for South Melbourne. He was the leading VFL goalkicker in 1942
    and 1948. He won the Geelong best and fairest in 1947.

    Alan Ruthven played 222 games and kicked 442 goals for Fitzroy from 1940 to 1954. He won the Brownlow Medal in 1950
    and was a 5 time Fitzroy Cub Champion. He was a 3 time leading goalkicker for Fitzroy and is in the Australian Football Hall
    of Fame and the Fitzroy team of the century.

    Gordon Coventry needs no introduction.

    Bill Hutchison played 290 games and kicked 496 goals for Essendon from 1942-57.
    He played in 4 flags for Essendon and won the Brownlow Medal in 1952 and 1953.
    He was a 7 time Essendon Best and Fairest winner and is in the Essendon team of the century.
    He is a legend Australian Football Hall of Fame member and was in the All Australian Team in 1953 and 1956.

    Alby Morrison played 224 games and kicked 369 goals for Footscray from 1928-38, 41-42 and 46.
    He was a 5 time Footscray leading goalkicker and a 2 time Best and Fairest winner.

    The Captain will be Nat Fyfe and the Coach will be Gary Ayres.

    The match between the Number 7 and Number 8 Teams will be televised live by Channel 7.

    The entertainment for the match will be provided by the film “The Magnificent Seven” and the television shows
    ‘Seven Little Australians” and “Eight is Enough”.

    Highlights of Novak Djokovic’s 8 Australian Open titles and Roger Federer’s 8 Wimbledon titles will be shown on the big screen
    at Marvel Stadium, because one has to marvel at those achievements.

    Highlights of Rafa Nadal’s 12 French Open titles and Margaret Court’s 11 Australian Open titles will be shown on the big screen at Marvel Stadium for the earlier match between the Number 11 and Number 12 Teams.

    Highlights of Martina Navratilova’s 9 Wimbledon titles will be shown on the big screen at Marvel Stadium for an earlier match
    between the Number 9 and Number 10 Teams.

  115. Anonymous says

    There has been a late change to the Number 7 AFL/ VFL team with the addition of Wayne Johnston (Carlton) to the half forward flank and Brett Ratten has been demoted to an extended interchange bench.

    Also, Max Crow (Ess, St K, Foots) has been added to the list iof emergencies for the Number 9 team.

    I should also put out that further entertainment for the match between the Number 11 and Number 12 Teams will include highlights of both Richmond and Melbourne’s 12 flags on the big screen,

    Further entertainment for the match between the Number 9 and Number 10 Teams will include highlights of Geelong’s 9 flags on the big screen.

    Further entertainment for the match between the Number 7 and Number 8 Teams will include highlights of Fitzroy’s 8 flags on the big screen.

  116. Anonymous says

    Firstly, there have been late changes for the Number 7 team. Dean Solomon (Ess, Frem) and Nathan Van Berlo (Adel) have both been selected to play on the half back flanks.

    Both Jack Ziebell and Lachie Hunter have been demoted to an extended interchange charge bench as Solomon and Van Berlo are better suited to play in those positions.

    Chris Daniher has also been selected to play in the back pocket as he has more experience in defensive roles than Adam Simpson, who will go to the extended interchange bench.

    As there are now 6 days remaining until the resumption of the AFL season, I have selected 2 AFL/VFL Number 6 (sechs) Teams.

    Here is the 1st Number 6 team:

    B: Kade Simpson (Carl), Andrew Dunkley (Syd), Bob Murray (St Kilda)
    HB: Drew Banfield (WC), Craig Bolton (Bris, Syd), Neale Daniher (Ess)
    C: Brad Johnson (WB), Luke Power (Bris, GWS), Elliot Yeo (Bris, WC)
    HF: Tony Modra (Adel, Frem), Michael Moncrieff (Haw), George Bissett (Foots, Coll)
    F: John Dugdale (North M), Peter McKenna (Coll, Carl), Fred Fanning (Melb)
    R: Brad Ottens (Rich, Geel), Shannon Grant (Syd, NM), Charlie Sutton (Foots)

    As there were many champion full forwards, Tony Modra and Michael Moncrieff were the best options to play in the half forward line.

    Here is the 2nd Number 6 team::

    B: James Sicily (Hawthorn), Anthony Daniher (Syd, Ess), Stephen Mount (Richmond)
    HB: David Grant (St K, Melb), Ian Fairley (North Melbourne), Lachie Whitfield (GWS)
    C: Heath Black (Frem, St K), Sebastian Ross (St Kilda), Paul Sproule (Ess, Richmond)
    HF: Angus Monfries (Ess, Port), Joe Daniher (Essendon), Arnold Briedis (North Melb)
    F: Tyson Goldsack (Coll), Jack Moriarty (Ess, Fitzroy), Cliff Rankin (Geelong)
    R: Ron Alexander (Fitzroy), Shaun Grigg (Carl, Rich), Chris Naish (Richmond)

    Cliff Rankin played 153 games and kicked 400 goals for Geelong from 1915-28.
    He was a 4 time leading goalkicker for Geelong and a 14 time state representative.
    He was an emergency for Geelong’s team of the century.

    Jack Moriarity kicked 13 goals for Essendon and 626 goals for Fitzroy from 1922-33.
    He was a 9 time Fitzroy leading goalkicker.
    He was the Fitzroy Club Champion in 1927 and the Essendon leading goalkicker in 1922.
    He was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2004.
    He represented Victoria many times.
    He is in the Fitzroy Team of the Century.

  117. Anonymous says

    It’s been brought to my attention that a few years ago, Phillip D, did AFL/VFL guernesy number teams from number 13 to number 1.

    I started at number 12, and have finished at 6. He actually left out 6 but did numbers 5 to 1, so it’s a good time for me to stop doing those team numbers.

    Therefore, for the Numbers 5 to 1, you can look at his teams under the Novelty Teams heading in the Footy Almanac.

    Speaking of Novelty Teams, I noticed that back in October 2018, Glen did an Australian Test Cricket team of players who born in other countries. Glen, you can now put Marcus Labuschagne (South Africa) in at number 3 instead of A. Jackson (Scotland).

    At the time the article was written, Marnus Labuschagne had just made his Test debut for Australia. How times have changed since for the better for Marnus.

    This is a team of AFL/VFL footballers, mainly the old VFL, who played or coached senior VFL/AFL football and who represented Australia in Test cricket and/or One Day International Cricket.

    Unfortunately, Shane Warne could not make it into the seniors for St Kilda, so he is ineligible.

    There were other players who played in the SANFL or WAFL seniors but it was not part of the stronger VFL/AFL competition at the time, so they were overlooked for this team.

    I have not placed too much importance on the players’ positions on the field.

    This is the team:

    B: Jamie Siddons (Syd), Simon O’Donnell (St K), Graeme Watson (Melb)
    HB: Ted McDonakd (Ess), Laurie Nash (South M), Barlow Carkeek (Ess)
    C: Harry Graham (Melb), David Smith (Ess/Rich), George Tribe (Foots)
    HF: Roy Park (Uni, Melb), Warwick Armstrong (South), Albert Hartkopf (University)
    F: Sam Loxton (St Kilda), Keith Miller (St Kilda), Jimmy Natthews (St Kilda)
    R: Max Walker (Melbourne), Gil Langley (Ess), Jack Worrall (Fitzroy)

    Jamie Siddons played 2 games for Sydney in 1984 and 1 One Day International for Australia in 1988/89.

    Ted McDonald played 2 games for Essendon in 1912 and 46 games for Fitzroy from 1913 to 1919.
    He played 11 Tests for Australia from 1920-21 to 1921/22.

    Barlow Carkeek played 26 games for Essendon from 1903-95.
    He played 6 Tests for Australia in 1912.

    Harry Graham played 2 games for Melbourne in 1900 and he played 6 Tests for Australia from 1893 to 1896.

    David Smith played 114 games for Essendon from 1993-11 and 19 games for Richmond in 1914.
    He played 2 Tests for Australia in 1912.

    George Tribe played 66 games for Footscray from 1940-46 and he played 3 Tests for Australia in 1946/47.

    Albert Hartkopf played 48 games for University from 1908-11 and 1814.
    He played 1 Test for Australia in 1924/25.

    Roy Park played 44 games for University from 1912-14 and 13 games for Melbourne in 1915.
    He played 1 Test for Australia in 1920/21.

    Jimmy Matthews played for St Kilda in 1907 and played 8 Tests for Australia in 1911 to 1912.

    Gil Langley played 4 games for Essendon in 1943 and represented South Australia 11 times in interstate football.
    He played 26 Tests for Australia from 1951/52 and 1956/57.

    Jack Worrall played for Fitzroy before Fitzroy entered the VFL competition in 1897.
    However, he coached Carlton to 3 flags from 1906-08 and Essendon to 2 flags in 1911 and 1912, which made him eligible for this team.
    He played 11 Tests for Australia in 1884/85.

  118. Anonymous says

    Firstly, apologies to Phillip D, as he did do a Number 6 team under the Novelty Teams.

    I have come up with 3 Teams.

    The 1st Team is a team of uplifting AFL/VFL surnames that sound happy and positive, which is needed during the pandemic.

    The 2nd Team is a team of bad sounding AFL/VFL surnames that you would not like to have in the school playground as it can be made fun of because of the way it sounds or is spelt, or nasty words that it can rhyme with, or there is a stigma attached to it. It is more suited to the tough, bad pandemic time.

    The 3rd Team is a team of AFL/VFL surnames where these names are better suited for another sport or game.

    Here is the 1st team of Upliifting:

    B: Tony Armstrong (Adel, Syd, Coll), Fred Swift (Rich), Richard Champion (Bris)
    HB: Nigel Smart (Adelaide), Sean Wellman (Adel, Ess), Matthew Armstrong (Fitz, NM)
    C: Daniel Wells (NM,Coll), Greg Wells (Melbourne, Carl), David King (North M)
    HF: Terry Bright (Geelong), Adam Goodes (Sydney), Brett Goodes (Western B)
    F: Frank Goode (North M), Kerry Good (North M), Pat Cash Snr (Hawthorn)
    R: Darren Jolly (Melb, Syd, Coll), Barry Armstrong (Carl), Luke Power (Bris)

    Franke Goode is the captain coach.

    The 2nd team of rhymes with a bad word, negative, bullied or frowned upon surnames is:

    B: Jayden Short (Rich), Trevor Barker (St K), Wayne Harmes (Carl)
    HB: Dylan Buckley (Carl, GWS), Cale Hooker (Ess), Dean Laidley (WC, NM)
    C: Tim Broomhead (Coll), Nathan Buckley (Coll), Anthony Condon (Hawthorn)
    HF: Glen Hawker (Ess, Carl), Stewart Loewe (St K), Nick Daffey (Richmond)
    F: Ryan Gamble (Geel, St K), Glen Middlemiss (Geel, St K), Eddie Betts (Carl, Adel)
    R: Brendan Lade (Port Adel), Michael Tuck (Hawthorn), John Manzie (St Kilda)
    Int: Harry Frei (Footscray), Paul Harding (Haw, St K, WC), Josh Battle (St K), Mark Gamble (St K)

    The entertainment for the match between these teams will be the film “The good, the bad, and the ugly”.

    The 3rd team of players surnames suited to other games or sports are:

    B: T Armstrong (Adel, Syd, Coll-Weightlifting), F Swift (Rich-Running), M Bishop (PA, Melb-Chess)
    HB: M Armstrong (Fitzroy, North M-Weightlifting), P Knights (Haw-Chess), M Rooke (Geelong-Chess)
    C: David King (North Melbourne – Chess), Peter Box (Footscray- Boxing), T King (Haw, St K – Chess)
    HF: J Caddy (GC, Geel, Richmond-Golf), Max King (St Kilda- Chess), B Armstrong (Carl-Weightlifting)
    F: Clinton King (Syd, Coll, Rich – Chess), Ben King (Gold Coast-Chess), Riley Knight (Adel – Chess)
    R: Stephen King (Geelong, St K – Chess), Matthew Knights (Rich-Chess), L Power (Bris, GWS-Weightlifting)

    This team will play round robin matches against the 1st 2 teams named in this posting.

    Peter Knights will be the captain coach of this team.

  119. Anonymous i recall a story about Roy Park’s brief test career. Anecdotal, maybe a furphy, but intriguing.

    He strode to the creek, made his mark, took guard, the bowler ran in about to deliver. In the stands his wife was knitting, then as the bowler released the ball,she dropped her wool.As she lent forward to pick up her wool, the ball skittled her husband’s stumps. His test batting career was over, without her seeing him face a ball. In those times you couldn’t but a video of career highlights !

    Dr George Tribe worked at Western General Hospital for quite a while. I remember my mother telling us how she’d worked with him.

    Memories.

    Glen!

  120. Anonymous says

    Interesting information Glen. I feel sorry for Roy Park’s wife but at least her husband became a doctor, like George Tribe, because in those days there was no money to be made in cricket but of course, a doctor made money.

    It’s a small world that your mother worked with Dr George Tribe.

    I have now come up with an AFL/VFL team where I have matched up players to a certain opponent where I believe the player who has
    been selected to oppose the original player, will beat the original player just by his surname, compared to the original player’s surname that he is matched against.

    I have not worried about the positions on the field or the players true abilities. It’s simply a fun exercise with fun match ups:

    Here is the original team with their match ups typed below their name:

    B: Jayden Short (Rich), Majak Daw (North M), Matthew Bishop (Port A, Melb)
    Ben Long (St Kilda), Tony Lockett (St K, Syd), Stephen King (Geel, Syd)

    HB: Ken Hunter (Carl), Peter Knights (Haw), Neville Fields (Ess, South M)
    Ron Reiffel (Rich), Max King (St Kikda), Patrick Dangerfield (Adel, Geel)

    C: John Burns (North Melbourne), Greg Burns (St Kilda), Robert Flower (Melb)
    Chris Waterman (West Coast), Jake Waterman (WC), Beau Waters (West C)

    HF: S ICKe (North M, Melbourne), Chris Dawes (Coll, Melb), Matthew Knights (Rich)
    S Wellman (Adel, Essendon), Robin Close (Essendon), David King (North Melb)

    F: Luke Ball (St K, Coll), Michael Byrne (Melb,Haw,Syd), Josh Battle (St Kilda)
    Les Foote (North Melb), , Terry Waters (Collingwood), Norman Waugh (Ess)

    R: Daryl COWie (St K), Riley Knight (Adelaide), Chris Stone (St Kilda)
    Polly Farmer (Geel), Tony King (Haw, St Kil), Anthony Rock (NM, Haw)

  121. Anonymous says

    As Hawthorn 4 flags, Geelong 3 flags, Brisbane 3 flags, Richmond 2 flags, Sydney 2 flags, and West Coast 2 flags have won a staggering 16 premierships between them this Millennium, I have made up my best 3 teams for those 6 clubs only.

    I left out Essendon, Port Adelaide, Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs as they have only won 1 flag each in this millennium, not that it’s not a great achievement but I need to be picky in choosing my 3 best teams.

    The criteria is that every player selected must have played in at least one of their team’s premiership success this millennium.

    I have stuck to players who I consider to be very skilful, and most importantly, perform well in Grand Finals and who are match winners.

    Here is the 1st team:

    B: Chris Johnson (Bris), Matthew Scarlett (Geel), Brian Lake (WB, Haw)
    HB: Nigel Lappin (Bris), Alex Rance (Richmond), Luke Hodge (Hawthorn)
    C: Daniel Kerr (WC), Dustin Martin (Richmond), Chris Judd (WC, Carl)
    HF: Steve Johnson (Geel, GWS), Jonathan Brown (BL), Adam Goodes (Syd)
    F: Lance Franklin (Haw, Syd), Alastair Lynch (BL), Gary Ablett Jr (Geel, GC)
    R: Dean Cox (West Coast), Michael Voss (Brisbane), Ben Cousins (WC, Rich)

    This is the 2nd team:

    B: Jimmy Bartel (Geel), Darryl White (Bris), Dylan Grimes (Rich)
    HB: Bachar Houli (Rich), Jeremy McGovern (WC), Corey Enright (Geel)
    C: Luke Shuey (WC), Trent Cotchin (Rich), James Kelly (Geel, Ess)
    HF: Paul Chapman (Geel, Ess), Jarryd Roughead (Haw), Cyril Rioli (Haw)
    F: Michael O’Laughlin (Syd), Josh J Kennedy (Carl, WC), Jason Akermanis (Bris)
    R: Brad Ottens (Geel), Simon Black (Bris), Sam Mitchell (Haw)

    Here is the 3rd team:

    B: Andrew Mackie (Geel), Leo Barry (Syd), Ben Stratton (Haw)
    HB: Nick Vlaustin (Rich), Tom Harley (Geel), Jarrod McVeigh (Syd)
    C: Isaac Smith (Haw), Jordan Lewis (Haw), Joel Corey (Geel)
    HF: Dom Sheed (WC), Barry Hall (St K, Syd, WB), Elliott Yeo (Bris, WC)
    F: Jack Riewoldt (Rich), Tom Hawkins (Geel), Luke Breust (Haw)
    R: Ben McEvoy (St K, Haw), Josh P Kennedy (Haw, Syd), Luke Power (Bris, GWS)

  122. Anonymous says

    First apologies for leaving Joel Selwood out of the teams in the above posting. I would probably put him in the centre ahead of Trent Cotchin in the 2nd team. Cotchin could then play on a half forward flank and Paul Chapman would be demoted to the half forward flank of the 3rd tieam and Dom Sheed would be dropped from the 3rd team.

    As today is Queen’s Birthday, I have come up with a team of AFL/VFL players of Phillips, Charles, Edwards, Williams. and George as the names are closely related to the Queen’s immediate family.

    The criteria is that these names have to be surnames.

    Here is the team:

    B: Jake Edwards (Carl), Jack Edwards (North), Tom Williams (WB)
    HB: John Williams (Ess, Coll), Greg Phillips (Coll), Arthur Edwards (Foots)
    C: Bob Williams (Hawthorn), Greg Williams (Gee/Sy/Car), David Williams (Melb)
    HF: Shane Edwards (Richmond), Allan Edwards (Ri, Co, Fo), Sean Charles (Melb, Carl, St K)
    F: Aaron Edwards (WC/NM/Ri), Mark Williams (Hawthorn), Brent Williams (Adelaide)
    R: Justin Charles (Foots, Rich), Mark Williams (Coll, Bris), Darren Williams (Essendon)
    Int: Ian George (St Kilda)
    Em: John Georgiou (St K), Alex Geogiou (Melb), John Georgiadis (Foots), Mitch Geogiadis (Port A)

    Ian George played 7 games for St Kilda in 1973-74.

    Arthur Edwards played 120 games for Footscray and played in their 1954 premiership.

    Bob Williams played 136 games for Hawthorn from 1932-34.

    Brent William played 7 games for Adelaide in 1997.

    There was only 1 interchange because the 4 players named as emergencies only had George as part of their surname.

    This team will play against the Royals team, which Glen wrote about in January 2019, which can be found in the Novelty Teams
    of the Footy Almanac.

    Mark Williams (Coll, Bris) will be the captain coach.

    The match will be played at The Oval in London and The Queen and Prince Phillip,Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince Edward and Prince George will be in attendance.

    Entertainment will be provided by the pop group “Queen”, as well as the films, “Elizabeth” and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert”,

  123. Anonymous says

    Glen, regarding your post on May 10, 2020 for my AFL/VFL Easter Team::

    As a tribute to Mark Naley from Carlton passing away yesterday, it has dawned on me that he had the nickname of “Nails”, therefore he has been included in the AFL Easter team,

    He has been included as the rover and Jim Christou has been omitted.

  124. GORDON NEIL MANN says

    Regards the comment about Harold (Hassa) Mann, I could show you his family tree back to 1852, he is definitely of German descent.

  125. As restrictions in Melbourne continue to ease, I thought it was an appropriate time to pay tribute to the city of Melbourne going from over 700 positive coronavirus cases in July to zero cases within 4 months. Even if things change with the returned overseas travellers and quarantine in regard to cases, it has been a great hard fought win with zero cases for nearly 4 weeks.

    Therefore, I have decided to do an AFL team of surnames that represent a win, as well as things we have taken for granted in the past that people can now do such as going on an aeroplane, fresh air outside without a mask if you can social distance, beers at a pub, swimming in a local swimming pool and seeing family and cousins in person with 15 people being allowed indoors. This all represents freedom.

    Here is the AFL Freedom team:

    B: Gary Ayres (Hawthorn), Andy Goodwin (Rich/Melb), Nathan Freeman (St Kilda)
    HB: Mark Beers (Collingwood), Tony Beers (Collingwood), Scott Freeborn (Carton)
    C: Trevor Poole (Rich, Geel), Simon Goodwin (Adelaide), James Cousins (Hawthorn)
    HF: Nicky Winmar (St K, WB), Bradley Plain (Ess, Coll, NM), Brian Beers (Collingwood)
    F: Glenn Freeborn (NM, Coll), Chad Wingard (Port A, Haw), Tony Free (Richmond)
    R: Brian Winton (Rich/Ess/St K), Ben Cousins (West C, Rich), Bryan Cousins (Geel)

    The match will be played against the Home Lockdown team written from my comment on May 2nd, 2020.

    The umpire is undecided but hopefully he will pay enough FREES.

    The coach will be a combination of Gary Ayres and Simon Goodwin.

    Entertainment will be provided by George Michael’s hit song “Freedom”.

    The match will be shown live and FREE on channel 7.

  126. I have come up with a belated Dutch AFL team:

    B: Jay Van Berlo (Frem), Ben Holland (Rich, Melb), Terry De Koning (Foots)
    HB: Nick Vlaustin (Rich), Ron Clegg (South Melb), Robert Klomp (Carl, Foots)
    C: Winnie Van Lint (South M), Adam Cooney (WB, Ess), Ron Van T’Hag (Geel)
    HF: Jordan De Goey (Coll), Paul Van Der Haar (Essendon), Nathan Van Berlo (Adel)
    F: Tom De Koning (Carlton), Nick Holland (Hawthorn), Brodie Holland (Collingwood)
    R: Scott Wynd (Footscray), Callum Mills (Sydney), Blaine Boekhorst (Carlton)

    Some players were included to make up the numbers, with even a slight connection to anything to do with with Dutch.

    All the Holland surnames were included for obvious reasons.

    Scott Wynd was included with Callum Mills so their surnames together could be windmills, which are very common in Holland.

    Ron Clegg was included because Clegg sounds like clog.

    Adam Cooney was included because the Dutch are known for their cheese, even though this is coon cheese.

    Nick Vlaustin has Dutch grandparents.

    Blaine Boekhurst has a Dutch father.

    Wennie Van Lint played 2 games for South Melbourne in 1967 and was born in The Netherlands.

    Ron Van T’Hag played 2 games for Geelong in 1959 and was born in The Netherlands.

    The Van Berlo brothers are of Dutch heritage.

    Terry De Koning has a Dutch father and his son Tom De Koning has a Dutch grandfather.

    Jordan De Goey has a Dutch surname.

    As the AFL Draft begins tomorrow, I have typed a best AFL Draft order from pick 1 to pick 20, as noted by Kevin Sheehan.

    B: Gavin Wanganeen (12, Ess 1989, PA), Harry Taylor (17, Geel 2007), Jimmy Bartel (8, Geel 2001)
    HB: Luke Hodge (1, Hawthorn 2001, Bris), Alex Rance (18, Rich 2007), Adam Simpson (14, North 1993)
    C: Patrick Dangerfield (10, Adel, 2007, Geel), Joel Selwood (7, Geel 2006), Nat Fyfe (20, Frem 2009)
    HF: Brad Johnson (11, Western B, 1993), Matthew Pavlich (4, Frem 1999), Jack Macrae (6, WB 2012)
    F: Fraser Gehrig (16, WC 1993, St K), Barry Hall (19, St K 1995, Syd, WB), Trent Cotchin (2, Rich 2007)
    R: Lance Franklin (5, Haw 2004, Syd), Chris Judd (3, WC 2001, Carlton), Shane Crawford (13, Haw 1991)
    Int: Chad Cornes (9, Port 1997, GWS), Brady Rawlings (15, North 1998)

    The Dutch team will play against the AFL Draft team. I expect the AFL Draft team to win by a very big margin.

    Luke Hodge will captain the AFL Draft team and Nathan Van Berlo will captain the Dutch team.

    Entertainment will be provided by the famous actor, comedian, singer, dancer and writer Dick Van Dyke, who has a Dutch surname.

  127. Here’s an idea Anonymous, pick a team of people you know that have never played a game of footy at any level in their life.,

  128. Fisho, unfortunately I didn’t know where to start with your suggestion as there are way too many people who fit the criteria of people I know that have never played a game of footy at any level in their life. However, congratulations Fisho for your recent baseball article in the Footy Almanac.

    As a consolation, for inspiration, I went through past Novelty Teams in the Footy Almanac, and decided to do a team of high flying AFL/VFL footballers, who were known for taking high flying marks (speccies), to match the high flying feathered team that Glen wrote nearly 2 years ago on 22/12/2018.

    This is the high flying AFL/VFL football team:

    B: Gavin Wanganeen (Ess/Port A), Trevor Barker (St K), Peter Knights (Haw)
    HB: Ken Hunter (Carlton), Billy Picken (Collingwood), Jeremy Howe (Melb/Coll)
    C: Nicky Winmar (St K, WB), Geoof Raines (Ri/Co/Ess/Br), Isaac Heeney (Syd)
    HF: Gary Ablett Sr (Haw/Geel), Phil Baker (Geel/NM), Peter Bosustow (Carlton)
    F: Alex Jesaulenko (Carl/St K), Tony Modra (Adel/Frem), Michael Roach (Rich)
    R: Graeme Teasdale (South M), Liam Ryan (West Coast), Gary Moorcroft (Ess)
    Int: Liam Jurrah (Melb), Shaun Smith (North M/Melb), Warwick Capper (Syd//Bris), Ashley Sampi (WC)

    Although Shaun Smith may have taken the best high flying mark, I could not fit him in the best 18. The same applies to the other high flyers named on the interchange bench.

    This is the high flying feathered team named by Glen:

    B: W Duckworth (Ess), J Duckworth (Fitz), L Hawken (Haw)
    HB: N Fincher (Foots/NM), J Gawkins (Geel), C Bird (Syd/Ess)
    C: G Crane (Carlton), D Swan (Collingwood), D Hawkins (Foots/Fitz)
    HF: P Featherby (Foots/Geel), J Gull (South M ), C Cockatoo-Collins (Ess/PA)
    F: M Crow (Ess/St K/ Foots), T Hawkins (Geel), D Chick (Haw/WC)
    R: N Crowe (Richmond), N Eagleton ( PA/WB), P Hawke (Syd/Coll)
    Int: N Crowe (Rich), S Gull (South M/Melb), A Swallow (NM), D Swallow (GC)
    Em: Do Cockatoo-Collins (Melb), Da Cockatoo-Collins (Melb), N Cockatoo (Geel), A Cockie (WC)

    There will be a match between these 2 teams and HIGHlights of this game will be shown on television.

    There will be a crowd allowed to see this match. Hopefully the crowd will be on a HIGH, after more easing of restrictions. However, the crowd will need to be seated at the HIGHest level at the stadium, for social distancing reasons.

    Entertainment will be provided by Mike Brady, who will perform his hit song “Up There Cazaly”. For any young children in the crowd, they can watch the Children’s television series Hi-5 on the big screen. The West Coast Eagles theme song will be played for both teams when they run out onto the ground.

    Special guests for the match will include former Essendon player, Paul Van Der Haar, “The Flying Dutchman” and former Carlton player, Bruce Doull, “The Flying Doormat”.

    The match will be sponsored by Qantas and the players can go after the match for dinner in HIGH St Malvern, which is close enough to where the game will be played in the afternoon at the Junction Oval in St Kilda.

  129. Apologies for the typing error for Glen’s High Flying Feathered team. It should be J Hawkins (Geel), not J Gawkins (Geel) at Centre Half Back.

    Also, hoping that Fisho’s baseball book becomes A BIG HIT, if it’s not already.

  130. Sorry, I forgot to mention that further entertainment for the match between the AFL/VFL High Flying team of speccies and The High Flying Feathered team will be provided by the 1980 hit comedy film, “Flying High”, which will be shown on the big screen. There will also be many hgh-flyers attending this match.

  131. G’day Anonymous.

    With these high fliers you’re really taking off.

    Glen!

  132. Apologies for the typing error in one of my previous posts. It should be Geoff Raines, not Geoof Raines, in the Centre for the high flying specicie team.

    With the AFL Draft beginning tonight, it got me thinking as these players are ones to watch, I needed to come up with an AFL/VFL team of players that would be a glamour team and easy on the eye. I decided that would apply with the criteria that the players initial of their first name and their whole surname to match a famous female Hollywood or television actress, famous female singer or famous female model, who have the same first initial and surname. The only exception was for Alex Gardiner whose surname still sounded the same as but spelt differently to the film actress Ava Gardner.

    Here is the team:

    B: Arthur “Amy” Adams (SM 1915, 3 games), Dan “Dannii” Minogue” (Col/Ri/Ha 1911-26),
    Mark “Mae” West (Foots 1996-98 ,16 games)
    HB: Jack “Jacqueline” Bisset (Rich/SM 1921-36), Jack “Jennifer” Hawkins (Geel), Barry “Bette” Davis (Ess/NM)
    C: Alex “Ava” Gardiner (Foots 1955-62), Elijah “Elizabeth” Taylor (Syd), Col ‘Cindy” Crawford (Ess/Fitz 1934-36, 21 games)
    HF: Joel “Jaclyn” Smith (St K, Haw), Jack “Jodie” Foster (Melb 1935-38, 27 games), Dick “Doris” Day (NM, 1943, 2 games)
    F: Jarrod “Julianne” Moore (Syd), John ‘Julia” Roberts (SM, 1980-82), Dick “Debbie” Reynolds (Ess)
    R: Jack ‘Jennifer” Lawrence (NM 1955-57, 9 games), Michael “Megan” Gale (Fitz/Rich),
    Luke ‘Lucille” Balll (St K/Coll)

    This glamour team will play matches against the Hollywood Womens’ FC – The Leading Ladies team that
    Smokie posted on Nov 6, 2017 and that team can be seen in the Novelty Teams of the Footy Almanac.It will obviously be a record margin for this team named above.

    There will be plenty of eye catching performances in this match and regardless of the score, the game should be a beauty!

    Entertainment will be provided by highlights of all the Oscar nominated films.

  133. As we now are now in summer, I thought is was appropriate to come up with an AFL/VFL team for all seasons, especially as Melbourne is known to sometimes have 4 seasons in the one day.

    This team will adapt to any changing weather conditions, as well as having specific wet weather and dry weather players, due to their surname only.

    Here is the team:

    B: Chris Waterman (WC), Brian Lake (WB/Haw), Jack Frost (Coll/Bris)
    HB: Terry Waters (Coll), Sam Frost (GWS/Melb/Haw), Jared Rivers (Melb/Geel)
    C: Michael Frost (Foots/St K), Geoff Raines (Ri/Co/Es/Br), Farren Ray (WB/St K/NM)
    HF: David Flood (Essendon), David Hale (North M/Haw), John Somerville (Ess)
    F: Beau Waters (West C), Jason Heatley (WC, St Kilda), Jake Waterman (WC)
    R: Peter Somerville (Ess), Andrew Raines (Rich/Bris/GC), Jack Hale (Carl)

    Jack Hale played 123 games for Carlton from 1933 to 1941.

    Farren Ray was included in this team to provide the team with a ray of sunshine.

    This team will play a match against the Bushfire Relief Fund team, which I posted on May 3rd, 2020.

    The game will be played at Princes Park, because of the Robert HEATley stand.

    The match will be played rain, hail or shine.

    Highlights of the match will be shown on the Weather Channel.

    I’m not sure WHETHER there’ll be any last minute changes to the teams.

    Fans are welcome to bring sunscreen as well as an umbrella into the ground due to changing weather conditions.

    Entertainment will be provided by the hit song “Seasons in the Sun”, by Terry Jacks.

    Let’s hope for a watertight game of football.

  134. This is an AFL/VFL team of Words (Worden), where the 1st initial of the player and that same player’s surname make up a word. The spelling may be different but as long as it sounds near enough to the word in question. It was decided to do it this way because there were too many cases of the player’s surname only being a word.

    Here is the Words team:

    B: H Evans (Carl/heavens), P Ilott (SM/pilot), F Rees (SM/frees)
    HB: R Eade (Haw/Bris/read), S Icke (NM/M/sick), L Icke (NM/lick)
    C: G Lee (St K/glee), G Raines (R/C/E/B/grains), J Ellis (Ess/jealous)
    HF: F Ray (WB/StK/NM/fray), S Loewe (St K/slow), G Rose /Syd/ grows)
    F: C Lynch (Geel/clinch), B Reid (Coll/breed), B Acres (StK/Frem/bakers)
    R: B Lade (PA/blade), B Rawlings (NM/ brawlings), P Rice (SM/price)

    Hope Evans played 7 games for Carlton in 1925.
    Percy Ilott played 7 games for South Melbourne in 1937.
    Fred Rees played 1 game for South Melbourne in 1963.
    Graeme Lee played 18 games for St Kilda from 1961-62.
    John Ellis played 44 games for Essendon from 1967-71.
    Gavin Rose played 55 games for Sydney from 1992-96.
    Chris Lynch played 5 games for Geelong from 1972-74.
    Peter Rice played 39 games for South Melbourne from 1959-62.

    This team will play a match against the famous female Hollywood, model and singer team posted on December 9, 2020.

    Details of this match will be word of mouth.

    The players’ actions will speak louder than words.

    All players from the Words team will receive a game of Scrabble.

    Entertainment will be provided by The Bee Gees hit song “Words”.

    The players from the Hollywood team will be asked not to “stage” for frees.

    Words can’t describe how good this game promises to be.

  135. Anonymous, how about a team of World cricketers that have been caught ball tampering over the years, and what were their penalties

  136. Moin herr anonymous, Here’s a test team of players with unusual/unlucky dismissals.

    Tends to be a lot of openers, not much in the bowling department. Steve Waugh, who can also captain, is probably the best bowler. Keeper? Any how , let’s introduce the team, and why they are there.

    L Hutton England. Obstructed field, V South Africa 1951.

    A Hilditch Australia. Handled the ball, Pakistan 1979.

    G Gooch England. Handled the ball, Australia 1993.

    M Atapattu Sri Lanka. Retired Out, Bangladesh 2001.

    M Jayawardene Sri Lanka. Retired Out, Bangladesh 2001.
    ( The two Sri Lankans Retired Out in the same test, causing a bit of controversy re how seriously they rated their opponents)

    S Waugh Australia. Handled the ball, India 2001.

    R Endean South Africa. Handled the ball, England 1957.

    Salman Butt Pakistan. England 2005. He hit a ball from Shaun Udal into the head of Marcus Trescothick at short leg, seeing the ball rebound to wicket keeper Geraint Jones.

    D Haynes West Indies. Handled ball, India 1983.

    S Nurse West Indies. Australia 1968. Nurse swept a ball from John Gleeson into the head of short leg Eric Freeman: no helmets in those days. The ball was caught by Keith Stackpole.

    A Ducat England. Australia 1921. On debut Ducat knicked a ball into the slips cordon where he was caught. In this action a piece of the bat broke off dislodging a bail.

    Howzat !!!!!

    Glen!

  137. This is the World Cricket Ball Tampering team, as requested by Fisho.

    It was decided that a best cricket team of 11, as opposed to an AFL positional team of 18 or 22, was the best course to take.

    1. Michael Atherton (England)
    2. David Warner (Australia)
    3. Rahul Dravid (India)
    4. Steve Smith (Australia)
    5. Faf du Plesis (South Africa)
    6. Cameron Bancroft (Australia)
    7. Dinesh Chandimal (Sri Lankan)
    8. Shahid Afridi (Pakistan)
    9. Vernon Philander (South Africa)
    10. Waqar Younis (Pakistan)
    11. Nicholas Pooran (West Indies)

    Michael Atherton, in a Test match against South Africa in Lords in 1994, was caught by cameras reaching into his pocket and then rubbing a substance on the ball. He claimed it was dirt but he was fined 2000 pounds for failing to disclose it was dirt to the match referee.

    David Warner was suspended for 12 months from all international cricket for his role in the sandpaper ball tampering scandal against South Africa in the Test series in South Africa in 2018.

    Rahul Dravid (2004) rubbed a cough lozenge on the shiny side of the ball at The Gabba in an Australian Tri-Series match against Zimbabwe. Footage emerged of Dravid tampering with the ball and he was fined 50% of his match fee.

    Steve Smith received the same penalty as David Warner for the same incident.

    Faf du Plesis (2016) was fined his match fee for the 2nd Test in Hobart against Australia. Television footage emerged of him applying saliva from a mint or lolly onto the ball.

    Cameron Bancroft received a 9 month suspension from all international cricket for the same incident as David Warner and Steve Smith.

    Dinesh Chandimal (2018) received a 1 match Test ban and 2 demerit points. During the 2nd Test against the West Indies, video evidence showed him taking sweets from his left pocket and applying it to the ball.

    Shahid Afridi (2010) was caught on camera biting the ball to readjust the seam of the ball. He was suspended for 2 Twenty20 Internationals.

    Vernon Philander (2014) in the Galle Test against Sri Lanka, was fined 75% of his match fee for scratching the ball with his fingers and thumbs.

    Waqar Younis (2000) was fined 50% of his match fee for ball tampering after a match in July 2000.

    Nicholas Pooran (2019) was found guilty of ball tampering in the 3rd ODI against Afghanistan and was suspended for 4 Twenty20 Internationals.

    This team will play a match against the best players from the World Cricket Match Fixing team:

    1. Salman Butt (Pakistan)
    2. Herschelle Gibbs (South Africa)
    3. Marlon Samuels (West Indies)
    4. Salim Malik (Pakistan)
    5. Hanse Cronje (South Africa)
    6. Mohammed Azharuddin (India)
    7. Umar Akmal (Pakistan)
    8. Manoj Prabhakar (India)
    9. Henry Williams (South Africa)
    10. Mohammed Amir (Pakistan)
    11. Mohammed Asif (Pakistan)

    Salman Butt received 10 years, 5 years suspended) and was convicted and jailed for 30 months for conspiracy charges related to the spot fixing, along with Mohammed Amir and Mohammed Asif. On June 2012, he was released from jail. In August 2015, bans on Butt, Amir and Asif were lifted by the ICC, allowing them to return to all forms of cricket from 2 September 2015.

    Herschelle Gibbs was suspended for 6 months for initially agreeing to underperform in an ODI game at Nagpur, but reneged on the deal and scored 74 off just 53 balls.

    Marlon Samuels was suspended for 2 years for passing on team information to an alleged bookmaker.

    Salim Malik was banned in 2000 for offering bribes. He was the first cricketer to be banned for corruption and the first cricketer to be jailed. He received a life ban which was overturned in 2008.

    Hanse Cronje was guilty of accepting money from bookmakers for providing information and for fixing matches. He received a life ban.

    Mohammed Azharuddin was alleged in 2000, that he associated with bookmakers and providing information to them and for introducing Hanse Cronje to bookmakers. He received a life ban, which was overturned in 2012, as the case was unsustainable.

    Umar Akmal was banned from all cricket in April 2020 for failing to report corrupt approaches.

    Manoj Prabhakar was suspended for 5 years. In 2000, he tried to implicate Kabul Dev and others, but it backfired as he was found guilty himself.

    Henry William was suspended for 6 months. Initially, he agreed to underperform in an ODI at Nagpur by conceding more than 50 runs off 10 overs, but got injured after bowling 11 legitimate deliveries and 6 wides, conceding 11 runs.

    Mohammed Amir and Mohammed Asif initially received 5 years and 7 years (2 years suspended) penalties respectively, as well as 6 months and 12 months jail terms respectively before their bans were lifted, as referred to the case of Salman Butt.

    Entertainment for this match will be provided the Elvis Presley song, “Jailhouse Rock and the film “Casino Royale”.

    No betting agency will be permitted to accept any bets for the match.

    The game will be sponsored by Crown Casino.

    Eddie Betts will be a special guest at the match.

    Let’s hope for a clean, fair game of cricket, otherwise “it’s just not cricket”.

    The players will not be allowed to accept any match payments. As part of their ongoing rehabilitation, they will be playing this game for charity, which is where all the crowds’ gold coin donations will go to.

  138. Excellent work Anonymous for your detailed report. I didn’t expect it so quickly. Hope you have a merry Christmas.

  139. Very good work Glen. Yes they were all unusual/unlucky (ungewohnlich/unglucklich) dismissals. I happened to Google the scorecard in 1921 for Andy Ducat in his only Test match for England against Australia. Although he was dismissed for 3 in the 1st innings, caught Gregory bowled McDonald, with a piece of his bat breaking off dislodging a bail, at least Ducat avoided making a duck. Ducat also avoided a duck in the 2nd innings, making 2, stumped Carter bowled Mailey.

    I was thinking of Mathew Elliott on 78 not out in a Test Match for Australia, colliding with Mark Waugh, mid pitch when Elliott was 78 not out as an unlucky dismissal, but realised it was retired hurt. Unfortunately, Elliott was never the same batsman after that injury. He could have been anything.

    For homework, you may want to do an Unlucky/Injured/Retired Hurt Test team to play a match against the Unusual/Unlucky Dismissals Test team. I always think of what happened to Rick McCosker in the Centenary Test match for Australia against England but he was brave enough to come back, heavily bandaged.

    Not so lucky was Steve Smith being concussed in the latest Ashes Test series in England but at least he was able to be subbed out by Marcus Labuschagne, who did very well in Smith’s absence. Of course, Labuschagne has been Australia’s best Test batsman since that day, as far as runs and Test centuries are concerned.

    If you are able to come up with an Unlucky Test Retired Hurt/Injured Test team, the match between the Unlucky/Unusual Dismissal Test team and the Test Retired Hurt/Injured Team will be played at Lords, the Home of Cricket, so the players can have better luck by just being there.

    Bruce Reid of course, was unlucky to be injured so much as he was a very good Test bowler and would have been great.

    The sponsor for this game will be AAMI, “Lucky You’re With AAMI”.

    The family of the late Australian TV presenter, Peter Luck, will present “The Man of The Match” award to the lucky player.

    Entertainment will be provided by Welsh singer Tom Jones, who will sing his hit song “It’s Not Unusual”, which luckily reached number 1 in the UK in 1965.

    Further entertainment will be provided by Sherbert, who will sing their hit number 1 song from 1976, “Howzat”.

    Hopefully, the batsmen in this match will have more luck as well as the bowlers, regarding unlucky/unusual dismissals and also let’s hope for no injuries.

    The batsmen will luckily be provided with helmets and they will luckily have 2 reviews each, instead of 2 for the whole team.

    Fans will be luckily allowed to see the match for free.

  140. Vielen Danke Anonymous.

    I was looking for a team of players out for 87, ditto run out in the 90’s.

    I’ll keep looking.

    Prost,

    Glen!

  141. I have done some more research and found Australia’s all-time Unlucky Test XI: Players who never made the cut, axed early or stuck behind greats.

    This team was done by Fox Sports journalists Christy Doran and Tom Morris.

    This team will play against the Test team of Unusual/Unlucky Dissimals, recently named by Glen.

    1. Michael Di Venuto
    2. Jamie Cox
    3. Martin Love
    4. Brad Hodge (Captain)
    5. Stuart Law (Co-Vice-Captain)
    6. Michael Bevan
    7. Tom Moody (Co-Vice-Captain)
    8. Chris Hartley (Wicket Keeper)
    9. Andy Bickel
    10. Damien Wright
    11. Stuart Macgill
    12th Man: Darren Berry
    Coach: Darren Lehmann

    This is another Unluckiest team:

    1. Mathew Elliott
    2. Michael Klinger
    3. Callum Ferguson
    4. Adam Voges
    5. Dean Jones
    6. David Hussey
    7. Tim Paine
    8. Jason Krezja
    9. Ashley Nofke
    10. Nathan Bracken
    11. Bryce McGain

    Other notable mentions include Jamie Siddons, Clinton Perren, Julian Weiner, Jimmy Maher and Bruce Reid.

  142. The wicket was as flat as a shit carters hat; runs aplenty. Australia were one bowler down, how would the four bowlers deliver? Brett Lee opened the attack. Yet he was out of luck his figures mirroring those from the SCG test against India in early 2004 when his 39.3 over saw him tally 4-201.

    Australia has to turn to its spinners; sadly they also struggled. Leslie’Chuck’ Fleetwood-Smith matched his worst performance, set at the Oval back in 1938. Though he included 11 maidens in his 87 overs the figures of 1-298 weren’t flattering.

    Sadly Jason Krejza and Nathan Lyon were also struggling, as both equalled their worst bowling figures. Exactly the same as he’d Chennai in 2013 Nathan Lyon picked up 3-215 off his 47 overs with a sole maiden. Jason Krejza was the best performed Australian in the match his 8-215 of 43.5 overs helped his side.Another 4-143 in the second dig helped Krejza equal his test debut figure of 12-358 in the match. His debut figures were a record, a match in which he was also man of the match.

    Being a bowler down would you use the 12th man as the substitute? The 12th man, Mick Lewis, has not played a test,though has turned out in ODI’s. However in his most recent ODI he set a record for most expensive bowling in ODI history. 10 overs , no maiden, 0-113. Would you call him up a as substitute?

    It is hoped the local bowlers perform better this summer.

    Howzat !!!!

    Glen!

  143. With the retirement yesterday of Sam Lloyd, who was best known for his after the siren goal for Richmond against Sydney in 2016, iit got me thinking as to an AFL/VFL team of heroes ((helden). The criteria is to have kicked a winning goal or winning point for your team after the final siren or just minutes before the final siren, or a match saving mark minutes before the final siren. I have given preference to the bigger the games is, as in finals. I have also given preference to players who can play defence, to balance the team. I have also given preference to the bigger name players. I have made three teams of heroes.

    Some players played for more than 1 club, but I have only put the name of the club in brackets, where their heroic deed took place.

    This is the 1st Team of Heroes:

    B: Rod Jameson (Adel), Leo Barry (Syd), Bob Murray (StK)
    HB: Zac Tuohy (Carl), Jeremy McGovern (WC), Jack Newnes (Carl)
    C: Luke Shuey (WC), Robbie Gray (PA), Jimmy Bartel (Gee)
    HF: Barry Breen (St K), Billy Brownless (Gee), Gary Buckenara (Haw)
    F: Gary Ablett Sr (Gee), Tony Lockett (StK), Dom Sheed (WC)
    R: Nic Naitanui (WC), Derryn Cresswell (Syd), Jeff Farmer (Frem)

    This is the 2nd Team of Heroes:

    B: Ashley McGrath (Bris), Quentin Leach (Frem), Robert Elliott (StK)
    HB: Jordan McMahon (Rich), Gary Rohan (Syd), Peter Burgoyne (PA)
    C: Michael Walters (Frem), David Mundy (Frem), Peter Riccardi (Gee)
    HF: Ben Dixon (Hawthorn), Stephen Kernahan (Carl), Malcolm Blight (NM)
    F: Simon Beasley (Foots), Doug Wade (North M), Tom Hawkins (Gee)
    R: Justin Langmuir (Frem), Sam Lloyd (Rich), Paul Sarah (Rich)

    Here is the 3rd Team of Heroes:

    B: Jared Poulton (PA), Chris Tarrant (Coll), Terry Brain (SM)
    HB: Karmichael Hunt (GC), Ken Newland (Gee), Jack Wrout (Rich)
    C: Alan Stoneham (Foots), Harry Hickey (Foots), Ron Cooper (Carl)
    HF: Doug Strang (Rich), John Roberts (SM), John Peck (Haw)
    F: Bert Smedley (St K), Jock Spencer (NM), Jimmy Gordon (Ess)
    R: Bill Ryan (Gee), Alastair Clarkson (NM), Billy Schmidt (St K)
    Int: Blair Campbell (Rich), Eric Fleming (Gee), Bill Nolan (SM)

    Many players have been played out of position, especially in the 2nd and 3rd teams, mainly to fit them all in the team and if they had height, they would play as key position backmen.

    These teams of Heroes will play matches against each other.

    Entertainment will be provided by the hit songs “Yesterday’s Hero”, by John Paul Young, “Hero”, by Mariah Carey and “Heroes” by David Bowie. David Bowie also sang this “Heroes” song in German.

    Let’s hope we can see some heroic performances from these players.

  144. Vielen Danke Anonymous.

    Intrigued seeing Ken Newland at C H B.

    I surmise this goes back to 1 point Geelong victory in 1972. As a primary school student i listened to this encounter on 3GL. Collingwood led throughout the day,almost by 8 goals at one stage. Geelong flew home in the final term drawing level at the end. Ken Newland then had a shot close in, knowing any score would win. It appears he intentionally kicked a point. When interviewed post match he happily informed the only thing better than beating Collingwood by a goal was beating them by a point.

    Glen!

  145. Yes,spot on Glen. Ken Newland was put in the team for his winning point for Geelong against Collingwood in 1972 after Geelong trailed by 49 points at half time. You’re in right in saying that he deliberately missed by kicking a point after the final siren, so that Geelong could beat Collingwood by a point instead of a goal.

    I wanted to put Ken Newland in the forward line but unfortunately there was no else from that team, with height, who could have played at Centre Half Back. For example, Jock Spencer and John Roberts weren’t mobile or versatile enough, in my opinion, to play at CHB. Ken Newland, I believe, was more mobile versatile than them to play there. John Peck was the same height as Ken Newland and could possibly be the only other option to play CHB but John Peck was a very prolific goalkicker.

    If you want, I could swap John Peck with Ken Newland for their respective positions that I have named them.

  146. Problem solved. I have shifted Jarmichael Hunt, at 6ft 1, from the Half Back flank to Centre Half Back.

    Doug Strang will be shifted from the half forward flank to the Half Back flank, and Ken Newland will be shifted from CHB to the half forward flank, with John Peck remaining on the other half forward flank.

    Now Ken Newland can start kicking goals (Tore) again.

  147. Apologies, it should be Karmichael Hunt and not Jarmichael Hunt from my last comment. Also from the 1st team of heroes, Zac Tuohy’s winning goal happened playing for Geelong not Carlton.in 2018, with his after the final siren winning goal against Melbourne.

  148. With Cameron “Baggy” Green making his Test debut in the current 1st Test, it got me thinking of an Australian Test 11 of surnames of a type of colour or colourful cricketers to make up that team. I wanted to limit it to well known Test cricketers, rather than colours in the surname to just make up the numbers.

    Of course, Glen did a an AFL Football team of surnames of colours only, which can be found in the Footy Almanac Novelty Teams.

    I noticed in today’s sports section of The Age, Cameron Green was pictured with his father Gary Green and his partner, Emily REDwood. Cameron and Emily make a colourful couple of surnames.

    Here is the Colourful (bunt) Australian Test Team:

    1. Bill Brown
    2. Ian REDpath
    3. Dean Jones
    4. Greg Blew(Blue)ett
    5. Cameron Green
    6. Cameron White
    7. Rod Marsh
    8. Ray Bright
    9. Shane Warne
    10. Max Walker
    11. Merv Hughes

    Rod Marsh, Shane Warne, Max Walker and Merv Hughes were included for their colourful onfield personalities.

    Dennis Lillee was left out as he will be included in the following team.

    Ray Bright was only included to add “colour” to the team.

    The following is an Australian Test Team who either made a Test century or took 5 Test wickets in their 1st Test match or as in the case of Adam Gilchrist, made 81 and took 5 catches and 1 stumping on his debut as a Test wicket keeper.

    I have limited it from 1965 onwards and to how these players kept excelling for a long period in Test cricket.

    This is the best team of Australian players on Test debut:

    1. Kepler Wessels
    2. Shaun Marsh
    3. Mark Waugh
    4. Greg Chappell
    5. Michael Clarke
    6. Doug Walters
    7. Adam Gilchrist
    8. Pat Cummins
    9. Brett Lee
    10. Dennis Lillee
    11. Josh Hazelwood

    I decided to put Shaun Marsh as an opener, although he hasn’t opened the Test batting for Australia (of course his father Geoff Marsh did Open the Test batting for Australia) because he could open and he also had a better Test career for Australia than Wayne Phillips.

    Let’s hope Cameron Green can be added to this team of performing Australian Test debutants. No pressure!

    There will be a match played between the Colourful Australian Test Team and The Successful Australian Test Team of debutants.

    The game will be shown on coloured television and the colourful Bill Lawry will provide commentary.

    The match will be a Test exhibition game with the coloured pink ball.

    Entertainment will be provided by the film “The Color Purple”, and the play “Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”.

    Let’s hope that the match will be colourful. I can’t wait for this game to debut.

  149. Some good teams here Glen here and elsewhere with your name teams hope there are more

  150. Frohliche Weinachten Anonymous, Rodney & all other Almanac fans of the funny teams,

    I won’t be surprised seeing more teams in the ‘silly season’ with them being guaranteed in the New Year.

    Glen!

  151. Moin Herr (Frau?) Anonymous, here is a team for the silly season. The majority are players born during the silly season, but i added two players who didn’t fit the stereotype of serious cricketers, though both were fine cricketers.

    Ashley Mallet picked up 132 wickets in his 38 tests. He also obtained a reputation for clumsiness, including stepping on his bowling hand in his studded cricket boots among other episodes of note. Greg Matthews is one of only two Australian cricketers in my life time to have scored test centuries, as well as take a 10-for in a test. The Hoodoo Guru’s, ‘Like Wow, Wipeout’ became his signature tune during his career. His ‘cool’ persona was a standout during his career.

    Silly Season Australian 11

    Geoff Marsh: 31/12

    David Boon: 27/12

    Brad Hodge: 27/12

    Greg Matthews:

    Matthew Wade: 26/12 (WK)

    Hans Ebeling: 1/1

    Ashley Mallett:

    Dave Gilbert: 29/12

    Adam Dale: 30/12

    Clarrie Grimmett: 25/12

    Peter Allen: 31/12

    Prost,

    Glen!

  152. Firstly, congratulations to Rodney for bringing up the milestone of the 150th comment. You can raise your bat.

    Secondly, good work Glen for your Silly Season Australian 11 team.

    As today is New Year’s Day, I thought it would be appropriate to name a VFL/AFL team where the surnames contain the word New in it.

    Here is the VFL/AFL NEW Year’s Day (Neujahr) team:

    B: Clive Newman (Foots, 2 games 1970-71), Nic Newman (Sydney/Carlton), Chris Newman (Richmond)
    HB: Rob Newton (Ess, 59 games 1970-71), Leigh Newton (Melb 13 games 1997), Charlie Newman (Coll, Mel, 32 games 1940-45)
    C: Bill Newton (St Kilda, 3 games 1897), Jack Newnes (St Kilda, Carlton), Ben Newton (Port A, Melbourne, 17 games 2011-16)
    HF: Ken Newton (Ess/Haw 33 games 1947-51), Michael Newton (Melb, 28 games 2007-11), Ken Newland (Geel/Foots)
    F: Murray Newman (WC 6 games 2012-15), Jack Newton (Fitz, 12 games 1971/1973), Dave Newman (Coll/Melb, 53 games 1944-47)
    R: John ‘Sam’ Newman (Geel), Stephen Newport (Melbourne, St Kilda), John Newnham (Fitzroy 116 games 1964-71)
    Int: Harry New (Melb 2 games 1944-45), Sam Newman (St Kilda 2 games 1926), Steven Newman (Fitzroy 1 game 1988),

    This New Year’s Day Team team will play a match against the VFL/AFL Easter Team which was posted on May 10, 2020.

    Entertainment will be provided by the famous entertainer, Bert NEWton, the talent show NEW Faces and the famous Frank Sinatra song ‘NEW York NEW York”.

    Highlights of this match can be seen on the television NEWs.

    Looking forward to seeing the NEW faces play.

  153. This is a belated Christmas World 11 Cricket Team, that can also be an Easter World 11 Cricket Team.

    The criteria was for these cricketers to have played first class cricket or better.

    Here is the World 11 Christmas (Weihnachten) Cricket Team:

    1. Alex Hales (Hail Mary)
    2. Glenn Bishop
    3. Ian Chappell
    4. Greg Chappell
    5. Trevor Chappell
    6. Adam GilCHRIST
    7. Dan Christian
    8. Adam CROSthwaite
    9. Ian Bishop
    10. Lloyd Pope
    11. Bob MASSie

    This team will play an exhibition Twenty 20 match against the Australian 11 Silly Season Team, recently named by Glen on Christmas Day. Players from the Silly Season Australian Cricket Team will be advised not to field at SILLY mid off.

    The game will be played under lights on Christmas Day, somewhere in Christmas Island.

    Entertainment will be provided by Christmas carols.

    Let’s hope for some good cricket and not SILLY shot selection.

  154. Hallo Anonymous.

    Worde ein Judische team ausgewahlt?

    Obviously Ian Synman and Mordecai Bromberg from St Kilda. Jeff Sarau, Robert Grambeau?

    Melbourne had a few contenders in the early 1970’s. Henry Ritterman would be a contender.

    Ich bein neugierig?

    Glen!

  155. Anonymous says

    Ja Glen, ein judisches Team wurde ausgewahlt. Bitte beziehen Sie sich auf meinen Kommentar in der Veroffentllichung in diesem Artikel vom 11, Februar 2020.
    Die angesehene Sportjounalistin Ashley Browne wurdigt dieses Team voll und ganz.

  156. Hallo Glen. Nach Ihrem Kommentar vom 23. Mars 2021 und meiner Antwort sollte angemerkt werden, dass der ehemalige Geelong-Spieler David Mensch kein Jude war, aber auf Jiddisch bedeutet das Wort Mensch eine Person von Integritat und Ehre.

  157. Anonymous says

    Having recently discovered that Jack Henry from Geelong has both Lebanese and Jewish ancestory, it got me thinking about doing a combined Australian Rules Football team of Muslim and Jewish footballers.

    The criteria was to have either been born Muslim or Jewish or have Lebanese, Turkish or Jewish ancestory.

    Once again thank you to Ashley Browne, the respected sports journalist, for his research into the Jewish players. I also recently discovered that Ashley Browne is a friend of the Footy Almanac, having been a guest speaker for a Footy Almanac luncheon at the North Fitzroy Arms a few months ago.

    Here is the combined AFL/VFL Muslim/Jewish team:

    B: Adam Saad (GC/Ess), Jack Henry (Geel), Sedat Sir (WB)

    HB: Bachar Houli (Ess/Rich), Ian Synman (St K), Dean Solomon (Ess/Frem)

    C: Christian Salem (Melb), Keith Baskin (SM), Mil Hanna (Carlton)

    HF: Eric Gulden (Sydney), Michael O’Laughlin (SM), Ezra Poyas (Rich)

    F: Robin Nahas (Rich/NM), Gary Lazarus (Fitz), Ahmed Saad (St K)

    R: Todd Goldstein (North M), Adam Yze (Melb), Mordy Bromberg (St K)

    It was decided to not have any interchange players to give the team a stronger look and have a relatively even amount of players from both the Muslim and Jewish representation.

    Although there have been individual Muslim and Jewish teams selected in the past, apart from combining the teams due to Jack Henry’s ancestory, this team needed to be strengthened to give a better game to play against the strong German team named by Glen at the beginning of this article.

    Entertainment for this game will be provided by highlights of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, because the Olympics represent many nations and different cultures.

    Let’s hope for a good game of football and the winner is multiculturalism. (Multikulturalismus)

  158. Anonymous says

    Having officially played his first game of AFL football, Harry Sheezel can now be named in the Jewish team, having collected 34 disposals in North Melbourne’s five point win over the Eagles. As he is both a forward and a midfielder, I have decided to put him in the centre, instead of Trevor Korn, who can go to the interchange bench.

    Well done Harry Sheezel on your first game.

  159. Moin Anonym, wie geht es dir?

    It’s a pity Todd Goldstein was not in the team to welcome Harry Sheezel.

    Are you any the wiser re the origins of the names Uniacke, Zurhaar: Juden?

    Prost,

    Glen!

  160. Es geht mir gut, danke Glen.

    Yes it was a shame that Todd Goldstein wasn’t on the field for Harry Sheezel’s first game. Apparently, Cameron Zurhaar claims his surname is of Dutch origin, so he can go to full forward in my Dutch AFL team named on December 6, 2020 in this article. I have demoted Nick Holland to the interchange bench. Although he was a very good player, he was only included for his surname of Holland.

    Having googled the surname Uniacke, it appears it is closest in origin to Irish. However, as I am not certain, Luke Davies-Uniacke will be left out of my Irish AFL team, named on March 9, 2020 in this article.

  161. Following Harry Sheezel recently being named as the winner of the AFL rising star for 2023, it got me thinking about all of the winners of the AFL rising stars from 1993, the year it was first announced.

    I have made up 2 teams of those AFL rising stars. As there’s only been 31 winners to date, the second team has players with the surname Young to top up the team, as these AFL rising stars need to be young.

    This is the 1st team of AFL rising stars:

    B: Andrew McGrath (Essendon 2017), Jared Rivers (Melb 2004), Callum Mills (Syd 2016)
    HB: Nick Daicos (Collingwood 2022), Daniel Talia (Adelaide 2012), Nathan Buckley (Bris 1993)
    C: Dan Hannebery (Sydney 2010), Joel Selwood (Geelong 2007), Jaegar O’Meara (GC 2013)
    HF: Adam Goodes (Sydney 1999), Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda 2002), Sam Walsh (Carlton 2019)
    F: Paul Hasleby (Fremantle 2000), Jesse Hogan (Melbourne 2015), Nick Holland (Haw 1995)
    R: Luke Jackson (Melbourne 2021), Ben Cousins (West Coast 1996), Sam Mitchell (Haw 2003)

    This is the 2nd team:

    B: Daniel Rich (Brisbane 2009), Dyson Heppell (Ess 2011), Matthew Young (Haw/St K 1994-01)
    HB: Harry Sheezel (North M 2023), Lewis Young (WB/Carl 2017-), Byron Pickett (North M 2008)
    C: Caleb Serong (Fremantle 2020), Brett Delidio (Richmond 2005), Chris Scott (Brisbane 1994)
    HF: Rhys Palmer (Fremantle 2008), Jaidyn Stephenson (Coll 2018), Barry Young (Rich/Ess/Haw 1989-2000)
    F: Bill Young (St Kilda 1956-1961), George Young (St K 1973-78), Lewis Taylor (Brisbane 2014)
    R: Justin Koschitzke (St K 2001), Michael Wilson (West C 1997), Danyle Pearce (Port Adel 2006)

    Doctor & Surgeon: Dr David Young
    Entertainment: John Paul Young
    After match: Young and Jacksons

  162. As we are now in 2024, St Kilda has by far the longest premiership drought, currently 58 years since it’s last flag in 1966.

    This made me think about players who played the most VFL/AFL games, without any premiership success as a player or as the head coach of an AFL/VFL club.

    Here is the team:

    B: Nathan Burke (St K, 323), Chris Grant (Western Bulldogs 341), Kade Simpson (Carl, 342)

    HB: Brendan Goddard (StK/Ess 334), Matthew Pavlich (Frem, 353), Nick Dal Santo (St K/NM, 322)

    C: Doug Hawkins (Foots/Fitz 350), Scott West (West Bulldogs, 325), Travis Boak (Port Adel, 348)

    HF: Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda, 336), Stewart Loewe (St Kilda, 321), Brad Johnson (W Bulldogs, 364)

    F: Eddie Betts (Carl/Adel, 350), Bernie Quinlan (Foots/Fitz, 366), Drew Petrie (North Melb, 332)

    R: Gary Dempsey (Foots/NM 329), David Mundy (Fremantle, 376), Robert Harvey (St Kilda, 383)

    Int: Kevin Murray (Fitz, 333), Ian Nankervis (Geel, 325), Tyson Edwards (Adel, 321), Todd Goldstein (NM, 315)

    Coach : Ross Lyon (St Kilda/Frem, 300)

    Please note the situation could change in the future for both Travis Boak, as a player and for Ross Lyon, as a coach.

    This team will play a match against the Sydney Swans team of 2005, who currently hold the longest premiership drought of
    72 years, as they were premiers as South Melbourne in 1933.

    Entertainment: “The Longest Time”, by Billy Joel and “It’s a Long Way To The Top ( If You Wanna Rock ‘N’ Roll)
    by AC/DC.

    The match will be played at Kardinia Park, in GeeLONG.

    Transport: A choice between The Long Walk and Horse and Carriage (whatever takes longer)

    Doctor: Dr David Long (Chief Medical Officer, GeeLONG)

    The match won’t be televised. Instead it will be on the radio, long wave.

    Let’s hope for a good match that won’t take too long!

  163. Moin Anonymous, wie geht es dir? Glucklich 2024.

    I forget how many games some of these chaps played. When I was jung those playing over 300 games were in a rarefied atmosphere. Nowadays with more games in the home and away rounds, as well as more finals matches, add to that the proliferation of money available that’s turned players into professionals able to live on their footy salary rather than garbo or a teacher, no wonder so many players have long careers. But still I’m a tad surprised re some of the names.

    Tyson Edwards, Todd Goldstein (playing on), Brendan Goddard, and Scott West are players I’d forgotten how long they played at the highest level. Good on them.

    Thanks for the team Anonymous. Unsure my next team but as “Long as I Can See the Light” i’ll be thinking of teams.

    Glen!

  164. We are half way through the Australian Open. Storm Hunter made the 3rd round and the 1st name Storm is very unusual. Therefore, it got me thinking of a wet weather AFL team, where the players surnames either have or resemble water. Some surnames have the wrong spelling like Watters, Bayes, Rayner and Hale.

    Here is the wet weather (nasses Wetter) AFL team:

    B: Terry Waters (Coll), Brian Lake (WB/Haw), Jared Rivers (Melb/Geel)
    HB: Beau Waters (WC), Mark Bayes (Sydney), Chris Waterman (WC)
    C: Trent Rivers (Melb), Geoff Raines (Ri/Co/Es/Br), Chris Waterson (Ess/Bris 1982-88)
    HF: David Flood (Ess), Clive Waterhouse (Frem), Scott Watters (WC/Syd/Frem)
    F: Trevor Poole (Ri/Ge), Jake Waterman (WC), Alec Waterman (Ess)
    R: David Hale (NM/Haw), Cam Rayner (Bris), Andrew Raines (Rich/Bris/GC)
    Captain Coach: Scott Watters (St Kilda)

    This team will play a match against the reigning (raining) premiers.

    The match will be played in the rain at a waterlogged ground, similar to Linton St, Moorabbin, in the 1980s.

    The refreshments will be water.

    Transport will be by boat or ship.

    Entertainment will be provided by the songs “It’s Raining Again”, “Waterloo” and “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head”.

    There will be special guest appearances from Storm Hunter and the Sydney Thunder BBL team.

    The match will be live STREAM on 7 plus.

    Let’s hope there will be watershed moments in the game.

  165. Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt says

    Get Geoff Leek to commentate.

  166. Perhaps you could get Billy Ocean to perform one of his hits.

  167. Excellent suggestions from both of you.

    It’s been decided that the venue for the match is the football oval in Hepburn Springs.

    Adam Hose from the Adelaide Strikers BBL team will also be making a guest appearance for the game.

    Hopefully, the crowd will behave well. If not, they will be in hot water!

  168. Moin Anonymous.

    Would you not consider former Fitzroy player Graeme Weatherley if you were naming emergencies?

    Edgar Winter could be the support act to Billy Ocean.

    Prost,

    Glen!

  169. Strictly speaking Glen, I was after surnames that had water or wet weather in either the names itself or its meaning. However, after careful consideration, I have decided to include your nominations because as it’s a “wet weather” team your Weather and Winter nominations can go together with the water or wet surnames.

    Therefore, I have also decided to include Jake Weatherald, who is currently playing for the Adelaide Strikers BBL team, to be another person to make a special guest appearance at the game.

    Due to the type of weather now being included in the rules, Alan “Butch” Gale can be the the commentator to partner Geoff Leek.

    Brendon Gale (Rich) can now be included in the team at centre half forward. He can also be the CEO and lawyer for the AFL Wet Weather team. Clive Waterhouse can move to the half forward flank and David Flood can go to the interchange bench, with Graeme Weatherley.

    Michael Gale (Fitz) will be added to the interchange bench.

    Watermelon has been added to the refreshments.

    Let’s hope this Wet Weather team can weather the storm against the reigning (raining) premiers!

  170. Jannik Sinner’s amazing win yesterday against Novak Djokovic in the semi final of the Australian Open got me thinking about a team of AFL footballers who were sinners on the football field. I haven’t included any St Kilda footballers, or anyone who played for St Kilda at any stage, because the Sinners will be playing a match against the Saints.

    This is the AFL Sinners team:

    B: Byron Pickett (North Melb/Port A), Glen Archer (N Melbourne), Rod Grinter (Melb)
    HB: John Worsfold (West Coast Eagles), Ron Andrews (Essendon/Coll), Campbell Brown (Haw/GC)
    C: David Rhys-Jones (Sydney/Carlton), Greg Williams (Ge/Syd/Carl), Robert Dipierdomenico (Haw)
    HF: Dermott Brereton (Haw/Sydney/Coll), Wayne Carey (North M/Adel), Chris Lewis (West Coast)
    F: Toby Greene (Greater West Sydney), Gary Ablett Senior (Geelong), Alastair Lynch (Fitz/Bris)
    R: Don Scott (Hawthorn), Leigh Matthews (Hawthorn), Tony Shaw (Collingwood)
    Int: Neil Balme (Richmond), Tony Liberatore (Western B), Roger Merrett (Ess/Bris)
    Coach: Alastair Clarkson (Haw/NM)
    Captain: Wayne Carey (NM/Adel)
    Team Doctor: Dr Evil

    The Sinners will play a match against the Saints (St Kilda’s team of the century) at Moorabbin Oval.

    Entertainment will be provided by the Saints & Sinners Heavy metal band, highlights of St Kilda’s one and only premiership
    and the St Kilda Football Club Song.

    The match will be streamed live on YouTube – Saints TV.

    Former St Kilda player Bill Cannon, who played one game in 1975, will be canonised as a saint!

    Anyone who misbehaves in the crowd will be classified as a sinner.

    Guest appearances will be made by tennis player Jannik Sinner and the surviving members of the St Kilda 1966 premiership
    team and members of the current St Kilda Football Club team.

    Let’s hope for a good, clean game of football and may good triumph over evil, so that the Saints Go Marching In against the Sinners.

  171. I forgot to include Josh Sinn, for his surname only, in the AFL Sinners team. He has currently played 4 AFL games for Port Adelaide and has now been added to the interchange bench, as well as former West Coast and Sydney ruckman, Callum SINclair.

    The transport for the match will be SINclair Bus Services.

    CYNdi Lauper and SINead O’Connor’s songs will also firm part of the entertainment.

    There will also be a trial of the sin bin rule for the match between the Sinners and the Saints.

  172. if Cardinal Sin was still alive he would have been perfect to hand the trophy to the winner https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaime_Sin

  173. Can you possibly find a spot for SINbad the sailor, surely he must qualify for some type of service or entertainment.

  174. Yes Cardinal Sin would have been a great idea.

    SINbad the Sailor has been added to the entertainment, together with Frank SINatra’s hit songs and his Rat Pack.

    For the children attending the match, their entertainment will be CINderella.

    The SYNergy company will sponsor the match.

  175. Yes, Cardinal Sin would have been a great idea.

    SINbad the Sailor has now been added to the entertainment, together with Frank SINatra’s hit songs and his Rat Pack.

    For the children attending the match, their entertainment will be CINderella.

    The SYNergy company will sponsor the match.

  176. As today is the men’s tennis final of the Australian Open, I thought it would be appropriate to do an AFL team of players who either have a first or last name related literally to well known Australian tennis players or have names related to the game of tennis itself. They could also have been good tennis players themselves as a junior.

    This is the AFL tennis team:

    B: Pat Cash Sr (Haw, father of Pat Cash), Ayce Cordy (W Bulldogs, ace), Ken Hands (Carl, foreHands/backHands)

    HB: Terry Cahill (Essendon, Darren Cahill), Ryan Turnbull (WC, Wendy Turnbull), Les Laver (Geel, 1926-32, Rod Laver)

    C: Dennis Collins (Foot/Carlton, Tennis), Todd Viney (Melb, played agst Edberg juniors), Jed Anderson (Haw/NM, Mal Anderson)

    HF: Bob Rose (Collingwood, Ken Rosewall), Robert Walls (Ca/ Fi, Rose&Walls, Rosewall), Mattaes Phillipou (St K, Mark Phillippousis)

    F: Jai Newcomb (Haw, John Newcombe), Michael Roach (Richmond, Tony Roche), Ryan Fitzgerald (Syd/Adel, John Fitzgerald)

    R: Len Thompson (Co/SM/Fi, Jordan Thompson), Russell Greene (St K/Haw, son-in-law of Frank Sedgman), Darryl Hewitt (St K, uncle of Lleyton Hewitt)

    Coach: John Cahill (Port Adel, father of Darren Cahill)

    This team will play a match against the AFL/VFL team who also played Test cricket, named earlier in these comments.

    The umpire will be Paul Reiffel, due to him being a cricket umpire and his father Ron Reiffel played for Richmond.

    The venue will be the MCG, close to the Rod Laver arena.

    Entertainment will be provided by highlights on the big screen of the 2 calendar Grand Slam by Laver, as well as highlights of the Grand Slam finals wins by Rosewall, Newcombe, Roche, Hewitt and Cash.
    There will also be highlights of Don Bradman’s greatest Test innings, for the AFL/VFL cricket team.

    Transport will be the same cars that take the top tennis players from their hotel to Melbourne Park.

    Rod Laver will present the trophy to the winner of the match.

    Let’s hope for a great game of football and that none of the players get Tennis elbow.

  177. Surely you could fit my daughter, Karen Hardwick into the team somewhere, afterall she went to school with Alicia Molak and the two were great friends.

  178. Ok, your wish has been granted. Rod Laver will be going back to the USA, while the match is being played.

    Therefore, instead, Alicia Molik will be presenting the trophy to the winner of the match, together with her school friend, Karen Hardwick. She will make a speech to the crowd that she wouldn’t have made it as a professional tennis player, without the friendship and support of Karen Hardwick. As Alicia Molik made the quarter finals of the Australian Open in 2005, highlights of her victory over Venus Williams in that tournament will also be shown on the big screen. Karen Hardwick will also have a role in ensuring that these highlights are shown.

  179. Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt says

    Little Lleyt’s dad Glynn should be there too – he played for Richmond

    There are a few Balls to pick from also, maybe even a Nettlefold.

    Ken McGregor also worth considering.

    Eddo McGuire could do the spruiking.

    And a couple of Duckworths to choose from.

  180. Yes, thanks for that. Rod McGregor (Carl, 236 games 1905-1912 & 1914-20, Ken McGregor) can replace Todd Viney in the centre, as the McGregor surname has a better connection to tennis.

    Billy Duckworth (Ess, James Duckworth) can replace Ayce Cordy at full back.

    Glynn Hewitt (Rich, father of Lleyton Hewitt) can replace Robert Walls at centre half forward, because the surname Walls doesn’t have a good enough connection to tennis.

    Luke Ball (St K/Coll, Syd Ball) can replace Dennis Collins on the wing because Dennis rhyming with tennis isn’t good enough.

    Ray Ball (Rich/SM, Syd Ball) can replace Ken Hands in the back pocket because Hand’s surname isn’t a good enough connection for tennis.

    Michael Nettlefold (St K/Fitz, tennis net) can replace Bob Rose on the half forward flank, as the Rose surname itself doesn’t have a good enough connection with tennis.

    John Duckworth (Fitz, James Duckworth) can replace Ryan Fitzgerald in the forward pocket because the former was a better player.

  181. Continuing on the theme of animals from Kevin Densley, I have decided to come up with an AFL team of animals. The criteria is to have either the spelling of an animal or close to the spelling of an animal, somewhere in the surname. Otherwise, the surname Farmer implies a farm of animals.

    The other criteria is that it cannot be an animal that can fly, as Glen has previously done a team several years ago, in another footy almanac article, of a team of feathered birds only.

    Nicknames of players that are animal names are not allowed.

    This is the AFL team of animals (Tierre):

    B: Dwayne Lamb (WC), Daryl Cowie (St K/Rich, cow), Matthew Hogg (Foots/Carl)

    HB: Gary Cowton (NM/SM, cow), Sam Fisher (St Kilda, fish), Josh Goater (North M, 2 games, 2022 – goat)

    C: Zac Fisher (Carlton, fish), Brett Ratten (Carlton, rat), Alan Goad (Haw, goat)

    HF: Jeff Farmer (Melb/Frem), Gary Lyon (Melbourne), Robert Lamb (Rich/South Melb)

    F: Paul Salmon (Ess/Haw), Jeff Hogg (Rich/Fitzroy), Esava Ratagolea (Geel, rat)

    R: Graham Farmer (Geel), Kane Lambert (Rich, lamb), Vin Cattogio (Carl/Melb/Syd,cat)

    Coach: Ross Lyon (St K/ Frem)

    Captain: Gary Lyon (Melb)

    Team Doctor: Dr Dolittle

    Umpire: Leigh Fisher (St K)

    Goal Umpire: David Rodan (Rich/PA, rodent)

    This team will play a match against Glen’s AFL feathered team of birds.

    The match will be played at Moorabbin because of the “Animal Enclosure”.

    Entertainment will be provided by the pop group, The Animals and highlights of the television show, Mr Ed.

    Transport will be by horse and carriage.

    Let’s hope for a good game of football with plenty of high flyers.

  182. There have been late additions to the AFL tennis team, named 2 days ago. It was an oversight (Aufsicht) to leave out Ron Alexander (Fitz, John Alexander), as well as Allan Davis (St K/Ess/Melb/Coll, Davis Cup), Craig Davis (Carl/NM/Coll/Syd, Davis Cup) and Nick Davis (Coll/Syd, Davis Cup). These players can be added to the interchange bench.

  183. Moin anonymous, there is Matthew Dent former Fitzroy, Western Bulldogs and Hawthorn. Dent as in Phil Dent, and his son Taylor Dent both who played tennis at the highest level.

    There is also former Melbourne premiership player Geoff Case. Case as in former Wimbledon, and Australian Open doubles winner Ross Case.

    It’d be remiss to not mention former Footscray and Preston player Ken Marks. Marks as in former Australian open finalist John Marks.

    Lineinrichter bereit.

    Glen!

    Prost,

    Glen!

  184. Guten Tag Anonymous. Is there a team that can be made up of non Anglo names to take on this team?

    https://www.footyalmanac.com.au/test-cricketers-with-german-origins/

    I can’t recall did I also pick a team of Irish Celts?

    Obviously a team of Irish Celts would be a good test for a Germanic team, but I can’t recall if I picked one.

    Thoughts?

    Prost,

    Glen!

  185. Firstly, Rex Hunt (Rich/Geel/St K, Lesley Hunt) has been added to AFL Tennis team, on the extended interchange bench, as well as Leon Davis (Coll, Davis Cup).

    By clicking on your name Glen under the title of this article at the top of this page, it comes with every article you have posted for the Footy Almanac ever, 10 pages worth of articles. There was one article you posted on March 5,2013 about a Test cricket team of Celtic Green Caps or players whose family origins are from the Emerald Isle. I put a comment in this article of an Irish AFL football team on March 9, 2020.

    Anyway, this Celtic Green Caps team will play a match against the Test Cricketers with German Origins.

    The game will be played in Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland on St Patrick’s Day.

    The after match dinner will include Irish Stew and schnitzel.

    Entertainment will be hit songs from Sinead O’Connor, The Corrs, and classical music from the composer, Bach.

    Transport will be Aer Lingus.

    Andrew Ireland will be the CEO of the Celtic Green Caps Team. He will make a special guest appearance at the game, together with former North Melbourne player, Peter German.

    Let’s hope for a good game of cricket and may the best team win. (Hoffen wir auf ein gutes Cricketspiel und moge die beste Mannschaft gewinnen).

    I just realised you also posted the The Zoo Team on May 15, 2018, a team of animals. I thought you may have also done an AFL team of feathered birds only but couldn’t find that. Anyway, your Zoo team is relevant for Kevin Densley’s recent Animals theme in songs.

    Your One Test Wallies team (Nov 21, 2016), can be upgraded to better one Test players like Jeff Moss and Will Pucovski (although he may end up playing more Tests) to take on Rodney’s recent team of cricketers who performed well in their last Test and were available to be selected in the next Test, but weren’t selected.

  186. Wundebar anonym, vielen danke.

    Lasst die Teams Kommen, the future is unwritten.

    Prost,

    Glen!

  187. As today is 1st February, it’s the 4 year anniversary of when this article was posted by Glen, on 1st February 2020.

    That got me thinking of having a side to take this team of AFL players with German (Deutsche) names.

    What better opposition than an AFL Team Behind The Iron Curtain, which was also posted by Glen, nearly a week later on 7th February 2020.

    The match will be played in Westfalenstadion in Germany.

    Boris Becker, Steffi Graf, Maria Sharapova and Anna Kournikova will make special guest appearances.

    After match dinner will include Schnitzels, Frankfurts and Piroshkis.

    Entertainment will be provided by Russian and German Folk Music and Slav Music. Nena will sing 99 Luftballons and Dschingis Khan will sing “Moscow” (Moskau).

    Transport will be Lufthansa Airlines.

    Let’s hope for a great of football, that will really see Australian Rules Football go national. (Hoffen wir auf ein groBartiges, bei dem Australian Rules Football wirklich landesweit wird.

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