Almanac Teams: A Hogg and three ‘hams; the Best of 34 (1980- )

 

 

Richmond’s Jeff Hogg [Source: Author]

 

This is a team of best players to wear the Number 34 jumper since 1980.

 

  • Starting 18 will be one player from each club. I have tweaked it after the Number 3 team. Brisbane Bears and Brisbane Lions will be one club, with Fitzroy, Gold Coast and GWS competing for the last two spots in the starting 18.
  • Teams will try to be as balanced as possible but if a number has several rucks as its best player an alternative will be picked. I will explain my selections below the team.
  • Players may appear under multiple numbers, for example Eddie Betts numbers 18 and 19.

 

 

Stats are based on their time in that number.

 

 

I also have two teams per number, one is a best of and the other is based on players picked for different obscure/unusual reasons like cameos, unknown brothers, fathers, known for other reasons

 

 

FB:       Kyle Hardingham (Ess)                     Ben Hart (VC) (Adel)                        Bailey Williams (WB)

 

CHB:    David King (NM)                                Mark Graham (Haw)                        James Rahilly (Geel)

 

C:          Jayson Daniels (St.K)                        Mark Hutchings (WCE)                   Grant Lawrie (Fitz)

 

CHF:    Troy Luff (Syd)                                    Jeff Hogg (C) (Rich)                         Aaron Shattock (Bris)

 

FF:        Brent Guerra (PA/St.K)                    Ben King (GCS)                                 Paul Medhurst (Freo)

 

Ruck:    Jeff White (Melb)                               Mick McGuane (DVC) (Coll)          Alex Marcou (Carl)

 

Interchange: John Kennedy (Haw), Jamie MacMillan (NM), Lee Spurr (Freo), Alan Toovey (Coll)

 

Emergencies: Brad Boyd (Fitz), Jack Graham (Rich), Ross Henshaw (NM), Simon Wiggins (Carl)

 

Coach: Neil Craig (see note below)

 

No player from GWS.

 

 

 

Games in Number 34 (Years Played)

Kyle Hardingham 65 (2010-2014)

Ben Hart 311 (1992-2006)

Bailey Williams 87 (2016- )

David King 241 (1994-2004)

Mark Graham 223 at Hawthorn (1993-2004) 20 at Richmond (2005)

James Rahilly 90 (1998-2005)

Jayson Daniels 115 (1988-1992, 1996-1998)

Mark Hutchings 120 (2013-2021)

Grant Lawrie 98 (1979, 1983-1988)

Troy Luff 155 (1990-2001)

Jeff Hogg 128 (1987-1993)

Aaron Shattock 51 (2000-2004)

Brent Guerra 65 at Port Adelaide (2000-2003) 31 at St Kilda (2004-2005)

Ben King 53 (2019- )

Paul Medhurst 99 (2002-2006)

Jeff White 32 at Fremantle (1995-1997) 236 at Melbourne (1998-2008)

Mick McGuane 149 (1988-1996)

Alex Marcou 134 (1979-1986)

John Kennedy 241 (1979-1991)

Jamie MacMillan 167 (2010-2020)

Lee Spurr 120 (2012-2017)

Alan Toovey 159 (2007-2016)

 

 

 

The Number 34 is still a reasonable side for a higher number. The team is fairly strong down the spine/ruck and has some depth in defence. The team does lack a bit in the midfield and tall options.

 

 

Teams with multiple options are Carlton with Alex Marcou, Ron Delulio and Simon Wiggins, Collingwood with Mick McGuane and Alan Toovey, Fremantle with Paul Medhurst and Lee Spurr, Hawthorn with John Kennedy and Mark Graham, Melbourne with Stephen Newport and Jeff White, North Melbourne with Ross Henshaw, Mark Hepburn, David King and Jamie MacMillan, Richmond with Graeme Landy, Jeff Hogg and Jack Graham, Sydney with Max Kruse, Paul Hawke, Troy Luff and Jordan Dawson.

 

 

Ben Hart is the FB in the side, having made an immediate impact on his debut at 17, he was an All Australian in his first two years and four times all up. Hart was 188cm and had a slight build and while more of a mobile third tall he did play on the likes of Lockett and Dunstall with success. Mark Graham is at CHB and was a mainstay of the Hawthorn defence for a decade; he came second in the Best & Fairest when Hawthorn made a Preliminary Final. Kyle Hardingham would play as the third tall intercept defender in the team. Bailey Williams is an emerging defender able to play on small or mid sized forwards and can also provide run. James Rahilly is a lock down onballer or back pocket and would be perhaps starting on the opposition small forward. David King will be providing run and rebound from half back and is capable of kicking multiple goals. Other defensive options are Jeff Hogg who can play FB or even CHB, Alan Toovey and Troy Luff as third tall defenders that could possibly play key position. Jamie MacMillan, Lee Spurr, Mark Hutchings and Brent Guerra can all play as a small defender and Mick McGuane, Jayson Daniels and Grant Lawrie can play as running defenders.

 

 

Jeff White was a Number 1 Draft Pick for Fremantle, where he showed early promise before moving to Melbourne and being a key player in Melbourne’s Grand Final year in 2000. Mick McGuane was one of the best running midfielders in the early ’90s, he won two Best & Fairests and All Australian selection. Alex Marcou was an important part of Carlton’s much famed ‘mosquito fleet’ often changing roving duties with Rod Ashman. Mark Hutchings was an important player for West Coast in their premiership and finals seasons playing as a run with player in the midfield, Hutchings could swap with Rahilly in this role. The wingers are Jayson Daniels and Grant Lawrie who both can play half back and even play run-with roles. Lawrie was a skilful player while Daniels was not a great kick and perhaps be better suited in tight as we was a great tackler. Ben King would possibly play second ruck while other midfield options are light with perhaps John Kennedy, Lee Spurr, David King, James Rahilly and Aaron Shattock on the wing.

 

 

The forward line is Ben King at FF who has kicked 89 goals in his first three years including 47 last year before unfortunately doing his knee this preseason. Jeff Hogg was more known as a forward who can play back but did start his career at CHF while Michael Roach was at FF. Paul Medhurst at 178cm was dangerous on the ground or in the air and did pinch hit at Full Forward on occasions and kicked nine goals in a match against Brisbane in 2004 when Brisbane made the Grand Final. Brent Guerra spent his early years able to play forward or back before he became a permanent defender at Hawthorn. Guerra kicked 39 goals from 65 games at Port Adelaide and 44 goals from 31 games at St Kilda with a best haul of seven. Troy Luff is surprisingly taller than I thought at 191cm and he could play both ends. Luff was very mobile and played more as a flanker or third tall with a best game of six goals; he may be really important if Hogg is needed in defence. Aaron Shattock was a mobile wing or flanker that didn’t kick many goals but was a good kick and mark for his size. Other forward options are John Kennedy, Alex Marcou, David King and Mark Graham can pinch hit at CHF if needed.

 

 

As can tell by the list of players of players on the interchange, emergencies and unlucky players a lot of them are very similar in mid-size flank players with a couple of smaller options and Mark Hepburn the only tall, who showed promise as ruck/tall forward before having a very good 1990 but then requested a trade to West Coast. Brad Boyd maybe considered a surprise as an emergency but he only had 35 games in the Number 34 in three seasons before moving to Number 1 when he was appointed captain. John Kennedy was a definite pick who at 190cm was a tall running HFF than could play defence or on ball. Kennedy kicked 211 goals from 241 games with best of seven goals. Alan Toovey was an underrated third tall defender in Collingwood premiership year that could play on small forwards as well. Jamie MacMillan is good user of the football and he may allow the likes of King and Guerra to play on ball and up forward. Lee Spurr is small defender who with the lack of depth in the midfield he may run through there who rarely missed a game once he made his debut as a 24 year old.

 

 

The only captain in the side is Jeff Hogg who had one year as captain of Richmond in 1993 and led the Tigers to preseason grand final so he gets the captaincy. Ben Hart and Mick McGuane were both in the leadership groups at their clubs, so they get vice-captain and DVC. Number 34 is one of only a couple of numbers that did not have a coach from 1980 so I have selected Neil Craig who was a great player in the SANFL but did not play a VFL/AFL game but was a very good coach at Adelaide and took them to a Preliminary Final.

 

 

The unlucky players were Ron Delulio (Carl), Stephen Newport (Melb), Mark Hepburn (NM) Graeme Landy (Rich) Paul Hawke, Jordan Dawson (Syd) and Michael McKenna (Foots).

 

 

 

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Comments

  1. Luke Reynolds says

    Tough call relegating a Boyd to the emergencies mate!

    Jeff Hogg at his peak was an absolute star, remember being shocked when Richmond traded him to Fitzroy.

    McGuane and Toovey- two of the absolute most loved players by Collingwood fans in my time supporting the club.

  2. James Rahilly is a worthy 34 for Geelong, but I will also mention Zane Taylor (for many reasons including the novelty Queensland factor).

  3. Rulebook says

    Well played again Rodney purely playing wise – Neil Craig was predominantly number 7 he was a gun and would have been a very good,VFL player he was certainly elite re his own fitness wise
    Phil Carman-Robert Oatey and Neil used to do pre season extra training at Kensington on a Saturday on the top hockey oval during cricket season watching two ridiculously fit competitive individuals was incredible
    The late Robert Oatey as the elder statesmen used to work bloody hard as well
    I umpired Aaron Shattock, James Gallagher and Nic Fosdike in a year 8 game I predicted Nic would go top 10 in the draft ( that was obvious) and that Aaron and Gags would both be around the mark happy to get that one correct

  4. Luke- Loved Hoggy was a mainstay of a good footballer and hope in a bleak era.

    Thanks – John, I have Zane in the obscure team

    Malcolm – Neil Craig was an easy choice for a vacant number, I think Chris Fagan gets a gig later. Neil Craig is a great story which no doubt you already know. I was unaware until recently in the 1981 draft for interstate players he was pick 2

  5. matt watson says

    Not a bad team Rodney.
    Well done putting this together.
    The ‘number’ series is intriguing.
    Great work fella.

  6. TrevorM says

    I have to agree with Luke, Brad Boyd is dead stiff not to be in your side. He was Fitzroy’s one shining light in their dieing days.

  7. Thanks Matty appreciate your kind words

    Thanks Trevor, was hard but the fact he changed number and played his best footy in Number 1 didn’t help

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