Almanac Teams: Three-for-one Pies! Best of 36 (1980- )

 

 

This is a team of best players to wear the Number 36 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:         Shannon Watt (NM)             Brian Lake (WB)                           Ty Zantuck (Rich)

 

CHB:     Peter Bradbury (Ess)             Ben Graham (DVC)  (Geel)        Greg Broughton (GCS)

 

C:           Quenton Leach (Freo)           Dane Swan (Coll)                         Nick Stevens (PA)

 

CHF:     Daniel McKenzie (St.K)         Mark Maclure (VC) (Carl)          Harry Perryman (GWS)

 

FF:         Daniel Bradshaw (Bris)        Saverio Rocca (Coll)                     Aaron Davey (Melb)

 

Ruck:    Aliir Aliir (Syd)                       Simon Goodwin (C) (Adel)          David Hart (WCE)

 

Interchange: Rene Kink (Coll), Andrew Leoncelli (Melb), Michael Pettigrew (PA),  Jose Romero (NM/WB)

 

Emergencies: Brennan Cox (Freo), Scott Cummings (Ess), Aaron Hamill (Carl), Steven Icke (NM)

 

Coach: Simon Goodwin

 

No player from Fitzroy in starting 18 and no player from Hawthorn so I have added two players from Collingwood.

 

 

Games in Number 36 (Years Played)

Shannon Watt 155 (1998-2009)

Brian Lake 197 (2002-2012)

Ty Zantuck 68 (2000-2004)

Peter Bradbury 49 (1983-1986)

Ben Graham 73 (1993-1997)

Greg Broughton 42 (2013-2015)

Quenton Leach 56 (1995-1998)

Dane Swan 258 (2003-2016)

Nick Stevens 127 (1998-2003)

Daniel McKenzie 72 (2015- )

Mark Maclure 243 (1974-1986)

Harry Perryman 80 (2017- )

Daniel Bradshaw 222 (1996-2009)

Saverio Rocca 156 (1992-2000)

Aaron Davey 178 (2004-2013)

Aliir Aliir 64 (2016-2020)

Simon Goodwin 275 (1997-2010)

David Hart 184 (1987-1997)

Rene Kink 150 (1974-1983)

Andrew Leoncelli 146 (1996-2003)

Michael Pettigrew 103 (2004-2011)

Jose Romero 58 at North Melbourne (1988-1992) 72 at Footscray/Western Bulldogs (1996-2001)

 

 

 

The Number 36 is probably the first number that we can really see a down turn of quality players, with seven players under the 100 game mark. It does contain a Brownlow Medallist in Dane Swan and All Australians in Brian Lake, Simon Goodwin, Dane Swan and David Hart. Lake won his Norm Smith medal in a different number.

 

 

Clubs with multiple options are Carlton with Mark Maclure and Aaron Hamill, Collingwood with Rene Kink, Saverio Rocca and Dane Swan, Melbourne with Andrew Leoncelli, Aaron Davey and Kysiah Pickett, North Melbourne with Steven Ickes, Graeme Atkins, Jose Romero and Shannon Watt, Port Adelaide with Nick Stevens, Michael Pettigrew and Jack Hombsch and Western Bulldogs with Jose Romero and Brian Lake.

 

 

The defence looks good with its talls but of the smaller defenders neither played 100 games. Brian Lake at FB was one of the best in late 2000s, able to defend strongly but he was also a very good intercept mark could play a more attacking role; this could allow Watt and Graham to play tight. Ben Graham wore Number 36 to start his career before moving to Number 7, Graham was best known for his long kicks from defence but could play either FB or CHB. Shannon Watt was mainly used as a FB and while more dour than creative he could play on any of the tall match ups. There is no real small back pocket in the side with David Hart picked as a rover but Ty Zantuck at 188cm or Greg Broughton 185cm could be used for these roles. Broughton can also play as a running half back while Peter Bradbury was a premiership winning half back at Essendon. Other defensive options are Michael Pettigrew and Aliir Aliir as tall defenders and David Hart and Jose Romero as small defenders and Quenton Leach, Daniel McKenzie, Simon Goodwin and Andrew Leoncelli as running half backs.

 

 

There is no recognised ruck in the side, Aliir Aliir at 196cm did play back up ruck for the Swans but in this side he is number one. David Hart started his career as rover/small forward before moving to back pocket where he was All Australian. Hart may end up in defence to play pocket or change with Jose Romero. Dane Swan and Simon Goodwin as centre and ruck rover give the midfield some class and run. Swan is a five-time All Australian and Goodwin six-time. On the wings are Nick Stevens, who had an instant impact at Port Adelaide from his first game as a ball winner, firstly on the wing and then midfield and Quenton Leach.  Leach was a regular for Fremantle in its first three seasons before injury ended his career in their fourth season. Aliir will need backup support in the ruck which may come from maybe Saverio Rocca who has down some ruck work or Michael Pettigrew. Other midfield options are Jose Romero as a tagger or Andrew Leoncelli, Daniel McKenzie or Harry Perryman.

 

 

The forward line is the strength of the side with two recognised FFs, a well established CHF and small crumbing forward pocket. Saverio Rocca is named at FF but that could also be Daniel Bradshaw. Rocca played 156 games for Collingwood for 514 goals with a best of 93 goals in a year and 11 in a match. Daniel Bradshaw is a premiership forward who changed positions with Alistair Lynch in Brisbane’s golden era. Bradshaw played 222 games for 496 goals with best of 75 goals in a year and nine in a match. Mark Maclure is at CHF and was three time premiership CHF who had big shoulders and kicked 327 goals with a best of 48 goals in a year. Aaron Davey was a speedy forward who was rarely beaten over 20m and was a great tackler. Davey won a Best & Fairest and had a best of 37 goals in a season. On the half forward flanks are Daniel McKenzie and Harry Perryman who can swap from forward, wing or HBF with Perryman having led the goal kicking after three rounds in 2020 with eight. Other forward options are Rene Kink, Ty Zantuck, Ben Graham and even Brian Lake.

 

 

The interchange is made up of probably the best four players available which works well as they can play in multiple positions. Rene Kink was a cult figure who could play at Collingwood, his best season was 1979 with 54 goals. Andrew Leoncelli was a very good midfielder who could play a run-with role or off half back when Melbourne were regular finalists including a grand final berth. Jose Romero started his career at North Melbourne as a small forward/rover and ended up at Western Bulldogs as a tagging midfielder capable of playing defence who won a Best & Fairest in 1996. Michael Pettigrew is a tall mobile utility who mainly played in defence but at 193cm could be used as a second ruck.

 

 

There are two captains in the side in Simon Goodwin (who I have chosen as skipper) and Mark Maclure as vice-captain. Ben Graham is deputy as he was captain when he wore Number 7.

 

 

The unlucky players were Alex Silvagni (Freo), David Cameron (Geel), Kysiah Pickett (Melb), Graeme Atkins (NM) Jack Hombsch (PA), Dustin Martin (Rich), and Gordon Fode (St.K)

 

 

 

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