Almanac Teams: (Footy) Life begins at Forty; Best of Number 40 (1980- )

 

 

 

This is a team of best players to wear the Number 40 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:           Nick Smith (DVC) (Syd)              Michael Jamison (Carl)            David Teague (NM)

 

CHB:       Adam Kennedy (GWS)                 Kelvin Moore (Rich)                 David Wojcinski (Geel)

 

C:             Troy Schwarze (St.K)                    Scott Clayton (VC) (Fitz)         Paul Seedsman (Coll)

 

CHF:       Michael Osborne (Haw)               Aaron Young (PA)                     Jason Porplyzia (Adel)

 

FF:           Luke Dahlhaus (WB/Geel)          Troy Wilson (WCE)                  Joel Jeffrey (GCS)

 

Ruck:       Mark Jamar (Melb)                      Ben Howlett (Ess)                     Matt De Boer (Freo)

 

Interchange: Paul Brown (Geel), Stephen James (Rich), Chris Ladhams (Adel), Ian Nankervis (C) (Geel)

 

Emergencies: Mark Beers (Coll), Jarrod Harbrow (WB), Will Snelling (Ess), Paul Temay (St.K)

 

Coach: Brett Ratten

 

There are no players from Brisbane in the team.

 

 

Games in Number 40 (Years Played)

Nick Smith 211 (2008-2019)

Michael Jamison 150 (2007-2016)

David Teague 33 (2001-2003)

Adam Kennedy 143 (2012- )

Kelvin Moore 87 (2004-2012)

David Wojcinski 203 (1999-2012)

Troy Schwarze 71 (2000-2006)

Scott Clayton 160 (1981-1990)

Paul Seedsman 49 (2012-2015)

Michael Osborne 39 (2001-2004)

Aaron Young 63 (2012-2016)

Jason Porplyzia 130 (2006-2014)

Luke Dahlhaus 28 at Western Bulldogs (2011-2012) 70 at Geelong (2019- )

Troy Wilson 37 (2001-2003)

Joel Jeffrey 9 (2021- )

Mark Jamar 155 (2003-2015)

Ben Howlett 124 (2010-2017)

Matt de Boer 76 (2009-2012)

Paul Brown 84 (1990-1998)

Stephen James 77 (1985-1990)

Chris Ladhams 54 (2001-2004)

Ian Nankervis 325 (1967-1983)

 

 

The Number 40 team shows it is getting harder to pick a side. The main upside of the team is it does have plenty of tagging options in the midfield which will make it harder for the opposition.

 

 

Teams with multiple options are Collingwood with Tony Beers and Paul Seedsman, Essendon with Ben Howlett and Will Snelling, Geelong with Ian Nankervis, Paul Brown and David Wojcinski, Richmond with Stephen James and Kelvin Moore and the Western Bulldogs with Shane Birss, Jarrod Harbrow and Luke Dahlhaus.

 

 

The defence is the best part of this team; it features players of all defensive stripes who did well in their roles (for a high number at least…). Michael Jamison was a very good full back for Carlton during the period they made finals from 2009-2013; he twice finished in the top six of their Best & Fairest. Kelvin Moore is at CHB and like Jamison was picked up in the rookie draft. Injuries plagued Moore at start of his career and forced a premature retirement but between 2008-2010 Moore only missed six games and finished fifth in the Best & Fairest in 2008. David Teague started his career at North Melbourne like a young Glenn Archer with his courage in defence as intercept third tall and his first two years rarely missed a game before a change of coach meant Teague only played seven more games before he was then traded. Nick Smith in the back pocket is one of the premier small defenders in the last 15 years, having great duels with the likes of Cyril Rioli, Eddie Betts and Steve Johnson and was All Australian in 2014. David Wojcinski will provide pace from half back and is versatile enough to play either half back or wing. Adam Kennedy is an original Giant from their first ever game still on their list who can also play midfield or provide pace and great ball use from the backline. Other defensive options are versatile swingmen/utilities at 187-189cm in Aaron Young, Paul Brown and Stephen James. Smaller defensive options are Ian Nankervis, Michael Osborne or any of the midfield tagging options in Scott Clayton, Ben Howlett or Matt de Boer.

 

 

The midfield is led by 2010 All Australian Mark Jamar who was a great pick up for Melbourne considering he was also taken in the rookie draft. On the wing is some genuine pace with Troy Schwarze, who at 190cm is also tall for a wing and may even be a running half back option. Paul Seedsman is another with genuine pace and a great kick as well – at Collingwood Seedsman won the Anzac Medal for best on ground in 2015 when he gathered 31 disposals including 25 kicks. Scott Clayton, Ben Howlett and Matt de Boer are probably better known as run-with midfielders who were very good at their job. Scott Clayton was probably one of the very best in the 1980s, he averaged 16 disposals a game and won a Best & Fairest in 1990. Howlett as a midfielder played a tagging role with Heath Hocking and averaged 17 disposals a game. He could also play as a forward with a best haul of five goals in a game. Matt de Boer has made his name as defensive midfielder; while he only averages 15 disposals a game, he is one of the best tacklers in the AFL with a game best of 13. Other midfield options are Ian Nankervis, Chris Ladhams or Adam Kennedy with David Wojcinski and Aaron Young able to play on the wing. There is no back up ruck option, so maybe this is a role for Luke Dahlhaus…

 

 

The forward line does have options to kick goals if Plan A is not working with small and tall options. Troy Wilson was 29 when he debuted for the Eagles and kicked 40 goals from 18 games in his first year and 38 from 14 games in his second year with a best of seven goals. Aaron Young at CHF is a mobile player able to play defence or wing and after he struggled for regular game time early due to often being played as the sub, he kicked 37 goals in 2016 with a best of four. Luke Dahlhaus has played 200 games as a specialist small pressure forward with a best of 28 goals in a season. Joel Jeffrey has just started his AFL career with nine games but at 192cm shows a lot of promise and class with a rising star nomination after a haul of five goals against the Bulldogs. Sadly he is unlikely to add that total this year. Jason Porplyzia on the HFF was a classy player who was very good overhead, he kicked 181 goals with a best of 57 goals in 2009 and six goals in a game. Michael Osborne could play either end of the ground but was known as a pressure small forward mainly. Osborne kicked 27 goals in the premiership of 2008 with a best of four goals. Other forward options are Stephen James, Paul Brown and Chris Ladhams.

 

 

The interchange bench is made up of Ian Nankervis who was a star for Geelong as a rover and then back pocket. Nankervis – to my surprise – kicked 203 goals with a best of 40 goals in a season and six in a match. I mainly remembered him in early 1980s in the backline with his brother Bruce. Nankervis only kicked nine goals in his last nine seasons. He only really missed out on the starting 18 because his career finished in 1983 and Wojcinski I saw more of and I thought had a very good career too. Paul Brown is another Cat on the bench who is able to play second or third tall in defence or forward. Brown kicked 66 goals in 84 games with 37 in 1992 and a best of seven goals. Stephen James started as forward and kicked 49 goals in his first year but only kicked 29 goals in his next 59 games over five years. James’ best haul was six goals twice. Chris Ladhams is an half forward at 179cm who could play on ball. Ladhams best year was 2003; he kicked 20 goals and averaged 18 disposals.

 

 

Ian Nankervis is the only skipper in the side and despite being named on the bench he still gets the captaincy. Scott Clayton and Nick Smith get vice-captain and deputy vice-captain.

 

 

The unlucky players were Michael Gibbons (Carl), Daniel Butler (Rich) and Shane Birss (WB)

 

 

 

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