This week’s side is based on players who have changed clubs immediately after winning a premiership. The players are from 1970 as I didn’t have 18 players since 1980.
FB Jarrad Schofield Joel Hamling Brandon Starcevich
CHB John Rantall Alex Jesaulenko Matt Suckling
CE Callum Ahchee Terry Wallace Brandon Ellis
CHF Brett Allison Cameron Mooney Scott Welsh
FF Jack Ginnivan Lance Franklin Scott Lycett
RU Steven King Des Headland Josh Carr
19th Man Stephen Carey
Jarrad Schofield
63 Games West Coast 1993-1998
131 Games Port Adelaide 1999-2004
Premiership Player 2004
12 Games Fremantle 2005-2006
Schofield was traded to Port Adelaide for Scott Cummings in 1998. Schofield was a regular at Port Adelaide playing in all of Port Adelaide heartbreaking Finals campaign from 2001-03. Schofield played all 25 games in 2014 and had ten disposals in Port’s premiership win. A desire to move back home at the age of 30 meant Schofield was pick 5 for Fremantle in the 2005 preseason draft.
Joel Hamling
23 Games Western Bulldogs 2015-2016
Premiership Player 2016
68 Games Fremantle 2017-2023
14 Games Sydney 2024-
Hamling was on Geelong’s list for three years after being Pick 32 in 2011 Draft, but he never played a game. Hamling joined Western Bulldogs as a delisted free agent in 2015. After eleven games in 2015, Hamling played twelve games in 2016 including the last nine. In the 2016 Grand Final as a key defender Hamling had nine disposals. At the age of 23, Hamling requested a trade back home at the end of the season and was traded with pick 40 & 63 for Picks 35, 43 & 61. After years of injury struggles at Fremantle, Hamling was signed up as an unrestricted free agent by Sydney in 2024.
Brandon Starcevich
132 Games Brisbane 2018-2025
2024 & 2025 Premiership Player
Joined West Coast 2026-
Starcevich joined Brisbane from East Perth with Pick 18 in the 2017 AFL draft. Starcevich played in the 2023 Grand Final and then had 16 disposals in the 2024 premiership and 7 disposals in the 2025 premiership, having come off in the third quarter due to concussion. Starcevich played 21 games in 2024 and 14 in 2025, missing games due to concussion. Aged 26 Starcevich wished to go back home in 2026 and joined West Coast which involved draft picks from Fremantle and West Coast.
John Rantall
Source: author
184 Games South Melbourne 1963-1972
70 Games North Melbourne 1973-1975
1975 Premiership Player
86 Games South Melbourne 1976-1979
6 Games Fitzroy 1980
Rantall joined South Melbourne from Cobden and was appointed club captain in 1972. Rantall aged 29 joined North Melbourne under the ten year rule and would win a Best & Fairest in 1974 when North Melbourne played in their first Grand Final. In 1975 Rantall had 20 disposals in North Melbourne premiership victory. Rantall joined South Melbourne in 1976 before joining Fitzroy in 1980 to break the VFL games record. Rantall is a member of South Melbourne and North Melbourne team of the century.
Alex Jesaulenko captain/coach
256 Games Carlton 1967-1979
1968, 1970, 1972 & 1979 Premiership Player Captain & Coach
23 Games St Kilda 1980-1981
Jesaulenko is a legend of the AFL Hall of fame having won four premierships at Carlton, 1975 Best & Fairest and leading goalkicker for Carlton between 1969-71. Jesaulenko was appointed captain from 1974-76 and 1978-79. In Round 6 1978 aged 32 Jesaulenko was appointed Captain Coach of Carlton and would guide the Blues to a premiership in 1979.Jesaulenko had 15 disposals in the 1979 Grand Final and finished the match with an injured ankle. Jesaulenko supported Carlton president George Harris at the 1979 elected and advised he would leave as a player if Harris was ousted. Harris was ousted as President and Jesaulenko joined St Kilda as a plyer in 1980 and after Round 2 was appointed coach until the end of 1982. Jesaulenko would coach Carlton again from mid-1989 to end of 1990.
Matt Suckling
102 Games Hawthorn 2009-2015
2014 & 2015 Premiership Player
76 Games Western Bulldogs 2016-2020
Suckling was drafted with Pick 22 in 2007 rookie draft and debut in 2009 playing one game. Suckling played every game in 2012 including playing the 2012 Grand Final. Suckling missed all of 2013 with a knee injury including the premiership but would play 23 games in 2014 and have 18 disposals and a goal in the premiership while playing every game in 2015 and had 8 disposals and one goal in 2015. Suckling moved to the Western Bulldogs at the age 27 as a free agent in 2016 and played 17 games but injured his Achilles in the semifinal and despite being available for the Grand Final he was named emergency.
Callum Ahchee
45 Games Gold Coast 2016-2019
124 Games Brisbane 2020-2025
2024 & 2025 Premiership Player
Joined Adelaide 2026-
Ahchee was drafted by Gold Coast with Pick 8 in 2015. In 2019 Ahchee was traded to Brisbane for a second round pick. Ahchee played in 2023 Grand Final and in 2024 and 2025 he played every game, with 14 disposals and four goals in 2024 Premiership and 17 disposals in 2025. At the age of 28, Ahchee joined Adelaide for 2026 after a contract dispute where he wanted a longer one at Brisbane. Ahchee was Pick 1 in the preseason draft.
Terry Wallace
174 Games Hawthorn 1978-1986
1978, 1983 & 1986 Premiership Player
11 Games Richmond 1987
69 Games Footscray 1988-1991
Wallace won a premiership in his first year at Hawthorn and won a Best & Fairest in 1983 Premiership year, having won one also in 1981. Wallace had 22 disposals in 1978, 32 disposals in 1983 and 21 Disposals in 1986 Premierships. Wallace left Hawthorn after 1986 Premiership aged 28 after a fallout with Allan Jeans and also a contract dispute. Wallace struggled at Richmond and moved to Footscray the next year where he won two Best & Fairest.
Brandon Ellis
176 Games Richmond 2012-2019
2017 & 2019 Premiership Player
75 Games Gold Coast 2020-2024
Ellis was drafted by Richmond with pick 15 in 2011 draft. Ellis played every game in 2017 and had 21 disposals in 2017 premiership and in 2019 only missed two games and had 11 disposals in 2019. Ellis moved to Gold Coast for 2020 season aged 26 after Gold Coast offered a five year contract as a free agent.
Brett Allison
Source: author
219 Games North Melbourne 1987-1999
1996 & 1999 Premiership Player
9 Games Sydney 2000
Allison joined the club his father Tom played 106 Games from 1963-1970. Allsion was a wingman then forward who played 13 games in 1996 kicking 2 goals in 1996 premiership and played eleven games in 1999 having seven disposals in 1999 premiership. Allison was delisted at the end of 1999 aged 31 and picked up by Sydney with Pick 70. Allison played 2000 before becoming an assistant coach at the Swans.
Cameron Mooney
11 Games North Melbourne 1999
1999 Premiership Player
210 Games Geelong 2000-2011
2007 & 2009 Premiership Player
Mooney was drafted by North Melbourne with Pick 56 in 1996 Draft. Mooney was recalled for the 1999 Grand Final with Jason McCartney suspended. Mooney would not have a disposal in the 1999 Premiership. Mooney was 20 when he was traded to Geelong in 1999 for Leigh Colbert and a swap of draft picks. At Geelong Mooney played in the 2007 Premiership where he kicked five goals and 2009 Premiership where he kicked two goals.
Scott Welsh
36 Games North Melbourne 1996-1999
1999 Premiership Player
129 Games Adelaide 2000-2007
40 Games Western Bulldogs 2008-2009
Welsh was pick 19 in the 1995 AFL draft and played just one game in 1996 & 1997. In 1999 Welsh played 22 games and had 14 disposals for one goal in 1999 premiership. Welsh was 21 when he had a desire to move back to Adelaide and he was swapped for Pick 15 which was used by North Melbourne to get Leigh Colbert.
Jack Ginnivan
42 Games Collingwood 2021-2023
2023 Premiership Player
48 Games Hawthorn 2024-
Ginnivan started on Collingwood’s rookie list in 2021 and would make his debut in Round 19. Ginnivan played fourteen games in 2023 and had seven disposals in the 2023 Premiership. At the conclusion of the 2023 season Ginnivan requested a trade to Hawthorn the club he supported as a child. Ginnivan was traded for Pick 33 and an exchange of future picks.
Lance Franklin
182 Games Hawthorn 2005-2013
2008 & 2013 Premiership Player
172 Games Sydney 2014-2023
Franklin was Pick 5 in 2004 draft and had an immediate impact at Hawthorn. In 2008 Franklin won the Coleman Medal with 113 Goals and would kick two goals in Hawthorn 2008 premiership. In 2013 Franklin kicked one goal in Hawthorn premiership. Franklin at the age 26 would join Sydney in 2014 as a free agent for nine years. Franklin would play in 2014 Grand Final loss against his old team Hawthorn as well as 2016 & 2022 Grand Finals.
Scott Lycett
75 Games West Coast 2011-2018
2018 Premiership Player
71 Games Port Adelaide 2019-2023
Lycett was pick 29 in 2010 draft and would debut in 2011. Lycett as back up ruckman to Nic Naitanui played 28 games in his first five years. After 21 games in 2016 due to injuries to Naitanui, Lycett played just one game in 2017. With Naitanui injuring his knee in 2018, Lycett would play 25 games and had nine disposals and fifteen hit outs in the 2018 premiership. Lycett was 26 when he returned back to South Australia and joined Port Adelaide as a free agent.
Steven King
193 Games Geelong 1996-2007
2007 Premiership Player
47 Games St Kilda 2008-2010
King was a All Australian winner, Best & Fairest winner and Club Captain at Geelong from 2003 to 2006. In 2007 King had lost his spot in the ruck to Brad Ottens and Mark Blake and had only played five games for the year. King was one of Geelong’s best players in the VFL premiership and came into calculations after Blake had struggled again in the Preliminary Final. King was recalled for 2007 premiership and where he had fourteen disposals and ten hit outs. King would play in two premierships in two weeks. With Blake unhappy and thinking of leaving, Geelong would trade King to St Kilda at the age 29 with Charlie Gardiner for a sixth round draft pick. King would play in the 2009 Grand Final against Geelong.
Des Headland
52 Games Brisbane 1999-2002
2002 Premiership Player
114 Games Fremantle 2003-2010
Headland was number one pick in the 1998 AFL Draft. Headland played twenty games in 2001 and was emergency for the Lions premiership. Headland would celebrate the next year having 13 disposals in Brisbane 2002 premiership. At the age of 21 Headland moved back to Western Australia for Picks 3 & 19.
Josh Carr
105 Games Port Adelaide 2000-2004
2004 Premiership Player
83 Games Fremantle 2005-2008
19 Games Port Adelaide 2009-2010
Carr was recruited from East Fremantle with Pick 7 of 1998 draft. Carr was a regular once he debut for Port Adelaide and was vice captain to Warren Tredrea in 2004 premiership. Carr had sixteen disposals and kicked one goal in 2004 premiership and tagging Simon Black, he kept Black to fifteen disposals. Carr moved to Fremantle in 2005 to play with brother Matthew. Carr was 24 when he was traded with Pick 43 for Picks 11, 27 & 45. Carr would be delisted at the end of 2008 and rejoined Port Adelaide in 2009.
Stephen Carey
Source: author
105 Games Essendon 1980-86
1985 Premiership Player
7 Games Geelong 1986
Carey met the criteria of this side; however, I have placed him as the 19th man as did sneak in one game for Essendon 1986 before being traded to Geelong. Carey played in the 1983 Grand Final loss but was dropped after Round 22 in 1984. In 1985 the rugged defender became a premiership player having started on the bench and collecting two disposals. Carey would play for Essendon in Round 6 of 1986, however in the following week Essendon recruited Geoff Raines and Mike Richardson who left Collingwood due to a pay dispute. Essendon needed to free up some money and traded Peter Bradbury to Collingwood and Stephen Carey to Geelong, Carey would debut for Geelong in Round 8 and would play against Essendon in Round 13. Carey would return to Essendon in 1987 to play the year in the reserves.
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Well done Rodney, another good collection. If you don’t mind I’ll throw in a variable.
Your team commences from 1970, the year of Carlton’s amazing flag victory. Two of the ‘key’ Carlton players that day were Bert Thornley, and Ted Hopkins.
Bert Thornley was replaced by Ted Hopkins at half time. This was Bert Thornley’s last match for Carlton, as in 1971 he was playing for Preston in the VFA. Ted Hopkins, with his 4 goal second half entered the pantheon of grand final heroes.
Ted Hopkins started 1971 playing on the bench in the clash with North Melbourne. On a hot, sunny Saturday North Melbourne the wooden spooners defeated Carlton the reigning premiers. Ted Hopkins came off the bench late in the match, but no repeat of the 1970 premiership heroics. After that his VFL career ended.
Glen!
No room for Jack Ginnivan. Well there you go.
Wait, no, I’m an idiot. There he is.
Schofield playing at Freo is one of the great forgotten facts of the WA AFL teams. A great quiz night question when it gets trotted out.
Excellent team on paper. For team balance, I would probably put Brandon Starcevich (6 ft 2) at centre half back. Stephen Carey (5ft 11) could go to the back pocket, Alex Jesaulenko to the forward pocket and Scott Lycett as the 19th man,
To throw in another variable, it’s a shame Gary Ablett Jr. left 2 years, not 1 year, after winning a premiership for Geelong in 2009, to go to the Gold Coast in 2011.
Has a team of premiership players been done previously who left to play for another club more than a year after winning a premiership at a particular club? Obviously, there would be more of them and Gary Ablett Jr. and Ian Stewart come to mind as right up with the best of them. If these teams played a pretend exhibition match against each other, the venue would be at a Premier League Stadium and the entertainment would be the Official Premier League Anthem (couldn’t find the AFL equivalents for both).
Another interesting team Rod, some very good names there, well researched!
Thanks Glen, some great points re Thornley & Hopkins
Thanks Denis, could do a team like Schofield
Thanks Stephen, Richmond & Melbourne would have a few in recent years.
Thanks Luke for your kind words as always.