Almanac Teams: Life begins at fifty; Best of 50+ (1980- )

 

 

This is a team of best players to wear the Number 50+ 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.

 

(As a bonus I have selected a team of very good players that were in a number from 50+ before they went to a lower one).

 

 

FB:       Peter Berbakov (Ess)                      Mick Martyn (NM)                           Jy Farrar (GC)

 

CHB:   David Clarke (Geel)                         Ryan Turnbull (WCE)                     Cameron Sutcliffe (PA)

 

C:         Mark Dwyer (Fitz)                           Michael McLean (VC) (Foots)       Justin Pickering (Rich)

 

CHF:   Neil Mildenhall (Freo)                    Michael Byrne (Haw)                      Sam Reid (GWS)

 

FF:       Gary Frangalas (Syd)                      Ben Brown (DVC) (NM/Mel)        Dale Kickett (St.K)

 

Ruck:   Shaun Rehn (C) (Adel/Haw)        Marlion Pickett (Rich)                    Neville Shaw (Coll)

 

Interchange: Michael Gayfer (Coll), Jamie Elliott (Fitz), Craig Lambert (Rich), Ashley McIntosh (WCE)

 

Emergencies: Jason Croall (Coll), Craig Davis (Syd), Chris Pym (Rich), Ross Smith (NM)

 

Coach: Michael Voss

 

There are no players from Brisbane or Carlton and two from North Melbourne and Richmond in the starting 18.

 

 

 

Games in Number 50+ (Years Played)

Peter Berbakov (#51) 17 (1996)

Mick Martyn (#50) 21 (1988)

Jy Farrar (#50) 25 (2020- )

David Clarke (#51) 13 (1999)

Ryan Turnbull (#50) 129 (1991-2001)

Cameron Sutcliffe (#50) 9 (2019-2020)

Mark Dwyer (#58) 11 (1986)

Michael McLean (#51) 95 (1983-1989)

Justin Pickering (#52) 22 (1988)

Neil Mildenhall (#50) 7 (1995)

Michael Byrne (#50) 22 (1982)

Sam Reid (#50) 84 (2016-2021)

Gary Frangalas (#50) 29 (1983-1984)

Ben Brown (#50) 130 at North Melbourne (2014-2020) 32 at Melbourne (2021- )

Dale Kickett (#52) 21 (1992)

Shaun Rehn (#52) 134 at Adelaide (1991-2000) 33 at Hawthorn (2001-2002)

Marlion Pickett (#50) 57 (2019- )

Neville Shaw (#51) 20 (1984- )

Michael Gayfer (#51) 22 (1986)

Jamie Elliott (#54) 16 (1991)

Craig Lambert (#53) 21 (1988)

Ashley McIntosh (#53) 17 (1991)

 

 

This is my last ‘Best of’ team and with the options at hand I made it from Number 50 onwards and added a bonus of very good players that wore a number of 50+ at their club before they went to a lower number (hence no Shaun Rehn in that team). The team features three players with over a hundred games and three more over 50. It has four premiership players in Turnbull, Brown, Rehn and Pickett. Rehn was also All Australian in Number 52, Justin Pickering was Recruit of the Year in 1988 and Mark Dwyer could have won a Brownlow if he played the first half of 1986.

 

 

Since 1980 from what I can see Brisbane, Carlton, Fremantle and Port Adelaide have not had a representative that played over ten games. I wanted to still keep many sides represented so I chose Neil Mildenhall and Cameron Sutcliffe in the team ahead of probably Corey Bell with eight games at Brisbane and Heath Culpitt with six games at Carlton. Collingwood had multiple options in Andrew Smith, Neville Shaw, Mick Gayfer, Jason Croall and Terry Keays. North Melbourne had Mick Martyn, Ben Brown, Ross Smith and Darren Steele. Richmond: Marlion Pickett, Justin Pickering, Craig Lambert, Chris Pym, Stuart Griffiths, Dean Notting and Barry Young, and Footscray with Michael McLean, Rick Kennedy, Jon Ballantyne and Stan Davidson.

 

 

The defence starts with the mighty Mick Martyn at Full Back. Despite being U19s leading goal kicker in 1986, Martyn played FB in the seniors over 21 games in 1988 and continued to play there for 300 games. Ryan Turnbull is at CHB, he was a versatile tall at either end and also played ruck or second ruck in 11 years at the Eagles. Peter Berbakov at 188cm can play key position defence or as a third tall defender. Jy Farrar at 191cm is another tall defender in the side who is mobile enough to play third tall or half back. David Clarke is a wing who also played as a small defender and with his pace he could provide run and carry from defence or could change with Pickering or McLean. Cameron Sutcliffe showed he could play either end or in the midfield and can play on the opposition’s best small forward in this team. Other options in defence are Michael Gayfer who could play on talls or smalls, Jamie Elliott as Back Pocket or half back, Ashley McIntosh as a tall defender, Michael McLean or Gary Frangalas can also play half back or pocket and Dale Kickett and Justin Pickering played across half back later in their careers.

 

 

Shaun Rehn is the best in this side as a two time premiership and All Australian player, Rehn could also kick a goal so it makes sense for him to swap with Michael Byrne. Ryan Turnbull and Ben Brown can also help out with ruck duties. The side lacks for midfielders so we have Michael McLean who was a very handy defender but named here in the centre to provide some class and also defensive pressure; he had a personal best of 35 disposals. Marlion Pickett generally plays as a wing, but did play on ball in the WAFL and while only 184cm he plays taller than he is as a big bodied midfielder to protect McLean, Shaw and Lambert. Neville Shaw is a genuine first rover who was more similar to Ray than Tony. Neville had pace and was also handy around goal; he kicked 18 goals from 20 games. On one wing is Mark Dwyer who debuted for Fitzroy in Round 15, 1986 and played the next 11 games and polled in the Brownlow for six of his first seven games – ten votes including two best on grounds. The other wing is Justin Pickering who was VFL recruit of the year in 1988, he played 22 games for 25 goals on the wing and his best game was in Round 22 with 27 disposals and five goals. Other midfield options are Craig Lambert, David Clarke, Cameron Sutcliffe, Neil Mildenhall and Sam Reid.

 

 

Ben Brown is at FF and has worn Number 50 at both North Melbourne and Melbourne for 342 goals from 172 games with a best of 64 goals in a season and ten in a match. Brown and Michael Byrne, who is named at CHF, are both 200cm plus and could change between CHF and FF. Byrne joined Hawthorn in 1982 after one game with Melbourne and wore Number 50 for 22 games and 47 goals including eight goals in his first match with the Hawks. Neil Mildenhall was mature-aged recruit for the Dockers at 26 who had won the 1993 Sandover Medal. Mildenhall played seven games with a best of 25 disposals. Reid played as a defensive forward or midfielder and while not a big goal kicker he could allow opportunities for others. Gary Frangalas is another player that could play either end whose career was cut short by injury. In three seasons at the Swans he played 51 games for 30 goals. In the other pocket is Dale Kickett who played 21 games for 20 goals at St Kilda as a small forward. Other forwards are Ryan Turnbull, Neville Shaw and maybe Mick Martyn.

On the bench I have Craig Lambert who had the best midfield career in the team. In his debut year of 1988 at age 19 Lambert played 21 games and averaged 20 disposals a game. Mick Gayfer gets in for his debut year where he played every game in 1986 as a negating defender with a best of 16 disposals, plus he is my Uncle Ian’s favourite player. Jamie Elliott was a lightly built player for Fitzroy who was one of their best players in his first year but injuries then a move to Richmond meant Elliott never showed the promise of those games he had played in Number 54. Ashley McIntosh was a lightly framed key defender with Glen Jakovich in West Coast’s 1991 campaign; he played 17 games and kicked 11 goals for the season and had a reasonable Grand Final on Dermott Brereton in 1991.

 

 

There are no club captains in the side so Shaun Rehn is skipper, Michael McLean is vice captain and Ben Brown is deputy.

 

The unlucky players were Chris Groom and Randall Bone (Adel) Andrew Smith and Terry Keays (Coll), Ryan Crowley (Ess) Tony Malakellis (Geel) Dean Brogan (GWS) Steven Tingay (Melb) Stuart Griffiths, Dean Notting, Brian Leys and Barry Young (Rich) Dean Chiron, Stewart Loewe and Robert Mace (St.K), Jon Ballantyne, Rick Kennedy and Stan Davidson (Foots).

 

 

---

 

 

 

The bonus feature team of very good players who started in a number in 50 upwards.

 

 

FB:          John Blakey (Fitz)                      Rick Kennedy (Foots)                  Ang Christou (Carl)

 

CHB:      Brett Lovett (Melb)                     Ashley McIntosh (WCE)             Mick McGuane (Coll)

 

C:            Peter Schwab (Haw)                   Joe Misiti (Ess)                             Zac Williams (GWS)

 

CHF:      Garry Hocking (Geel)                 Stewart Loewe (St.K)                   Craig Lambert (Rich)

 

FF:          Mark Roberts (Syd)                    Mick Martyn (NM)                       Anthony Stevens (NM)

 

Ruck:      Scott Wynd (WB)                        Michael Voss (Bris)                      Robert Harvey (St.K)

 

Interchange: Peter German (NM), James McDonald (GWS), Craig Sholl (NM), Steven Tingay (Melb)

 

Others: Michael Gayfer (Coll), Peter Caven (Fitz), Sean Denham and Robert Scott (Geel) Glenn Lovett (Melb), Tim McGrath, Anthony Rock, Ross Smith (NM), Justin Peckett (St.K), Steven Kolynuik (Foots).

 

 

Games in Number 50+ (Years Played)

John Blakey (#54) 4 (1985)

Rick Kennedy (#54) 14 (1981)

Ang Christou (#56) 1 (1991)

Brett Lovett (#50) 8 (1986)

Ashley McIntosh (#53) 17 (1991)

Mick McGuane (#54) 3 (1987)

Peter Schwab (#54) 2 (1980)

Joe Misiti (#52) 2 (1992)

Zac Williams (#51) 11 (2013)

Garry Hocking (#52) 6 (1987)

Stewart Loewe (#50) 8 (1986)

Craig Lambert (#53) 21 (1988)

Mark Roberts (#51) 6 (1985)

Mick Martyn (#50) 21 (1988)

Anthony Stevens (#58) 4 (1989)

Scott Wynd (#52) 1 (1988)

Michael Voss (#56) 6 (1992)

Robert Harvey (#52) 4 (1988)

Peter German (#53) 2 (1984)

James McDonald (#54) 4 (1997)

Craig Sholl (#51) 4 (1987)

Steven Tingay (#52) 12 (1989)

Michael Gayfer (#51) 22 (1986)

Peter Caven (#50) 8 (1990)

Sean Denham (#58) 2 (1987)

Robert Scott (#51) 2 (1986)

Glenn Lovett (#51) 2 (1987)

Tim McGrath (#51) 3 (1989)

Anthony Rock (#52) 4 (1988)

Ross Smith (#54) 19 (1984)

Justin Peckett (#53) 1 (1992)

Steven Kolynuik (#59) 3 (1987)

 

 

 

 

The very good side of players to wear Number 50 plus forward line may look weird with Mick Martyn, but he did kick 96 goals for North Melbourne U19s in 1986 to win the league’s goal kicking. Plus a backline of Martyn and Rick Kennedy might be too scary! The highlight of the team is the ruck line of Wynd, Voss and Harvey – all Brownlow Medallists.

 

 

The team features club captains in Rick Kennedy, Garry Hocking, Stewart Loewe, Anthony Stevens, Scott Wynd, Michael Voss, Robert Harvey and James McDonald.

 

 

Players that went on to coach are Peter Schwab and Michael Voss with John Blakey, Garry Hocking and Robert Harvey all having been stand in coaches. Eleven of the 22 are premiership players and 12 are All Australians.

 

 

 

To return to our Footy Almanac home page click HERE.

 

 

Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.

 

Do you enjoy the Almanac concept?

And want to ensure it continues in its current form, and better? To help things keep ticking over please consider making your own contribution.

 

 

Become an Almanac (annual) member – CLICK HERE.