Almanac Teams: Life, the universe and everything? Best of Number 42 (1980- )

 

 

This is a team of best players to wear the Number 42 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:          Paul Bevan (Syd)                             Justin Clarke (Bris)                      Mark O’Connor (Geel)

 

CHB:      Adam Saad (GC/Ess/Carl)            Tom Jonas (C) (PA)                     Zach Tuohy (Carl)

 

C:            Darren Millane (DVC) (Coll)        Chad Morrison (WCE)                 Peter Walsh (Melb/PA)

 

CHF:     Nathan Lovett-Murray (Ess)         Alex Keath (Adel/WB)                 Scott McMahon (NM)

 

FF:         Craig Callaghan (Freo)                   David Honybun (Rich)                Terry Board (Fitz)

 

Ruck:     Ian Paton (Haw)                              Matthew Boyd (VC) (WB)          Liam Picken (WB)

 

Interchange: Robert Fox (Syd), Robert Haddrill (Freo), Adrian Hickmott (Geel), Tristan Lynch (Bris)

 

Emergencies: Jarryn Geary (St.K), Danny Jacobs (Ess), Chad Rintoul (Adel/WCE), Jake Spencer (Melb)

 

Coach: Robert Walls

 

There are no players from St Kilda or GWS.

 

 

Games in Number 42 (Years Played)

Paul Bevan 129 (2004-2011)

Justin Clarke 56 (2013-2015)

Mark O’Connor 84 (2017- )

Adam Saad 48 at Gold Coast (2015-2017) 61 at Essendon (2018-2020) 43 at Carlton (2021- )

Tom Jonas 139 (2011-2019)

Zach Tuohy 120 (2011-2016)

Darren Millane 147 (1984-1991)

Chad Morrison 64 (1996-1998)

Peter Walsh 104 at Melbourne (1999-2004) 35 at Port Adelaide (2005-2006)

Nathan Lovett-Murray 145 (2004-2013)

Alex Keath 30 at Adelaide (2017-2019) 53 at the Western Bulldogs (2020- )

Scott McMahon 124 (2007-2015)

Craig Callaghan 84 (1995-1999)

David Honybun 57 (1988-1992)

Terry Board 15 (1988-1991)

Ian Paton 79 (1976-1980)

Matthew Boyd 68 (2003-2006)

Liam Picken 198 (2009-2017)

Robert Fox 64 (2017- )

Robert Haddrill 58 (2001-2007)

Adrian Hickmott 50 (1992-1995)

Tristan Lynch 55 (1996-1998)

 

 

 

With the sides now there are going to be some that have players that didn’t play as many games as required to keep within the current the criteria. At this stage I still have 17 clubs represented in the starting 18 with the Bulldogs having two players though Saad and Walsh also wore number 42 at two clubs. Terry Board got in with 15 games for Fitzroy while St Kilda missed out with Jarryn Geary’s 25 games in two seasons the best option there (he is named as an emergency) and GWS’s Jake Stein with 20 games is the best option for the Giants. The strength of Number 42 lies in the backline and it also boasts a midfield stocked with well-disciplined run-with players…but the forward line will likely struggle to kick many goals.

 

 

Clubs with multiple options are Brisbane with Tristan Lynch and Justin Clarke, Essendon with Danny Jacobs, Nathan Lovett-Murray and Adam Saad, Geelong with Adrian Hickmott and Mark O’Connor, Sydney with Paul Bevan and Robert Fox and the Western Bulldogs with Matthew Boyd, Liam Picken and Alex Keath.

 

 

As mentioned, defence is this team’s strongest weapon and it starts with Justin Clarke at FB who in only three years played 56 games, and missed just three after his debut. Clarke was developing into very reliable key back who was rarely beaten but had to retire in 2016 due to ongoing concussion issues. Current Port Adelaide captain Tom Jonas takes the CHB role and while at 188cm is smaller than most key defenders, he is extremely competitive, hard to beat and is a very good intercept marker. Mark O’Connor is 191cm but the Irishman does not really play a key position but mostly off half back or on smaller forwards in a lockdown role. Paul Bevan would play on the opposition small forward and is known for his tackling and defensive play. On the half back flank I have two very good running players in Adam Saad and Zach Tuohy. Both are great in this role: Saad led the AFL this year in bounces and both players are great kicks of the football. Other players that can play in defence are Alex Keath and Robert Haddrill who can play as tall defenders, Nathan Lovett-Murray as a third tall defender and Peter Walsh, Robert Fox, Scott McMahon, Matthew Boyd and Liam Picken as small defenders or running half backs.

 

 

Ian Paton is first ruck and was a mobile player who was really more of a back up ruck/tall defender/tall forward in his career. Paton wore Number 42 until 1980 before he moved to Number 12 and became a premiership player in 1978. Double Dogs Matthew Boyd and Liam Picken form the on-ball division; Boyd started off in 42 and Picken wore it for his whole career. Boyd was originally rookie listed by the Bulldogs in 2002 and started his career as a defender or a run-with onballer before he moved to Number 5. Liam Picken then took on Number 42 as a run-with onballer at the start of his career, he also played as a small defender before he finished up as a small defensive forward (see the 2016 premiership season). Chad Morrison wore 42 before moving to Number 5 and started his career as half forward who could play in the midfield, he finished third in the 1997 Best & Ffairest – his second year. On the wings I have Darren Millane (who is probably the best player in the team), Millane was a star especially in Collingwood’s drought breaking 1990 premiership year when he also made the league’s team of the year. Millane made his teammates walk tall as a great kick but also his strong aggression at the ball and man. Peter Walsh is on the wing, who made his name as half back/wing for Melbourne in the Neale Daniher Era and was one of Melbourne’s best in the 2000 Grand Final. Other midfield options are David Honybun as reserve ruck, Craig Callaghan as rover and Tristan Lynch, Scott McMahon, Terry Board and Zach Tuohy on the wings.

 

 

David Honybun is at FF and while predominantly a ruck he was mobile enough to play up forward. Honybun kicked 41 goals in his career with 21 in 1990 including bags of 6.3 and 5.7. Alex Keath at CHF may seem weird considering he has played his whole career as a tall defender and only kicked five goals, however Keath was originally on Gold Coast’s list before he chose cricket and played U18s as a tall forward/defender who could also play defence…plus I really needed a tall forward. Nathan Lovett-Murray at 190cm played more as a HFF/HBF but was a reasonable mark and has kicked four goals in a match. Scott McMahon was best known as a defender who was a very good kick and could also play on a wing. I have selected McMahon up forward as he spent his first year as a forward/wing and kicked 20 goals in his first two years from 29 games with a best of three goals. Callaghan was a rover/small forward with 69 goals at Fremantle with best of 25 goals in a year and four in a match. Terry Board is the extra forward though he mainly was named on a wing he did average 15 disposals a game. As you can see the team lacks for goal kickers. Other forward options are Ian Paton who could change with David Honybun. Adrian Hickmott, Liam Picken and Darren Millane.

 

 

The interchange is basically the best four players available. Robert Fox is a defender at Sydney who in the last couple of years has played more games as a mid-size defender. Robert Haddrill is a tall defender who played 45 games in two years before injuries restricted him to five games in next three years and an early retirement. Haddrill on the ground may allow Jonas to be third intercept defender rather than focus solely on defending a player. Adrian Hickmott wore Number 42 at Geelong as a defensive half forward who could play in defence. Hickmott did kick five goals in a match twice in his time at Carlton. Tristan Lynch was a speedy wing at Brisbane though not a noted goal kicker.

 

 

Tom Jonas was co-captain with Ollie Wines in 2019 and having more than one skipper no Port Adelaide player wore the traditional Number 1, so Jonas kept his Number 42 as leader. Matthew Boyd who captained the Bulldogs – though not while wearing Number 42 – is vice captain and Darren Millane is deputy.

 

 

The unlucky players were Jake Stein (GWS), Brandon Ellis (Rich).

 

 

 

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.

One-off financial contribution – CLICK HERE.

Regular financial contribution (monthly EFT) – CLICK HERE.