Almanac Teams: Number 1 Hits (1980-)

 

A team of the best players to wear the Number 1 jumper since 1980.

 

 

The criteria I chose is thus:

 

  • Starting 18 will consist of players from each current club, Brisbane/Fitzroy will be 1 club with preference to them if not a suitable option from GWS/Gold Coast and for interchange.
  • 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 have played under multiple numbers (for example Gavin Wanganeen in Number 1 and 4)
  • Stats are based on their time in that number.

 

 

I am new to The Footy Almanac, though have read articles here for a few years after being introduced to it by my good friend Luke. I started doing these teams while being on part time hours in Victoria’s Covid-19 lockdown. I hadn’t realised that Phil Dimitriadis had already made some great teams around a similar concept. Mine however are from 1980 onward, due to it being from when I can first remember footy.

 

I also have planned 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 etc.

 

I hope you enjoy; don’t take it too seriously!

 

 

 

FB:           Trevor Barker (C) (St.K)                 Stephen Silvagni (Carl)                  Steve Hocking (Geel)

 

CHB:       Ray Jencke (Haw)                          Phil Davis (DVC) (GWS)                 Chris Newman (Rich)

 

C:             Greg Anderson (Adel)                    Brett Heady (WCE)                          Jaeger O’Meara (GCS)

 

CHF:        Leon Davis (Coll)                              Jesse Hogan (Melb)                        Mark Harvey (Ess)

 

FF:           Hayden Ballantyne (Freo)            Barry Hall (Syd)                                Andrew Purser (Foot)

 

Ruck:        Hamish McIntosh (Nth)                 Paul Roos (Fitz/Syd)                       Travis Boak (VC) (PA)

 

Interchange:   Damian Monkhorst (Coll)            Merv Neagle (Ess)               Justin Peckett (St.K)

Gavin Wanganeen (PA)

 

 

Emergencies: Mark Johnson (Ess), Steven King (Geel), Mark Lee (Rich), Andrew Walker (Carl)

 

Coach: Paul Roos

 

 

 

Plenty of ruckmen to choose from for Number 1, while McIntosh and Purser had good careers they probably were not as good as Monkhorst, King, Primus and Lee there was no real other options at North and Bulldogs, with these two the only to play 100 games. Paul Roos is picked for Fitzroy; I have counted all games he wore Number 1 for Fitzroy & Sydney.

 

 

Fitzroy/Brisbane, Carlton, Fremantle, GWS, St Kilda, Sydney and West Coast really were the only sides whose players picked themselves. I was surprised by Melbourne’s lack of quality players since 1980 wearing the Number 1; I went with Hogan who did win a rising star. O’Meara whilst only playing two years also won a rising star. Adelaide did not have many in Number 1 but Greg Anderson was an All Australian in 1993.

 

 

Port Adelaide has always used Number 1 for its captain so its pick was a hard choice, I went with Boak for balance and Wanganeen on the bench. Collingwood up until Ray Shaw also had Number 1 for their captain but this did not cause a problem as this side is based on 1980 onwards only. Barker gets captain as a personal favourite of mine.

 

 

The team itself is a bit top heavy and lacks in the midfield. Roos while named ruck rover (he did just follow the ball on his last days at Fitzroy) is better known as a centre half back and Heady at centre played mostly as a half forward flanker but both can play in those spots. Defence is probably its strong point. The bench I thought I would choose the best ruckman to wear Number 1 plus Neagle, Wanganeen and Peckett who help out in any defencies the starting 18 may help. Please note Wanganeen also wore Number 4 at Port Adelaide and Tredrea (48 Games) and Primus (56 Games) will appear under another number.

 

 

Unlucky players not named above were Ken Judge (Hawthorn/Brisbane*), Nick Vlastuin (Richmond), Mark Mickan (Brisbane/Adelaide*), Warren Tredrea (Port Adelaide) and Michael Gardiner (West Coast/St Kilda*).

 

*Didn’t wear the number at this club.

 

 

Games in Number 1 (Years played)

 

Trevor Barker 193 (1977-1989)

Stephen Silvagni 312 (1985-2001)

Steve Hocking 143 (1988-1994)

Ray Jencke 188 (1987-1997)

Phil Davis 158 (2012- )

Chris Newman 111 (2006-2008, 2013-2015)

Greg Anderson 59 (1993-1996)

Brett Heady 136 (1991-1999)

Jaeger O’Meara 44 (2013-2014)

Leon Davis 210 (2001-2011)

Jesse Hogan 71 (2015-2018)

Mark Harvey  146 (1987-1997)

Hayden Ballantyne 163 (2010-2019)

Barry Hall 162 (2002-2009)

Andrew Purser 112 (1983-1987)

Hamish McIntosh 106 (2006-2012)

Paul Roos 356 (1982-1998)

Travis Boak 135 (2013-2018)

Damian Monkhorst 186 (1990-1999)

Merv Neagle 94 (1981-1985)

Justin Peckett 196 (1996-2006)

Gavin Wanganeen 61 (1997-2000)

 

 

As mentioned, this is not the first time a team of number ones has been suggested on The Footy Almanac, Phil Dimitriadis gave his version of an all-time list HERE.

 

 

 

 

The Tigers (Covid) Almanac 2020 will be published in the coming weeks. It will have all the usual features – a game by game account of the Tigers season – and will also include some of the best Almanac writing from the Covid winter.  Pre-order right now HERE

 

 

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Comments

  1. Rodney,
    As someone who has also contributed a number of these “funny” teams,
    I am most disappointed that the great Stephen Easton is not in the team!
    Haha

  2. Smokie,

    Stephen Easton ?!?

    Injuries ruined his brief career @ Port Melbourne.

    Glen!

  3. Thanks Smokie and Glen, think I need to get familiar with Stephen Easton work

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