The best Wagga has to offer

As a proud Wagga boy (now living in Melbourne), I’ve beenthinking about what a great production line of players Wagga has produced. I have decided to have a crack at naming my best 22.

What makes it more impressive for me is that arguably Wagga is split about 60% league and 40% AFL (in my opinion).

In terms of selection criteria I have kept it pretty simple, namely the player has to be born or played junior or senior footy (before making the AFL) in Wagga. This is a Wagga side so I have not included those born in surrounding areas like the Danihers (Ungarie) and Quade (Ariah Park) etc etc. I have also not included the many former AFL players who have come back to coach.

Unlike Royce Hart I have not included myself in the team despite a glittering career highlighted by representing Wagga in the under 12s.

For a town with less than 55,000residents I would argue we would be hard to beat and I encourage any fellow almanackers to ‘fight for their town’ and submit a team.

Here goes:

B Jason Wild (cwood) Brad Seymour (SS) Matt Suckling (H)

HB Paul Hawke (cwood,SS) Jason Mooney (SS,G) Brett Scott (SS)

C Greg Smith (SS) David Murphy (SS) John Pitura (SM/fitz)

HF Neville Miller (SS) Wayne Carey (NM) Harry Lampe (SM)

F Cam Mooney (G) Bill Mohr (STK) Geoff Kingston (SA)

R Orren Stephenson (G) Paul Kelly (SS) C Colin Hounsell (SS)

IC James Byrne (A) Bryce Campbell (A) Matthew Lloyd (SS)

NB
* Harry Lampe (SM 1899,1907 Grand finals, 135 Games)
* Geoff Kingston (West torrens SA 1966 All Australian)

About craig dodson

Born in the sporting mecca that is Wagga Wagga and now reside in Melbourne with my lovelly wife Sophie and son's Jack and Harry. Passionate Swans supporter and formally played cricket at a decent level and Aussie Rules at a not so decent level! Spend my days now perfecting my slice on the golf course and the owner of the worlds worst second serve on the tennis course.

Comments

  1. Well done. FYI, i submitted a side of players from Wagga and beyond; Ariah Park, Cootamundra, Temora, etc. It was posted on July 19 last year, captioned, ” A team of Wagga warriors”‘.

    Glen!

    PS: I can’t see Ted Obzudinski listed!

  2. craig dodson says

    thanks Glen, your side is a very good representation of the riverina region. A very tough process to put together a side as I am sure you know, went to bed with a headache and woke up two times remembering players i’d left out!

  3. Ta Craig, i’ve also compiled some other teams from the Riverina, and the North East. They’re all there on the Almananc site.

    Glen!

  4. Rocket Nguyen says

    Great to see all those fina Wagga footballers!

    However, Greg Smith was from the surrounding area….
    he played for Ardelthan for a long-time before coming into East Wagga

    Maybe this leaves a spot for Ted Obzudinski!?

    Or the Fireman Stephen Eather. Or Mark Fraser. Both Turvey Park products who went to South.

  5. craig dodson says

    Thanks for the update Rocket on Greg, I remember playing cricket against Stephen and watching him at the bulldogs when i was juniors there,.. Excuse my ignorance but who is Ted Obzudinski? Turvey Park have done well producing quality footballers. Do you still go and watch them? I see Daniel Tooze is still playing, i think he was the best junior footballer i ever saw and played with, a shame he didn’t make the big league

  6. Ted came down in 1973. He was a gun full forward, not sure which club, but it might have been North Wagga. His debut for South Melbourne was at the Lakeside Oval, on Geoff Southby. His first kick, a shot at goal, went on the full. No goals game one. His second match was against Fitzroy, another loss to South then back to Wagga. This was during a long losing run in which South went without a win from early 1972, when they beat Noth Melbourne, up until they beat Geelong in R14 in 1973. To make your debut against the reigning premiers Carlton, with your opponent being Geoff Southby at his peak, was not a fond introduction to VFL ranks. Sorry, it’s an esoteric point i raised, but Teds name is indelibly notched in my memory.

    Glen!

  7. craig dodson says

    You think they might have gave him a run in the forward pocket to let him ease in! Thanks for filling in the dots Glen, you learn something new everyday. Doing the research for the side i even uncovered the fact that the guy who owned the post ofice where i grew up played a few games for South, small world

  8. Who was that ?

  9. craig dodson says

    Russell Campbell, his son Bryce played a few games for Adelaide. I played cricket with him for years but I didn’t know he made the big league. Top Bloke and the unassuming type not to blow his own trumpet. My uncle was Neville Miller (father of current tiger Brad), can you recall seeing him play, it was well before I was born

  10. Neville was full forward around 1970-72; before Ted Obszudinzki came down. Dark haired bloke, played 30-40 games to my recollection. Shows my age !

    Glen!

  11. Hi again – let me help with the Where Are They Now segment

    Ted Obzudinski was from Wagga Tigers – now mine host at the Grong Grong Hotel

    Russell Campbell was from Ganmain – kicked over over 100 goals in their 1976 premiership team then went to South Melbourne – then SANFL – then back to coach Coolamon (1983 premiership) – then North Albury. Currently operates the Turvey Park Post Office

    Nifty Miller – went to South Melbourne from Wagga Tigers – then over to the SANFL – then up to Brisbane.
    Was foreman at a meatworks when I last had a drink with him…
    Enjoys a XXXX with a bundy chaser.

  12. Skip of Skipton says

    Obudzinski is the correct spelling.

    When I went through 1RTB Kapooka (on the outskirts of Wagga Wagga!) we had a bloke in our platoon with an even longer tongue-twisting Polish surname. He was called ‘Recruit Wheelbarrow’. That was a traditional thing. If you had a hyphenated name you were Recruit Two-Dads etc.

  13. Does anyone know what ever happened to South Melbourne’s Stephen Eather or Mark Fraser? What are they up to these days?

  14. Dr Rocket says

    Stephen Eather came back to Turvey Park from South, then went out to coach Ardelthan for a few years, then back to Turvey. Last time I asked he was in Wagga.

    Mark Fraser also returned to play with Turvey, then went out to coach Ganmain Grong Grong Matong, then to coach Corowa in the O & M. Think he settled in Albury. Famously kept Kevin Bartlett goal-less one time when KB was a permanent forward.

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