On the basis of nominations here is an Almanac Team of 2012. Happy to drop and elevate:
Jason Blake Zac Dawson (by incessant demand) Scarlo
Bob Murphy Ted Richards Corey Enright
Harley Bennell Joel Selwood Jude Bolton
Johnno LRT Jeremy Howe
Brock McLean Tom Hawkins Ivan Maric
Followers: Ben Hudson, Adam Goodes, Lenny Hayes
I/C: Mike Pyke, Ahmed Saad, Patrick Dangerfield
Sub: Lynden Dunn
Coach: Malcolm Blight
Debate welcome. Team balance has not been a parameter. The side is rather tall.
About John Harms
JTH is a writer, publisher, speaker, historian. He is publisher and contributing editor of The Footy Almanac and footyalmanac.com.au. He has written columns and features for numerous publications. His books include Confessions of a Thirteenth Man, Memoirs of a Mug Punter, Loose Men Everywhere, Play On, The Pearl: Steve Renouf's Story and Life As I Know It (with Michelle Payne). He appears (appeared?) on ABCTV's Offsiders. He can be contacted [email protected] He is married to The Handicapper and has three school-age kids - Theo, Anna, Evie. He might not be the worst putter in the world but he's in the worst four. His ambition was to lunch for Australia but it clashed with his other ambition - to shoot his age.
Malceski should be in for the beard alone. Not a bad left foot too.
Lynden Dunn out.
I’d rather have Horse as coach, Blighty has been out of the game for too long. Hawkins for Buddy? Not too sure about that.
“No Collingwood players? Didn’t see that coming.” – said no Magpie supporting Almanacker ever.
Could do with a bit more facial hair, so Swans 2012 backline. Lynden Dunn stays in as long as he is allowed to wear a Yorkshire yokel peaked-cap to go wih that moustache. And The People’s Beard (Hudson) to be named captain-coach and Glorious Leader.
What is interesting about Tom Hawkins? Looks like a vacuous Spring Carnival type to me. Brenton Sanderson would be a smokey for coach. Amusing tweeter who interacts with his players.
will certainly adjust on the basis of good argument and a groundswell of support for the proposition.
I would remove Selwood and install Sam Mitchell in his place. More of an Almanac type and doesn’t raise his arms whenever tackled legitimately. Would be compensation for his inexcusable ommission for the All Australian team
Having been suspended for two weeks for drinking, Dane Swan justifies a place in the team.
I also agree that Buddy should replace Hawkins.
Have I left any Geelong players in there? If so – remove them as well,
There is a Geelong player on every line Andrew. Assuming that Johnno is Stevie J rather than Ben J I would leave him in the side. He’s always struck me as a bloke who should have played in black and white (and would have if our medical team hadn’t been overcautious). Scarlett should be replaced, perhaps by Michael Firrito of the Flying Firrito Brothers, Corey Enright by Sam Mitchell, Joel Sellwood by Dane Swan, Tom Hawkins by Buddy Franklin.
I would suggest about-to-be- former Collingwood player, Sharrod Wellingham would be an appropriate substitute. That would make one and a past Collingwood players in the team compared to the five Geelog players that JTH thinks is appropriate,
No Andy Krakouer? You cannot be serious!!
Not one Hawk? Lance, Mitchell and Sewell are walk-up starts in my view. (And there’s too many Geelong players in there).
I think the selectors have pretty much got this one right.
It’s very difficult to select these sides.
I like Sewell in there somewhere. Probably at the expense of Dunn.
Although not eligible, I’d like to see Grenville Dietrich in for Hawkins.
Grenville should be the anchor FF each year.
An excerpt from a Grenville Q&A from the NAFC website.
Interviewer- So Grenville, most people have heard the alleged story that when North were playing Centrals one year, they had a plan to wine and dine you on the Friday before the game in a bid to curb your influence the following day, is this fact or fiction?
GD- Well yeah, it definitely did happen, Rick Vidovich a selector from Centrals picked me up at about 11.30 on the Friday morning, we went to Cobbs restaurant for lunch, and then to Regines night club. Rick dropped me home at about 4 in the morning. I remember I walked in the North change rooms the next day to get ready and all the boys moved away from me, I was obviously still smelling like a brewery. The game started, I took a one hander early next to the point post, lined up to have a shot at goal, kicked the ground and the ball at the same time, the ball dribbled under Stephen Boehm’s arm and limped through for a goal. I’ve seen the replay of the game and the camera showed Mick Nunan sitting, shaking his head but things turned out ok, I kicked 12 out of 18 goals and we won the game.
Good enough for mein kampf
Given the current political climate, I’m amazed there are no women in this side.
That’s a very mysoginistic thing to say, Litza. Or is it? I’m not sure, they keep changing the definition. Either way, Doyle sees that and you won’t know what hit you
no north melbourne? has the afl’s conspiracy spread to the almanac? you should be ashamed! Scott Thompson, surely.
Here’s a better challenge then:
one player from each of the 18 teams, and four on the bench from wherever you like?
Happy to take noms from fans of each team. Team balance not an issue. We’ll find a place for them.
Geelong: Corey Enright?
Swans: LRT?
North: Scott Thompson? (but isn’t he and ends justifies the means man?)
etc.
Pies?
Hakws?
etc
Happy with Brock. Happier with Bootsma.
Another Sleepy Hollow love-in. Where’s the Almanac integrity? I half expected Woofer Davis & Troubles Flanagan’s names to be there.
And how can an Almanac backline not include The Iconic Zac? I’m calling for an Almanac A team to play the Almanac team.
….WHERE’S SWAN? Or Pendles?
and Buddy?!
what is this! :O lol
Adelaide: Patrick Dangerfield (Class/skill/dash)
Brisbane: Ben Hudson (character/workhorse)
Carlton: Josh Bootsma (Litza/Harpo Marx)
Collingwood: Andrew Krakouer (Redemption/courage/skill)
Essendon: Dustin Fletcher (Makes Almanackers feel young)
Fremantle: Hayden Ballantyne (Sticking it to Geelong)
Geelong: Stevie J (Flawed Maestro)
Gold Coast: Karmichael Hunt (Earnings per touch)
GWS: Chad Cornes (Every team needs a smartarse has been)
Hawthorn: Buddy (Electrifying/Tantalizing/erratic)
Melbourne: Lynden Dunn (Trying to look like a man)
North Melbourne: Drew Petrie (The Difference)
Port Adelaide: Alipate Carlile (Great name)
Richmond: Ivan Maric (Mullet/Heart/some skill)
St.Kilda: Lenny Hayes (No one hates Lenny)
Sydney: Rhyce Shaw (Played in a Premiership team)
West Coast: Nic Nat (Highlights per possession impressive)
Western Bulldogs: Brian Lake (For seeing sense and going to Hawthorn)
IC. Dayne Beams (Bogan hope), Daniel Talia (Backman’s hope), Sam Jacobs (Left Carlton, became success) SUB: Scarlo (For belting Ballantyne)
Beau Waters for WCE please. Form, a reader and a tough nut. Covers all the bases.
Will ‘Swan’ and ‘Emu’ now have to be listed as South Australian in the team PB?
I laughed when I heard about those moves. A couple of the biggest of trade month I would say. Do you guys get Southwalk and a later draught pick in return?
I suggest that the ‘little master’ Tendulkar should be included somewhere in the Knacker 2012 team. He is not a true blue Aussie bleeder but that won’t matter. If we throw in some yellow cake we may get him and a call centre or two. Need to get the deal done by tomorrow.
How will he effect our salary cap? Ordoes his veteran status have a mitigating effect.
Oops, sorry to be so irreverent MD.
I take it this is a cult hero and fan favourites 22?
Must say I do think JTH may have aversion to tatts, though perhaps I’m on the wrong track as to the selection criteria.
Swan; 26 Brownlow votes from 18 games, albeit in an ‘average’ season by his standards… And no Buddy along with the other Dayne might have been a couple other oversights.
And no Malarkey at FB or Mensch at CHF puzzled me deeply.
My 22 (very self serving)
Crows: The Porpoise (came to Blacks presentation night)
Lions: Simon Black (missus goes for Brisbane. He makes them worth watching)
Carlton: Brock McLean (wonderful example of Carlton misjudgement)
Collingwood: Travis Cloke (disrupted their season)
Essendon: Fletcher
Freo: Barlow (brother played for Blacks)
GC: Zac Smith (love a good young big man)
GWS: J Giles (ditto)
Geelong: Walker (played with his Dad)
Hawthorn: Clinton Young (cost them a flag)
Melbourne: Mitch Clark (only one with ticker this year)
Nth Melb: Can’t go past Boomer (those 3 goals in a qtr)
Power: Hamish Hartlett (BOG v Carlton)
Richmond: Cotchin (too good to play there)
Saints: Goddard (great launching pad to 2013)
Swans: Ted Richards (great bloke)
Eagles: Cox (The Real AA Ruckman)
Bulldogs: Giansiracusa (Played juniors with him)
3 Extra: Jobe Watson, Lewis Jetta (made Collingwood look silly), Milne (always kills Carlton)
Sorry, I feel I was perhaps a tad too negative in my previous post. It was remiss of me not to at least give kudos to the selection panel on squeezing in 17 non-Geelong players!
Love your work. Don’t touch a thing. Well, don’t touch those Saints!
John,
My suggestion for the Brisbane Lions would have to be Dayne Zorko. With his small stature and a surname like that he has become one of the cult figures of 2012.
If you want a cult hero/fan favourite from North, it’s gotta be Lachie Hansen. At least it is now he’s re-signed. Perennial enigma and often whipping boy, plays better when hit on the head.
To Andy Fithall, swan maybe. And off the subject, did you happen to go to St Pats College in Ballarat. I knew an Andrew Fithall when I was there. Cheers.
Love a name like Zorko! (but I am biast)
(just like the bloke who managed to put a Geelong player on every line! Haha!)
(glad he doesn’t do the Brownlow votes, too!)
Rob, lachie is no cult hero. You’re right though plays better when concussed and when he’s received a rocket from the coach.
One Geelong player on each line is clearly not enough Matt.
To Michael Parkes – Yep. That is me.
That’s better – an Almanac A & B team. They’d both flog that Almanac Prada line-up.
Still no Zac Dawson. A journeyman & a character. Then there was that rumoured iPhone footage. Come on fellas, this blokes cost a Premiership. And it was St Kilda too. He’s got to be at least one Almanac line-up.
That’s the spirit Harmsie. We’ll make an Almanaca of you yet
That certainly is clout Wrapster. I am impressed.
Here’s an idea. Why don’t you incessantly demand to the Punt Road powers that you insist that the Tiges play in next year’s finals.
It will then be a dead cert.