Hall Of Fame Tribute Match, May 10

Xavi6

To mark 150 years of Aussie Rules, an exhibition game is to be held on May 10 between a side from Victoria (founders of the league with the VFL) and the Dream Team. Good article here -

http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsid=57922

Trimming teams a tough task

IT IS unlikely in the 150 years of Australian football that a greater collection of footballers has ever been assembled than the squads for the Hall of Fame Tribute Match.

The squads are simply awesome. The difficult part will be trimming the squads back to teams of 25 representing Victoria and the Dream Team. This is where the debate starts.

For this game, selection needs to recognise some of the AFL's all-time finest – not just the form players from the opening four rounds of the season.

So let's start with Victoria. The 'Big V' has two of the finest key defenders of the modern era, Matthew Scarlett and Dustin Fletcher, and they are automatic selections. There is no issue about form here, as both were arguably best on ground in round four.

Campbell Brown and Darren Milburn can both play 'tall' or 'small' and provide great running options. Heath Shaw and Luke Hodge, who is brilliant anywhere on the field, are the rebounding half backs.

How about this for a midfield? Brownlow Medallists Chris Judd, Jimmy Bartel and Adam Goodes – need I say any more. Oh, and what about another handy player by the name of Gary Ablett. Cameron Ling, Sam Mitchell and Luke Power make up the rest of the elite midfielders.

Victoria's depth stretches so deep that Nick Dal Santo, Nigel Lappin and Nathan Foley have been unfortunate to be overlooked in my teams.

The dynamic Brent Harvey (incidentally the last winner of the EJ Whitten Medal for the best player in a State of Origin match in 1999) and Dale Thomas are the midfield/forward options.

Victoria's attack is also a tantalising prospect. Led by skipper Jonathan Brown, the Vics possess an in-form Brendan Fevola and Daniel Bradshaw, second and third on the goalkicking table respectively. Matthew Lloyd's outstanding start to the season and overall career has also been recognised. He has been named, although he must first overcome a calf complaint.

The Vics also have a slick small/mid-sized forward structure, with the two Johnsons, Steve and Brad, and Paul Chapman and Ryan O'Keefe.

With three rucks to choose from, I have selected Essendon's David Hille as the starting option. It was a difficult choice between Jeff White and Josh Fraser for second ruck, but the Demon gets the nod having won more hit outs and disposals than his Pies rival in 2008.

The Dream Team has some excellent key defenders to choose from, with three All-Australians to consider in Craig Bolton, Ben Rutten and Darren Glass. In the end, Bolton and Rutten's excellent starts to 2008 gave them the edge.

Skipper Andrew McLeod, Graham Johncock, Peter Burgoyne and Tadhg Kennelly are four dynamic rebounders, while Geelong premiership captain Tom Harley provides the ability to play on 'smalls' or 'talls'.

The midfield is outstanding. The Cornes brothers, Chad and Kane, are reigning All-Australians, Simon Black is an underrated great, Daniel Kerr offers blistering pace, Brett Kirk grunt and Joel Corey super consistency. Hawk Chance Bateman and Bulldogs Adam Cooney and Ryan Griffen have been rewarded for their outstanding starts to the season.

Again, leaving out the likes of Tyson Edwards, Lenny Hayes and Tarkyn Lockyer is difficult.

The Dream Team's forward set-up is exceptional, with key position options such as Lance Franklin, Matthew Pavlich, Nick Riewoldt and Matthew Richardson?

Simon Goodwin, Shaun Burgoyne and Alan Didak are excellent midfield/forward options.

In the ruck, Dean Cox is a no-brainer, and Jamie Charman's longevity has given him the nod over Matthew Leuenberger, who looms as one of the finest players over the next decade.

So there you have it. Two sides have been selected. As you can see, attempting to finalise these two squads will be a massive challenge. It will be fascinating to see which way the respective selectors go.

THE BEST 25

VICTORIA

B: Campbell Brown (Hawthorn), Matthew Scarlett (Geelong), Darren Milburn (Geelong)

HB: Heath Shaw (Collingwood), Dustin Fletcher (Essendon), Luke Hodge (Hawthorn)

C: Adam Goodes (Sydney), Jimmy Bartel (Geelong), Cameron Ling (Geelong)

HF: Steve Johnson (Geelong), Jonathan Brown (Brisbane Lions), Paul Chapman (Geelong)

F: Brad Johnson (Western Bulldogs), Brendan Fevola (Carlton), Daniel Bradshaw (Brisbane Lions)

FOLL: David Hille (Essendon), Chris Judd (Carlton), Gary Ablett (Geelong)

I/C: Brent Harvey (North Melbourne), Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn), Luke Power (Brisbane Lions), Dale Thomas (Collingwood), Ryan O'Keefe (Sydney), Matthew Lloyd (Essendon), Jeff White (Melbourne)

Emergencies:

Nigel Lappin (Brisbane Lions), Travis Cloke (Collingwood), Josh Fraser (Collingwood), Dane Swan (Collingwood), Brent Stanton (Essendon), James Kelly (Geelong), Adam Simpson (North Melbourne), Nathan Foley (Richmond), Kane Johnson (Richmond), Nick Dal Santo (St Kilda), Jason Gram (St Kilda), Leigh Montagna (St Kilda), Dale Morris (Western Bulldogs), Robert Murphy (Western Bulldogs), David Wirrpanda (West Coast)

DREAM TEAM

B: Graham Johncock (Adelaide), Ben Rutten (Adelaide), Tom Harley (Geelong)

HB: Andrew McLeod (Adelaide), Craig Bolton (Sydney), Peter Burgoyne (Port Adelaide)

C: Kane Cornes (Port Adelaide), Simon Black (Brisbane Lions), Joel Corey (Geelong)

HF: Simon Goodwin (Adelaide), Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda), Shaun Burgoyne (Port Adelaide)

F: Alan Didak (Collingwood), Matthew Pavlich (Fremantle), Lance Franklin (Hawthorn)

FOLL: Dean Cox (West Coast), Chad Cornes (Port Adelaide), Daniel Kerr (West Coast)

I/C: Matthew Richardson (Richmond), Brett Kirk (Sydney), Adam Cooney (Western Bulldogs), Chance Bateman (Hawthorn), Tadhg Kennelly (Sydney), Ryan Griffen (Western Bulldogs), Jamie Charman (Brisbane Lions)

Emergencies:

Nathan Bock (Adelaide), Brett Burton (Adelaide), Tyson Edwards (Adelaide), Matthew Leuenberger (Brisbane Lions), Leon Davis (Collingwood), Tarkyn Lockyer (Collingwood), Alwyn Davey (Essendon), Luke McPharlin (Fremantle), Corey Enright (Geelong), Cameron Mooney (Geelong), Mathew Stokes (Geelong), Lenny Hayes (St Kilda), Justin Koschitzke (St Kilda), Darren Glass (West Coast), Adam Hunter (West Coast)

:eek: Look at the standard of those two teams. It could be a real cracker of a game.

Have to say I'm quite looking forward to it!

Xavi6

Not sure how many Melbourne residents we have but I know if I was living there I'd be heading to this game.

There's tickets avalable here and they're very reasonably priced.

Traq

I reckon I'll probably head down to it. I live about a twenty minute walk from The G so I've no excuse for not going really. It'll be worth it too, if for nothing else than to actually get to see those players.

Xavi6

Yeah it'd certainly be a great experience to see all those players on the one pitch. Think it'll be a cracker.

hanton12

Xavi6 wrote: »

Yeah it'd certainly be a great experience to see all those players on the one pitch. Think it'll be a cracker.

mightnt get to see it over here. no sign of it on setanta sports so I emailed them yesterday to see what the story is. no word yet. should be a good game tho, even if it isnt a reall highly charged game, at least we would see the best players on the field showcasing their talents. would love to be at the G for it.

Traq

Was interesting to see them talking about it on The Footy Show last night. A very good point made by the panel when they were talking about it with Matthew Richardson. The game will be a midfielders nightmare, with a forward line of Richardson, Pavlich, Riewoldt and Franklin to name a few, the midfielders are going to have a tough job just deciding who to kick it to!
It was funny to see a young (and ginger!) Aker playing in the junior state of origin match too.
Should be great to see though, hoping for a full house in the G for it.

Xavi6

Plenty of players pulling out for Saturday's big game -

http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=427&ContentID=71249

Injuries mount for MCG show

5th May 2008, 10:15 WST

Victorian captain Jonathan Brown remains hopeful of playing in Saturday night's AFL Hall of Fame game, but a host of big names have been ruled out of the match through injury.

Tonight Victoria and the Dream Team both named 30-man squads, to be reduced to 25 for the MCG match, with Brown and Geelong star Gary Ablett both named in the Victorian squad despite injury concerns.

The Victorians will definitely be without Luke Hodge, who damaged a hamstring playing for Hawthorn against Collingwood at the MCG yesterday, while Essendon defender Dustin Fletcher was also forced out by injury.

But the Dream Team was harder hit, with St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt forced out after injuring his knee against Richmond last night and gun Brisbane midfielder Simon Black ruled out with osteitis pubis.

Port Adelaide's Chad Cornes (broken finger), West Coast's Adam Hunter (knee), Hawthorn's Chance Bateman (hand) and Essendon's Alwyn Davey (knee) were other players that had to be cut from the initial 40-man squad.

The Dream Team are also set to lose Fremantle defender Luke McPharlin, who sustained a corked hip in his side's loss to Melbourne at the MCG today.

Despite being named in the Victorian squad, Ablett appears to be in serious doubt for the showcase game, after withdrawing from the Cats' match against Brisbane yesterday with a calf injury.

But Lions star Brown, who also withdrew from yesterday's game, rated himself a good chance to return for Saturday night's match against the Dream Team, despite some misgivings from Brisbane coach Leigh Matthews.

“I had a tight quad, I didn't quite get through the fitness test yesterday morning, I probably pulled up short by a day or two,“ Brown told the Nine Network today.

“So I'm still pretty confident of making the game next week and I'll do everything I can to get up for it.

“I've spoken to Leigh about it and I've said to him that I'll approach it like a normal game.

“He just said to make sure I go through the tests thoroughly and make sure I'm fit and healthy to play.”

West Coast ruckman Dean Cox, believed to have been playing with a foot fracture in recent weeks, was also considered an uncertain starter, but Dream Team coach Mark Williams was adamant he would play.

“There are some players who've got niggly this and niggly that,“ Williams said today. “Dean Cox, for instance - everyone knows he's got a little bit of a sore foot, he is just adamant he wants to play.

“You have to understand, that's the sort of commitment, this is one in 150 years.

“In the future, you'll be one of those names on the wall, somewhere, wherever it is.”

Dream Team selectors included three players who were not in their initial squad - Adelaide defender Nathan Basett, Western Bulldogs midfielder Daniel Cross and Power forward Daniel Motlop, who starred with seven goals in Port's win over Essendon today.

Victoria added seven new names - Hawthorn key forward Jarryd Roughead, key defender Trent Croad and midfielder Brad Sewell, Collingwood midfielder Scott Pendlebury, Geelong youngster Joel Selwood, Richmond ruckman Troy Simmonds and Carlton defender Jarred Waite.

Reigning premiers Geelong retained a strong representation in both sides, with eight members of the Victorian squad, who will be coached by the Cats' Mark Thompson, and four members of the Dream Team squad.

Traq

I was reading last night that only 35,000 tickets have been sold so far and the AFL are only expecting a crowd of 60,000 for the game. Hopefully there will be enough for a decent atmosphere in the ground anyway.

Xavi6

Vics 'stick it up 'em'

THE RECORD will show that Victoria defeated the Dream Team by 17 points in the Hall of Fame Tribute match at the MCG on Saturday April 10, 2008, but the raw facts won't show the passion, skill and commitment that was on show.

The Vics put on a performance that would have made Teddy Whitten proud, and he copped a mention in Jonathan Brown's post-match speech – "We stuck it right up ‘em!" - twice fighting back after falling behind to win, 21.11 (137) to 18.12 (120).

A superb Brendan Fevola won the Allen Aylett Medal for best on ground, with six goals.

The game fluctuated wildly, with neither team able to get out to a decisive lead. Seven goals in the third term for the Dream Team looked enough until the Big V kicked four in a row in the last to snatch it.

But was the game about the result, or about the chance to see the best of a generation going head to head all over the ground?

For Victorians, the answer was probably a little of both, but no matter who you supported, there was no shortage of extraordinary talent on display.

Where to start with the match-ups? As ever in modern footy, some lasted the course and some didn't. There was Matthew Richardson v Adam Goodes, then v Trent Croad. Jonathan Brown v Craig Bolton, then v Ben Rutten. There were the following pairings, any of which would be enough to make your average home-and-away game mouth-watering: Chris Judd v Kane Cornes; Matthew Pavlich v Jarrad Waite; Matthew Scarlett v Cameron Mooney; Robert Murphy v Ryan Griffen; Fevola v Rutten then Nathan Bock; Sam Mitchell v Brett Kirk; Lance Franklin v Croad.

We were treated to the sight of Franklin crunching Sam Mitchell. At times, even watching the interchanges was enough to make your head spin. Franklin off, Pavlich on. Brown off, Fevola on.

All quality, indeed.

Fevola led the Victorian attack wonderfully, but it was little Nathan Foley – who was matched up on Dream Team captain Andrew McLeod for part of the game – who got the Vics going out of the middle.

For the visitors, Peter Burgoyne was outstanding with 36 disposals, including 14 in the first term – a season high from any player. Franklin produced bursts of brilliance up forward.

Most fans’ biggest fear for the game was that their team’s players would be injured, but there were few to cause major concern.

West Coast’s Daniel Kerr left in the first quarter with a suspected cracked fibula. Sydney Swan Craig Bolton picked up a knock to the head, and Adelaide’s Brett Burton had his knees taped heavily at quarter time.

The first term was all Dream Team for the opening 20 minutes. Three goals in five minutes and five of the first six had them out to a 22-point lead and clearly in control, but two late goals to the hosts –including one after the siren from Fevola after clutching a screamer to his right shoulder – had the margin back to 10 at the break.

Goodes' quality shone through as Victoria nailed the next three goals to take the lead for the first time, before the teams swapped goals for the Vics to take an eight-point lead into half time.

When the Vics kicked three of the first four goals in the third term and got out to a 21-point lead it looked like the match was going to blow out, but two three-goal bursts to the Dream Team saw the margin at the last change five points to the visitors.

The Dream Team scored first in the last quarter for a two-goal lead, but then four goals to the Vics – including two to Fevola – put them two goals clear. The gap was narrowed to an even goal before a fine running goal to Brent Harvey and a party snap to Steve Johnson sealed the deal.

Victoria 3.6 9.8 14.9 21.11 (137)
Dream Team 5.4 8.6 15.8 18.12 (120)

GOALS
Victoria: Fevola 6, J. Brown 3, Harvey 3, S. Johnson 3, Bradshaw, Foley, Murphy, O'Keefe, Chapman, C. Brown
Dream Team: Franklin 4, Davis 3, Motlop 2, Burton 2, Goodwin 2, Stokes, Mooney, Richardson, Kirk, S. Burgoyne

BEST
Victoria: Fevola, Harvey, Goodes, Foley, Scarlett, Judd
Dream Team: P. Burgoyne, Franklin, Johncock, McLeod, Corey, K. Cornes

INJURIES
Victoria: tbc
Dream Team: Kerr (leg)

Reports: tbc

Umpires: Vozzo, Kennedy, Rosebury, McInerney

Official crowd: 69,294 at the MCG

Looks to have been a super game. Anyone watching? Unfortunately I missed it due to a late decision to go see Elton John.

Can't believe Kerr was the only player to pick up a serious injury. Typical of the Eagles luck this year.

Fev got best on ground and scored six majors.

hanton12

Typical that Kerr is the only injury to come from the game! Sooner the eagles season is over, the better.

Saw the highlights of the game last night, seemed ok, but not too intensive or hard hitting as would be expected. either side could easily have won, and if Buddy had been on better form (kicked 4.5) then it could have been the dream team coming away with the spoils.

so, Elton John eh? anything you want to tell us xavi??

Xavi6

Ha ha nah, although I did go with three other lads! Brilliant gig though.