All Time Fantasy Draft: Eras

[DazBurg]

ok so my pick and the final one for the 1920's

Edward ‘Carji’ Greeves

A natural sportsman, Edward Greeves excelled at cricket, tennis and rowing, but most especially at football.  Geelong wanted him to line up for them while he was still at school, but the school authorities refused to allow it.  He had to wait until 1923 to make his debut, quickly developing into one of the most eye-catching centremen in the game.

The prime reason that Greeves was so eye-catching was his kicking style, which was said to be one of the most classically perfect ever seen.  Schoolboys all over Geelong would practise for hours trying to emulate it.  Moreover, in an era when genuinely two-sided footballers were the exception rather than the rule, Greeves could kick with either foot with almost equal facility and expertise.

In 1924, the twenty year old Greeves' career blossomed when he was selected to represent the VFL at the Hobart carnival and, of course, won the inaugural Brownlow.  With his elegant style of play ensuring that he always caught the umpire's eye, Greeves also later ran second in the Medal on three occasions in an era when only the best player afield received votes.

In 1928, well over half a century before Darren Bennett, Greeves spent nearly seven months in the USA, four of them as kicking coach for the University of Southern California's gridiron team, the Trojans (and not the University of South Carolina, as many sources wrongly suggest).  Although he was not the first Australian footballer to have an impact on the American game - that honour resides with Pat O'Dea - he was the first such footballer to be deliberately 'head-hunted' by the Americans, and the first to travel to the USA for purposes specifically and exclusively to do with gridiron.  While in California, Greeves was reportedly a great success, earning a gold medal for his services, and was indeed offered the opportunity to remain, but the 1929 VFL season saw him resuming his career with the Cats, for whom he went on to play a total of 137 games in eleven seasons, with premierships in 1925 and 1931 the highlights.

Honours

    Brownlow Medal, 1924
    Runner-up Brownlow Medal 1925, 1926, 1928
    Geelong premiership player 1925, 1931
    Inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame
    Geelong Team of the Century

[c4v3m4n]

You sneaky barbie BOOMZ.  >:(

However, can you provide us all with a link that shows that Regan played at least 1 game for Northcote?  ;)

[c4v3m4n]

Each player must have played at least 1 senior game in a major league. The leagues considered to be 'major' are as following:
WANFL, SANFL, TFL, VFL and VFA prior to 1990, and the AFL from 1990 until the conclusion of the 2011 season. For those who aren't familiar with the old league names, the WANFL became the WAFL, the TFL became the TSL, the VFL became the AFL and the VFA became the VFL.

Also, this line in blue suggests (to me IMO) that we could only pick players from the VFA between it's formation in 1877 through until the newly formed VFL started in 1897. As that is when the VFA became the VFL.

Of course, the confusion comes in the line in red.

So Sid, is it all VFA players, or just from 1877-1896?

[Boomz]

Haydn Bunton Sr

Bunton played 119 games for Fitzroy, kicked 209 goals, averaged over thirty kicks per match and won five club best-and-fairest awards, in addition to his 3 Brownlows. He was appointed captain of Fitzroy in 1932 and was named Champion of the Colony that same year. While playing, Bunton also spent the 1936 season as senior coach at Fitzroy, but could only manage two wins. He was also Fitzroy's leading goalkicker in 1936 and 1937. Bunton polled 122 Brownlow Medal votes in his 119 games, averaging 1.03 votes per game. In the history of VFL/AFL, no other footballer has averaged over 1 Brownlow vote per game over his career.
In 1938, Bunton moved to Western Australia, taking the role as the playing coach of Subiaco. He played 72 games and kicked 190 goals with the club, and won the Sandover Medal three times, in 1938, 1939 and 1941. Just as at Fitzroy, Bunton did not win a grand final during his senior career. Altogether, Bunton had won six league best and fairest awards in only eleven seasons between the two states in which he had played. Bunton returned to Fitzroy for a few games in 1942 and (following World War II) played his last senior games with Port Adelaide, in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL), during the 1945 season.

Brownlow Medal 1931, 1932, 1935
2nd Brownlow Medal 1934
Sandover Medal 1938, 1939, 1941
AFL Hall of Fame (Legend status)
Fitzroy captain 1932; 1936–37
Fitzroy best & fairest 1934–35
Fitzroy leading goalkicker 1936–37
AFL Team of the Century (forward pocket)
Team of the Century (rover)
Subiaco Team of the Century (ruck-rover)
New South Wales Team of the Century (rover)

FB: __________, Jack Regan, __________
HB: __________, Dan Moriarty, __________
C: Shine Hosking, __________, __________
HF: __________, _________, __________
FF: __________, Ken Farmer, __________
R: Tom Leahy, Haydn Bunton Sr, Mark "Napper" Tandy
INT: __________, __________, __________, __________

@c4 I can suggest you buy Northcote's history book by Marc Fiddian? lol I had to ask someone with a copy of it & he is listed in there as having played for them in '29. Northcote is listed as one of his teams on fullpoints & pretty much everywhere else too & Northcote have him listed as having played for them as well before being recruited to Collingwood. The VFA was still a major league then & they hadn't combined yet.

[c4v3m4n]

@c4 I can suggest you buy Northcote's history book by Marc Fiddian? lol I had to ask someone with a copy of it & he is listed in there as having played for them in '29. Northcote is listed as one of his teams on fullpoints & pretty much everywhere else too & Northcote have him listed as having played for them as well before being recruited to Collingwood. The VFA was still a major league then & they hadn't combined yet.

What the hell is a book?  ???

[AFEV]

Each player must have played at least 1 senior game in a major league. The leagues considered to be 'major' are as following:
WANFL, SANFL, TFL, VFL and VFA prior to 1990, and the AFL from 1990 until the conclusion of the 2011 season. For those who aren't familiar with the old league names, the WANFL became the WAFL, the TFL became the TSL, the VFL became the AFL and the VFA became the VFL.

Also, this line in blue suggests (to me IMO) that we could only pick players from the VFA between it's formation in 1877 through until the newly formed VFL started in 1897. As that is when the VFA became the VFL.

Of course, the confusion comes in the line in red.

So Sid, is it all VFA players, or just from 1877-1896?

VFA players are eligible for selection until the foundation of the AFL. The VFA didn't become the VFL until 1996, although it was not (one of) the premier competition due to the AFL being in existence.

[AFEV]

Well, Boomzie has made my decision a lot easier. Was having a tough time choosing between Regan and Dick. Not an issue anymore though. So I pick...


A gentleman of the game, and arguably the finest rover to ever play the game, Dick Reynolds is a name that is bound to come up when discussing 'the games greatest player.'
What he achieved as a footballer is incredible, 3 Brownlow Medals , 7 Best and Fairests, 4 Premierships as Captain-Coach, AFL Hall of Fame Legend status, 11 seasons as captain, 19 appearances for Victoria (6 as captain), a member of the AFL Team of the Century and in 2002, was listed as the greatest player ever to play for Essendon.
With pace, balance, excellent high marking and supreme ball handling Reynolds was a hero of his day, and today, a legend of our great game. 
Haydn Bunton Snr. another Champion rover of the 30s and 40s paid the following tribute to 'King Dick.'

In my estimation Dick stood out shoulder high as the best footballer ever to pull on a boot during the years I played in Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia.  When his turn came to captain Essendon, Dick soon demonstrated that he was a great leader as well as a great footballer.  He never had to shout at his players.  He showed them by example and led them out of many possible defeats to victory.  He was a big rover and therefore was a better high mark than was thought.  In the air he stretched up.  On the ground he had the greatest gift a rover can have, the ability to play low, gather the ball and sweep through and on without the opposition having a chance to up-end him.  The man who plays the ball low does not have to contend with crazy bounces.  He nips off the bounce and gains at least half a yard in pace.  For a big man, Dick was an expert at playing low.  I have seen better foot passers than Dick, but he was a wizard at hand-passing.  He was deadly with a shot from 30-40 yards out.  He might have been weaving in circles, but on gaining the ball he straightened up and, facing the goal squarely, seldom missed.

FB: Reg Hickey (c), _______, Harold Oliver
HB: _______, Albert Collier, Jack Hamilton
C: Charlie Pannam, _______, _______
HF: _______, _______, _______
FF: _______, _______, _______
FOLL: _______, Tom Mackenzie, Dick Reynolds

[c4v3m4n]

Each player must have played at least 1 senior game in a major league. The leagues considered to be 'major' are as following:
WANFL, SANFL, TFL, VFL and VFA prior to 1990, and the AFL from 1990 until the conclusion of the 2011 season. For those who aren't familiar with the old league names, the WANFL became the WAFL, the TFL became the TSL, the VFL became the AFL and the VFA became the VFL.

Also, this line in blue suggests (to me IMO) that we could only pick players from the VFA between it's formation in 1877 through until the newly formed VFL started in 1897. As that is when the VFA became the VFL.

Of course, the confusion comes in the line in red.

So Sid, is it all VFA players, or just from 1877-1896?

VFA players are eligible for selection until the foundation of the AFL. The VFA didn't become the VFL until 1996, although it was not (one of) the premier competition due to the AFL being in existence.

Thanks for the clarification Sid.  :)

[BratPack]

Was hoping against hope one of Bunton or Dick would get to me. Sadly not to be


Hence I'll go for the next on my list. He started his career in 1939 so he qualifies here





Merv McIntosh

When Perth came from behind to defeat East Fremantle by 2 points in the 1955 WANFL grand final it was a sentimental triumph acclaimed by virtually every Western Australian football supporter.  (A detailed review of this match is included in the Great Games section of the website; click here to view.)  Not only was it Perth's first flag since 1907, it was also the last ever game of the 'gentle giant' of ruckman, Merv McIntosh, who fittingly had ignited the touch paper which had seen the black and reds play all over Old Easts in a torrid last term.  He was duly awarded the Simpson Medal, the 3rd of a distinguished career, which he could happily hang alongside his 1953 Tassie Medal, his three Sandovers, and his seven club fairest and best awards.  For this consummate team man, however, pride of place among his many achievements would undoubtedly go to his involvement in that 1955 premiership team.Powerfully and athletically built, McIntosh combined strength and determination with a formidable football brain.  However, he rarely made illegitimate use of his strength, regarding football as essentially a game rather than the all out war facsimile into which it was gradually evolving in Victoria.  Indeed, it was alleged that he could "short pass as daintily and turn as nimbly as any footballer of more reasonable proportions" (see footnote 1).  The fact that his impact and reputation transcended state boundaries was emphasised as early as 1947 when the 'Sporting Globe' nominated him as Australia's leading footballer.
Perth was a powerful club, contesting the finals almost annually, throughout Merv McIntosh's 218 game league career, but a flag proved elusive.  To the delight of a large proportion of the 41,659 spectators who turned up at Subiaco Oval for the 1955 grand final, the breakthrough finally arrived in the nick of time.
Subsequent Western Australian rucking greats like Jack Clarke, 'Polly' Farmer and Graham Moss perhaps enjoy more auspicious reputations, but 'Big Merv' was arguably the template on which all of them, to some extent, were based.


Career highlightsPerth 217 games

   
• 24 State games

   
• Perth Captain 1947-1950, 1952

   
• Perth Fairest & Best 1946-1950, 1952, 1954

   
• Sandover Medallist 1948, 1953, 1954

   
• Simpson Medallist 1952, 1953, 1955

   
• All-Australian 1953

FB: __________, Peter Burns, __________
HB: __________, Tom Fitzmaurice, Walter Scott

C: __________, __________, __________

HF: __________, _________, __________

FF: William "Nipper" Truscott , __________, Jack Moriarty

R: Merv McIntosh, __________, John D. Daly

INT: __________, __________, __________, __________

[c4v3m4n]

Well I'm happy this guy has slipped to me, an absolute LEGEND of the game...

...one of the most (if not the most) toughest, ruthless players to the play the game...

...it's...

"Captain Blood" Jack Dyer.



Jack Dyer played 312 games for Richmond, being voted the club's best and fairest player in 1932, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, and 1946. He played in seven Grand Finals for two premierships in 1934 and 1943, one as captain and playing coach of the side.

Dyer was a ruckman; and, at 6'2" (185 cm), he was not particularly tall for that position, even in that era.

He'll always be remembered for his physical and ferocious style of play; at times he'd collect his own team mates just to gather the ball. This style of play according to Dyer himself, was attributed to a knee injury he suffered early in his career.

Later in his career he was played up forward where he'd go on to kick 443 goals.

Other achievements Dyer collected in his long career included:

Richmond's Leading Goalkicker in 1947, 1948
He played 18 games for Victoria including captaining the side in 1941 and 1949
He is a member of not only Richmond's Team of the Century but the AFL's Team of the Century too
He was also inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame in 1996 as a "Legend"



A legend and a potential killer.  :D

Yeah, believe it or not, this guy almost killed a player back in 1947.  :o During a game, he collected a Melbourne player called Frank Hanna, instantly knocking him out. The medics checked his pulse and Hanna was covered with a blanket, including his head, and was carried off on a stretcher. Turns out he was fine, just greatly concussed. What's even more amazing is, that Dyer thought he'd killed him up until he asked the medics at 3/4 time.

Your teams better watch out!  >:(

c4v3m4n's Titans

FB: __________, Vic Thorp, Syd Coventry
HB: __________, __________, __________
C: Vic Cumberland, __________, __________
HF: __________, Albert Thurgood, __________
FF: Jack Titus, __________, Jack Dyer
R: __________, Horrie Gorringe, ___________
INT: __________, __________, __________, __________

[Boomz]

Don't know how he made it to 4 o.O I couldn't take him at 1 though lol

[BratPack]

Don't know how he made it to 4 o.O I couldn't take him at 1 though lol

Easy. I rated McIntosh higher, if he were off the board Dyer would've been my next pick

[ossie85]

Bob Pratt



Harold Robert "Bob" Pratt (31 August 1912 â€" 6 January 2001) was a former Australian rules footballer from Mitcham, Victoria.

Pratt played with South Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL) from 1930â€"1939 and again in 1946, and with the Coburg Football Club in the Victorian Football Association from 1940 to 1941. Considered "arguably the best full-forward in the history of Australian rules", he was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame with Legend status in 1996.

Known for spectacular diving and high flying marks, he topped the club's goalkicking for the first time in 1932 with 71 goals and for the next three seasons passed 100 goals. His total of 150 goals in 1934 was a VFL/AFL record haul and is now shared with Peter Hudson who equaled it in 1971. The tally included 15 goals in a single game, one of eight times that he would kick 10 goals in a game.

Debut 3 May 1930, South Melbourne v.
Melbourne, at Lake Oval
Team(s) South Melbourne (1930â€"1939, 1946)

158 games, 681 goals
Coburg Football Club (VFA) (1940â€"1941)

40 games, 263 goals

Career highlights
For the League

Leading goalkicker 1933â€"1935
Equal most goals in a season of all time
AFL Hall of Fame Legend
For South Melbourne

All time leading goalkicker
Season's leading goalkicking 1932â€"1936 and 1939
Team of the Century member

[DazBurg]

ok for my two picks

was getting hard for the 2nd one

first up

Norm Smith

After a fine 210 game, 540 goal playing career with Melbourne between 1934 and 1948, Norm Smith served a three season coaching apprenticeship with Fitzroy (during the first two of which he played a further 17 games and kicked another 26 goals) before returning 'home' in 1952 to succeed Alan La Fontaine at the helm of his old club.  His achievements with the Demons would become legendary: five flags between 1955 and 1960 and a 6th in 1964 during a sequence of eleven successive finals appearances for an overall success rate during the period of more than 73%.  Today, the medal awarded to the best player afield in each season's AFL grand final is named in his honour.

An astute football thinker, the flame-haired Smith also possessed a fiery temperament which saw him skirt controversy on various occasions during his career.  The most notable such occurrence took place in the middle of the 1965 season when, following a slump in form by the Demons which saw them lose 3 out of 4 matches after winning their first 8, he was sensationally - indeed, most would say precipitously - sacked, only to be just as sensationally reinstated a week later after the side had been beaten yet again.  The whole affair clearly took its toll on Smith, however, and he would only once again - in 1970, at the fresh pastures of the Lake Oval - steer a side into the major round.  Nevertheless, it is with the irrepressible Melbourne sides of the 1950s and early 1960s that his name has rightly become synonymous.

Smith's premature death in 1973 at the age of fifty-eight robbed the game of one of its premier strategists, motivators and personalities. 

Playing career1
Years    Club    Games (Goals)    
1935â€"1948
1949â€"1951    Melbourne
Fitzroy
Total    210 (546)
17 (26)
227 (572)    
Representative team honours
Years    Team    Games (Goals)    
   Victoria    2 (9)    
Coaching career3
Years    Club    Games (Wâ€"Lâ€"D)    
1949â€"1951
1952â€"1967
1969â€"1972    Fitzroy
Melbourne
South Melbourne
Total    55 (30â€"23â€"2)
310 (197â€"108â€"5)
87 (26â€"61â€"0)
452 (253-192-7)

2nd player

Wally Buttsworth

Wally Buttsworth's senior football career began with West Perth in 1935.  Named as 19th man in the Cardinals' flag-winning team that year his career blossomed over the next couple of seasons when he became a regular Western Australian interstate representative and, in 1937, won West Perth's club champion award.

In 1938 Buttsworth headed east to Essendon but was forced to stand out of football for a season awaiting a clearance.  He made his VFL debut in 1939 and soon established himself as one of the key cogs in an Essendon machine which was tuning up to become the dominant force in Victorian football for much of the ensuing decade.

Three times an Essendon best and fairest award winner, Buttsworth was a formidable, resolute defender who was rarely beaten.  Whilst rugged to the point of ferocity in his overall approach, there were nevertheless aspects of his play, such as his high marking and exemplary drop kicking, which brought to mind contrasting adjectives like 'graceful' and 'elegant'.

Buttsworth was at his best in important games and his name featured prominently among the best players in all but 1 of the 6 VFL grand finals in which he participated.

Brother Fred was an equally accomplished footballer who stayed with West Perth for most of his career, winning the 1951 Sandover Medal. He joined his brother briefly at Windy Hill while stationed in Melbourne during the war.

Both of the Buttsworth brothers were also highly proficient cricketers, representing Western Australia.

maybe not the biggest name for the 2nd pick but wanted a backmen and is in the hall of fame for western australia at CHB

[ossie85]

Des Fothergil



Desmond Hugh Fothergill (15 July 1920 â€" 16 March 1996) was an Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football League (VFL), and briefly in the Victorian Football Association (VFA).

From Collingwood Tech, Fothergill was a gifted sportsman who made his VFL debut aged 16, for the Collingwood Football Club in 1937. Fothergill was a small midfielder/half-forward who seemed too small at the start, at 172 cm and 73 kg, but his brilliance as a footballer was something that over-shadowed his liabilities. Fothergill made an impact straight away as he played brilliant football, winning a Copeland Trophy in his debut season, and would also kick 56 goals being the club's leading goalkicker.

In 1938, Fothergill was once again be a dominant member of the side, winning his second consecutive Copeland Trophy at the age of 18, and two years later, in 1940, Fothergill would win his third Copeland Trophy and be the best and fairest player in the league, along with South Melbourne player Herbie Matthews, winning the Brownlow Medal, playing up the ground in a midfield role.

A big change of events happened in 1941, as Fothergill and team-mate Ron Todd would go to Victorian Football Association (VFA) club Williamstown, with controversy as he did not receive a clearance by the VFL. Fothergill, at 20, would have left the Magpies at his prime, with three best and fairest awards and a Brownlow Medal. He was worth every cent to his new club, winning the Recorder Cup (best and fairest player in the VFA) in 1941, but with World War II, his playing days would seize in the league, and would join the army, to be forced to move on after a knee injury when up in Darwin, Northern Territory.

In 1945, Fothergill was forced to return to Collingwood after he left without a clearance, and dominated at half-forward for the club again, despite being slower and having injury problems. He kicked 62 goals in 45 games before kicking his way onto the Leading Goalkicker Medal list in 1946, despite being overtaken in the finals by Essendon's Bill Brittingham. He was forced to retire in 1947 due to a leg injury, and is still regarded as a true champion for the Magpies.

He was named in the Collingwood Team of the Century, as well as being an Australian Football Hall of Fame member.

Fothergill also played 27 first-class cricket matches for Victoria, making 1404 runs at 39.00 with one century. He made his hundred against South Australia in 1947 and once made 99 against the Australian Services XI.
After retiring from football he moved to England and played for the Enfield Cricket Club in the Lancashire League.


Brownlow Medallist: 1940 (equal)
Recorder Cup: 1941
Collingwood best and fairest 1937, 1938, 1940
Collingwood leading goalkicker 1937, 1945, 1946
Collingwood Team of the Century (half-forward flank)
Collingwood Football Club Hall of Fame
Victorian representative (2 games, 4 goals)

B: - - -
HB: Jock McHale - Wels Eicke
C: Colin Watson - -
HF: - - -
F: - Dick Lee, Des Fothergil
Foll: Roy Cazaly - Harry Collier
Inter: - - - -