All Time Fantasy Draft: Eras

[c4v3m4n]

Sorry, in a rush...

...I pick the eight-fingered Jack Mueller.  ;D



c4v3m4n's Titans

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

Quite happy with that full-back line.

[BratPack]

Wilfred "Chicken" Smallhorn

Wilfred 'Chicken' Smallhorn's proudest possession was a best and fairest medal - known as 'the Brownlow' - won while participating in a scratch competition in a Japanese prisoner of war camp during World War Two.  Smallhorn was a guest of the Japanese for three years, during which time he and many of his fellow Australian prisoners regularly amused and amazed their guards by willingly submitting their fatigued, underfed and often ill bodies to the self-inflicted 'torture' of a two hour game of Australian football.  As far as the men were concerned, however, the boost to morale gleaned from this activity far outweighed any negative physical impact. Smallhorn's achievement in being acclaimed as the best and fairest player in such a competition is all the more remarkable when you consider that his normal playing weight during his VFL days was only 62kg.  One shudders to imagine what he must have weighed during his wartime internment.
Recruited from Collingwood Technical School, Smallhorn made his VFL debut with Fitzroy in 1930.  Built like a stick man in a Lowry painting, he had a long, loping stride which carried him over the ground at a deceptively expeditious pace.  He was also adept at extracting the ball from the tightest of packs and making use of it intelligently.  Moreover, the nickname 'Chicken' assuredly had nothing to do with his disposition or demeanour.
Despite the fact that he played in losing sides for most of his eleven season, 150 game VFL career, Smallhorn regularly caught the eyes of the umpires when Brownlow votes were apportioned.  Winner of the award - the real one, that is - in 1933, he finished among the top ten vote getters on another four occasions.  When you consider that one of his team mates for much of his career was arguably the greatest vote magnet in the history of the game, Haydn Bunton senior, the accomplishment becomes even more impressive.
Smallhorn played for most of his career as a wingman, in which position he also represented the VFL.  His failure to win a Fitzroy best and fairest award might seem baffling until you realise that the club only made such an award on two occasions during the 1930s.

Height/Weight 170 cm / 62 kg
Position(s) Wing
Playing career¹
  Years Club Games (Goals)
  1930â€"1940 Fitzroy 150 (31)
Representative team honours
  Years Team Games (Goals)
  1932â€"1939 Victoria 7 (0)

FB: __________, Peter Burns, __________

HB: __________, Tom Fitzmaurice, Walter Scott

C: __________, __________, Wilfred "Chicken" Smallhorn

HF: __________, _________, __________
FF: William "Nipper" Truscott , __________, Jack Moriarty
R: Merv McIntosh, __________, John D. Daly
INT: __________, __________, __________, __________

[AFEV]

Surprised this bloke hasn't been picked yet...

Laurie Nash.

• TFL/TSL Hall of Fame member (Legend status)
• Tasmania Team of the Century member (CHB)
• Camberwell Team of the Century member (VFA, CHF)
• South Melbourne/Sydney Team of the Century member (CHF)
• Victoria Team of the Century member (CHF)
• A record 18 Goals in a State match
• 400 goals in 4 seasons with Camberwell
• AFL Hall of Fame member


Capable of playing short or tall, forward or back, Nash was one of the finest players of his day. Gifted with exhilarating pace, excellent ball handling and remarkable aerial skills for his height. Nash was a man who was seldom defeated.

Nash was a superbly fit athlete who never smoked, drank rarely, and dedicated himself to a punishing exercise regime; something rare in 1930s sports circles

Nash was asked why he never won a Brownlow Medal (the award for the Best and Fairest player in the VFL). He replied, "I was never the best and fairest but I reckon I might have been the worst and dirtiest. I played it hard and tough."

If self-confidence is the primary fuel on which most sporting champions run then Laurie Nash's many accomplishments are easy to explain.   When asked who was the greatest footballer he had ever seen Nash famously replied "I see him in the mirror every morning when I shave".

Legendary Richmond Football Club player and coach Jack Dyer asserted that Nash was "Inch for inch, pound for pound, the greatest player in the history of Australian Rules"

Champion Collingwood goalsneak Gordon Coventry opined that Nash would have been the most prolific full forward of all time had he been stationed permanently at the goalfront.

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

[Boomz]

Not really what I need but I couldn't let him slip... George Doig.

George Doig arrived at East Fremantle in 1933 and set his stall out right away by becoming the first Western Australian player to kick a century of goals.  He went on to repeat this achievement in every one of his first 9 League seasons, topping the WANFL list on 6 occasions.

Doig's career total of 1,111 League goals in 201 games included a then record 19 in one game against Claremont-Cottesloe.  He also kicked goals with unfailing regularity in interstate football.

Football, however, is a team sport, and Doig never let the pursuit of individual achievements blind him to team goals.  Indeed, he was the consummate team man, and probably gave away almost as many goals as he scored.  If you asked him to choose, he would probably have accorded pride of place among his many achievements to his participation in 3 East Fremantle premiership teams.


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

Pretty happy with my spine...

[AFEV]

Was going to pick him but I'm about to pick Coleman so... :-\

[AFEV]

Well I have thought a lot about this...tough choice...but...can't pass up


John Coleman.

• 2nd highest goal per game average in VFL/AFL History
• VFL/AFL record 12 goals on debut
• Essendon Best and Fairest 1949
• Essendon leading goalkicker 1949, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954 (every season he played)
• VFL leading goalkicker 1949–50, 1952–53
• Dual Premiership player - 1949-50
• Essendon Team of the Century (Full Forward)
• AFL Team of the Century (Full Forward)
• AFL Hall of Fame Member (Legend status)

Of slight build, Coleman was not your typical full forward. Standing at just 185cm and weighing in at just 80kg Coleman was certainly not an imposing figure on the football field. Lining up against the built full backs of his day you'd think he was in for a tough day. But his quick leads and famous high marking abilities saw Coleman become the most dangerous forward in the VFL.
Held goal-less just once in his 98 game career, Coleman was the man every full-back in the land feared from his 12 goal debut right up until the tragic knee injury that ended his career.

Coleman combined freakish aerial ability with superb ground skills, and was a deadly accurate kick for goal, but his greatness was much more than the sum of these parts.  Truly great champions often possess an elusive magnetism deriving as much from bearing and overall approach as from actual achievements; such was very much the case with Coleman - very few footballers have possessed such an arresting and impressive on field presence.  Moreover, at a time when full forwards were traditionally greedy for goals, John Coleman broke the mould by being quintessentially team-orientated.  As Jack Dyer tautly observed, "As long as Essendon get the goals Coleman doesn't worry who kicks them"

To me the greatest delight in the Coleman technique is to see him one split second as the polesitter, the disinterested spectator of the hustle and bustle; the next to rise with the crowd's excitement as he comes from nowhere, throws himself into the air and drags down the seemingly impossible mark. 

Coleman is football's personality player - the greatest player in the game's greatest era. 

FB: Reg Hickey, _______, Harold Oliver
HB: _______, Albert Collier, Jack Hamilton
C: Charlie Pannam, _______, _______
HF: _______, Laurie Nash, _______
FF: _______, John Coleman, _______
FOLL: _______, Tom Mackenzie, Dick Reynolds

[BratPack]

I'm a bit like BOOMZ in this case. The obvious choice is one I don't really need. But I can't really pass him up with Coleman off the board either.


Hence my pick...





Bill Hutchinson

Recruited by Essendon from local league side Essendon Stars, where he had played chiefly as a wingman, Bill Hutchison developed into one of the greatest rovers the game has seen.  Initially though the Dons used him as a half forward flanker, which was where he lined up for most of his debut season of 1942, including that year's winning grand final against Richmond.  Hutchison had a quiet game that day, but next time he appeared in a grand final, in 1946, he put in the sort of tireless, elegant, pacy performance that was to become his trademark as the Dons crushed Melbourne by 63 points.

Hutchison won the first of seven Essendon best and fairest awards in 1946, by which time he was already a stalwart in VFL representative sides, for which he made a near record 30 appearances, earning All Australian selection in 1953 and 1956.  Despite a propensity to 'backchat' to umpires, he almost invariably polled well in the Brownlow, finally breaking through for a win in 1953 after missing out only on countback the previous year.  In 1989 the VFL retrospectively awarded him, as well as all other countback losers, a 1952 Medal as well, but sadly Bill Hutchison had by this time passed away.  His volubility notwithstanding, few players in history have so admirably and consistently conformed to both requirements for receiving Brownlow Medal votes, for Bill Hutchison was as impeccably fair as he was brilliant.

Always a dangerous player near goal, Hutchison averaged nearly 2 goals a game over the course of his sixteen season, 290 game VFL career, during which he took part in no fewer than nine grand finals for five flags.  Despite his small stature, he managed to remain remarkably injury free, a tribute both to his speed of movement and adroitness of mind.

Perhaps the greatest disappointment of Hutchison's career was that, after he replaced Dick Reynolds as Essendon's captain in 1951 he was unable to emulate his predecessor by leading the club to a premiership.  Nevertheless, few players, either at Essendon or elsewhere, have enjoyed such illustrious careers at football's highest level.

Height and weight 174 cm / 70 kg Death 18 June 1982 (aged 59), Playing career¹ Team(s) Essendon (1942â€"1957)
290 games 496 goals
¹ Statistics to end of 1957 season Career highlights

   
• Essendon premiership side: 1942, 1946, 1949â€"1950
• Essendon captain: 1951â€"1957
• Brownlow Medal winner: 1952 and 1953
• Essendon best and fairest: 1946, 1948, 1950, 1952, 1955â€"1956
• Essendon Team of the century
• Australian Football Hall of Fame member (legend status)
• All-Australian Team: 1953 and 1956

FB: __________, Peter Burns, __________
HB: __________, Tom Fitzmaurice, Walter Scott
C: Bill Hutchinson, __________, Wilfred "Chicken" Smallhorn
HF: __________, _________, __________
FF: William "Nipper" Truscott , __________, Jack Moriarty
R: Merv McIntosh, __________, John D. Daly
INT: __________, __________, __________, __________

[Boomz]

c4 skipped. Ossie up now.

[ossie85]

Ron Clegg



Ron "Smokey" Clegg (17 November 1927 â€" 23 August 1990) was an Australian rules footballer in the (then) Victorian Football League.

A brilliant key position player at either centre half-forward or centre half-back, he was awarded the Brownlow Medal in 1949 while playing with the then South Melbourne Football Club. He won the club's Best and Fairest award three times.

Games: 231 Goals: 156

Brownlow Medal 1949
Runner Up Brownlow Medal 1951
South Melbourne Best & Fairest 1948, 1949, 1951
South Melbourne captain 1953-1954, 1957-1960
South Melbourne/Sydney Swans Team of the Century
Victorian representative (15 games, 7 goals)


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

[AFEV]

Wow there were 2 guys I expected to go before Clegg :o

Goes to show :P

[Boomz]

Interesting pick ;) Daz is up.

[c4v3m4n]

Yeah, like Sid and BP before me, I had three picks in mind. All gone so I'll choose the next best available...

Bernie Smith.

I'll do a write-up after tea.

However, with Smith now in the team, I think Mueller might even become my first bench player as there isn't anywhere I can really put him (unless I put Coventry at HBF). But as he can play both back and forward, he'll make a great bench player.

c4v3m4n's Titans

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

[DazBurg]

ok for my next pick

Len Fitzgerald

Fitzgerald started his career at Collingwood at the age of 15, in 1945. By 1950 he was an established key player with arguably the country's most illustrious sporting club.
Arriving at Sturt in 1951, Fitzgerald quickly made an impression, being appointed captain after three games, and took over the coaching role mid-season. In 1952 Fitzgerald dominated the League, winning his first Magarey Medal as the "fairest and most brilliant" player in the League. He was to win two more in 1954 and 1959.

Despite Fitzgerald's brilliance, Sturt was unable to secure a premiership. In 1955 Fitzgerald managed to get Sturt to the preliminary final, but the club failed to honour a promise of a bonus.[2] Fitzgerald took himself to the Ovens and Murray League for the next three seasons, coaching and playing for Benalla.

When Fitzgerald returned to Sturt in 1959, he helped them to make the finals that year, the first time since his departure. Injuries began to take their toll on his playing and Fitzgerald finished his playing career in 1962 after playing 127 games for Sturt, kicking 201 goals and winning the club's best and fairest award three times. He represented his adopted State of South Australia 20 times and was named an All Australian in the 1953 Adelaide Carnival.

Career highlights


    Three time Sturt best and fairest
    Played 20 matches for South Australia
    Triple Magarey Medallist, 1952, 1954 and 1959
    All Australian 1953
    Inducted Australian Football Hall of Fame 1996
    Inducted SANFL Hall of Fame 2002

[Boomz]

Bob Rose

A Collingwood legend, he has had achievements of the many including the greatest honours for a club, and in the VFL/AFL. From country club Nyah West, Rose debuted in 1946. He was a genuine all-round sportsman, who was looking down the path of a professional boxing career, but decided to play the game of football. Rose was courageous in the midfield, and was very skillful on both sides. His honours included four best and fairest awards, was a leading goalkicker in a premiership season, including All-Australian honours

Australian Football Hall of Fame inductee, 1996
All-Australian 1953
Sports Life Team Of The Year 1951-52-53-54
Runner-up Brownlow Medal 1953
Collingwood best and fairest 1949, 1951-52-53
Collingwood leading goalkicker 1953
Collingwood Team of the Century (centre)
AFLPA Award for Most Courageous Player named in his honour

Bob Hank

Throughout his career Hank was known for his fine ball handling and his distinctive left foot drop-kicks. Hank played in the centre or across half-forward with immense courage and tantalising elusiveness. In his latter years he played despite serious injuries and when finally retired in 1958 he had played a total of 224 games.
In total Hank won the West Torrens' best and fairest award nine times (6 in a row between 1945 and 1950). He captained his club for nine seasons and was captain-coach in 1951. He was a member of West Torrens' last ever premiership team in 1953.

Magarey Medal 1946, 1947
West Torrens Best & Fairest 1945â€"1950, 1952, 1953, 1957; 1950, 1953
West Torrens captain 1947â€"1955
West Torrens premiership player 1945, 1953
West Torrens coach 1951
All-Australian 1953
Represented South Australia 27 times (0 goals)
Captained South Australia (1951â€"1954)
Inducted Australian Football Hall of Fame (1999)
Inducted SANFL Hall of Fame (2002)

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

[DazBurg]

ok me again

Allan Ruthven

A product of Falconer Street School in North Fitzroy, Ruthven joined Fitzroy in 1940 as a 17-year old schoolboy star. So impressed with his skill and potential, the club subsequently gave Ruthven guernsey number 7, previously worn and made famous by triple Brownlow Medallist, Haydn Bunton.[2][3][4]

Universally known as "the Baron", for his dapper dress sense, Ruthven reportedly earned his nickname when a teammate called out "here comes Baron Rothschild" after he turned up to the club in one of his flamboyant suits.[2]

Ruthven stood only 173 centimetres tall and weighed 73 kilograms, but was renowned for his skill, fitness and flawless left-foot kicking.[2] Tough, talented and tenacious, Ruthven was also renowned for his ability to gain possession of the ball under the most challenging of circumstances, and use it purposefully. He was also dangerous near goal, winning Fitzroy's goal kicking award on three occasions.[4] Considered the greatest rover of the 1940s and early 1950s, Ruthven was instrumental in Fitzroy's 1944 premiership win

Career highlights


        In 1998 Ruthven was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.[5][6]

    On 3 May 2001, Ruthven was named in Fitzroy's Team of the Century, in the forward line.[7]

    In 2007, the Brisbane Lions recognised Ruthven as one of the two greatest players from the era 1927 to 1956.[8] The other player being Haydn Bunton.

Playing career:

    Fitzroy: 1940â€"1941, 1943â€"1954 (Games 222; Goals 442; Brownlow votes 97).[1]

Player honors:

    Brownlow Medal: 1950.[9]
    Fitzroy Best and Fairest: 1944, 1945, 1946, 1948, 1949.[10]
    Fitzroy club leading goalkicker: 1944, 1945, 1954.[10]
    Fitzroy captain: 1948, 1950â€"1954.[10]
    Fitzroy premiership: 1944
    Victorian representative: (17 games, 47 goals)

Coaching record:

    Fitzroy 1952â€"1954 (57 games, 28 wins, 28 losses, 1 draw).