Messenger's SANFL Team of the Decade

[Big Phil]

Very interesting article from the Messenger website on the SANFL Team of the Decade...


Link - http://standard-messenger.whereilive.com.au/sport/story/sanfl-team-of-the-decade/

SANFL Team of the Decade



THEY boast two Magarey medals, six club best and fairests and nine premierships - and that’s just the players on the bench.

Messenger’s SANFL Team of the Decade features the very best players that have lined up in the local competition from 2000-09.

From Central District’s premiership heroes, to the grand final stars of Woodville-Torrens and Sturt, the side is filled with champions in every position.

It is loaded with great leaders - 10 of the 22 (Justin Cicolella, Daniel Healy, Jade Sheedy, Paul Thomas, Brett James, Corey Ah Chee, Ben Nelson, Gavin Colville, Mark McKenzie and Matthew Slade) have captained their clubs.

Healy gets the nod as skipper because he captained more premiership sides (4) than any other player.

Roy Laird edges out Eagles mentor Ron Fuller for the coaching position, again because of his number of premierships.

James Allan and Jeremy Clayton are the only players in the side with less than 100 games of experience, but they are both Magarey Medallists and have dominated the competition in recent years.

Healy, Paul Lindsay, Daniel Schell, Mark Passador, Brant Chambers and Chris Gowans are the only players in the side who haven’t won a club best and fairest. Most of them feature in the forward lines.

There was no standout candidate for centre half-forward, so Schell gets the nod as he is the most versatile of the three key forwards selected.

There is no back up ruckman. Simon Feast would have been favoured if there was, but his best football was played in the late 1990s, so an extra midfielder was preferred on the pine.

South Adelaide and West Adelaide are unrepresented in the side, reflecting the struggles they have endured in retaining players this decade.

The Bloods’ 2003 grand final side was led by players who left Richmond soon after, or were coming to the end of their careers.

Others considered unlucky to miss out included: Nathan Steinberner, Marco Bello (Central), Ben Mules (Glenelg), Chris Ladhams, Heath Younie, Darryl Wintle (North Adelaide), Scott Borlace, James Gallagher (Norwood), Tony Brown, Tom Carr (Port Adelaide), Clay Sampson, Gerrard Bennett, Craig Parry (South), (Andrew Whiteman, Simon Feast, Damian Squire (Sturt), Adam Richardson, Dean Howard (West), Leigh Treeby, Joe Pedler, Brad Dabrowski (Woodville-West Torrens).

Who do you think should have been in the side or was lucky to earn a place? Post your comments below...

For those that might struggle to read the side from the condensed image, here it is...

FF: Jeremy Clayton - Brant Chambers - Mark Passador
HF: Chris Gowans - Daniel Schell - Justin Cicolella
CL: Daniel Healy - Jade Sheedy - Brett Backwell
HB: Heath Hopwood - Paul Sherwood - Paul Thomas
FB: Brett James - Corey Ah Chee - Ben Nelson

1R: Paul Lindsay - James Gowans - Gavin Golville
INT: James Allan - Mark Mackenzie - Matthew Slade - Tim Weatherald

COACH: Roy Laird

[spell_check]

I'd have thought Steven Hall was unlucky - he was one of the top three full-backs between 2000 and 2005.

[Big Phil]

I'd have thought Steven Hall was unlucky - he was one of the top three full-backs between 2000 and 2005.

Agree Spelly, and with all due respect to Benny Nelson, a champion of Sturt, I would prefer Steven Hall in the backlines alongside Corey Ah Chee...

[Aerie]

Damian Squire is the only glaring omission I can think of. Only question marks are over Brett James and Tim Weatherald IMO.

[bloods08]

I'd have thought Steven Hall was unlucky - he was one of the top three full-backs between 2000 and 2005.

You are correct, but Ahchee has been in the top 3 (if not no. 1) for the last 10 years.

[Squawk]

BigPhil / am bays - whadya think of Backwell's inclusion?

[G]

Spelly surely you are having a lend of us with Steven Hall
-His last few seasons were bordering on comedy

[spell_check]

I'd have thought Steven Hall was unlucky - he was one of the top three full-backs between 2000 and 2005.

You are correct, but Ahchee has been in the top 3 (if not no. 1) for the last 10 years.

I wasn't suggesting he replace AhChee at fullback. But how many times has AhChee played away from fullback?

Spelly surely you are having a lend of us with Steven Hall
-His last few seasons were bordering on comedy

No, why would I be?
His last two seasons were mostly on the injury list (2006-07)

[bloods08]

Daniel Hargraves would have been unlucky. Maybe instead of Passador.

[am Bays]

BigPhil / am bays - whadya think of Backwell's inclusion?

Being played out of position, should be 1st rover.

[Big Phil]

BigPhil / am bays - whadya think of Backwell's inclusion?

Being played out of position, should be 1st rover.

Certainly deserving of a spot, based more so on his form from the couple of years around his Magarey Medal ('06 yeah ?) but perhaps faded away the last couple due to a slightly aging body and sorer body, slowly catching up with the way he has played in recent years.

Would still keep in the side if I were picking it, the other change I would make would be to put Backwell to the bench, drop out James Allan (sorry North fans) and put Squire on the Backwell wing. Damien is too good a player to miss out, 2 x Magarey's, a flag, 2 x B&F's and seven State jumpers is too obvious to leave out for my liking.

Brett a deserving entrant Squawk, what are your thoughts on his inclusion mate ?

[Squawk]

Brett a deserving entrant Squawk, what are your thoughts on his inclusion mate ?

TBH I think he has been a quality player and he gets points from me for coming over from the AFL and showing a similar commitment to the SANFL through his longstanding and consistent contributions. This comp gets a lot of recruits from AFL land but few seem to embrace the comp as their new place of commitment. (NB Centrals have probably been the best club at getting recruits who have been strong and loyal to the club and the comp). So big ticks there. He probably has been a very consistent contributor, won a Magarey, had State team selections and over a decade, probably warrants being right up there.

[JK]

Damian Squire is the only glaring omission I can think of. Only question marks are over Brett James and Tim Weatherald IMO.

I'd kinda agree with all of that, only question mark would be over Weatherald ... And I dont say that because he's now a Norwood man, so I'll leave this to the Blues fans, but I would have thought he was elite status for a few years this decade?

Brett James was a champion footballer, even this decade he would have done more in a better side, but it concluded early (decade-wise) for him compared to many others that would fall under consideration.

[drebin]

Damian Squire is the only glaring omission I can think of. Only question marks are over Brett James and Tim Weatherald IMO.

I'd kinda agree with all of that, only question mark would be over Weatherald ... And I dont say that because he's now a Norwood man, so I'll leave this to the Blues fans, but I would have thought he was elite status for a few years this decade?

Brett James was a champion footballer, even this decade he would have done more in a better side, but it concluded early (decade-wise) for him compared to many others that would fall under consideration.

This topic copuld go for pages asd these types of all star teams selections always stir up debate about who should be in and who should be out.

In reality the team may well have been picked just from Centrals and WWT with a couple of Sturt blokes thrown in as that appears to be the majority concensus.

P.S. Big Phil, you would take out Allan but leave in Brett James??? Hmmm?

[HeartBeatsTrue]

P.S. Big Phil, you would take out Allan but leave in Brett James??? Hmmm?

This is not just the best 22 players of the decade, otherwise you will have a team of 22 midfielders. James played in defence quite a bit. I dont think Allan played in the back pocket but that's for you to correct me if i'm wrong.

[drebin]

P.S. Big Phil, you would take out Allan but leave in Brett James??? Hmmm?

This is not just the best 22 players of the decade, otherwise you will have a team of 22 midfielders. James played in defence quite a bit. I dont think Allan played in the back pocket but that's for you to correct me if i'm wrong.

No Allan is a midfielder but tell me did Brett James earn his spot / reputation as a back pocket player?

If you want to use the arguement of selected by position, Schell should not be the CHF as he played either the majority of the decade at FF and then spent 2 years as a very good CHB?

[Big Phil]

P.S. Big Phil, you would take out Allan but leave in Brett James??? Hmmm?

This is not just the best 22 players of the decade, otherwise you will have a team of 22 midfielders. James played in defence quite a bit. I dont think Allan played in the back pocket but that's for you to correct me if i'm wrong.

No Allan is a midfielder but tell me did Brett James earn his spot / reputation as a back pocket player?

If you want to use the arguement of selected by position, Schell should not be the CHF as he played either the majority of the decade at FF and then spent 2 years as a very good CHB?

Very valid points Drebin, and I think you summed it up perfectly as well saying that this debate could go on for pages and pages as to the merit or justification of individuals selected in the side. By no means do I think Jimmy Allan ISN'T deserving of a spot in the side, just IMHO, it was based on the fact that he only came to the SANFL in '06 / '07 (?) so I'm not sure that a couple of quality years service, and of course a Magarey (and possibly 2 after this year ?) is reason enough for him to earn a spot in my side.

Just on Brett James, he is a debatable selection, I agree. I think maybe for experience, leadership and his ability to play on ball and in defence, I would only JUST have in the side. In what is of course a bias opinion, I would somehow find room for Marco Bello (Central) in the side but at whos expense is the tricky one, and only for reason similar to what I mentioned with Jimmy Allan, I would have Tyson Hay (Central again - there's that bias !!) in the back pocket at the expense of Brett James, but his longevity in the competition gets the points for me.

I do agree about some players picked in positions that didn't necessarily carve their careers out playing in. Daniel Schell is the prime example, as Drebin pointed out, but in saying that, who else would be considered for the position knowing that their ability is suffice enough to justify picking them in that spot ? Maybe (again, another bias opinion) there could be a spot at CHF for Luke Cowan (Central) but then where does Daniel Schell fit in the side ? Similarly with a Richardson or Hargraves at FF, but then how can you not go past Brant Chambers ?

Such a fine line to juggle isn't it, and at the end of the day, it's all a bit of fun because put simply, no matter what the make up of the side picked, they will never actually play a game. At the end of the day it's all about opinions and of course, some will vary from others.

[JK]

Damian Squire is the only glaring omission I can think of. Only question marks are over Brett James and Tim Weatherald IMO.

I'd kinda agree with all of that, only question mark would be over Weatherald ... And I dont say that because he's now a Norwood man, so I'll leave this to the Blues fans, but I would have thought he was elite status for a few years this decade?

Brett James was a champion footballer, even this decade he would have done more in a better side, but it concluded early (decade-wise) for him compared to many others that would fall under consideration.

This topic copuld go for pages asd these types of all star teams selections always stir up debate about who should be in and who should be out.

In reality the team may well have been picked just from Centrals and WWT with a couple of Sturt blokes thrown in as that appears to be the majority concensus.

Yeah fair call mate, but I was half cut and I'd read all the other topics

It's a fair team though, Scotty Borlace has had a pretty fair decade with State reps and SANFL TOTY selections but can't force his way into this lineup.

[FlyingHigh]

Agree Phil. If we are talking about best players to have played in SANFL then Allan would be in it, but not if it was for contribution over the decade. Bello, Whiteman, Squire, and dare I suggest Luke Powell would be more worthy on that basis. Interesting there is no Westies players, but surely there were some there from 2000-04 ie five years who contributed to them making the finals in those years?

[Big Phil]

Agree Phil. If we are talking about best players to have played in SANFL then Allan would be in it, but not if it was for contribution over the decade. Bello, Whiteman, Squire, and dare I suggest Luke Powell would be more worthy on that basis. Interesting there is no Westies players, but surely there were some there from 2000-04 ie five years who contributed to them making the finals in those years?

Spot on mate, and I agree about the Luke Powell being a worthy selection, but once again, as with Bello, Witeman, Squire etc etc, at whos expense in the side is the tough question. On the Westies possible selections, as I mentioned above, Adam Richardson WOULD be a worthy entrant IF the best full forward this decade, Brant Chambers, hadn't played SANFL. Maybe one player from the Bloods that I always admired and was certainly a solid contributor was Ed Richardson, the former skipper.

He could be a possibility for a spot at CHF in place of Schell, but then where does he fit in the side, and the Schelly deserves a spot over Ed, I think that's fair to say. Just on CHF a couple of possibilities that spring to mind as competiton to Schell for that spot would be Luke Cowan (as I mentioned earlier) maybe a Stephen White from Sturt (but probably not enough service this decade) and I guess you could throw a Clint Alleway (North) for the impact he has had since joining the competition as a CHF, but again, only in the latter parts of this decade.