Gary Shadforth
Norm Smith Medallist
Veteran
Hawthorn Hawks - Muston and Savage Player Sponsor 2010
Hawthorn Hawks - Smith and Savage 2011 Player Sponsor
Hawthorn Hawks - Beau Muston 2009 Player Sponsor
Hawthorn Hawks - Beau Muston 2008 Player Sponsor
Hawthorn Hawks - Beau Muston 2007 Player Sponsor
Nine players from the bottom three teams of 2004, and none from last year's grand finalists, would get a guernsey in an All-Australian team picked now, writes Michael Gleeson in today's Age newspaper.
One third of his newcomers would be Hawks.
In the best-of-the-best team for the season to date, there would be not one player from either grand final side, Port Adelaide and the Brisbane Lions. And, to underline the seismic shift in the footballing landscape, a third of the team would be comprised of players from last year's bottom three sides -Richmond, Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs.
Peter Everitt would just shade Eagle Dean Cox for the No. 1 ruck position.
The team that finished second bottom last year and was almost unanimously considered the most likely side to take home the wooden spoon this year would have Everitt, Mark Williams, Trent Croad and Luke Hodge in the elite team. Williams, as the leading goalkicker, is academic. He would likely be placed in a forward pocket, leaving room for a genuine big full-forward -Matthew Richardson, third on the goalkicking list and, on form, the best tall forward this year.
A fit Hodge is now assuming the elite position in the game his drafting imbued him with. Running off a half-back flank, he is a 70-metre player with the distance he carries and delivers.
Croad was a precocious talent when he was picked for Australia to play Ireland in 1999 and 2000. He is now assuming a consistency and composure in his game and is the best centre half-back.
All-Australians: A possible line-up
B: Clement (Coll), Fletcher (Ess), Gaspar (Rich)
HB: Hodge (Haw), Croad (Haw), Gilbee (WB)
C: Dal Santo (StK), Cousins (WC), Giansiracusa (WB)
HF: Grant (Kang), Pavlich (Frem), Ablett (Geel)
F: Williams (Haw), Richardson (Rich), Brown (Rich)
Foll: Everitt (Haw), Judd (WC), Fletcher (WC)
Inter: Cox (WC), Ball (StK), Archer (Kang), Ling (Geel)
Coach: Worsfold (WC).
One third of his newcomers would be Hawks.
In the best-of-the-best team for the season to date, there would be not one player from either grand final side, Port Adelaide and the Brisbane Lions. And, to underline the seismic shift in the footballing landscape, a third of the team would be comprised of players from last year's bottom three sides -Richmond, Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs.
Peter Everitt would just shade Eagle Dean Cox for the No. 1 ruck position.
The team that finished second bottom last year and was almost unanimously considered the most likely side to take home the wooden spoon this year would have Everitt, Mark Williams, Trent Croad and Luke Hodge in the elite team. Williams, as the leading goalkicker, is academic. He would likely be placed in a forward pocket, leaving room for a genuine big full-forward -Matthew Richardson, third on the goalkicking list and, on form, the best tall forward this year.
A fit Hodge is now assuming the elite position in the game his drafting imbued him with. Running off a half-back flank, he is a 70-metre player with the distance he carries and delivers.
Croad was a precocious talent when he was picked for Australia to play Ireland in 1999 and 2000. He is now assuming a consistency and composure in his game and is the best centre half-back.
All-Australians: A possible line-up
B: Clement (Coll), Fletcher (Ess), Gaspar (Rich)
HB: Hodge (Haw), Croad (Haw), Gilbee (WB)
C: Dal Santo (StK), Cousins (WC), Giansiracusa (WB)
HF: Grant (Kang), Pavlich (Frem), Ablett (Geel)
F: Williams (Haw), Richardson (Rich), Brown (Rich)
Foll: Everitt (Haw), Judd (WC), Fletcher (WC)
Inter: Cox (WC), Ball (StK), Archer (Kang), Ling (Geel)
Coach: Worsfold (WC).
