'AFL's top 50 stars to play in a one-off match at MCG' - Sun

[Gabba]

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/ ... 62,00.html

FOOTBALL'S top 50 stars will play in a one-off blockbuster at the MCG to celebrate 150 years of footy next year.
The match, to be played on May 10 at the MCG, will feature a Victorian team taking on the "Dream Team" - of non-Victorian players - to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Aussie Rules.

[saint66au]

Brown said he could not wait to play, billing the match as perhaps the best quality Australian football match ever to be played

.

Yep..cos there wont be any tackling LOL

Ill start the sweep now..how many of the "best available" plyers will withdraw with niggling injuries in the week prior.

I wish the AFL would get it through their thick heads that ANY game between April and September that doesnt involve four points for the winning team is pointless and will never been fully embraced by the Clubs

Mark my words, the final squads will be far from a "dream team" of players

[Otiman]

Hopefully there is enough incentive, both financial and prestige - for players to want to play. It's the reason NRL State of Origin works so well.

Who would be selected from the Saints?

Riewoldt, Hayes for certain on the non-vic side.

[HarveysDeciple]

Hopefully there is enough incentive, both financial and prestige - for players to want to play. It's the reason NRL State of Origin works so well.

Who would be selected from the Saints?

Riewoldt, Hayes for certain on the non-vic side.

Sam Fisher would get a guernsey in the non victorian squad.

Also Dal Santo in the vic team, with the potential for Harvey and Ball, form permitting if I was to hazard a guess.

[SaintBot]

My Quick Teams

VICS

FB: C.Brown - M.Scarlett – H.Shaw
HB: J.Adcock – D.Fletcher – D.Swan
C: N.Dal Santo – J.Bartel – S.West
HF: S.Lucas – J.Brown – B.Harvey
FF: B.Johnson – B.Fevola – S.Johnson
R: J.White – C.Judd – G.Ablett
I/C: D.Jolly – R.Harvey - S.Mitchell – C.Ling
Reserves: C.Bruce – L.Ball - B.Stanton – T.Cotchin – D.Milburn – M.Lloyd – N.Malceski – M.Egan



Allies

FB: B.Rutten - D.Glass – J.Bowden
HB: S.Fisher – C.Cornes – A.McLeod
C: J.Corey - S.Black – L.Hayes
HF: L.Franklin – N.Riewoldt – A.Embley
FF: J.Akermanis – M.Pavlich – W.Tredrae
R: D.Cox – K.Cornes – D.Kerr
I/C: B.Lade – S.Thompson – B.Kirk – S.Crawford
Reserves: A.Sandilands - S.Goodwin – M.Murphy – B.Green – S.Burgoyne – P.Burgoyne – C.Mooney – B.Cousins* - R.Griffen – B.Goddard

[Saint 58]

I think a better way to select the teams would be to pick the two "coaches", toss a coin to determine first pick, then pick the two teams one player each at a time.

Why does it have to be Vic Vs Whoever ??

Can be televised, discussed, etc on the Footy Show, would generate a lot of interest.

[The_Dud]

no way Harvey or Ball would be picked in the Vic team, Ball not in good enough form (as of 2007) and Harvey continually gets snubbed from top 50 lists/representative teams because of his age

[LTN16]

T.Cotchin

This bloke hasn't even played an AFL game yet and you've put him in the VIC Team

[SaintBot]

T.Cotchin

This bloke hasn't even played an AFL game yet and you've put him in the VIC Team

i believe in miracles...

fwiw i only put him down as a reserve just for the sake of finding someone from victoria, he was the first victorian that came to mind considering the draft



as for harvs not making the vic team...it depends how serious the thing is

does the afl want more money/viewings or do they want a better game

iv included older timers such as Harvey, Crawford and Akermanis simply because they would create interest in the event

[HSVKing]

Are Victorians who don't get picked, going to be allowed play for the All stars side???

Some players there in your side who won't be if it's not the case.

[saintspremiers]

Brown said he could not wait to play, billing the match as perhaps the best quality Australian football match ever to be played

.

Yep..cos there wont be any tackling LOL

Ill start the sweep now..how many of the "best available" plyers will withdraw with niggling injuries in the week prior.

I wish the AFL would get it through their thick heads that ANY game between April and September that doesnt involve four points for the winning team is pointless and will never been fully embraced by the Clubs

Mark my words, the final squads will be far from a "dream team" of players

correct.

There is a way to fix this problem.

If the AFL or a sponsor(s) put up about $2.2 million prize money to the winning team, and that each player got then approx $100K each that played in the winning side, the money might do the trick.

Of course all the clubs would try and stop players playing, but with such huge incentive financially just to play one extra game, well, it would be interesting.

But the AFL will want the players to play for the "honor", and it not to be about money.

Bunch of farktards!

Money talks, and "bullshyte celebration games" walk!

[my les foote]

Goddard is not Victorian?

Allies

FB: B.Rutten - D.Glass – J.Bowden
HB: S.Fisher – C.Cornes – A.McLeod
C: J.Corey - S.Black – L.Hayes
HF: L.Franklin – N.Riewoldt – A.Embley
FF: J.Akermanis – M.Pavlich – W.Tredrae
R: D.Cox – K.Cornes – D.Kerr
I/C: B.Lade – S.Thompson – B.Kirk – S.Crawford
Reserves: A.Sandilands - S.Goodwin – M.Murphy – B.Green – S.Burgoyne – P.Burgoyne – C.Mooney – B.Cousins* - R.Griffen – B.Goddard

[fonz_#15]

well i for one would not want our boys playing, knowing our luck we would have 3 injuries from the game.

[Gabba]

Goddard went to Caulfield Grammar, i thought he was Victorian.

Maybe he was born somewhere else, i couldn't be bothered checking.

[HarveysDeciple]

My Quick Teams

VICS

FB: C.Brown - M.Scarlett – H.Shaw
HB: J.Adcock – D.Fletcher – D.Swan
C: N.Dal Santo – J.Bartel – S.West
HF: S.Lucas – J.Brown – B.Harvey
FF: B.Johnson – B.Fevola – S.Johnson
R: J.White – C.Judd – G.Ablett
I/C: D.Jolly – R.Harvey - S.Mitchell – C.Ling
Reserves: C.Bruce – L.Ball - B.Stanton – T.Cotchin – D.Milburn – M.Lloyd – N.Malceski – M.Egan



Allies

FB: B.Rutten - D.Glass – J.Bowden
HB: S.Fisher – C.Cornes – A.McLeod
C: J.Corey - S.Black – L.Hayes
HF: L.Franklin – N.Riewoldt – A.Embley
FF: J.Akermanis – M.Pavlich – W.Tredrae
R: D.Cox – K.Cornes – D.Kerr
I/C: B.Lade – S.Thompson – B.Kirk – S.Crawford
Reserves: A.Sandilands - S.Goodwin – M.Murphy – B.Green – S.Burgoyne – P.Burgoyne – C.Mooney – B.Cousins* - R.Griffen – B.Goddard

BJ comes from Traralgon just down the road from me, whats he doin in that allies team lol.

[SaintBot]

my bad...i have an image in my head of him before he was drafted running around in a white jumper...for some reason i thought he was south australian, mental blank...these things happen

[HSVKing]

my bad...i have an image in my head of him before he was drafted running around in a white jumper...for some reason i thought he was south australian, mental blank...these things happen

That white jumper could have been a Gippsland Power jumper.

[Riewoldting]

This could be the highest quality game that's ever been played and it's a great opportunity for me, it's a dream come true.

Geez, talk it up a bit more, why don't ya?

So Brown gets to "captain Victoria", but Harvey never did?

There is something so very, very wrong with that.

[super dooper]

well i for one would not want our boys playing, knowing our luck we would have 3 injuries from the game.

exactly right
personally i love to see the likes of Brown Judd Goodes B.Johnson etc belting the crap out of each other, while our players rest on the sidelines, and prepare to play these players the following week.

That way there is no excuse for any fatigue, make the most of that week off.

The break in season 07 created a launching pad for some terrific football that we played in the 2nd half of the season, with added rest weeks it can only be positive from a club perspective

We pay our membership fees (which help keep the club alive) to see our best players PLAY and win games that MATTER.

whatever prestige they put with this one off game, it cannot take away the value of a premiership and im hoping our players come to the senses and stay focused on the ultimate prize

[Saints Premiers 2008]

akermanis is victorian

[Winmarvellous]

Don't think the West/South Aussies and the like will be too happy about this. Without the sense of pride in the State jumper, it's pretty much just an All-Star game, and if you see how these things pan out in the States, you'd know it won't be a REAL game of footy. Over there, it's an honour being selected, but a showmans game for the first half/three quarters before they knuckle down in the last and try and win.

[midas_touch]

One question, is your 'state of origin' determined by the junior club you played for, or for where you were born?

It seems like a really good prospect in theory, but there is no doubt players have a conflict of interest between the fans, and their club. It would be an absolute dream to see the best 50 players in the afl playing against each other, but the fact is that this event crosses the boundaries between sports and entertainment. There is no doubt the stars that will be considered for the game will be faced with one of three decisions.

1) Not opt to play in the game, and use the break to get themselves primed for the rest of the year.

2) Play in the game, but only play to half/three quarters intensity

3) Play at full intensity, but risking injury.

So there's a good chance that the game could very well not live up to the hype that the idea presents at first glance.

[SaintBot]

One question, is your 'state of origin' determined by the junior club you played for, or for where you were born?

well Riewoldt was born in Tassie, but grew up in Queensland and he is always considered a Queenslander

akermanis is victorian

he was recruited from Mayne in Queensland...not sure if he grew up there as well, or where he was born

[evertonfc]

I'm going to make a call here...

This game will capture the imagination of the football public, and those who talk it down will be missing out on a great celebration of the greatest game on earth.

Quit the cynicism, and enjoy the fact that the 50 best players (remember, 50% of the top 50 would be Victorian) our code has will get to face off.

It's only a once-off, why the hell wouldn't you get behind it?

[saint66au]

I'm going to make a call here...

This game will capture the imagination of the football public, and those who talk it down will be missing out on a great celebration of the greatest game on earth.

Quit the cynicism, and enjoy the fact that the 50 best players (remember, 50% of the top 50 would be Victorian) our code has will get to face off.

It's only a once-off, why the hell wouldn't you get behind it?

I'll make a call too..the final lineups will be NOTHING like the Top 50 players in the country..nothing like it. Easy for the Clubs to get behind it now..its only November. Just wait til about Round 3

The only way you will get the absolute cream of the crop on the park for this game is to threaten the teams that if their players dont play when selected, they miss the following weeks H&A game