BACKS
Francis Bourke
A back pocket player who is a Hall of Famer. I had to put him in.

Stephen Silvagni
Recognised as one of the best full-backs ever.

Guy McKenna
I think he was more of a half-back, but I picked him in the back pocket because he was just a great backline player..

HALF-BACKS
Andrew McLeod
One of the best half-backs to play the game and the sort of player who can bring an electrifying quality to the game. A dual Norm Smith Medallist and premiership player who is still playing great football.

Glen Jakovich
I didn’t know too much about him, but Dad just said he was a great centre half-back for West Coast. He had such a good record against Wayne Carey it made sense to choose them at each end of the ground.

Ted Whitten
Because he’s Mr Football. I was going to play him at centre half-back but being pretty small for that position these days, I’ve put him on the flank. You just have to include him because of his renown in the game.

CENTRES
Robbie Flower
Wingman and great Melbourne player. I had to squeeze him in because I wear his number.

Michael Voss
He was one of my favourite players growing up. A triple premiership player and Brownlow Medallist. Again, a similar kind of player to Leigh Matthews, just a tough, in-and-under player you want in the middle.

Nathan Buckley
A Brownlow Medallist and simply a great player. I could probably have put him at half-back, half-forward or in the middle of the ground, but I chose him on the wing.

HALF-FORWARDS
James Hird
He was such a good player – he won a Brownlow, premiership, Norm Smith Medal; he pretty much did everything. Hird could win a game off his own boot.

Wayne Carey
Probably the greatest centre half-forward ever.

Leigh Matthews
One of the toughest players ever to play the game. Could kick a goal, could go into the midfield. I picked him just because he’s Leigh Matthews, really.

FORWARDS
John Coleman
He’s one of the most renowned forward players ever to play the game.

Gary Ablett
I loved him as a junior player, he was just so good. Everyone used to call him God.

Tony Lockett
I picked Lockett because he’s kicked the most goals ever.

FOLLOWERS
Polly Farmer
Revolutionised rucking. He was renowned as one of the greatest ruckmen to have played our game.

Chris Judd
Because he’s Chris Judd, I guess. I love going up against him. It’s good to test yourself against the best. The first game I played against West Coast, I got to play on him and it was one of those lessons that you’d never take back.

Robert Harvey
He was my favourite player as a kid. A dual Brownlow Medallist with remarkable running ability. I barracked for St Kilda so there was just no chance I wasn’t going to put him in.

INTERCHANGE
Bob Skilton
A winner of three Brownlow Medals who is widely regarded as a legend of the game.

Gary Ablett, Jr
I could have had him or Juddy starting, but I put him on the bench because he doesn’t have the accolades the Carlton skipper has at the minute.

Darrel Baldock
One of St Kilda’s favourite sons, a leading goal scorer and club captain during his time.

Michael Long
I remember watching him as a kid in a grand final against Carlton. He ran pretty much the length of the ground and then kicked a goal. I can’t remember whether he was best on ground or not but I just remember that one thing, him performing on the biggest stage.

COACH
Norm Smith
He was one of the most successful coaches ever and he’s another Melbourne connection, a legend with a massive place in the history of the club.

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.