Grant Birchall
With his height he can play on tall or small players. Exceptionally good running defender with a great kick.
Trent Croad
Quick, strong and can play on the larger forwards from opposition teams and handle them very well. Plus he’s experienced.
Rick Ladson
Pretty much the same reasons as Grant Birchall, though Rick’s not as big. Uncanny ability to run hard and use the ball exceptionally well coming out of defence.
HALF-BACKS
Luke Hodge
Probably could have played anywhere in this team but I selected him at half-back because he has the courage to run back and spoil in front of oncoming traffic. He’s a great reader of play and user of the ball, is tough and has leadership skills.
David Neitz
Could easily have been selected in the forward line given that he’s kicked more goals than any other player that’s played for the Melbourne footy club. But with this team there was a large number of forwards and not so many real quality backmen. David played a defensive role in the All-Australian team (in 1995). He’s got leg speed, he’s a beautiful kick, can compete in the air and on the ground.
Stephen Febey
Played more than 250 games for Melbourne. Just an outstanding rebounding defender with a great understanding of the game. Birchall, Ladson and Hodge are all left-footers and I wanted a right-footed rebounder in the backline as well.
CENTRES
Chance Bateman
Great endurance, leg speed, ability to break the game open with his run.
Sam Mitchell
Magnificent agility in close and he can win the ball inside and escape outside and use the ball really well to teammates and can also play outside as well as inside, so he’s got that nice mix. And good leadership skills.
Stephen Tingay
Selected for the same reasons as Chance Bateman – he has the same qualities and I reckon in modern day footy you need those terrific outside players who can use the ball really well and run hard to complement solid inside players.
HALF-FORWARDS
Aaron Davey
Knows how to kick and create goals – a beautiful kick and has exceptional speed. An abundant ability to chase and tackle and put pressure on opposition teams.
Garry Lyon
He’s a really smart player and he would be the leader of that group and get them organised really well. Capable of kicking a lot of goals himself and bringing other guys into the game. A great competitor.
Cyril Rioli
Like Davey, kicks, creates, produces that something special and can play defensively up forward as well. That would be a dream to have those two fellas in the one team.
FORWARDS
Jeff Farmer
A little along the lines of Cyril and Aaron, although Jeff’s more of an aerialist than those two boys. Really hard match-up player and capable goalkicker. I think he kicked 80 goals there one year in Melbourne, from the forward pocket. Can set the game alive, unpredictable, difficult to play on. A logical selection.
Lance Franklin
Can play well in the air and at ground level. Has got X-factor, is hard to match up on. I love my forward line because it’s got a good mixture of speed and power and brilliance.
Jarryd Roughead
Similar to Franklin in versatility, athleticism and X-factor, and those two complement each other really well. All-in-all my dream forward line with all those guys in it. A fantastic mixture.
FOLLOWERS
Jeff White
Where the game’s headed is back towards those mobile ruckman that can get the ball 20 times and contribute to the team’s offensive and defensive action and Jeff White fits that bill. Highly skilled, great leap, outstanding in many ways.
Todd Viney
Grunt and ability to win inside ball and outstanding leadership qualities. An exceptionally tough and determined player.
Shane Crawford
Adds a nice little mix because he can play inside and outside. He’s got great endurance, is a smart user of the ball, and like Viney, has good leadership skills.
INTERCHANGE
Brad Sewell
I wanted another strong midfielder to come into that mix and get the job done, and he does that really well. Can win inside ball.
Jim Stynes
My other ruckman, pretty much for the same reasons I selected Jeff White. Good athlete, can run and use the ball well and participate in counter-attack. Can get it 20 times in his own right.
Cameron Bruce
He can play almost any position on the ground other than in the ruck. From an interchange perspective I can use him anywhere, and it gives the team some versatility – it allows you to move Neitz forward or Hodge forward or onball.
James McDonald
Every team’s got a good tagger and James is as good as anyone at doing a job on an opposition player. He’s got great leadership skills, he’s tough and hard, he’s a good tackler. He’s won two best-and-fairests at Melbourne and he’s an All-Australian.
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
Chris Fagan's criteria:
1. Must have played at Melbourne or Hawthorn during the years he worked at the club.
2. Form and stage of player’s career irrelevant (e.g. Lyon was there for a year in 1998 during Fagan’s time).
3. Team selected to succeed in today’s football environment.
