What is the best 22 of VFL draftees currently in the AFL?
Currently, there are six ex-VFL players who are AFL premiership players - Sam Mitchell, Josh Gibson, Nick Maxwell, Isaac Smith, James Podsiadly and Shane Mumford.
Maxwell, drafted from North Ballarat, along with Mitchell owns the honour of being a premiership captain.
Matthew Boyd, a product of Frankston, spent three seasons as Western Bulldogs captain.
Boyd, Mitchell and Gibson have combined to win eight best and fairest awards while Boyd, Mitchell, Maxwell and Dale Morris, a former Werribee player, have all been named as All Australians.
And, to cap off an imposing AFL honour roll, Jack Riewoldt, who played with Tasmania when they fielded a team in the VFL, has won two Coleman Medals.
Interestingly, Box Hill Hawks, Frankston and Werribee have combined to provide 22 players with an AFL opportunity. And, 11 VFL clubs currently have players on an AFL list.
Now, for the challenge of fitting those 50 players into 22 positions in an ex-VFL, current AFL All Star Team, especially when 27 of them have already played at least one AFL game in the first three AFL rounds.
Anyway, we are up for the challenge - it’s an annual event.
We’ve found a position for 18 of the VFL graduates we selected in last year’s ‘dream’ AFL team.
Those who missed out were North Melbourne veteran Michael Firrito, a winner of the Fothergill Round Medal when he was playing with Box Hill Hawks; Liam Picken, who has been squeezed out by Mark Baguley and Michael Hibberd, who were on the interchange bench last season, and Darren Jolly, who has retired.
And, on the coaching front there is ex Springvale player Damien Hardwick and ex-Coburg Tigers coach Alan Richardson.
Here is the VFL Record’s team of ex-VFL players currently playing in the AFL.
Backs:
Josh Gibson (Port Melbourne), Scott Thompson (Geelong), Mark Baguley (Frankston)
Half backs:
Michael Hibberd (Frankston), Nick Maxwell (North Ballarat), Dale Morris (Werribee)
Centres:
Isaac Smith (North Ballarat), Matthew Boyd (Frankston), Sam Gibson (Box Hill Hawks)
Half Forwards:
Stewart Crameri (Bendigo), James Podsiadly (Geelong), Ed Curnow (Box Hill Hawks)
Forwards:
Jake King (Coburg), Jack Riewoldt (Tasmania), Ben McGlynn (Box Hill Hawks)
Followers:
Shane Mumford (Geelong), Michael Barlow (Werribee), Sam Mitchell (Box Hill Hawks)
Interchange:
Michael Jamieson (North Ballarat), Liam Picken (Williamstown),
Matt Jones (Box Hill Hawks), Sam Dwyer (Port Melbourne)
Let us know your thoughts on who might have missed out via: vflnews@aflvic.com.au
Last Modified on 23/04/2014 17:06