NICK's VAFA TEAM OF THE DECADE

Former VAFA president and Victorian coach Nick Bourkeselects his Team of the Decade 2000-2009.

All of us involved in the great amateur game have seen many great players and highlights over the course of the past decade. One of the threads common among people who have been or are involved with VAFA clubs is that each of us, at some time or another, is lumbered with a task that we don’t particularly enjoy. It might be tagging a champion player, running the water when injured, picking up the cones after practice, washing the club jumpers or something else.

For me, picking this team is that something else, a devil of a job. But somebody had to do it . . .

With so many players available, and with so few slots available to fit them in, I began with a look back at photos of Rep teams, then a check of annual Reports and then finally a dig through the Amateur Footballer. I ruled out anyone who didn’t play fifty games.

When talking the best of a decade, I felt 50 games - about three solid seasons or so service - was necessary before considering a player. Then I considered the difficult question of those players who finished their careers in the decade, but perhaps were more dominant in and more strongly associated with the ‘90s. I’ve erred on the side of leaving them out. There are no doubt others who began their careers in the ‘00s who will be walk-up starts for the team of the ‘10s, but that will be someone else’s call.

Finally, this is my team. I am the sole selector. As my involvement as a coach was in the first part of the decade, I might just be a little biased towards some of the earlier stars. So be it.

With apologies to the very large number of magnificent players who played for the love of the game in the ‘00s, here we go . . .

B: Danny Byrne (St Bernard’s), Murray Pitts (Beaumaris), David Boundy (Old Paradians)

HB: Paul Corrigan (Old Haileybury), James Hope (Old Ivanhoe), Carl Steinfort (Mazenod, Old Haileybury)

C: James Scanlan (Old Xaverians), Tim Ockleshaw (Old Xaverians), Ewen Thompson (MHSOB)

HF: Matt Dennis (Old Brighton, Old Scotch), Luke Wintle (SBMT), Ben Dowd (St Kevin’s)

F: Andy Cultrera (Old Aquinas, Old Trinity), Danny Jordan (St Bernard’s), Andrew Ramsden (Old Trinity)

Foll: Hayden Heta (Old Ivanhoe), Tim Fleming (Old Xaverians) Rover: Bernie Dinneen (Marcellin)

Inter: Ben Jordan (St Bernard’s) Andrew Lowcock (Uni Blues), Mark Paterson (Uni Blues), Michael Hazell (Old Melburnians, Salesian, SBMT)

Emerg: Glenn Cox (Marcellin), Ben Corin (DLS), Matt Handley (Old Xaverians), Denver Artz (Hampton Rovers)

COMING THURSDAY AT NOON: Nick blogs live on vafa.com.au and discusses his team. Join in. Ask him why he forgot your favourite player! Watch this website for details.

The views expressed here are the views of the author and not necessarily those of the VAFA.