Dreamtime at the G: Experts have their say on best teams from Essendon and Richmond
You’ve had your say — now it’s over to our experts. Richmond tragic AL PATON and Bombers diehard MAX STAINKAMPH make their cases for why Essendon and Richmond would win a showdown of the ultimate Dreamtime at the G teams.
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You’ve had your say.
Now it’s over to our experts.
Richmond tragic Al Paton and Essendon diehard Max Stainkamph have delved into the stats, best moments and their memories of Dreamtime at the G to deliver their verdicts on the ultimate teams for the Tigers and Bombers.
Below, they state their case for why each club would win a showdown between the best Essendon and Richmond Dreamtime sides.
Scroll down to check out their teams and have your say.
VOTE FOR YOUR ULTIMATE RICHMOND DREAMTIME TEAM HERE
RICHMOND
— Al Paton
B: Liam Baker, David Astbury, Chris Newman
HB: Joel Bowden, Alex Rance, Bachar Houli
C: Brett Deledio, Wayne Campbell, Dion Prestia
HF: Shane Edwards, Matthew Richardson, Shai Bolton
FF: Jack Riewoldt, Tom Lynch, Kane Lambert
Ruck: Ivan Maric, Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin
Inter: Nick Vlastuin, Daniel Rioli, Shaun Grigg, Sydney Stack
WHY THEY WILL WIN
What would Adem Yze give to have firepower like this in the forward 50.
Richo kicked nine goals against the Bombers in 2006, and he kicked the matchwinner in Dreamtime 2007. At least he thought he did, unfortunately the umpire had paid a hands in the back free kick (remember those) to Mal Michael and the result was a 50m penalty against and more Tiger heartbreak. So, the whole Richo package.
He lines up at centre half-forward with a licence to run all over the ground, with Tom Lynch and Jack Riewoldt deep inside 50 with Shane Edwards and Shai Bolton at their feet.
Kane Lambert was the unsung hero of the Tigers’ premiership era, covering Dustin Martin’s man. Brett Deledio provides silver service for the forwards and Wayne Campbell rarely played on a wing, but he could run all day and wins a spot for his single Dreamtime appearance in the final season of his 297-game career (it was pretty good – 25 disposals and two goals).
A host of premiership heroes missed the cut in this side, and Ivan Maric just wins the ruck spot ahead of Toby Nankervis. Sydney Stack gets the final bench spot to cause some Dreamtime chaos.
VOTE FOR YOUR ULTIMATE ESSENDON DREAMTIME TEAM HERE
ESSENDON
– Max Stainkamph
B: Jordan Ridley, Dustin Fletcher, Mark McVeigh
HB: Dyson Heppell, Michael Hurley, Nathan Lovett-Murray
C: David Zaharakis, James Hird, Jason Johnson
HF: Jake Stringer, Scott Lucas, Brent Stanton
FF: Alwyn Davey Sr, Matthew Lloyd, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti
Ruck: Paddy Ryder, Jobe Watson, Zach Merrett
Inter: Darcy Parish, Dean Solomon, Brendon Goddard, Nic Martin
What a midfield this would be, goodness gracious me. Hird, Watson and Merrett is a midfield trio Essendon fans could only dream about, with one of the AFL’s best tap ruckmen of the last 15 years giving them silver service in the ruck, the main question will be how the Tigers get their hand on the ball.
Dustin Fletcher’s 400th and final game was a Dreamtime game, and is a no-brainer selection at full back. Dean Solomon off the bench adds extra support and hardness to take on a Jack Riewoldt type and allows Goddard and Ridley to intercept, while Hurley is an excellent one-on-one defender in his own right.
Brent Stanton (off half-forward) and Darcy Parish (off the bench) provide depth, with Parish going to another level in games with medals on the line and Stanton, despite spending years as a whipping boy for Bombers fans, having a strong record in dreamtime games.
The forward line of Lloyd and Lucas is a dominant one, with Lloyd have the most goals by a Bomber in dreamtime history and Lucas with nine in three games. Alwyn Davey Sr and the Dons’ beloved Walla at their feet would create havoc, while Nic Martin is flexible enough to come off the bench and play half forward, on a wing or down back – as is Goddard if his firepower is needed anywhere else.
WHY THEY WILL WIN
They’ve only got one Alex Rance. If he goes to Matty Lloyd, Scotty Lucas’ left boot will get off the chain. If he switches to Lucas, the Velvet Sledgehammer will shower goals down on the Punt Rd end. And with delivery into the forward line coming off the boots of Merrett and Hird, thanks to silky smooth tap-downs from Ryder’s palms to Jobe Watson’s lap and shovelled out to the runners, who goes to Jack Riewoldt might be irrelevant.
If for some reason Dusty and Cotchin cause some havoc, I have faith the backline has the star power to shut down anything the yellow and black can throw at it. And if not, Fletcher’s Go Go Gadget arms can spoil anything in a 50m radius. Although the Tigers’ mosquito fleet would prove a worry at ground level.
The only real worry would be if Scott Lucas is off-radar with shots on goal, giving Joel Bowden the chance to walk over the goal line over and over to steal the game.
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Originally published as Dreamtime at the G: Experts have their say on best teams from Essendon and Richmond
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