RANKED: Lismore Swans coach picks top 10 players

WHO are the best players to wear the red and white jumper in the past decade?

MR RELIABLE: Lismore Swans Australian Rules Football Club coach Joey Mitchell has named Angus Legoe in his club's Top 10 Players of the modern era.

DECIDING on the best players to have run onto the ground for the Lismore Swans in the last decade was always going to be a tough conversation.

But just as he's proven while coaching the Aussie Rules club's senior men's squad, Joey Mitchell is up for the challenge.

Mitchell, who played before moving into coaching the side in 2012, said a plethora of talent made choosing 10 of the best over the past decade was exceptionally difficult.

From a player who cut his leg open with a chainsaw, drove himself to hospital and went back to work afterwards, to a back who kicked five goals in the only game he played on the forward line, Mitchell reckons the ranking was as tough as playing an AFL grand final.

"I've named those players whom I saw in action," he said.

"Obviously people will have their own ideas and that's fine."

 

Lismore Swans Top 10 Modern Era Players

 

10. Josh McGuinness

"A current midfielder, Josh, 27, is a small forward who when he gets going, is electric.

"He's very, very tough and extremely skilled over 35m".

 

9. Owen Paterson

"From Tennant Creek, Owen's an extremely solid player, a penetrating left-footer and a hard footballer, fair but a physical player".

 

8. Ryan Coughlan

"Ryan played 2015 when he was 22 to 2018 and he won a best and fairest; an extremely smart footballer, a workhorse who just kept going and going."

 

7. Fred Sleeth

"Fred's 30 and was recruited last year from the Northern Territory Football League. At 6'4" he's fullback, plays in the ruck, has no fear, is extremely smart and a real spiritual leader."

 

6. Tom Merrett

"From Victoria, Tom's a 6'1" very athletic midfielder, very smart, a utility-type great wherever he was needed and reads the play very well."

 

5. Andrew Baker

"Originally from Tennant Creek, Baker, 39, is a life member of two leagues, a full-forward but gets out there like a 21-year-old, is fearless and always a player to watch."

 

4. Shaun King

"The 29-year-old was captain 2018-19, he carried the club on his shoulders and played his 100th Swans game last year."

 

3. Angus Legoe

"Andrew's 34, always gives 100 per cent, been vice-captain, is a life member and kicked five goals in the first game we played him in the forward line."

 

2. Scott Brown

"A South Australian, Scott played from 2012 to 2014 and in that time I never saw a tougher footballer. He played senior footy at 16, ran marathons, was team captain, a Best & Fairest winner whose name is synonymous with toughness at the club after he put a chainsaw through his leg working on a macadamia farm, took a selfie, drove to hospital, got it seen up and drove back to work."

 

1. Andy James

"AJ's a 6'2" left footer, who last season got a league runner-up Best & Fairest, he's just magical, a natural. He won two of our B&F, was a Rolls Royce on the footy field."

 

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