Harmit Singh names his greatest local footy side
Harmit Singh has coached some local footy greats at Morwell, Northcote Park, Vermont and Warragul Industrials, and now he’s tried to fit them into one side. See who made it.
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Harmit Singh settles for nothing short of success.
Singh steered Morwell and Vermont to premierships while also taking Northcote Park and Warragul Industrials to respective finals series – he’s not just a coach, he’s an artist.
Although his record at Vermont is his most well-known, winning back-to-back flags and 55 of his 61 matches, his resume from his other three roles is just as decorated.
He has coached some stupendous sides over the years, so his place as a participant in the Dream Team series is beyond justified.
Here is Harmit Singh’s greatest ever side.
FULL BACKS
Tom Cordner-Maas (Vermont): The reliable defender won premierships with South Barwon before joining the Eagles to win more. He loved the big games as much as he loved one-on-one battles. “He played well in big games, he was a really important player in our side,” Singh said.
Rory Lehmann (Vermont): Lehmann landed at Vermont after a successful stint at Coburg. He played in one of the two Eagles’ flags after suffering a hamstring injury. “You could bank on him beating the best forward every single week, he had an unbelievable grand final against Blackburn on a quality opponent,” Singh said. Lehmann has since gone on to become a premiership player with Woodville-West Torrens in the SANFL.
Joey Fisher (Vermont): After playing Vic Metro under-18s and some VFL with Box Hill, the third-tall type defender returned to his junior club to be in one of its greatest ever sides. “He was a competitive animal, he hated losing, he was great for morale amongst the group too,” Singh said.
HALF-BACKS
Lachlan Carey (Vermont): After playing in a premiership with the Oakleigh Chargers as well as some SANFL and VFL, Carey too made his way to the Eagles to perform under Singh. “He’s just super, super smart, he was a good leader, competitive, awesome to coach because he was an extension of the coaching group,” he said.
Matt Willcocks (Vermont): Singh admitted the centre half-back position was a spot he has never struggled with talent in, but once he weighed up the important matches, Singh knew it had to be Wilcocks. “Matt made the Team of the Year I think in both (premiership winning) years and was influential in both grand finals,” he said.-
Nick Carter (Northcote Park): Carter becomes the first non-Vermont player to feature in this backline and Singh revealed it was his courage that earned his selection. “Super, super courageous, he was 6’2” but could also play midfield; across half-back he was as tough as they come,” he said.
CENTRES
Alex Greenwood (Vermont): A Vermont junior who returned after almost 100 VFL matches with Footscray. “Greeny has some of the best hands in tight of any player I have coached, he’s always looking to bring players into the game with his hands,” Singh said.
Tom Schneider (Vermont): Spent time on Hawthorn’s list, won a VFL best-and-fairest at Box Hill and then returned to Vermont. He won best on in the grand final against his junior club Blackburn, that performance also happened to be his 100th game. His career had everything. “I don’t think anyone has a bigger heart than Tom Schneider, he’s a winner and has had a super career with pretty much everything,” Singh said.
Rob McComb (Vermont): Singh can remember a discussion with Footscray about the now AFL-Bulldog’s finals eligibility in 2019. “We were fortunate in 2019, Robbie was going quite well and if he had played one more round for the Bulldogs, he would’ve been ineligible for our finals, fortunately the Bulldogs allowed him to miss the last game just in case, they were going quite well, they went out in straight sets so Rob came in for our grand final,” he recalled.
HALF-FORWARDS
Tarkyn Lockyer (Northcote Park, Morwell): Singh was just 25 when he got his first coaching role and he still values Lockyer’s mentorship today. “To have that wise head, recently out of the game, to mentor me was really important, we also knew the player we would get, he was super fit; a proud person… he played two unbelievable grand finals, I am super appreciative for his support,” he said.
Andrew Ainger (Vermont): Ainger averaged 2.7 goals a game across 2018-19, but it was his grand final that Singh won’t forget. “I will never forget 2018 against South Croydon, we lost our arguably best player Brett Eddy five minutes in and ‘Aing’ basically had five by half-time and set the game up, coming off a losing grand final it allowed us to settle,” he said.
Ash Close (Morwell, Northcote Park): The giant swingman played a crucial role in a Morwell flag before following Singh to Northcote Park. “In 2014 I think he might have only kicked one in that grand final, but he would’ve taken 10 or 12 marks, he went to centre half-back in periods and was a deserving winner of the medal,” Singh said.
FULL FORWARDS
Jake Best (Vermont): The decorated forward played alongside Eddy and Ainger exceptionally. “He was so smart, skilful on both sides, he was too quick for the bigs that went to him and then too strong for the smalls, he was a really tricky match-up,” Singh said.
Brett Eddy (Vermont): Eddy kicked 130 from 38 games (3.68 per game) under Singh at Vermont and the creative coach knows how: “He’s just so quick and so agile for a big guy, can kick left, right, has a lot of tricks and is incredibly football smart – he was unbelievable for us in that two-year stretch,” he said.
Kirby McConnon (Vermont): Singh’s memory of McConnon says it all: “‘The Wizard’ was super smart, he came back to us from Williamstown and geez, he played that role well for us, absolute no brainer, he is probably the best small forward I have had in that time,” he said.
FOLLOWERS
Liam Wale-Buxton (Vermont): Wale-Buxton was best afield in a 2018 interleague match between Eastern and Geelong as well as his regular silver-platter ruckwork for the Eagles. “We had an unreal relationship as player and coach, I felt we were able to get the best out of Liam,” Singh said.
Lachie Johns (Vermont, captain): Johns was an obvious choice for captaincy honours for Singh. “He will go down as one of Vermont’s greatest players – his ability to hit the scoreboard, he gets sat on every week, has a backpack on him and he just keeps playing and playing the right way,” Singh said.
Mitch Honeychurch (Vermont): Another Vermont junior that returned to Vermont after 35 appearances with the Western Bulldogs. “I think the footy club was really important to him in the 2019 season, he would put his head where others feared, you would just love to play alongside this guy,” Singh said.
EXTENDED INTERCHANGE
Shane Brewster (Warragul Industrials, vice-captain): The only Warragul Industrials player to make the side after just one complete season with Singh. “I have only had one full season at the club, but I felt with Shane that he was an automatic selection, he has won eight club bnf’s at Warragul, he is a super leader, in the 25 he is probably the fittest player,” he said.
Wayne Schultz (Northcote Park): Singh felt his versatility was too hard to ignore for this team after he made an immediate impact at Northcote Park. “He came runner-up in the league in his first year in 2015 and won the club best-and-fairest, he was a super hard runner, super skilful,” he said.
Adam Parker (Vermont): The super loyal role player is now the current coach of Vermont after successful stints at VFL and Scoresby as a player. “He was happy for others to get on the end of it, I thought his role as assistant coach with the midfielders was excellent,” Singh said.
Robbie Ross (Vermont): Ross won an abundance of premierships in his time with a number of clubs and Singh accounts those flags to his ability to prepare. “Robbie is such an excellent preparer, I think he was 34 or 35 years of age in that premiership and he prepared really well,” he said.
Bronik Davies (Northcote Park, vice-captain): The league best and fairest winner at Northcote Park was Singh’s captain at Northcote Park, so his selection in the side is expected. “He dragged everyone along with him and I think that’s an important trait as captain,” Singh said.
Jeff Ryan (Morwell): A former Gippsland Power premiership player, Blackburn star returned to Morwell in 2013 and delivered. “Players genuinely walked taller with him there, Sale hadn’t lost all year, we lost to them by 120 points and then come out in the grand final and won by 80 points, guys like him set the tone in the midfield that day,” he said.
Dean MacDonald (Morwell): MacDonald was drafted by Richmond in 2010 and when he was delisted, he resumed to Morwell under Singh. “I was fortunate because the day I signed (as coach), ‘D-Mac’ decided to come back, he was only a youngster at 20,” he said.
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