Tony Blackford names his greatest ever local footy team

Tony Blackford has coached some local footy greats at Berwick, Frankston Bombers, Sorrento and Red Hill, regularly breaking premiership droughts, and now he’s tried to fit them into one side. See who made it.

Tony Blackford spent 15 years at the helm of four different perennial powerhouses.

He built a cult following and was renowned for breaking premiership droughts.

Blackford steered Berwick to its first flag in 21 years in 1999, Sorrento to its first in 24 years in 2004 and Frankston Bombers to its first in 18 years in 2009.

While he never led Red Hill to the promised land, he left the Hillmen in a position to salute just two years after his tenure.

Unlike others who have participated in the Dream Team series, Blackford has officially retired from senior coaching.

So this side, his greatest ever, appears to be one set in stone for the foreseeable future…

FULL BACKS

Darren Hamilton (Berwick, Frankston Bombers): Coached in his own right at Keysborough before joining Berwick where he played a role in the 1999 premiership. “He read the play well, was a great decision maker and set us up well from behind the ball with his precision kicking,” Blackford said.

Michael Shields (Frankston Bombers): Shields and Blackford played in a premiership at the Bombers in 1991 as young men, before joining forces for more silverware later on. “He was a booming kick, brilliant one-on-one and set the play up from the back-half with his attack on the football,” Blackford said.

Ben Crichton (Berwick, Frankston Bombers): A hard-at-it defender who was rarely beaten. He regularly played on opponents smaller in stature than him and never failed. Played in the 1999 premiership at Berwick and trusted the process of Blackford’s coaching. “He was a very loyal person to me over the years, he was one of those guys you had to pick,” Blackford said.

Kicks weren’t easy when you were playing on Ben Crichton.

HALF-BACKS

Brian O’Carroll (Frankston Bombers): An elite sportsman who performed well in any role Blackford gave him. Won best-and-fairest honours in a premiership year. “He was balanced on both feet, great decision maker, executioner, broke the lines and was very creative,” Blackford said.

Guy Stringer (Sorrento): Blackford summarised Stringer perfectly: “I played with him a lot in interleague before getting him to come back to his home club, he was strong, he crunched packs, could play back or forward – he is one of the true greats of Peninsula football,” he said.

Ryan Lonie (Frankston Bombers): Lonie played at Frankston Bombers before and after his 122-game career at AFL level, where he played in Collingwood’s successive grand final defeats. “I watched him grow up as a kid and through his AFL career before he came back to Frankston to be a big part of the 2009 premiership (won best afield),” Blackford said.

Ryan Lonie grabbing his best afield medal in the 2009 grand final.

CENTRES

Jake Mitchell (Red Hill): Mitchell is one of just three players in this side to not have won a premiership under Blackford, but it didn’t shy the legendary coach from selecting him. “A very gifted left-footer, he was a great stay-at-home wingman and used the ball well… he had plenty of time and space,” he said. He has since won a flag and best afield honours for Red Hill in its win over Karingal in 2019.

He never won one under Blackford, but he performed when Red Hill needed him to in 2019. (L-R) Jake Mitchell (BOG) Marcus Dal Lago (C) and Jake Mold (VC) Picture: Chris Eastman/AAP

Grant Johnson (Sorrento, co-captain): The reliable left-footer was Blackford’s captain when Sorrento broke through in 2004. “He’s the most consistent player I have ever coached, he was at Sorrento in the lean times and was then rewarded with multiple premierships late in his career,” Blackford said.

Nathan Lonie (Frankston Bombers): Like Ryan, Nathan also returned to play a role in the 2009 premiership. His booming kick over zones was what Blackford valued the most.

HALF-FORWARDS

Matt Burns (Sorrento): He was only a teenager in the Sharks’ 2004 premiership but it didn’t slow down his impact. “He kicked 60 odd goals as a kid in the 2004 premiership year, he was very skilful and had a big tank, he would push up the ground and beat his opponents on the way back,” Blackford recalled.

Danny Crichton (Berwick, Frankston Bombers): Blackford directed the talented forward as a youngster before he moved on to multiple clubs. The lean forward was yet to grow into his frame but was still a force to be reckoned with.

Nick Haynes (Frankston Bombers): After missing out on the Dandenong Stingrays list, Haynes returned to Frankston Bombers where Blackford took him under his wing. “He played a full year of senior football and was rewarded with being named in the Team of the Year as a forward flanker,” he said.

Nick Haynes has turned into some player since playing across half-forward under Blackford. (Photo by Dylan Burns AFL Photos)

FULL FORWARDS

Anthony Cahill (Berwick): Was best on ground in the 1999 premiership over Crib Point playing mainly on the wing while resting forward. The slender, but courageous, player impacted as much on the scoreboard as a wing as he did inside 50.

Steve Tippett (Berwick, Frankston Bombers): The streaky goal-kicking forward torched opponents off the mark and would often kick truly in big games. “He was a big bloke that was very quick over the first 10 yards, I think he kicked five or six in the Berwick premiership,” he said.

Hayden Moore (Frankston Bombers, co-captain): A tall that would play as a second ruck in this side. He was a premiership captain and a multiple best-and-fairest winner. “He was a great leader and a very good ruckman that would go forward and kick a goal, I think in 2009 (grand final) he started forward, that’s why I put him there,” he said.

Blackford’s 2009 premiership side.

FOLLOWERS

Scott Cameron (Sorrento): Blackford’s recollection of Cameron says it all: “As a young kid in 2004, he probably single-handedly helped us win that premiership, he played against two really good ruckman, he battled and won the day, I thought he was our best player on that day,” he recalled.

Ash Fothergill (Berwick): A big, strong and agile midfielder who was ahead of his time for what he delivered as a rover. “In 1999 he was put into the ruck and helped swing the game in our favour, he’s so versatile that he went into the ruck because he had a good leap on him,” Blackford said.

Clint Silvio (Sorrento): A league medallist and best-and-fairest winner in the Sharks’ premiership year in 2004. “He was super fit at the time, he was a gut runner that continually got himself in a position to win the footy,” Blackford said.

EXTENDED INTERCHANGE

Ash Charles (Frankston Bombers): A super intelligent and highly skilled utility that hardly made a wrong decision with ball in hand. “Ash could play in multiple positions, so he was a great one to have starting on the bench,” he said.

Ash Charles was the Bombers’ captain in 2007 when they fell short of Rosebud. Picture: GUY THAYER

Brad Molineux (Berwick): A Berwick premiership player that also took home a league medal. Molineux is one of few right-footers in this side. “He was an in-and-under, dour, midfielder that worked really hard to get the ball out to his runners,” he said.

Shane Vandervalk (Frankston Bombers): A hard-nosed inside midfielder with a booming kick. He played a role in the 2009 premiership under Blackford.

Jake Batchelor (Frankston Bombers): Sneaks onto the bench after just half a season under Blackford in 2009. The coach can remember the eventual 84-AFL gamers confidence as a teenager. “He was a young kid in the 2009 premiership before going on and having a wonderful AFL career, he was prepared to leave his man at such an early age,” Blackford recalled.

Matt Longley (Frankston Bombers): A left-footed spearhead that was very strong overhead.

Jonah Siversen (Red Hill): Another who never won a flag under Blackford, but eventually won one for the Hillmen in 2019.

Jonah Siversen (Red Hill). Picture: Valeriu Campan

Blackford wanted to commend his exceptional assistants along the journey:

Darryl Nisbet at Berwick, Jason Hill and Kelvin Moore at Frankston Bombers and Don Scott and Merv Harbinson at Sorrento,” he explained.

“If you surround yourself with those people you are going to be successful.”