Local footy great and 300-gamer Tom Waters selects his best 22 from a decorated career

Tom Waters has won premierships, league medals and played 300 games alongside with some outstanding talents. He’s made some tough calls in naming his best 22.

Tom Waters selects his best 22.

You know it’s a strong 22 when two league best-and-fairest winners miss out.

Tom Waters is a club great at three clubs; Lancefield, Gisborne and Macedon and actually started out at Bulleen Templestowe.

He played in premierships with the Tigers and Cats and won two Riddell District Bowen Medals.

And such was his time at the Bulldogs saw him named in the Bendigo league’s Team of the Decade.

He retired after his 300th senior match last season, having played alongside some outstanding talents through two decades.

So, unfortunately for Chris Walsh (Michelsen Medal, 2012) and Jason Cooke (Bowen Medal, 2017), they’ve been squeezed out.

Tom talks us through his selections.

Ben Sonogan in action for Gisborne. Picture: Josie Hayden

BACKS

LUKAS FELLOWS (Lancefield)

When I started coaching Lancefield he came across, he’d won a B&F at Thomastown and ended up winning one at Lancefield. As a defender, just cut off everything. The time I coached there, he was the best player.

BEN SONOGAN (Gisborne)

Played with him at Gisborne, he’s obviously at Riddell now. Could run like a midfielder, fly for marks but put him on a key forward and he’d shut them down or run off and be a menace up the field.

JONOTHAN BARNETT (Macedon)

At Macedon, he was our full-back and won the premiership. A big, strong lock-down defender. I don’t think the entire time anyone got on top of him.

HALF-BACKS

TEGHAN HENDERSON (Macedon)

Played a couple of hundred games at Werribee, an absolute gun. Had never won a premiership and then came to Macedon in 2017. His smarts and thinking in the game was second to none. A general down back.

LEIGH ERWIN (Lancefield)

Played with him at Lancefield and we won a flag and he went onto win one at Romsey. Was quite unassuming but got white-line fever. He wrecked havoc on forwards, they didn’t want a bar of him.

MATT DICK (Macedon)

At local level, the best player I’ve played with. Running off the half-back line, kicking goals from the centre square but if it was turned over he could be 50m out of position but somehow get back and diving back into the pack and get a fist in. Just a beautiful user of the footy and playing a couple of AFL games, it’s easy to see why. Part of the 2017 premiership.

Tom Waters in the ruck for Lancefield. Picture: George Sal

Tom Waters jumps high for Macedon.

CENTRES

ZACH WEBB (Lancefield)

My last couple of years at Lancefield he joined our team. Was just hard, lighting quick, more an onballer but squeezed out to a wing.

CASSEY SUMMERFIELD (Gisborne, Macedon)

Played eight years with him and we worked without ever having to talk. He could read my taps and I knew where he was going to be. Played more footy with him and Matt Knox than anyone else. Big-bodied bull, I just had to get it in his area and he did the rest. Won a premiership together at Macedon.

DAN MARKWORTH (Macedon)

Lightning quick, obviously on an AFL list. Came back to Macedon, his home club and won a premiership, and I was lucky I was there at the same time. Could use the footy and a crucial part of that premiership team. You could tell why he was drafted.

Luke Saunders in action for Gisborne.

HALF-FORWARD

TOM MAY (Gisborne)

Midfield-forward, he could do it all. Won a handful of B&Fs at Gisborne. He’s hard to describe, some of the freakish things he could do.

LUKE SAUNDERS (Gisborne)

Along with Matt Dick, one of the best I’ve played with. You could say an under-sized centre half-forward but never took a backward step, flew for everything, great hands and tough as nails. Talk to anyone about the Bendigo league and he’s second to none.

DARREN FARRUGIA (Gisborne)

An absolute magician. I think he kicked six in the grand final we lost at Gisborne. Didn’t miss, could kick them from anywhere, a freak.

FORWARDS

BRIAN RUFFELL (Lancefield)

Solid full forward at Lancefield and went on to win a flag at Riddell as well. Just a beast, big body, big kick.

MATT KNOX (Gisborne, Macedon)

Played at Gisborne and won a flag together at Macedon. When he was on, he just didn’t miss. So reliable, knew where he’d be, hit him up and he’d get the job done.

MYLES DORMAN (Lancefield)

When we won the flag at Lancefield he was only 16 or 17. Kicked goals over his head, there could be a pack of five guys and he’d somehow come out and snap a goal. Bit like Darren Farrugia, could kick those freak goals.

Shaun Harrison gets a kick for Macedon.

FOLLOWERS

ANTHONY BELCHER (Gisborne)

Played with him at Gisborne, when I went there he moved to centre half-back and dominated there too. Won premierships at Gisborne and was just an awesome player. He can go in ahead of me.

OLLIE MESSAOUDI (Gisborne)

Toughest footballer I’ve ever played with or seen play. I remember one day at Gisborne, he slid into the fence, cracked his shoulder bone, and just kept playing. He was in-and-under all day, laid 20 tackles a game and busted through packs.

SHAUN HARRISON (Macedon, Lancefield)

Harro was a premiership player at Macedon and played in a couple at Deer Park before that. Lightning quick, hard-at-it but he could also stand on my shoulders and take Mark of the Year.

INTERCHANGE

KRISTIAN CHERBAKOF (Bulleen-Templestowe)

It was hard because I played at Bulleen Templestowe 20 years ago but he went onto captain the club, rep player and won B&Fs. Could go to centre half-forward and take a big mark and kick the goal or put him on a wing and could run like a midfielder. So evasive, always had time.

JAMES PETRAN (Gisborne)

An elite ball-user, just never missed a target. An absolute weapon when he had the ball in his hand.

CHRIS COLLINS (Lancefield)

Was the coach when I went to Lancefield and we went on to win a flag. Just a solid midfielder, good user of the footy a lot like Cassey.

ERROL McCONNELL (Macedon)

He played in Pascoe Vale’s Premier Division grand final last year. Similar to Shaun Harrison and Zac Webb, quick, hard in-and-under, never out of the contest. Won the best-on-ground medal in the Macedon premiership.