Long-serving coach Steve O’Brien has revealed his greatest-ever local side

Steve O’Brien’s coaching career spans over 25 years at five clubs and now he has squeezed his best ever side together. See who made it.

Steve O’Brien says coaching this side each week “would be an easy day at the office”.

This year will be the premiership coach’s last, as he closes a resume that includes time at Cranbourne, Devon Meadows, Parkdale, St Kilda City, Doveton, Casey, Box Hill and Rowville.

He’s coached ex-AFL players and local greats.

And now he’s tried to squeeze them into one line-up.

FULL BACKS

Jarrad Boumann (Doveton): O’Brien coached the honest defender at Doveton and valued his ability to turn defense into attack. “He could play on smalls, play on talls … his intercept game was as good as any,” he said.

Brandon Osborne (Cranbourne): A star in every sense, Osborne captain’s this side. “He’s probably the best defender I have seen in local footy, he just never gets beat,” O’Brien said.

Glenn Osborne (Cranbourne): O’Brien loves how Osborne can shut down his opponent while still providing an element on the other end and recalls a game that was indicative of the experienced defender. “I think the ’22 grand final was testament to that when he played on Austin Johnson and kept him quiet while having a bit of the footy of himself,” he said.

Getting a kick on brandon Osborne has never been easy. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Aaron Henneman battles Collingwood forward Travis Cloke.

HALF BACKS

Anthony Vella (Cranbourne): Vella’s perpetual run was so important to O’Brien. “He was so attacking off half back with his run, carry and kicking ability, he created a lot of offense,” he said.

Aaron Henneman (Devon Meadows): After playing 58 games for Essendon, Henneman returned to become a general of O’Brien’s back six. “He was never beaten, he was just a brut across half back,” he said.

Daniel Rigg (Devon Meadows): O’Brien said the left footer was “an outstanding defender, a great leader and probably the best kick of the football I have coached”.

CENTRES

Jay Bruno (St Kilda City): The eventual star left an impression on O’Brien from the start. “Jay was 16 when I coached him but he showed just incredible natural ability, found the footy and used it well … for a 16-year-old he was fearless but it was his smarts for a kid in a battling side,” he said.

Ryan Davey (Cranbourne): O’Brien loved Davey’s production in big games.“I remember 2022, we had a specific plan for Cheekers where he could impact games and he just played it to a tee, he never let you down in big games,” he said.

Ryan Jones (Cranbourne): Smooth, clever and damaging. “He’s got a very good football brain and probably the best wingman I have ever coached,” O’Brien said.

Jay Bruno in action. Picture: Mark Stewart

Ryan Jones . Picture: Valeriu Campan

HALF FORWARDS

Aaron Davey (Doveton): The former Melbourne livewire brought his class to Doveton after his 178-game AFL career. “The game slowed down when he had the ball in his hands, he could make people look silly without actually moving too much … absolute class,” O’Brien said.

Corey Ellison (Cranbourne): He wouldn’t have played more than 30 games under O’Brien but the now Williamstown key-forward certainly made his mark. “I actually think he has the attributes to go to the highest level … the year that stands out is 2019 when we moved to the Outer East, we lost a lot of players that year and he would’ve been 18 and he was our main target up there, he jumped out and we thought ‘this kid has what it takes’,” O’Brien said.

Zak Roscoe (Cranbourne): O’Brien said Roscoe’s capacity to run was what sets him apart. “His fitness base is extreme, he doesn’t come off the ground but is still running at the end, he just breaks games open,” he said.

Aaron Davey in action for Doveton. Picture: David Crosling

FORWARDS

Kirk Dickson (Cranbourne): Dickson’s athleticism always caught O’Brien’s eye. “Dicko is at his best when he’s working up the ground and working his opponents over, he’s actually a really good athlete which makes him incredibly difficult to play on,” he said.

Marc Holt (Cranbourne): O’Brien’s summary of Holt was direct: “He’ll go down as one of the greatest at local footy, his record speaks for itself … one of the most selfless players I have coached … one of the greats,” he said.

Karem Baskaya (Parkdale): O’Brien coached a lot against him but also had the pleasure of coaching him at Parkdale. “He was only a kid, maybe 19 or 20, but everything you saw in the big fella; big, strong, powerful, he could tear a game a part,” he said.

O’Brien coached and coached against Karem Baskaya.

FOLLOWERS

Russell Gabriel (Doveton): The two-time league medalist was always destined to be O’Brien’s starting ruck. “His craft was as good as you’d see in local footy, he would just serve it to his midfielders on a silver platter … he also had a great ability around the ground with his positioning,” he said.

David Gately (Parkdale): The vice-captain of this side, Gately was a “tireless” worker. “Probably the fittest player I have coached, he just willed himself to contest after contest, game after game, he had some incredible record of games played at Parkdale,” O’Brien said.

Michael Henry (Doveton): ‘Pickles’ was one of O’Brien’s favourites. “I coached Pickles and coached against him and when I coached against him he always wanted someone to tag him but he just outworked them, outsmarted them,” he said.

Michael Henry.

INTERCHANGE

Michael Boland (Cranbourne): O’Brien thinks Boland goes under the radar. “I don’t think Micky gets the accolades he deserves, he’s an incredibly talented ruckman,” he said.

Ben Gately (Parkdale): Injury curtailed his career, sustaining several knee injuries. O’Brien said it was a shame no one got to see the best of the goal-kicking midfielder. “He was super smart, skillful, knew how to find the footy and was so damaging when he found it,” he said.

Jess DeHey (Devon Meadows): The inside midfielder was “as tough as they come” according to O’Brien and would often “pick the side up on his shoulders”.

Stuart Morrish (Cranbourne): The heart-and-soul defender did anything for his side. “Not the most talented defender but gee he was hard to play against, he never lost, he was one where you would put his name on the board and wouldn’t need to worry about his opponent that week,” O’Brien said.

Jarryd Barker (Cranbourne): A rising star at Cranbourne that has already taken home two club best and fairest awards. “He’s only 22 I think, so the world is his oyster,” O’Brien said.

Luke Bee-Hugo (Cranbourne): He’s flashy but unselfish, according to O’Brien. “He’s the X-Factor, he can play multiple positions but is underrated with his ability to set others up, he’s the player every side needs,” he said.

Buzz Kuramoto (Parkdale): Rare a player that’s only played six games makes the cut but that’s indicative of his impact. “He played six games and was best on ground in all of them but did his ACL, he was on track to have the most amazing season, he came back and did it again but he was an incredible player … it was six games and I think he came top three in the best and fairest,” O’Brien said.