Revealed: Liam Wilson names greatest-ever side from time at St Paul’s and Murrumbeena

Liam Wilson played with some of the Southern league’s best before jumping into the coaching box. Now he’s tried to squeeze his former teammates and players into his greatest-ever side.

Liam Wilson has seen stars in his time involved in the Southern league.

He was a dual league medallist at St Paul’s before bolstering his resume at Murrumbeena.

Wilson played alongside some of the competition’s greats and then helped forge future ones.

He’s now tried to squeeze those players into his greatest-ever side.

Liam Wilson breaks clear.

FULL BACKS

James Shirley (Murrumbeena)

Shirley propelled into the side after a superb year for the Lions last year. “He probably got himself in off of last year, he was put in the backline and he was rarely scored against,” Wilson said.

Mark Dessent (St Paul’s)

Wilson loved Dessent’s ability to play on a selection of key forwards. “He was rarely beaten against any opponent he faced, he was a coach of mine and just a really good player,” Wilson said.

Kieran Knox (St Paul’s)

Wilson remembers the moment Knox, who is still dominating for St Paul’s, was put into the position he has made his own in the Southern league. “The coach put him back and he just turned into one of the best generals, just his talk and the amount he would help the midfield, I absolutely loved how he went about his footy,” Wilson said.

Kieran Knox (left) has gone on to build a superb career at St Paul’s. Picture: Hamish Blair

HALF BACKS

Tom Rigby (Murrumbeena)

Rigby was one of Wilson’s favourite’s due to his insatiable desire to take the game on. “I have grown to love Tom very easily, he’s an excitement machine because you never know what he’s going to do with it, he’ll have 10 bounces a game, have shots from half back, he’s just an incredible talent to watch,” Wilson said.

Mark Marasco (St Paul’s)

Marasco stands at centre-half back after putting the Doggies on his back when it mattered the most. “Andy Gilbert went down before the finals one year and Mark Marasco put us on his back, he was everywhere – it was one of the best finals series I have ever seen,” Wilson said.

Harley Ambrose (St Paul’s, Murrumbeena)

Wilson felt he could have selected Ambrose in a variety of positions. “He was a very handy player, especially at St Paul’s, he got a lot it wherever he played: wing, half back, forward. He just knew how to read the game so well,” Wilson said.

t Harley Ambrose wins the footy.

Tom Rigby on the fly. (Photo by Josh Chadwick)

CENTRE

Damen Shaw (St Paul’s)

Shaw was a player Wilson aspired to play like. According to Wilson, Shaw had the perfect balance between blue and white collar. “As a young boy you looked up to Damen Shaw, he is the best trainer I have seen and was just silky smooth,” Wilson said.

Heath Barnes (St Paul’s, captain)

Wilson wasn’t short of praise for Barnes who captains this side. “He would be my no. 1 ranked St Paul’s player ever, good offensively but the best I have seen as defensive onballer, his one-percenters were the best I have ever seen,” Wilson said.

Heath Barnes: the captain.

Robert Prew (St Paul’s)

Prew patrolled up and back the St Paul’s wing compellingly. Wilson loved his work rate and his ability to open the game up by hand. “Some of the best hands I have seen in the league, he ran all day and never stopped working for his teammates,” Wilson said.

HALF FORWARDS

Jimmy Sziller (St Paul’s)

Sziller was just a pup when he played in arms with Wilson but his hunger for the contest has remained to this day. “He was the smallest fella on the ground by a mile but somehow the second or third tackle of the game would always be him against the ruckman … probably the best second-effort player I have seen,” Wilson said.

Richard Cooke (St Paul’s)

Wilson described Cooke as “graceful” with how he attacked the footy in the air and praised his ability to ignite the Doggies when they needed to lift. “When we needed a spark it was always Cooky at centre-half forward,” Wilson said.

Rohan Best (St Paul’s)

There always needs to be a selfless leader among the hungry forwards and, according to Wilson, Best is that. “He was very smart, ended up being my assistant coach at the Doggies, I need him in the forward line here to hold some of the other forward line egos in check,” Wilson said.

Richard Cooke fights for the footy.

FULL FORWARD

Jarryd Allen (St Paul’s)

Wilson said Allen was “as tough as they come” and when he hit opponents, they stayed hit. “Great footballer and definitely could give Byron Pickett a run for the best shirt-front,” Wilson said.

Luke James (St Paul’s, Murrumbeena)

James’ accolades on a footy field have turned legend – and Wilson can recall just about all of them.

“I have seen him kick 17 in the last game to win the goal kicking award, I have seen him kick eight in a grand final, but probably my favourite thing from him was the best quarter of football I have seen from anyone,” he said.

“It was in a final for Beena and he kicked six goals, it was the best quarter I have seen by anyone.

“It was unbelievable, I have never seen anything like it, he was kicking them from everywhere and then we couldn’t get it to him, he might’ve only kicked one more.”

Luke James had to fight off more than one opponent during his six-goal first quarter.

Travis Ridgway (St Paul’s)

Wilson described Ridgway as “the most unique forward I saw”. “You would think he’s trapped and tackled but he was slippery and tricky – it was an honour kick him his 100th goal,” he added.

FOLLOWERS

Andy Gilbert (St Paul’s)

Wilson said he wanted his ruckman to be able to tap, compete at ground level, take a mark around the ground and hit the scoreboard. Gilbert was exactly that. “He was the complete ruckman,” Wilson said.

Peter Mercoulia (St Paul’s)

There’s the best and then there’s the favourite. “He was my favourite player to play with; very smart footballer, we were just on the same page every single game and he just made me look good, he’s an absolute genius,” Wilson said.

Adam McIntyre (St Paul’s)

When asked what McIntyre’s best weapon was, Wilson’s answer was simple: “Banter!” Wilson quipped. “He, like Brad (Gilder), always knew where it was and where it was going,” he added.

Liam Wilson said few were as good on the lip as Adam McIntyre.

INTERCHANGE

Sam Michael (Murrumbeena)

Michael won a league best and fairest under Wilson last year, steaming home with an untouchable second half. “I think in the back half of the season he was averaging 35 touches a game, it was probably the most consistent season I have seen from a player at Murrumbeena,” Wilson said.

Brad Gilder (St Paul’s)

Wilson’s description of Gilder paints the picture of the perfect player. “A hard nut, everybody loved him, the crowd loved him, got 30 plus every game, knew were the goals were and just a bloke you wanted by your side,” Wilson said.

Jordan Pollard (Murrumbeena, vice-captain)

Pollard is another one who sprung into the side from one season under Wilson. “He’s probably the most professional local footy player I have met, he just did everything right, he’s a really good leader who everyone respects,” Wilson said.

Steve Toolongs (Murrumbeena)

This side wouldn’t have been complete without the ‘Beena cult figure Steve Toolongs. “I have seen Stevie take on about three or four defenders most weeks and somehow came on top, he had to put up with a lot in Divvy 3 but somehow he kept kicking goals,” Wilson said.

Matt Kreymborg (St Paul’s)

Kreymborg rarely played with Wilson but when he did return, he didn’t disappoint. “I didn’t play a whole lot with him because he was at VFL when I was there but he left an everlasting impression of how good he was,” Wilson said.

Michael Kinsella celebrates a goal.

Michael Kinsella (Murrumbeena)

Kinsella and Wilson have “done everything together” at Murrumbeena. “We’ve coached, played and lost a lot of flags together – a team without him wouldn’t be my team,” Wilson said.

Sean Millane (St Paul’s)

Millane helped Wilson along in the early days. “He was my first coach at Doggies and someone I looked up to as a player, he did everything for his teammates,” Wilson said.