Australia’s local footy heroes who made the big time
IT’S a big deal for any town to lay claim to an AFL star. And one Australian town with just 813 residents has managed to produce eight of them, including some of the game’s greats. How do other footy towns stack up?
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TO LAY claim to a local footy hero who has made it to the big time is a source of great pride for a country town in Australia.
But there are those special rural cities and towns — some as small as a few hundred people — that have produced multiple AFL stars, from Brownlow medallists and club captains to top goalkickers and premiership heroes.
Like tiny sporting giants like Ungarie (NSW, population 557) and Northampton (WA, population 813) that have produced an AFL player for every hundred or so residents.
As Geelong and Essendon prepare for the third annual AFL Country Game this weekend, here’s a look at the country home towns of some of the game’s greats.
NORTHAMPTON
POPULATION: 813
Northampton is 52km north of Geraldton in Western Australia.
In 2015 its footballers nearly took out two of the AFL’s top prizes.
That year West Coast’s Josh Kennedy won the Coleman Medal for kicking the most goals in the home-and-away season (a feat he would match the following year), while Carlton’s Patrick Cripps finished second in the Rising Star Award.
Another Northampton product, Paul Hasleby, won the Rising Star Award in 2000, while Daniel Chick and Harry Taylor have won premierships with West Coast and Geelong.
Not a bad effort for the small town 466km north of Perth with a population just on 800.
LOCAL STARS
Paul Hasleby
208 games for Fremantle 2000-10
Josh Kennedy
212 games for Carlton and West Coast 2006-
Harry Taylor
231 games for Geelong 2008-
Daniel Chick
252 games for Hawthorn and West Coast 1996-2007
Patrick Cripps
67 games for Carlton 2014-
Andrew Lockyer
78 games for West Coast 1987-92
Jamie Cripps
127 games for St Kilda and West Coast 2011-
Liam Anthony
58 games for North Melbourne 2009-14
KANIVA
POPULATION: 803
THE small Victorian town in the state’s far west near the South Australian border has produced famous footballers the length of the country.
Roger Merrett was a two-time Essendon premiership player before joining the Brisbane Bears in 1988.
He was captain, leading goal kicker from 1993 to 1995, the Bears’ first life member and also briefly caretaker coach of the Brisbane Lions in 1998.
Glenn Hawker was also a member of Essendon’s 1984 and 1985 premierships, winning the club best-and-fairest in 1986.
Kaniva also boasts one of the most successful coaches in AFL-VFL history among its locals.
After a playing career at North Melbourne and Melbourne, Alastair Clarkson has coached more than 300 games at Hawthorn since 2005, including four AFL premierships.
He has also coached the Australian international rules side.
LOCAL STARS
Roger Merrett
313 games for Essendon and Brisbane 1978 -96
Glenn Hawker
227 games for Essendon and Carlton 1978-91
Alastair Clarkson
134 games for North Melbourne and Melbourne 1987-97
GEELONG
POPULATION: 278,929
BEING Victoria’s second biggest city and the only regional centre to field an AFL team, Geelong has produced some great champions over the years.
Even putting Gary Ablett Jnr aside, as he technically lived outside Geelong at Modewarre, there are plenty of football greats from Corio Bay.
Geelong not only produced Chas Brownlow, the man after whom the games’ most revered accolade is named, but also its inaugural winner, Edward “Carji” Greeves.
Although born in Warragul, Greeves moved to Geelong as a boy and attended Geelong College where he excelled at the game.
Billy Goggin was one of the game’s greatest rovers, with his ability to burn off opponents and is in the Australian Hall of Fame.
Cameron Ling, Matthew Scarlett and Jimmy Bartel demonstrate the bayside city’s ability to breed modern-day champions who remain fiercely loyal to their club.
LOCAL STARS
Chas Brownlow
Played for Geelong 1880-91
Edward Carji Greeves
124 games for Geelong 1923-31 and 1933
Billy Goggin
248 games for Geelong 1958-71
Sam Newman
300 games for Geelong 1964-80
Cameron Ling
256 games for Geelong 2000-11
Matthew Scarlett
284 games for Geelong 1998-2012
Jimmy Bartel
305 games for Geelong 2002-16
COBDEN
POPULATION: 1839
THIS dairy town 200km southwest of Melbourne punches well above its weight when it comes to producing AFL stars.
Thorold Merrett won back-to-back Collingwood best-and-fairests in 1958-59, premierships in 1953 and 1958, and played for Victoria seven times.
The Magpies’ Hall of Famer is the great-uncle of current Essendon players Zach and Jackson Merrett, who also grew up at Cobden, as did North Melbourne’s Ben Cunnington and Sydney’s Gary Rohan.
John Rantall grew up in nearby Scotts Creek and played with Cobden before going on to play 336 games for South Melbourne, North Melbourne and Fitzroy.
Geelong 1963 premiership players and twin brothers Alistair and Stewart Lord joined Cobden as teenagers from Geelong College before being selected by Geelong.
Alistair won the 1962 Brownlow Medal
LOCAL STARS
Thorold Merrett
180 games for Collingwood 1950-60
Alistair Lord
122 games for Geelong 1959-66
Stewart Lord
74 games for Geelong 1960-64
John Rantall
336 games for South Melbourne, North Melbourne and Fitzroy 1963-80
Ben Cunnington
173 games for North Melbourne 2010-
Gary Rohan
101 games for Sydney 2010-
Zach Merrett
89 games for Essendon 2014-
Jackson Merrett
56 games for Essendon 2012-
WARRNAMBOOL
POPULATION: 33,655
SOUTHWEST Victoria has produced its fair share of AFL champions, and the city of Warrnambool is no exception.
Michael Turner followed in his father Leo’s footsteps by heading to Geelong. Michael was captain and a member of the Cats’ Team of the Century, and has developed several generations of players as Geelong Falcons talent manager in the state under-18 competition.
Wayne Schwass was a North Melbourne best-and-fairest and premiership player, as well as a Sydney best-and-fairest winner. In recent years he has raised awareness about mental health, speaking publicly about his own battles.
Jonathan Brown was part of Brisbane’s three-peat of premierships in 2001, 2002 and 2003, and won almost every other football accolade, including All-Australian selection and a Coleman Medal. After retiring, he has also coached his old league, Hampden, at interleague level.
Jordan Lewis was also part of a three-peat, at Hawthorn from 2013, 2014 and 2015, and also played in the 2008 Hawks premiership.
LOCAL STARS
Michael Turner
245 games for Geelong 1974-88
Wayne Schwass
282 games for North Melbourne and Sydney 1988-02
Jonathan Brown
256 games for Brisbane 2000-14
Brent Moloney
166 games for Geelong, Melbourne and Brisbane 2003-14
Jordan Lewis
290 games for Hawthorn and Melbourne 2005-
MILDURA
POPULATION: 32,738
This Murray River town in Victoria’s northeast is a long way from Melbourne but many AFL greats called Mildura home.
Dale “Flea” Weightman and Mark “The General” Lee played in Richmond’s 1980 premiership, were captains of the club, and Weightman is in its Team of the Century.
Matthew Knights, a Richmond best-and-fairest winner and captain, was also a Team of the Century member, and coached Essendon from 2008 to 2010.
Chris Tarrant grew up in both Mildura and Bendigo, and his brother, Robbie, also made it to the big time.
LOCAL STARS
Mark Lee
233 games for Richmond 1977-91
Dale Weightman
274 games for Richmond 1978-93
Matthew Knights
279 games for Richmond 1988-2002
Chris Tarrant
268 games for Collingwood and Fremantle 1998-2012
Robbie Tarrant
112 games for North Melbourne 2010
MARYBOROUGH
POPULATION: 7921
Maryborough is 58km north of Ballarat in Victoria. As well as producing one of Australia’s best-known basketballers in Matthew Dellavedova, the Goldfields town also has an illustrious lineage in the AFL-VFL.
None is more famous than John Nicholls, an AFL Legend and one of the best ruckman the game has ever seen.
Nicholls led Carlton to two premierships as captain, and a third as captain-coach in 1972. He coached Carlton from 1972 to 1975.
Ron Branton won consecutive Richmond best-and-fairests from 1960 to 1962 and was also captain in that period.
The 2003 National Draft sent two Maryborough players, Troy Chaplin and Jed Adcock, in different directions, one to Port Adelaide and the other to Brisbane.
Both would play more than 200 games, with Adcock co-captain with Jonathan Brown in 2013 and the following year on his own. Chaplin is now on Melbourne’s coaching panel, while Adcock is on Brisbane’s.
Crameri, who has been a leading goal-kicker at both Essendon and Western Bulldogs, is now
at Geelong.
LOCAL STARS
John Nicholls
328 games for Carlton 1957-74
Ron Branton
170 games for Richmond 1953-62
Jed Adcock
213 games for Brisbane Lions and Western Bulldogs 2004-16
Troy Chaplin
215 games for Port Adelaide and Richmond 2004-16
Stewart Crameri
101 games for Essendon, Western Bulldogs and Geelong 2010
WAGGA WAGGA
POPULATION: 62,385
AFL might be known as the southern code, but the NSW regional city of Wagga Wagga has produced some of the game’s best.
Wayne Carey is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, and certainly one of the best forwards. A two-time premiership winner with North Melbourne, the former captain and best-and-fairest winner remains the Kangaroos’ greatest goal kicker.
Paul Kelly was appointed Sydney captain just three years after his debut, won the 1995 Brownlow Medal and the following year led the Swans to their first grand final appearance since 1945.
Brothers Bill and Jack Mohr were recruited from Wagga Wagga by St Kilda, with Bill going on to become one of the greatest full forwards of the game. He kicked 735 goals, the second highest tally for St Kilda behind Tony Lockett. He was St Kilda’s leading goal kicker every year from 1929 to 1940, and was captain in 1937.
Cameron Mooney played in three premierships, one with North Melbourne and two with Geelong.
LOCAL STARS
Wayne Carey
272 games for North Melbourne and Adelaide 1989-2004
Paul Hawke
114 games for Sydney and Collingwood 1984-91
Paul Kelly
234 games for Sydney 1990-2002
Bill Mohr
195 games for St Kilda 1929-41
Cameron Mooney
221 games for North Melbourne and Geelong 1999-2011
UNGARIE
POPULATION: 557
UNGARIE, a tiny town 500km west of Sydney, is synonymous with one of the most famous AFL-VFL families — and there is now a “Big Sherrin” in town to officially acknowledge that fact.
Four Daniher brothers — Anthony, Chris, Neale and Terry — played 752 AFL-VFL games between them.
Two were premiership players with Essendon, two were captains (Terry captained two premierships, while Neale never led the team out due to injury) and two were best-and-fairest winners.
After retiring, Neale would also coach Melbourne for a decade, including a losing 2000 grand final. He also became a force for fundraising to find a cure for motor neurone disease, which he was diagnosed with in 2013.
Ben Fixter, who also hailed from Ungarie, played for Sydney and Brisbane.
LOCAL STARS
Anthony Daniher
233 games for South Melbourne, Sydney and Essendon 1981-94
Chris Daniher
124 games for Essendon 1987-97
Neale Daniher
82 games for Essendon 1979-90
Terry Daniher
313 games for South Melbourne, Sydney and Essendon 1976-92
Ben Fixter
54 games for Sydney and Brisbane 2000-07
BALLARAT
POPULATION: 157,485
AUSTRALIAN RULES’ greatest goal kicker Tony “Plugger” Lockett was reluctant to leave his beloved Ballarat in Victoria when recruited by St Kilda in 1983
He continued to live at home for some time, driving to Moorabbin twice a week for training. Lockett kicked a whopping 1360 goals, elevating him to legend status in the AFL Hall of Fame.
Percy Beames was not only a great footballer but a handy cricketer as well, scoring three centuries for Victoria.
He became a highly respected football and cricket writer and is a Hall of Fame member.
John Birt was a determined rover for the Bombers, winning the club’s best-and-fairest three times and playing 11 times for Victoria.
Mick Malthouse not only had a successful playing career he went on to become one of the game’s greatest coaches, with a record 718 senior AFL-VFL games under his belt.
LOCAL STARS
Mick Malthouse
173 games for St Kilda and Richmond 1972-83
Percy Beames
213 games for Melbourne 1931-44
John Birt
194 games for Essendon 1957-67
Tony Lockett
281 games for St Kilda and Sydney 1983-2001
LEONGATHA
POPULATION: 5741
THE South Gippsland dairy town is home to less than 6000 people, yet can boast of producing not one, but three AFL-VFL captains.
Hawthorn’s Jarryd Roughead has played more than 250 AFL games, including four premierships with the Hawks, while Essendon’s Dyson Heppell won the 2011 Rising Star award. Both became captains last year, and both have been All-Australian selections.
Another Leongatha export was Steve Wallis, a three-time Victorian representative, who captained Footscray in 1989.
LOCAL STARS
Stephen Wallis
261 games for Footscray 1983-96
Jarryd Roughead
261 games for Hawthorn 2005-
Dyson Heppell
137 games for Essendon 2011-
KYABRAM
POPULATION: 7331
Kyabram is 200km north of Melbourne.
Ross Dillon and Dick Clay debuted in the VFL after both playing in Kyabram’s grand final loss the previous year (AFL legend Tom Hafey, coincidently, coached the premier, Shepparton, before being appointed Tigers coach).
Clay was at the centre of a recruiting tussle between North Melbourne and Richmond. He eventually joined Richmond and played 213 games, including four premierships.
Dillon — Melbourne’s leading goal kicker in 1969 and 1970 — is remembered for sitting with and explaining Australian rules to the Queen and Prince Phillip at a 1970 Richmond-Fitzroy game.
Garry Lyon was a key forward for Melbourne whose accolades included goal kicking, club best-and-fairest awards and a seven-year tenure as captain before carving out a media career.
Brett Deledio was the No. 1 draft pick of 2004 and
went on to become a two-time all-Australian and Richmond best-and-fairest winner.
LOCAL STARS
Richard “Dick” Clay
213 games for Richmond 1966-76
Ross Dillon
85 games for Melbourne 1966-72
Shane Fitzsimmons
63 games for Melbourne 1973-79
Garry Lyon
226 games for Melbourne 1986-99
Brett Deledio
256 games for Richmond and GWS Giants 2005-
Kayne Pettifer
113 games for Richmond 2001-09
CAMPERDOWN
POPULATION: 3369
Camperdown is 190km west of Melbourne.
IN BETWEEN his AFL playing career (which included a Geelong best-and-fairest) and eventually taking over as Port Adelaide coach in 2013, Ken Hinkley went home and coached Camperdown to two premierships.
His first coaching job was actually with Mortlake, and he also coached Bell Park to Geelong league flags.
Scott Lucas grew up on a dairy farm at Camperdown, debuted on Anzac Day 1996 and went on to kick 471 goals, win two club best-and-fairests and the 2000 premiership.
Easton Wood stepped into the Bulldogs’ captaincy role in 2016 after Bob Murphy became injured, and subsequently led the Dogs to their first premiership since 1954.
Camperdown was his
junior football club, but he actually lived in Gnotuk, about 8km away.
LOCAL STARS
Ken Hinkley
132 games with Fitzroy and Geelong 1987-95
Scott Lucas
270 games with Essendon 1996-2009
Easton Wood
131 games for Western Bulldogs 2009-
BENDIGO
POPULATION: 153,092
IF UNGARIE has the Daniher brothers then central Victorian city Bendigo’s equivalent is the Selwoods: Joel, Adam, Troy and Scott, all with their own highly successful AFL careers having made their start with either Sandhurst or Bendigo Pioneers.
Joel Selwood is the current captain of Geelong.
Bendigo was Carlton’s zone from 1968 to 1984 and uncovered many great players such as Geoff Southby and Greg “Diesel” Williams, who are both in the AFL Hall of Fame.
Southby is regarded as one of the greatest full backs of all time, with a safe mark and long kick. Williams won two Brownlow medals and starred in the Blues’ 1995 premiership, winning the Norm Smith Medal.
Fred Swift, a renowned full back also known for his long kicks, led the Tigers to their 1967 premiership as captain.
Michael Sexton was a no fuss defender recruited from Sandhurst and won all-Australian selection in 1996 and 1997, while Nick Dal Santo was another Bendigo Pioneers alumni and three time all-Australian selection.
LOCAL STARS
Greg Williams
250 games with Geelong, Sydney and Carlton 1984-97
Geoff Southby
268 games for Carlton 1971-84
Fred Swift
146 games for Richmond 1958-67
Michael Sexton
200 games for Carlton 1990-2000
The Selwood brothers
Played for Geelong, West Coast Eagles and Brisbane Lions from 2003
Nick Dal Santo
322 games for St Kilda and North Melbourne 2002-16
ALBURY
POPULATION: 51,076
IN the 1930s, Albury on the border of Victoria and NSW was the Brownlow town.
Haydn Bunton Snr won three Brownlow Medals, including two in his first two years in 1931 and 1932, and three Sandover Medals (WAFL best-and-fairest).
The year after Bunton won his third Brownlow in 1935, another Albury product, Denis “Dinny” Ryan, won the prestigious award. Ryan never made it back to the VFL after WWII, when he was injured at Tobruk.
Both Don Ross and Ross Henshaw arrived at the VFL from North Albury Football Club. Ross played in Footscray’s 1954 premiership, while Henshaw won two with North Melbourne in 1975 and 1977.
Brett Kirk played in Sydney’s 2005 premiership, was a captain of the club and won two best-and-fairests.
Daniel Cross, Western Bulldogs’ best-and-fairest in 2008, returned to his former junior club, Albury, after retiring from AFL. He balances playing with Albury, with whom he won a Ovens and Murray flag in 2016, with his commitments at Melbourne where he is development and rehabilitation coach.
LOCAL STARS
Haydn Bunton Snr
119 games for Fitzroy 1931-42
Daniel Cross
249 games for Western Bulldogs and Melbourne 2002-15
Brett Kirk
241 games for Sydney 1999-2010
Denis Ryan
70 games for Fitzroy from 1935-39
Ross Henshaw
167 games for North Melbourne 1971-83
Don Ross
129 games for Footscray 1952-58
DROUIN
POPULATION: 11,887
West Gippsland town Drouin is 90km east of Melbourne and home-town hero Gary Ablett Snr regularly tops lists of the greatest player of all time.
His older brothers Geoff and Kevin were already on Hawthorn’s list when Ablett joined the Hawks.
He arrived at Geelong from Myrtleford after retreating there after debuting with Hawthorn in 1982.
Ablett kicked 1030 goals during his career, won a Norm Smith Medal in a losing grand final, was named in the AFL Team of the Century, and was all-Australian seven times.
It’s perhaps unsurprising Drouin’s other famous football player, Dale Thomas, grew up idolising Ablett.
Thomas played in Collingwood’s 2010 premiership and was an all-Australian selection in 2011.
LOCAL STARS
Gary Ablett Snr
248 games for Hawthorn and Geelong 1982-96
Dale Thomas
226 games for Collingwood and Carlton 2006-
DIMBOOLA
POPULATION: 1730
ONCE upon a time Merv Neagle and Tim Watson shared a paper round in Dimboola, 334km north-west of Melbourne.
That was one of the revelations from Watson after Neagle’s sudden death in a truck crash in 2012.
Both players debuted in 1977, when Watson was just 15 years old.
Neagle finished second in the 1980 Brownlow Medal and won the 1984 Essendon premiership with Watson.
Watson was also in the 1985 and 1993 Bomber premiership teams, captained the team for three years and won four club best-and-fairests,
while Neagle coached in multiple country and community clubs after retiring, Watson briefly coached St Kilda and now works in the media.
Both Watson and Neagle had sons who would go on to play for Essendon.
LOCAL STARS
Merv Neagle
203 games for Essendon and Sydney 1977-90
Tim Watson
307 games with Essendon 1977-94
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