What do you think of his choices so far? Today Grey names his RUCKS.

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IT’S the great unanswered question in the long history of the AFL — what would a Northern Territory side look like if it was a fully-fledged team playing premiership matches every week?

Many theories have been put forward on the ‘whys’ and ‘why nots’ of a Darwin-based Territory AFL side, most of them surrounding the infrastructure and long-term viability of a team from Australia’s far north.

1. The full back line: The NT’s ‘greatest’ AFL side

2. The half back line: The NT’s ‘greatest’ AFL side

3. The centres: The NT’s ‘greatest’ AFL side

4. The half forwards: The NT’s ‘ultimate’ AFL side

But what really matters to the average punter is the 18 players on the field and four interchange players waiting for their chance to wear the ochre, white and black jumper against AFL heavyweights like Collingwood, Essendon, Richmond and West Coast.

I have chosen Territory players from 38 years of AFL representation through several clubs and placed them in a 22-strong side I believe would have competed on a level playing field with any of the elite in this country.

This is not intended to be a best-of-side, even though there are several superstars in the starting XVIII who made their name with rival clubs.

What I have looked for is balance, experience and the all-important ‘X’ factor Territory footballers have always delivered on Australia’s greatest sporting stage.

— GREY MORRIS

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RUCK

Darryl White (Brisbane)

Position: First Ruck

Games: 268

Honours: 3-time Brisbane premiership player, Indigenous Team of the Century

DARRYL White, the reluctant Alice Springs recruit who once told Brisbane coach Robert Walls to “give us a ring in a couple of weeks’’ when he turned up at the Gabba in 1991, is the man trusted with leading the Territory’s ruck division.

Capable of leaping over packs and taking pack marks right around the ground with his Inspector Gadget arms, the man they call ‘DJ’ has an important role to play in the Buffaloes’ first attempt at the big time.

With ball magnets Brandan Parfitt and Andrew Mcleod around him and the hands of Maurice Rioli to get the ball to, getting first use of the Sherrin is White’s No.1 priority.

I would rest White up forward where he can do some serious damage to the scoreboard, rather than rotate him through the interchange bench while Jared Brennan assumes ruck duties.

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Brandan Parfitt (Geelong)

Position: Follower

Games: 61

Another surprise selection but one Territory football will owe a lot to when his playing career at the top level winds down.

BRANDAN Parfitt is already in his fourth season at Geelong since the Cats made him their first pick and 26th overall at the 2016 national draft.

Parfitt’s defensive work and hard tackling when not in possession of the football is one of his main attributes, together with his ability to be where the football is when his team is in possession or the opposition has the ball in their hands.

Capable of winning the ball on the inside or receiving it and deleivering to teammates on the outside, Parfitt’s work around the ball will be an important ingredient in any Territory success.

Very quick off the mark with a vision that picks out teammates around him or further down the ground are other highlights of the Parfitt resume.

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Andrew McLeod (Adelaide)

Position: Rover

Games: 340

Honours: 2-time Adelaide premiership player, 1997 and ‘98 Norm Smith Medal, 5-time All-Australian, AFL and AFLNT Hall Of Fame, 3-time Adelaide B&F.

ANDREW McLeod’s No.23 jumper was a common sight in a 16-season career at Adelaide and Territorians would get a full diet of it in the familiar ochre, white and black NT jumper.

A lot has been said about McLeod’s ability to play anywhere on the ground and a roving commission would be his ideal position in a Territory side full of players with extreme leg speed and the ability to run and carry out of defence or through the midfield.

Capable of running down opposition speedsters and supplying his forward line players withplenty of the football, McLeod’s work with Maurice Rioli in the middle of the ground will be worth the admittance fee alone.

The player who won every individual award on offer, except the Brownlow Medal — and people still wonder how he did not win the 2001 version — will be one of several drawcards in a star-studded NT side.

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SO, that’s GREY MORRIS’ ultimate Territory AFL team’s RUCKS. What do you think of his picks?

DON’T forget to check back here on Friday when GREY selects his final team members, the INTERCHANGE bench. Who do you think will make the cut?

CLICK ON the image to see the full size graphic of the NT’s ‘ultimate’ AFL side so far as chosen by Grey Morris