Tasmania’s top 20 AFL/VFL players in 50 years: 15-11

We continue to count down the top 20 AFL/VFL Tasmanian footballers to have played in the past 50 years. Today’s players include a journeyman, a high flyer and a fleet-footed onballer. SEE THE VIDEOS

Paul Williams breaks tackle of Adelaide’s Nathan Bassett at SCG in Sydney.

We continue to count down the top 20 AFL/VFL Tasmanian footballers to have played in the past 50 years. Today’s players, ranked 11-16, include a journeyman, a rugged half-back, a high flyer and a fleet-footed onballer.

Footballer Adrian Fletcher as a Docker.

15 Adrian Fletcher: Glenorchy, Geelong, St Kilda, Brisbane, Fremantle. 231 games, 97 goals. Fremantle best and fairest 1999.

One of the journeymen of modern AFL, Fletcher was drafted to Geelong in 1988 after he’d won the William Leitch Medal as the TFL’s best and fairest playing for Glenorchy. He was traded to St Kilda after 23 games. He went on to play for Brisbane, and ended his career at Fremantle. Fletcher was often criticised for his lack of speed but kept winning the ball and earned a reputation as a tough, hardworking midfielder who was a prolific handballer.

He finished high up in the best and fairest awards at Brisbane and Fremantle, winning the Dockers’ top award in 1999. He was co-captain of the club with Shaun McManus from 2000-01.

Fletcher is remembered for being the Fremantle player who kicked the ball to field umpire Peter Carey, when Carey famously took a chest mark in general play.

14 Rodney Eade: Glenorchy, Hawthorn, Brisbane. 259 games, 49 goals. Four-time premiership player for Hawthorn.

Recruited by Hawthorn in 1975, Eade was an 18-year-old schoolboy playing for Glenorchy when he went to the big league. Known as a fleet-footed wingman, Eade quickly established himself in the Hawks’ side and rode the success of the Hawks’ golden era, being part of four premiership teams.

Rod Ashman and Rodney Eade in 1982.

Towards the end of his career, Eade was recruited as an experienced player in the Brisbane Bears team. Injuries got the better of him and he managed 30 games across three seasons for Brisbane. Post-football, Eade etched out a successful coaching career, coaching the Bears and North Melbourne reserves teams to premierships before being appointed as senior coach at Sydney. He went on to coach the Bulldogs and Gold Coast in a 377-game coaching career.

13 Michael Roach: Longford, Richmond. 200 games, 607 goals. Premiership player for Richmond 1980. Coleman Medal 1980-81. All-Australian 1979. Richmond Hall of Fame.

Michael Roach kicks his 100th goal in 1980.

A high-flying forward from Longford where he made his debut in the seniors at age 16, Roach was recruited by Richmond in 1976. Many comparisons were made with champion Tiger Royce Hart — another Tasmanian forward at the other end of his career when Roach arrived at Punt Rd.

Roach was very mobile and agile for his 193cm, 92kg frame and became known for his prolific and accurate goalkicking and high marks.

He is often credited with the “mark of the century” in a game against Hawthorn.

Roach averaged 3.03 goals a game and topped the club’s goalkicking seven times in his 13 seasons with the Tigers. His best tally was 112 goals in 1980.

12 Barry Lawrence: Longford, St Kilda. 126 games, 80 goals. Club captain 1974-75.

St Kilda great Barry Lawrence could have been a Hawthorn player and in fact signed with the Hawks in 1967 before backing out of the deal and going on to play two more years in Tasmania before he finally had a crack at the big league.

Barry Lawrence in full flight for the Saints.

Lawrence hailed from Longford, where he had gained a reputation as a forward, and Saints fans hoped he’d be a ready replacement for Darrel Baldock who returned to Tasmania in 1969.

Unfortunately, Lawrence initially found the VFL hard to adjust to but eventually found his spot in the backline. He etched out a consistent career in the back pocket during an era dominated by high-scoring forwards. He played a blinder on Hawthorn full forward Peter Hudson in the 1971 Grand Final, won by the Hawks, and is famous for touching the ball when Hudson was attempting to break the goalkicking record. Lawrence was captain of the Saints in 1974-75 and named in St Kilda’s Team of the Century.

11 Paul Williams: North Hobart, Collingwood, Sydney. 306 games, 307 goals. Sydney premiership player 2005, All-Australian 2003. Tasmanian Team of the Century.

Williams was drafted by Collingwood at pick 70 in 1989 and the tough-tacking on-baller won a regular spot in a struggling Pies line-up during the 1990s. After 189 games with Collingwood, he was traded to the Sydney Swans for two draft picks at the end of the 2000 season.

Paul Williams breaks tackle against the Crows.

He immediately made an impact at the Swans, winning consecutive best and fairest medals in 2001 and 2002. In 2005 Williams won a premiership with the Swans in his 294th game. Williams was regarded as a skilful and explosive player who consistently hit the scoreboard.

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