Country football: Team of the year selected

The 2022 season is done and dusted and The Weekly Times has picked its team of the year. See who was selected in the all-star line-up.

With every grand final played and won, The Weekly Times is marking the first full country footy season played since 2019 by picking a team of the year made up of players from all across the state.

Every team needs a coach and Leongatha’s Trent McMicking been chosen for the role after his team went on a barnstorming ride through 2022 to finish as premiers and champions in the Gippsland league for the first time.

Leongatha finished five games clear on top of the ladder, survived a scare in the second semi-final and beat Sale in the grand final by 22 points.

Leongatha’s winning streak extended to 28 with the undefeated march through the year.

His assistant is another Gippslander, Yinnar’s Daniel Taylor, who guided his club to the flag the hard way.

Yinnar had to win its last three matches just to qualify for finals and after scraping into sixth spot it played and won every week to eventually beat Newborough in the grand final.

THE WEEKLY TIMES TEAM OF THE YEAR

BACK

Yarrawonga’s Leigh Masters, left. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Sam Murray (Wang Rovers), Leigh Masters (Yarrawonga), Ben Hicks (Mooroopna)

HALF-BACK

St Mary’s Jack Blood Picture: Mark Wilson

Sale’s Jack Leslie against Maffra. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Echuca’s Andrew Walker, left. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Jack Blood (St Mary’s), Jack Leslie (Sale), Andrew Walker (Echuca)

CENTRE

Leongatha’s Tom Marriott. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Blake Mullane (Frankston YCW), Tom Marriott (Leongatha), Brett Bewley (Darley)

HALF-FORWARD

Jake Moorhead (Strathfieldsaye), Sam Dobson (Koroit), Kaine Stevens (Ouyen United)

FORWARD

Marong full-forward Brandyn Grenfell. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Sale’s Shannen Lange, left. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Leigh Williams (Yarrawonga), Brandyn Grenfell (Marong), Shannen Lange (Sale)

FOLLOWERS

Leopold’s Marcus Thompson Picture: Mark Wilson

Kieran Delahunty (Minyip-Murtoa), Marcus Thompson (Leopold), Brad Bernacki (Gisborne)

INTERCHANGE

Wangaratta’s Joe Richards celebrates a goal in grand final. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Jeremy Hausler (Koroit), Jack Walker (Melton), Joe Richards (Wangaratta), Ben Rigoni (Seymour)

EMERGENCIES

St Mary’s Harry Benson, right, after the grand final. Picture: Mark Wilson

Dan Jackson (Portland), Jydon Neagle (Balranald), Harry Benson (St Mary’s)

COACHES

Leongatha premiership coach Trent McMicking. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Coach: Trent McMicking (Leongatha). Assistant coach: Daniel Taylor (Yinnar)