ON MAY 10, 2008, a Victoria team played a 'Dream Team' from other states and territories in a one-off clash to celebrate 150 years of Australian football.
To mark the 10th anniversary of this game, AFL.com.auhas picked Victoria and Dream Team line-ups for an imaginary decade-on rematch, selecting from current AFL players.
How they lined up 10 years ago
2018's clash would be a mouth-watering prospect, and 2008's was no different.
Lions spearhead Jonathan Brown captained the Vics in a high-octane forward line alongside Brendan Fevola.
Brown's side boasted four future Brownlow medallists.
Sam Mitchell and Adam Goodes lined up in the centre, while Chris Judd and Jimmy Bartel were on the ball.
Dual Norm Smith medallist Andrew McLeod skippered a Dream Team studded with stars including Matthew Richardson, Matthew Pavlich and a 21-year-old Lance Franklin at full-forward.
Victoria, 2008
B: Campbell Brown, Matthew Scarlett, Darren Milburn
HB: Heath Shaw, Trent Croad, Jarrad Waite
C: Brent Harvey, Sam Mitchell, Adam Goodes
HF: Ryan O'Keefe, Jonathan Brown, Robert Murphy
F: Steve Johnson, Brendan Fevola, Daniel Bradshaw
Foll: Troy Simmonds, Jimmy Bartel, Chris Judd
I/C (extended bench): Josh Fraser, Luke Power, Paul Chapman, James Kelly, Nathan Foley, Scott Pendlebury, Joel Selwood
Dream Team, 2008
B: Graham Johncock, Ben Rutten, Craig Bolton
HB: Andrew McLeod, Matthew Pavlich, Adam Cooney
C: Matthew Richardson, Daniel Kerr, Shaun Burgoyne
HF: Simon Goodwin, Cameron Mooney, Daniel Motlop
F: Brett Burton, Lance Franklin, Leon Davis
Foll: Dean Cox, Peter Burgoyne, Kane Cornes
I/C (extended bench): Nathan Bock, Jamie Charman, Joel Corey, Mathew Stokes, Brett Kirk, Corey Enright, Ryan Griffen
How it unfolded
2008's all-star sides delivered a shootout in front of 69,294 fans in full party mode at the MCG.
McLeod and Peter Burgoyne led the way as the Dream Team started best, swamping the Vics in an opening term marred by an ankle injury to Dream Teamer and West Coast jet Daniel Kerr.
But it was Goodes and Judd who turned the tide for the Vics after quarter time.
With the Brownlow winners calling the shots, electric forward Steve Johnson bagged two goals for the Vics, Brown kicked three and Fevola a match-winning six.
A young Franklin impressed with four goals for the Dream Teamers, playing on his Hawthorn teammate Trent Croad. You can watch the highlights above, and the final scores were:
Victoria 3.6 9.8 14.9 21.11 (137)
Dream Team 5.4 8.6 15.8 18.12 (120)
Fevola took out the Allen Aylett Medal for best afield and afterwards called the match the highlight of his career.
Remarkably, seven players from the match are still active: Franklin, Shaun Burgoyne, Ryan Griffen, Heath Shaw, Jarrad Waite, Scott Pendlebury and Joel Selwood.
How we picked the 2018 sides
As our 10-years-on all-star match is this weekend, players have been selected based on their 2018 form and fitness.
If the player is unavailable this weekend, he cannot be selected. We have, however, included those who are a chance of playing despite an injury cloud.
The state of origin criteria is as follows:
A state could only claim ownership of a player if he had played his junior football (U15-U18) in that state. The player's birthplace was considered irrelevant. Overseas players were aligned to the 'Dream Team'.
Our 2018 Victoria team
B: Tom Stewart, Robbie Tarrant, Michael Hibberd
HB: James Sicily, Michael Hurley, Kade Simpson
C: Jackson Macrae, Trent Cotchin, Andrew Gaff
HF: Steele Sidebottom, Jeremy Cameron, Shaun Higgins
F: Charlie Curnow, Patrick Dangerfield, Robbie Gray
Foll: Max Gawn, Dustin Martin, Clayton Oliver
I/C: Adam Treloar, Joel Selwood, Ollie Wines, Marcus Bontempelli
Unlucky: Daniel Talia, Scott Pendlebury, Kane Lambert, Dylan Shiel
The selection committee says:
As selectors we didn't have too many key forwards to choose from – of the leading 10 goalkickers in the competition, only one (Jeremy Cameron) qualifies for the Victorian line-up. Injury and form hasn't helped the forward set-up with Eddie Betts and Joe Daniher struggling and Gold Coast's Tom Lynch out with a knee injury.
So we went a little left-field with our front six, plonking Brownlow medallist Patrick Dangerfield at full-forward and having Carlton youngster Charlie Curnow there as another marking option with Cameron.
The backline was a little more steady, and strong enough to keep Daniel Talia out of the selected side, while we are confident this Victorian midfield would get the job done against the Dream Team.
Dustin Martin combining with Ollie Wines, Clayton Oliver, Jackson Macrae, Steele Sidebottom and Andrew Gaff, under the tap work of Max Gawn, would be something to behold.
The bench is midfield dominated as well, but Marcus Bontempelli has been picked to provide some forward coverage – he can play as a taller option close to goal or a more versatile one. Kane Lambert is unlucky, as he has become a proven performer, but the star power of some other Victorian players won out.
- Callum Twomey (chairman), Mitch Cleary, Ben Guthrie
Our 2018 Dream Team
B: Rory Laird, Alex Rance, Elliot Yeo
HB: Shannon Hurn, Alex Pearce, Jeremy Howe
C: Bryce Gibbs, Tom Mitchell, Isaac Smith
HF: Charlie Cameron, Lance Franklin, Luke Breust
F: Jack Darling, Ben Brown, Mark LeCras
Foll: Brodie Grundy, Nat Fyfe, Stephen Coniglio
I/C: Lachie Neale, Patrick Cripps, Jesse Hogan, Jared Polec
Unlucky: Jack Riewoldt, Jeremy McGovern, Brad Sheppard, Tim Kelly
The selection committee says:
There were some difficult and contentious decisions to make when putting together this 22.
Fremantle defender Alex Pearce has been outstanding in his return from a long-term leg injury and gets in ahead of Jeremy McGovern. Lance Franklin has missed the past two games for Sydney, but he's a chance of taking on his old side Hawthorn on Friday night, so we've got him in.
Jack Riewoldt is on standby if Buddy is a late scratching. Dockers star Michael Walters was pencilled in, but since he's sidelined, West Coast goalsneak Mark LeCras comes in after a cracking start to the season.
The form of Brodie Grundy couldn't be ignored, getting the nod ahead of Aaron Sandilands, Jarrod Witts and Sam Jacobs. Last year's All Australian, Paddy Ryder, wasn't considered having played just two games due to an Achilles injury. Ben Brown can give Grundy a chop-out in the ruck.
The midfield is stacked with talent – Tom Mitchell, Nat Fyfe, Stephen Coniglio, Bryce Gibbs, Patrick Cripps and Lachie Neale. But there was no room for Brisbane's three-time best and fairest Dayne Zorko, who apart from last Sunday's massive game against Collingwood, has been quiet to start the season.
Underrated Eagles backman Brad Sheppard is extremely stiff and Tim Kelly's sensational debut season at Geelong almost earned the mature-age recruit a spot on the bench.
- Lee Gaskin (chairman), Adam Curley, Travis King, Michael Whiting.
