The Diamond Club: Panel of judges select Great Northern Football League’s all-star team of last 60 years

A panel of footy experts have chosen a diamond anniversary team for the Great Northern Football League, and it’s a line-up for the ages. Radio commentator and former GNFL president Glenn Barndon, a quarter of the selection panel, said one of the biggest challenges was who made the side — an update of a 50th anniversary team issued a decade ago — and who didn’t. “It’s always up for discussion,” Barndon said. “People have their own club views and players they prefer. Some people are very unlucky not to be in the side. “It’d be nice to say ‘We’re perfect and we got it spot on’, but we probably haven’t. “We’re hoping we’ve got it close.” Grand final coach Dave Fiorenza, league historian Victor Tanti, and playing legend Bruce Gillingham formed the rest of the committee. One of the challenges was implementing a new rule stating players must have played at least 50 matches to qualify. Some greats, such as West Coast Eagle Chris Mainwaring, played too few matches to qualify, changing the make-up of the squad. There have been other changes in personnel reflecting stand-out performances in the past decade, and shifts in position for some players. Towns’ Rohan Fariss comes into the back line for Eric Parker. The ultra-dependable Fariss won the VT Clune Medal in 2015 and 2019 — he is the Bulldogs’ third-best this season so far, and was their best last season. Berend Timmerman, the 1971 JJ Clune medal winner, has shifted to centre-half-back. Peter Kupsch, with 112 best player awards for Valley, remains on one half-back flank with John Moore, who had 60 bests for Railways, eight of them in finals, on the other one. Liam Carlyon is another new addition, lining up on the right wing. Another one of Towns’ golden generation, he won the VT Clune in 2005 and then a hat-trick in 2011, 2012 and 2013, and split the votes in 2014. The legendary Kevin Mazzuchelli moves into the centre. Although Mainwaring was an all-time great, he did not meet the 50-game criteria, so Graham Taylor moves back from half-forward flank on to that wing. “Crummy”, as he was known, starred for Mullewa as both a coach and player. Bob Ryan comes into the half-forward line. Ryan scored 537 goals, 50 of them in finals. Towns coach Dale Baynes remains at centre-half-forward. He added to his all-time goal record this season, pulling the boots back on against Mullewa and kicking eight goals to take his career tally to 780. Warren Jones comes off the interchange bench on to the other half-forward flank. Jones has the the most best-player listings in history, with 167. Two of the league’s greatest Indigenous players, Darren Ryan Sr and Gus Mourish, are in the forward pockets. Mourish scored 389 career goals for Mullewa and Towns, 35 in finals. Ryan Sr was best player 108 times — 14 of them in finals. Steve Perham is in the middle at full-forward. He kicked 121 goals for Brigades in 1983, top-scored five times, and kicked eight goals in two grand finals, among many records. Owen Simkin keeps his position in the ruck. He has the second-most best-player awards in league history, with 158. Wayne Proudlove joins him, shifting from ruck-rover. He was best player 88 times. Murray Wrensted is rover while Alan Fairley moves to the interchange bench. A Railways star, Wrensted played for West Coast and Collingwood. Brigades great Warren Nannup and Charlie Comeagain I keep their interchange spots alongside Fairley. The Comeagain dynasty includes current Mullewa coach Charlie II. Maurie Drennan remains coach. Reflecting the use of assistant coaches in the past decade, Barry Kimberley joins him as assistant. The pair won a total of nine flags.