The Bairnsdale Advertiser Team of the Year has a distinctive new look with nine debutants in the 22-man squad.
Selected annually, the Advertiser scribes pick a team based on sustained individual performance across the entire season, but with the intention of forming the best team.
It is not a list of the best 22 players. There are a number of criteria.
The team is selected on matches played, goals scored, club best and fairest counts, league counts, leadership, flexibility and big game impact.
Among the debutants are the competition’s best player, Kel Porter, the leading goal kicker, Jack Betts, and new additions to the competition in 2024, Andrew Nelson, Brett Waddell and Tom Hudson.
Young guns Peter Harrison, Max Welsh, Charlie Mein and Nate Somerville have all been selected for the first time.
Nelson has been selected at full back and has become the leading intercept mark in the competition. He is flanked by Billy Marshall who collects his first selection as a defender, after being selected several seasons ago as an onballer.
The versatile Somerville is picked in the other back pocket, where he has shown in recent seasons an ability to play tall or short effectively.
The smooth moving and long kicking Welsh is a must at half back. He is beside the strong marking and versatile Norm Betts and experienced campaigner Jesse Glassborow, who earns his second selection.
Across the middle and through the centre is a plethora of talent, led by Boisdale Briagolong big man Matt Wilkinson, who would create plenty of opportunities for the star studded combination of Porter, league best and fairest winner, Lachie Channing, four-time Lucknow best and fairest Joel McNamara, Brett Waddell and the long-kicking Jack Bacon.
Orbost Snowy Rovers skipper Hamish Nettleton becomes the second most capped player, selected for the eighth occasion, now trailing just Luke Dyer who has been selected 10 times. He lines up at centre half forward, flanked by two slick goalkickers in Harrison and Tom Jolly.
Closer to goal are Jim Reeves, who continues to play at full forward despite being built more like a forward pocket. He is sypported by crumbing forward Harry Kellow and Tom Hudson who impressed up forward for Lakes Entrance with 41 goals from 13 matches.
The interchange is selected to be part of the rotation. Wy Yung big man Brad Daniel gives Wilkinson a chop out in the ruck, Mein goes through the middle, with Jackson Smith and Jack Betts part of the forward structure when Jolly, Kellow and Harrison rotate through the middle. Smith can also be used for bursts at stoppages.
Players on the cusp of selection who have just missed out include Orbost Snowy’s Gus Rogers, Paynesville’s Alex McLaren, Wy Yung’s Jock Overend, Lucknow’s Jessie Pescod and John Gooch, Stratford pair Alex Morcom and Jack Reitschel and Boisdale’s Nick Marshall.
