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Gisborne: Planned outages Tue-WedJames Hird picks the best V/AFL team of his era
SEN • October 13th, 2025 1:30 pm
Essendon champion James Hird has pulled together the best team of his era.
The Bombers great included players he watched as he was growing up in the VFL, but the team was mainly made up of those he played with and against in the AFL.
Check it out below:
Hird’s best V/AFL team
B: Dustin Fletcher (ESS) / Matthew Scarlett (GEE) / Gavin Wanganeen (ESS, PA)HB: Luke Hodge (HAW, BRI) / Stephen Silvagni (CAR) / Andrew McLeod (ADE)C: Gary Ablett Snr (HAW, GEE) / Greg Williams (GEE, SYD, CAR) / Peter Matera (WCE)HF: Dustin Martin (RIC) / Wayne Carey (NM, ADE) / Lance Franklin (HAW, SYD)F: Tony Lockett (STK, SYD) / Jason Dunstall (HAW) / Gary Ablett Jnr (GEE, GCS)FOL: Simon Madden (ESS) / Tim Watson (ESS) - VC / Michael Voss (BRI) - CI/C: Matthew Lloyd (ESS) / Nathan Buckley (BRI, COL) / Robert Harvey (STK) / Chris Judd (WCE, CAR) / Adam Goodes (SYD)
COACH: Kevin Sheedy (ESS, GWS)ASST. COACH: Terry Daniher (SM, ESS)
Hird explained the mindset behind his selection process on AFL Trade Radio.
Defence
“It’s always important to have three talls, one of which needs to be able to play on both tall and small.
“Then you want a couple of running players and really good disposal players that the opposition has to worry about. Then a really tough hybrid.
“You should always have one player sitting off the back of the stoppage. The great thing about having an Andrew McLeod type at half-back is the opposition aren’t going to roll one up to the stoppage or try to outnumber in different parts of the ground.
“You wouldn’t leave any of those players free across half-back.”
Wing/centre
“The wing and centre line was the toughest line to pick.
“I was torn between Peter Matera and Jason Akermanis. But I’ve gone for Matera who was already a superstar when I came into the competition and someone we spent hours trying to beat.
“Greg Williams was one of my favourite players. We had a massive rivalry with him and Carlton. Watching him first-hand, he and Sean Denham had some great blues. His ability with hand and feet was unbelievable.
“Gary Ablett Snr off the wing. People say he was the greatest to ever play the game. I played on him in 1993 and he kicked five goals on me in the space of 15 minutes as a forward.
“But I’m putting him on the wing. Sometimes you’ve got to put yourself out there.”
Forwards
“Buddy is on a flank, and on the other flank is Dustin Martin. The greatest player to ever play the game in Wayne Carey at centre half-forward.
“An amazing half-forward line.
“Tony Lockett in a pocket and Jason Dunstall at full-forward. Jason would lead up and Tony would slide back and take the square.
“Gary Ablett Jnr could be the best midfielder as well but I’m putting him there because of the midfielders I’m going to pick, he was a better forward.”
On-ballers
“The greatest ruckman that I saw was Simon Madden. His technique was sensational, he was a wonderful ruckman who kicked 700-odd goals as a forward.
“Tim Watson is my ruck-rover. I will cop criticism, but I was just in love with Tim Watson.
“The captain of this football team is Michael Voss as my rover. Off the field a great person, on the field he could give some of the best sprays of all time or a good backhander.”
Bench
“Chris Judd is unlucky not to be in the starting team. This is a great team and Judd would come on and provide plenty.
“Matthew Lloyd in 1999, 2000 and 2001 kicked 87 goals, 109 goals, 105 goals. He was the biggest superstar in the competition alongside Wayne Carey in that era.
“I don’t think his career gets the credit it deserves.”
Honourable mentions
“Ben Cousins is stiff, Anthony Koutoufides, Scott Pendlebury, Corey Enright - my bias towards Essendon means I can’t leave out my mate Gav (Wanganeen) - Chris Grant, Dean Cox, Max Gawn, Mark Ricciuto, Nick Riewoldt, Nat Fyfe, Patrick Cripps and Lachie Neale.”
