Six past and present Sydney Swans footballers were on Thursday named in the greatest New South Wales team of all time, with Dennis Carroll, Paul Kelly, Brett Kirk, Leo Barry, Jarrad McVeigh and Kieren Jack all placed among the state's best.
Past and presents Swans David Murphy, Rick Quade, Bernard Toohey and Dane Rampe were named among nine emergencies in a nod to significant achievements of their own.
The team is littered with greats including Fitzroy and Australian Football Hall of Fame legend Haydn Bunton, North Melbourne champion Wayne Carey (who was named captain), Brownlow Medallists Shane Crawford, and St Kilda Hall of Famer Lenny Hayes.
Kelly and Essendon premiership skipper Terry Daniher were named as joint vice-captains.
Sydney coach John Longmire joined long-time NSW and former Kangaroos teammate Carey, Daniher and Saints goalkicking star Bill Mohr (who booted 735 goals from 195 games from 1929-41) in a powerful forward line.
Geelong forward Tom Hawkins and Hawthorn's three-time premiership duo Luke Breust and Isaac Smith were also named in the side.
Four-time premiership coach Allan Jeans - who took St Kilda to its only flag in 1966, and Hawthorn to flags in 1983, '86 and '89 - was named as the team's coach, along with former Melbourne coach Neale Daniher.
The project, conceived by the NSW Australian Football History Society and AFL NSW/ACT, was driven by former Sydney chairman Richard Colless, who hand-picked a panel of experts to help with the tough task of picking the final 22.
Respected journalist Mike Sheahan and 1988 Brownlow Medallist Gerard Healy acted as senior selectors, with footy historians and authors Ian Granland, Rod Gillett and Miles Wilks, AFL NSW/ACT boss Sam Graham and AFL commissioner Gabrielle Trainor the rest of the selection team.
NSW products have won seven Brownlow Medals, five Magarey Medals in the SANFL, and three Sandover Medals in the WAFL.
B: Chris Lethbridge (Sydney YMCA/Fitzroy), Leo Barry (Deniliquin/Sydney), Ross Henshaw (North Albury/North Melbourne)
HB: Jarryd McVeigh (Pennant Hills/Sydney), Gordon Strang (East Albury/Richmond), Dennis Carroll (Albury Tigers/Sydney)
C: Shane Crawford (Finley/Hawthorn), Lenny Hayes (Pennant Hills/St Kilda), Neil Davies (Central Broken Hill/Glenelg)
HF: Terry Daniher (Ungarie/Essendon), Wayne Carey (North Wagga/North Melbourne), Luke Breust (Temora/Hawthorn)
F: Paul Kelly (Wagga Tigers/Sydney), Bill Mohr (Wagga Tigers/St Kilda), John Longmire (Corowa-Rutherglen/North Melbourne)
R: Bruce McGregor (West Broken Hill/West Adelaide), Brett Kirk (North Albury/Sydney), Haydn Bunton (West Albury/Fitzroy)
I/C: Mark Maclure (East Sydney/Carlton), Isaac Smith (Wagga Tigers/Hawthorn), Kieren Jack (Pennant Hills/Sydney), Tom Hawkins (Finley/Geelong)
Emergencies: Dane Rampe (UNSW Bulldogs/Sydney Swans), Stan Lloyd (Newtown/St Kilda), David Murphy (Finley FC/Sydney Swans), Rick Quade (Ariah Park-Mirrool/Sydney Swans), Don Ross (North Albury/Footscray), Bernard Toohey (Barooga/Sydney Swans), Geoff Kingston (Wagga Tigers/West Torrens), Daniel Cross (Albury/Western Bulldogs), Perc Bushby (Narrandera/Essendon)
- The rules governing selection for NSW in State of Origin apply.
- If a player went to school interstate but their parents remained in NSW, they remain eligible (e.g. Shane Crawford and Neale Daniher).
- A player had to have played a minimum of 100 games in a senior league (VFL/AFL, SANFL, WAFL).
- Selection is based on quantitative and qualitative methodologies.
- Players must be placed in positions where they predominantly played throughout their careers.
