BFNL DECADE THAT WAS SERIES:
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The 2019 season - Strathfieldsaye premiers
The 2018 season - Eaglehawk premiers
The 2017 season - Strathfieldsaye premiers
The 2016 season - Sandhurst premiers
The 2015 season - Strathfieldsaye premiers
The 2014 season - Strathfieldsaye premiers
The 2013 season - Golden Square premiers
The 2012 season - Golden Square premiers
The 2011 season - Golden Square premiers
The 2010 season - Golden Square premiers
AHEAD of the upcoming Hall of Fame function, the BFNL is naming its 2010-19 Team of the Decade, beginning with the defenders:
CLAYTON ANDERSON
(Golden Square)
Position - Back pocket
Flags - 3 (2011, 2012, 2013)
Inter-league games - 4 (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)
Best player votes - 102
Times in best - 34
Goals - 47
"Clayton was one of the heart and soul players of our group and what he was able to achieve after overcoming a serious neck injury to play in three flags was a real credit to him.
"He was the type of player who would always just bore in... he wasn't one to sit back and just get the easy kick. He knew that if he was to play a good game he'd have to be heavily involved.
"From a coaching perspective you knew when you'd give him a job he'd always lock down, particularly on those really dangerous small forwards, and he played some really good inter-league footy as well." - Mark Lloyd (former coach).
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TIM HILL
(Eaglehawk)
Position - Full back
Flags - 1 (2018)
Inter-league games - 4 (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
Best player votes - 241
Times in best - 66
Goals - 22
"Hilly's a fantastic defender... one of those players who knew when to intercept or to play tight and more often than not would take the big match-ups on the opposition's gun tall.
"But he could also play on mid-sized guys as well and was just a really good leader in the backline.
"He wasn't a big talker, he was more one to lead by his actions, but when he did speak everyone listened. He's certainly a player who had a lot of respect around the club." - Luke Monaghan (former coach).
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TIM WALSH
(Gisborne)
Position - Back pocket
Flags - 0
Inter-league games - 2 (2014, 2015)
Best player votes - 204
Times in best - 51
Goals - 13
"Tim came up from the under-18s in my first year as coach and I remember giving him a fair amount of responsibility in the backline straight away.
"He had so much talent and would always follow what I asked him to do and for him to go on and become one of not only one of the best defenders in the league, but still one of the top 10 players in the competition, is fantastic for not only him, but Gisborne as well.
"He played on guys a lot taller... his ability to keep his feet in a contest and beat any sized opponent was really strong. He was great at the ground, athletic in the air with a great set of hands and just a real competitor who hated being beaten." - Luke Saunders (former coach).
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KALLEN GEARY
(Strathfieldsaye)
Position - Half-back
Flags - 3 (2015, 2017, 2019)
Inter-league games - 1 (2017)
Nalder Medal - 2017
Best player votes - 248
Times in best - 59
Goals - 40
"Kal is the ultimate professional in the way he goes about his footy on and off the field and he's certainly one of the better players you'll see with his workrate and longevity given he's hardly been injured.
"He takes a good mark, is a strong runner, can defend, has played forward, back and mid and is pretty much the complete package.
"He's probably fairly stiff not to be playing AFL footy given he's won a couple of best and fairests with the Bendigo Pioneers.
"I think your stocks go up when you play well in big games and he's totally that guy given he's won a couple of best-on grand final medals... just a super player and a super person around the club." - Darryl Wilson (coach).
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MATTHEW THORNTON
(Sandhurst)
Position - Centre half-back
Flags - 1 (2016)
Inter-league games - 3 (2014, 2015, 2017)
Best player votes - 215
Times in best - 54
Goals - 208
"Matt offered tremendous flexibility. I thought early on his best football was at centre half-back, but then when he'd go forward he'd be very potent because he's such a tough match-up with his marking ability.
"He could also run through the middle of the ground in the ruck, so he also offered that further flexibility as well.
"He's been a very loyal player at Sandhurst over a long time and was a pleasure to coach at both club level and inter-league also." - Brett Fitzpatrick (former coach).
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JON COE
(Golden Square)
Position - Half-back
Flags - 1 (2013)
Inter-league games - 4 (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017)
Best player votes - 265
Times in best - 65
Goals - 15
"Jon came to us as a pretty skinny kid and we didn't know a lot about him; he was one of those unassuming types of players.
"We played him in the pre-season and after two or three practice matches we could see that he had some talent and he just kept getting better.
"He not only reads the play really well, but he's as hard as a cat's head as well with his attack on the footy at both ground level and in the air and that has earned him a lot of respect both within the club and around the league as well.
"Nothing much fazes Jon, he just gets the dob done with little fuss and when the heat's on, he tends to be there in the middle of it." - Nick Carter (former coach).
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The BFNL Hall of Fame will be held on Friday, November 1 at the All Seasons.
To purchase tickets to the Hall of Fame ceremony visit www.trybooking.com/BFYJS
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