Kevin Sheedy made his name in the VFL with Richmond as a tough, rugged defender.
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That's why Sheedy was in his element this week as he sat down to choose his defenders in his team of the best footballers to come out of the Bendigo district.
After naming Carlton champion ruckman John Nicholls, Richmond superstar Dustin Martin, the great Ron Barassi and two-time Brownlow Medal winner Greg Williams as his centre square players last week, Sheedy found it difficult to narrow it down to six defenders this week.
"It's not until you do a project like this that you realise how many great footballers came out of the Bendigo district,'' Sheedy said.
"The backline was very difficult. There's some very unlucky players to miss out and I'm sure I'll get some feedback about my choices.
"I'm very happy with the six defenders picked. You've got more than 1000 games played between them, premierships and they played over a number of decades.
"It would be very difficult for teams to kick goals against this backline."
Sheedy's six defenders from the Bendigo district all progressed to AFL/VFL clubs from Bendigo-based BFL clubs.
BACK POCKET
RAY BYRNE
DOB: July 16, 1953
From: Golden Square
VFL clubs: Carlton, Collingwood, Geelong
VFL games: 219
Highlights: Victorian representative 1980
Collingwood runner-up best and fairest 1980
Carlton best first year player 1973
Sheedy says: "Ray was a close-checking backman who could also have a run in the midfield.
"I liked the flexibility that he had. He was a little bit like myself and Michael Malthouse. We played down back and went into the midfield.
"When I coached I liked to have defenders who could go into the midfield and use their defensive mechanisms. Ray had that.
"It was a flip of the coin between Ray Byrne and Des English. People will challenge me on that and that's fine, but I have no problems with Ray Byrne in the back pocket."
FULL-BACK
GEOFF SOUTHBY
DOB: October 27, 1950
From: Sandhurst
VFL club: Carlton
VFL games: 268
Highlights: Carlton premierships 1972, 1979
Carlton best and fairest 1971, 1972
All-Australian 1980
Carlton Team of the Century
Victorian representative 16 times
Sheedy says: "Southby played against some of the greatest forwards the game has ever seen and he rarely lowered his colours.
"Silvagni was named full-back in the AFL Team of the Century, but it's debatable that Southby should have got that spot.
"He was quiet and unassuming, but he was as good a defender as you'll ever see."
BACK POCKET
FRED SWIFT
DOB: July 6, 1938
Passed away: April 28, 1983
From: Sandhurst
VFL club: Richmond
VFL games: 146
Highlights: Richmond premiership captain 1967
Richmond captain 1967
Victoria representative 1961
Sheedy says: "Fred was one of the greatest players Richmond ever had.
"He was the best kick in football in his time. He could do a drop kick from the goal square to the centre of the MCG consistently.
"He captained Richmond's first premiership in 24 years. He was a genuine star."
HALF-BACK FLANK
PETER DEAN
DOB: March 9, 1965
From: South Bendigo
VFL/AFL club: Carlton
VFL/AFL games: 248
Highlights: Carlton premiership player 1987, 1995
Victorian representative 1986, 1995
Carlton Hall of Fame 1998
Sheedy says: "Paul Vander Haar was the greatest player I ever had, but you ask him, Terry Daniher or any of those Essendon forwards and they'll say that Peter Dean was one of the hardest opponents to play on.
"He doesn't have his name up in Lunar Park lights, but everyone knows how good a player Peter Dean was.
"He was very important to a couple of their premiership teams."
CENTRE HALF-BACK
MICHAEL SEXTON
DOB: March 5, 1971
From: Sandhurst
AFL club: Carlton
AFL games: 200
Highlights: Carlton premiership player 1995
Carlton Hall of Fame 2000
Sheedy says: "Michael was such a good defensive player.
"He had a long reach and read the play extremely well.
"Some people probably didn't realise how courageous he was. You talk to anyone at Carlton from that time and they'll tell you how great a team man he was."
HALF-BACK FLANK
LEIGH COLBERT
DOB: June 7, 1975
From: South Bendigo
AFL clubs: Geelong, North Melbourne
AFL games: 209
Highlights: Victorian representative 1996
Geelong captain 1999
AFL Rising Star nominee 1993
"Leigh was named captain of Geelong and when you're appointed captain of an AFL club it shows you of the highest standard as a payer and person.
"I know injuries didn't help his career, but he was a damn fine player for the Cats and North Melbourne when he got traded to them.
"He was fearless and tough."
.........................................
The next group of players in Sheedy's team will be announced next Friday.
The 24 players selected in Sheedy's team will be recognised at the Golden Mile Raceday on Saturday, March 28.
The Golden Mile Raceday is one of the feature sporting events of the year in Bendigo.
All AFL club members will receive complimentary admission to Golden Mile Raceday.
The Golden Mile Raceday is also a full reciprocal race meeting for members of Victorian country and metropolitan clubs.
The feature standalone race meeting has increased prizemoney to more than $1.1 million this year.
Free return buses from Ballarat, Benalla, Echuca, Stawell and Swan Hill will be on offer to the public.
Tickets for Golden Mile Raceday are already on sale at country.racing.com/bendigo
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