At a gala function on Tuesday night Subiaco’s Team of the Century was announced. Although many of the top fancies were selected there were a few surprise selections that the current day footy fan would be excused for overlooking.
The team selected is as follows (with year of SFC debut in brackets)
Full backline
Dwayne Lamb (1980) Brian Sarre (1960) Lou Daily (1931)
Half backline
Laurie Kettlewell (1954) Brighton Diggins (1927) Billy Faul (1929)
Centreline
Snowy Hamilton (1923) Peter Featherby (1970) Dean Kemp (1989)
Half forwardline
George Young (1969) Phil Matson (1912) Gary Buckenara (1979)
Full forwardline
Alistair Pickett (2003) Austin Robertson (1962) Tom Outridge (1917)
Followers
Mike Fitzpatrick (1970) Haydn Bunton Snr (1938) Johnny Leonard (1922)
Interchange
Laurie Keene ( 1981) Fred Williams (1939) Drew Banfield (1992) Brett Heady (1988)
Captain Mike Fitzpatrick
Coach Haydn Bunton Jnr
Lion of the Century Johnny Leonard & Laurie Kettlewell
The criteria was to select the best team with the best players for each position. Provided a player started his career at Subiaco his subsequent achievements and his contribution to Australian football as a player was taken into consideration. A player’s career could start at another club, WA or interstate, provided he had a significant playing career at Subiaco.
For those players who started their career at another club, the overriding consideration would be their contribution as a player at Subiaco
Chairman of the Selection Committee, Club President Neil Randall, said “the selection of any Team of the Century will always create controversy, but we are satisfied that the selection research was comprehensive. While it is acknowledged that comparing players of different eras is very difficult, it has created considerable interest and vibe around the club”.
The selection panel included three experienced football personalities in Ken Casellas, Basil Fuller and Ted Wishart, who have all been watching WAFL football since WWII. The Committee was rounded off with two more recent followers of the game in The West’s sports writer John Townsend and Subiaco CEO, Jeff Lind.
People traveled from all over Australia to be at the announcement of the team. Mike Fitzpatrick and Austin Robertson traveled from the east coast as did the relatives of Billy Faul, Brighton Diggins and Snowy Hamilton. All living players were present and all nine deceased player were represented by a family member.
To celebrate the occasion the Club commissioned a mural to be painted depicting the 22 players and the coach as one team (created by Paul Scott). A touching highlight was the caption of Haydn Bunton Snr with his hand around the shoulder of the coach, his son Haydn Jnr.
Anyone wishing to view the mural can do so at the Club’s administration office at Medibank Stadium.
A competition was run to see who could select the nearest to correct team in postions. Incredibly, only one person correctly named 19 of the 22, Mr Rede Moulton, and for his efforts he won a Nikon Camera from Camerhouse Leederville.
The naming of the team of the century is part of the celebration of 100 years of football being played at Subiaco Oval. This Saturday Subiaco will play East Perth in a reenactment game that featured the same two clubs 100 years earlier.
The Subiaco Football Club wishes to thank the sponsors of this event, Phoenix Holden (naming rights sponsor), The West Australian newspaper and Fosters Australia.
