The Gippsland Power and Murray Bushrangers joined the TAC Cup in its second season, 1993, and have named their greatest teams of the past two decades based on players’ performances at TAC Cup and AFL level.
Gippsland has proven a fertile breeding ground for Collingwood footballers in the Derek Hine era and it is little surprise that six of the 25 players selected in the Power’s All Star Team made their name in the black and white.
Scott Pendlebury, Dale Thomas, Leigh Brown, Jarryd Blair, Tyson Goldsack and Brent Macaffer were the six Magpies chosen, while Paul Hudson, who served as a Collingwood assistant coach between in 2009 and 2010, was named as coach.
Only one of the six (Leigh Brown) was not recruited to Collingwood directly out of the TAC Cup. Brown was originally recruited by Fremantle with selection five in the 1999 National Draft before moving to North Melbourne at the end of 2002 where he spent the next six seasons.
Pendlebury, Thomas and Goldsack were members of Gippsland’s 2005 premiership team. Thomas was named best afield in the victory for his four goals against the Dandenong Stingrays in a performance that helped pave his path to Collingwood who drafted him with the second selection in the November. National Draft.
Macaffer led the competition’s goal kicking in 2006 with 70 goals, while Blair tied for the 2008 Morrish Medal with Bushranger Farren Priest.
Former Magpies Damien Adkins and Tristan Francis were shortlisted for the wing and ruck-rover positions respectively.
At the other end of the state, the Murray Bushrangers have named their 20 Year Platinum Team.
Three past and current Collingwood players - Josh Fraser, Ben Reid and Steele Sidebottom - were selected in the Bushrangers’ ultimate side of the past 20-years.
Sidebottom was the star of the 2008 TAC Cup Grand Final when he sprung to prominence with 10 goals and 34 possessions from the midfield. He was later drafted to Collingwood with the 11th selection in the National Draft.
Leigh Brown, Dale Thomas, Scott Pendlebury, Tyson Goldsack, Brent Macaffer and Jarryd Blair - all products of Gippsland Power.
Fraser and Reid were also first round selections. Fraser, in particular, was burdened with more pressure than most when he was named as the first pick in the 1999 National Draft. The ruckman would play 200 games for Collingwood between 2000 and 2010 before seeking greener pastures with Gold Coast.
Josh Fraser, Ben Reid and Steele Sidebottom pictured at the beginning of their league careers.
Named at full back, Reid, like Fraser, represented Australia against Ireland at under-17 level and was drafted to Collingwood with the 10th choice in the 2006 National Draft.
Gippsland Power All Star Team
1993-2011
B: Troy Makepeace, Sean Dempster, Tyson Goldsack
HB: Robert Murphy, Leigh Brown, Dyson Heppell
C: David Wojcinski, Brendon Goddard, Dale Thomas
HF: Greg Tivendale, Mark Stevens, Jason Winderlich
F: John Butcher, Jarryd Roughead, Andrew McQualter
Foll: Nathan Vardy, Scott Pendlebury, Jarryd Blair
Int: Lachlan Hansen, Luke Ablett, Jason Gram, Brent Macaffer, Steve Hazleman, Xavier Ellis, Dylan McLaren
Coach: Paul Hudson
Murray Bushrangers 20 Year Platinum Team
1993-2011
B: Ben Matthews, Ben Reid, Ryan Houlihan
HB: Joel Smith, Jeff White, David Mundy
C: Steele Sidebottom, Brett Deledio, Adem Yze
HF: Steve Johnson, Barry Hall, Shannon Byrnes
F: Josh Fraser, Fraser Gehrig, Justin Koschitzke
Foll: Steven King, Daniel Cross, Tom Rockliff
Int: Robbie Campbell, David Teague, Rory Hilton, Hamish McIntosh, Alipate Carlile, Jarrod Harbrow
Coach: Kelly O'Donnell
Gippsland Power coach and former Collingwood assistant Paul Hudson.
