IF only we could get the best players onto the park at interleague time.
But that’s only wishful thinking because there are clubs and players who simply don’t give a stuff about representative games.
Whether it’s the fact that players don’t get paid, can’t be bothered or are more focussed on the possibility of a club premiership is irrelevant.
The clubs don’t want to risk their financial investment in players and some players, for whatever reason, don’t want to play in a game that means nothing other than league glory in the end.
However it’s still a game and games are supposed to be fun to play, aren’t they?
Last weekend’s interleague match was great to watch if you were a MPNFL follower, and the players who did commit themselves will take away great memories and, hopefully, lifelong friendships.
Unfortunately the WGLFL side was so inferior that it was never a contest for the slick and fast Sharks.
That said, I still reckon that the MPNFL side selected was far from the best compared to the side that could have represented the league.
In fact I think a composite side from the Casey Cardinia League (excluding those that played last weekend) would give the Sharks a much better contest than the sad and sorry Gippslanders did.
What about challenging the 2009 Sharks with this line-up:
Backs: Jarrod Anderson (Narre Warren), Nathan Brown (Pakenham), Ryan Simpson (Hampton Park).
Half-backs: Jason Heath (Berwick), William Gayfer (Keysborough), Ricky Hayes (Doveton).
Centres: Greg Tivendale (ROC), Beau Miller (Tooradin), Andrew Tuck (Berwick).
Half-forwards: Andrew Williams (Beaconsfield), Marc Holt (Cranbourne), Aaron Henneman (Devon Meadows).
Forwards: Justin Hill (Doveton), Danny Casset (Doveton), Chad Liddell (Tooradin).
Ruck: Russell Gabriel (Doveton).
Ruck-rover: Dan O’Loughlin (Pakenham).
Rover: Robbie Taylor C (Beaconsfield).
Interchange: Matthew Shorey (Hampton Park), Steve Arvanitis (Tooradin), Tyson King (Keysborough), Matt Fletcher (Cranbourne), Joel Gibson (Beaconsfield), Josh Taylor (Hampton Park).
Coach: Doug Koop (Cranbourne).
I reckon we would go okay, but then again – I’m biased, aren’t I?
