Team of the Decade 2010 to 2019 is announced

AFL North Coast today announced its second ever Team of the Decade, covering the years 2010 to 2019 and laden with stars of the local game.

The team comprises players from Port Macquarie Magpies, Nambucca Valley Lions, Coffs Harbour Swans, Coffs Harbour Breakers, Sawtell Toormina Saints, and the Grafton Tigers. The key criteria to be eligible for selection was that the player must have played a minimum of three seasons in the AFL North Coast Senior Grade.

Collectively the selected players have won 48 AFL North Coast Senior Premierships, nine League Best and Fairest Medals, and six Woodlock Medal for best on ground in the Grand Final in the past decade alone.

The team includes:

• Dual premiership heroes from the Grafton Tigers in Will Darby, Dan Zacek, Evan Duryea, and Lee Anderson
• Port Macquarie’s 2013 Premiership stars Craig Dicker, Rod Sonogan, and Jesse Schmidt
• Five time Premiership players from the Sawtell Toormina Saints in Matt Flynn, Luke Matthews, and Mark Couzens, together with four time Premiership winners Jim Angel and Danniel Johnson
• Dual Premiershp Coffs Harbour Breakers players Chris Frangos, Nick Stanlan-Velt, and Jacob Sincock
• Three time League Best & Fairest winners Jesse Schmidt and Mark Couzens, with Jesse winning all three of his in this decade
• Nathan Johnson, the only player to win flags with two clubs (Sawtell and Breakers)
• Brothers Evan and Fraser Duryea
• Five players who were also named in the previous Team of the Decade – Jim Angel, Mark Couzens, Luke Matthews, Jesse Schmidt, and Dan Zacek

Luke Stanford (Grafton) was named as Captain of Team of the Decade, with Luke Matthews (Sawtell) his deputy. Dual Premiership winning coach Jim Angel was appointed Coach of the team.

Luke Stanford said of his appointment as Captain “It’s an honour. There are lots of players with a good footy resume in the room and who have played at good clubs. To be named as leader of that team is a heck of an honour.”

Playing coach Jim Angel said “It’s very humbling. You see all these great footballers out there and you’d love to coach them. You could tell them what to do and just set and forget. It’s a nice reward.”

Full details are below:

Tune in tomorrow to see the announcement of the Female Pioneers.