NSW/ACT 2012 State of Origin Team named
Of the 51 currently listed players in the AFL that began their careers in this region, these 22 have exhibited consistent excellence on the field throughout the 2012 season.
The players were chosen by AFL NSW/ACT General Manager Tom Harley and the AFL NSW/ACT Talent and Coaching Manager Darren Denneman, and will be awarded a commemorative guernsey to mark their selection.
In the 2012 Toyota AFL Grand Final, there were eight players participating who were originally from NSW/ACT, as well as two coaches – John Longmire and Henry Playfair.
Harley said the selection of this team marked an important moment for talent in NSW and the ACT.
“NSW/ACT has experienced its biggest ever year of AFL in 2012, culminating in a magnificent Premiership win by the Sydney Swans,” he said.
“It’s appropriate for us to recognise the achievements of the talented players that have come from NSW/ACT, and show them how proud we are that they have gone on to such impressive careers in the AFL.”
“These players are inspiration for the next generation of AFL players in this state, and I hope they are proud of how far NSW/ACT has come in its development as a football state.”
This year NSW/ACT experienced almost ten per cent growth in participation across the state including the greatest number of children participating in the Auskick program nationally, making it the most popular year of the sport to date.
The following players have been selected
- Jarrad McVeigh (Sydney Swans) – Pennant Hills Demons – CAPTAIN
- Lenny Hayes (St Kilda) – Pennant Hills Demons – VICE CAPTAIN
- Mark McVeigh (Essendon) – Pennant Hills Demons
- Lewis Roberts-Thomson (Sydney Swans) – North Shore Bombers
- Dylan Addison (Western Bulldogs) – St George Dragons
- Jacob Townsend (GWS GIANTS) – Leeton-Whitton Crows
- Phil Davis (GWS GIANTS) – Marist College Canberra
- Matt Suckling (Hawthorn Hawks) – Wagga Tigers
- Daniel Cross (Western Bulldogs) – Albury Tigers
- Isaac Smith (Hawthorn Hawks) – Wagga Tigers
- Craig Bird (Sydney Swans) – Nelson Bay Marlins
- Taylor Walker (Adelaide Crows) – Broken Hill North
- Ben McGlynn (Sydney Swans) – Wentworth Roos
- Adam Schneider (St Kilda) – Osborne Cats
- Tom Hawkins (Geelong Cats) – Finley Cats
- Luke Breust (Hawthorn Hawks) – Temora Roos
- Orren Stephenson (Geelong Cats) – Mangoplah-CUE Goannas
- Kieren Jack (Sydney Swans) – Pennant Hills Demons
- Justin Koschitzke (St Kilda) – Brocklesby-Burrumbuttock Saints
- Jason Tutt (Western Bulldogs) – Ainslie Football Club
- Tony Armstrong (Sydney Swans) – Brocklesby-Burrumbuttock Saints
- Tom Young (Collingwood) – Sydney University ANFC
Coach: John Longmire (North Melbourne) – Corowa/Rutherglen
JARRAD McVEIGH (Pennant Hills Demons)
McVeigh captained the Sydney Swans on Grand Final day and was a key member of the team, racking up 21 disposals, nine tackles and two goals against the Hawks. For the season, he averaged 24 disposals and finished fifth in the Swans’ best and fairest.
LENNY HAYES (Pennant Hills Demons)
Hayes returned to football in a big way after injury in 2011. He played 23 games, averaged 24 disposals and won his third Trevor Barker Medal as St Kilda’s best and fairest. At the end of the year he had heart surgery to correct a problem that he’d been playing in spite of.
MARK McVEIGH (Pennant Hills Demons)
McVeigh’s AFL career, spanning 14 seasons, came to an end in 2012. Over the journey he played 232 games for Essendon and scored 107 goals. His final year was hampered by injury but he still managed three appearances.
LEWIS ROBERTS-THOMSON (North Shore Bombers)
Roberts-Thomson’s versatility was an asset for the Sydney Swans as they charged towards the 2012 premiership. Playing in a variety of roles, Roberts-Thomson played 22 games and finished the year with 25 goals, including one in the Grand Final.
DYLAN ADDISON (St George Dragons)
Addison played 17 games for the Western Bulldogs, including all five of the club’s wins. Late in the year he showed an ability to go forward, scoring four goals in a game against the Sydney Swans in Round 21.
JACOB TOWNSEND (Leeton-Whitton Crows)
Townsend made his AFL debut in Round 1 and went on to make a total of 11 appearances for the GWS Giants. At the club’s awards night, the 19 year-old Townsend won the coaches award.
PHIL DAVIS (Marist College Canberra)
Davis, who only recently turned 22, was a crucial figure in the GWS Giants back line this year. Davis handled his tough assignments well and finished sixth at the club’s best and fairest. He was the only Giant to play 22 games.
MATT SUCKLING (Wagga Tigers)
Suckling won further praise after his breakout year in 2011. He was one of Hawthorn’s best ball winners, averaging 20 disposals per game, and was one of only three Hawks to play every game, which included his first Grand Final appearance.
DANIEL CROSS (Albury Tigers)
Cross played 17 games and averaged 23 disposals this year. Appearing in all five of the Western Bulldogs’ wins, he topped 30 disposals in consecutive games against the GWS Giants and Collingwood early in the year.
ISAAC SMITH (Wagga Tigers)
Smith played 22 games for minor premiers Hawthorn, among those was a Grand Final appearance. He averaged 17 disposals but on several occasions topped 20 touches and hit the scoreboard.
CRAIG BIRD (Nelson Bay Marlins)
Bird played in all 25 games during the Sydney Swans’ successful premiership campaign. He had 19 disposals and six tackles in the Grand Final win and was rewarded for his year with a top ten finish at the Swans’ best and fairest.
TOM HAWKINS (Finley Cats)
Hawkins emerged as one of the competition’s dominant forwards in 2012, returning 62 goals for Geelong. He won his first Carji Greeves Medal as the club’s best and fairest and was also selected at full forward in the All-Australian team.
LUKE BREUST (Temora Roos)
Breust massively enhanced his reputation in 2012. The 21 year-old played 24 games for Hawthorn, kicked 45 goals and finished fourth at the minor premier’s best and fairest. He had two goals and laid eight tackles in the Grand Final.
ADAM SCHNEIDER (Osborne Cats)
Schneider’s year was interrupted by injuries but he still managed eight appearances for St Kilda. In that time he took 35 marks, laid 28 tackles and scored eight goals.
TAYLOR WALKER (Broken Hill North)
Walker took his game to another level this season, booting 63 goals from his 19 appearances for the Adelaide Crows. His five goals in the semi final against Fremantle and four in the preliminary final against Hawthorn very nearly got his team into a Grand Final.
BEN McGLYNN (Wentworth Roos)
McGlynn played 22 games for the Sydney Swans this year but was cruelly denied the opportunity to be part of the club’s premiership after an injury in the qualifying final. He kicked 30 goals and averaged close to 15 disposals per game.
ORREN STEPHENSON (Mangoplah-CUE)
Stephenson finally made the transition from VFL to AFL this year, playing eight games for Geelong. After making his debut at age 29, he averaged 17 hitouts per game.
KIEREN JACK (Pennant Hills Demons)
Jack was a huge part of the Sydney Swans’ success in 2012, averaging 24 disposals per game and having two goals with nine tackles in the Grand Final. He topped the 100-game milestone in Round 11 and finished fourth at the club’s best and fairest.
JUSTIN KOSCHITZKE (Brocklesby-Burrumbuttock)
Koschiztke continued to be a key contributor for St Kilda, playing 19 games, kicking 27 goals and averaging 4.6 hitouts in a relief role. He kicked five goals against Hawthorn early in the season.
TONY ARMSTRONG (Brocklesby-Burrumbuttock)
Armstong broke into the Sydney Swans team for eight games in 2012 and was in contention for a finals appearance, playing as late in the year as Round 23. He was an emergency for the Grand Final.
JASON TUTT (Ainslie Football Club)
Tutt managed five games for the Western Bulldogs before a hamstring injury ended his year. The 21 year-old showed plenty of promise in a game against Carlton, taking a career-high seven marks and scoring a goal.
TOM YOUNG (Sydney University ANFC)
Young broke through for seven games at Collingwood this season, taking his career tally to nine. His standout performance was against the GWS Giants, where he had 25 disposals and took seven marks.
JOHN LONGMIRE (Corowa-Rutherglen)
Longmire guided the Sydney Swans to a premiership in just his second year as senior coach. The AFL Coaches Association awarded Longmire with its coach of the year award, recognition that came before his side’s Grand Final success. The Swans finished third on the ladder and were the competition’s best defensive side, conceding just 1629 points in the home and away season.
