Chris Toner has directed a few of native footy’s strongest sides and now he has squeezed his finest ever aspect collectively. See who made it.
Narre Warren has by no means named a Staff of the Century or Staff of the Decade but when it was to have one, the crux of this aspect could be mighty near it.
Future AFL-premiership gamers and native legends begun – or improved – their legacy underneath Chris Toner, as he orchestrated success at each Cora Lynn and Narre Warren.
From his flag-laden time teaching the Cobras and Magpies, right here is Chris Toner’s biggest ever aspect …
FULL BACKS
Jarrod Anderson (Narre Warren): The brave small defender was a certainty in Toner’s aspect after finishing numerous lockdown roles. “He was by no means overwhelmed, extremely match and skilful,” Toner mentioned.
Ryan Morrison (Narre Warren): Morrison turns into the primary participant to characteristic in a couple of dream group. He begun with Toner at Narre Warren as a wiry defender, earlier than turning right into a colossal pressure on the final line for Noble Park. “I feel he’s the most effective fullback outdoors of VFL proper now, I don’t suppose there are a lot of who’ve saved Marc Holt to zero targets, he simply hated conceding,” Toner mentioned.
Ben Giobbi (Narre Warren): Giobbi received the respect of Toner when he declared he was adequate to play senior footy. “He’s become a implausible midfielder now, however as a 16-year-old child he demanded he performed, he got here as much as me and mentioned: ‘I’m right here, I’m adequate, play me’, so we performed him,” Toner recalled.
HALF-BACKS
Jackson Parker (Narre Warren): Parker received finest afield honours within the Magpies’ extraordinary grand closing win in 2012, earlier than taking six well-known bounces within the following grand finals dying seconds. “There was a three-year window the place he was the most effective participant within the comp,” Toner mentioned.
Kain Baskaya (Narre Warren): The versatile and hard defender continues the pattern on this unimaginable backbone. The lion-hearted centre half-back had no regard for his personal security if it could profit his mates. “He would spill blood for his teammates, he would do something for them,” Toner mentioned.
Jack Allen (Cora Lynn): Regardless of struggling a nasty damage as a younger participant, Allen nonetheless earns a spot in Toner’s dream group. “He would’ve match into any aspect I ever coached and been one of many best possible,” he mentioned.
CENTRES
Josh Tonna (Narre Warren): The five-time premiership-player and five-time finest and fairest winner unsurprisingly slots onto the wing. “He coached himself … I feel his braveness is unassuming, he would do issues that others wouldn’t, he would rank proper up there in the most effective ever gamers within the membership’s historical past” Toner mentioned.
Michael Collins (Narre Warren, captain): Eight premierships and 7 best-and-fairest awards. When requested what extra he might say, Toner was transient: “Not a lot,” he joked. “There wasn’t something he couldn’t do,” he added.
Glenn Hamilton (Narre Warren, captain): Alongside Collins, Hamilton co-captains this aspect on account of his skillset and spirit. “He bled black and white for a really very long time,” Toner mentioned.
HALF-FORWARDS
Toby McLean (Narre Warren): Earlier than enjoying a task within the Western Bulldogs’ 2016 flag, McLean was chopping his enamel at Kalora Park underneath Toner. “His brother kicked eight within the reserves in the future, Oakleigh have been adequate to lend him to us, however he needed to solely play a half. He had eight (targets) at halftime, however he requested if he might beat his brother, so he went on the market and kicked a aim within the first 30 seconds and ran off the bottom, he was performed for the day with 9 30 seconds into the third quarter,” he recalled.
Darren Sheen (Cora Lynn): The highly effective ahead booted 370 targets in three seasons at Cora Lynn. “He had lovely fingers, he kicked 10 in a final quarter in opposition to Bunyip in the future, when he was 18, 19, 20 (years of age) he was nearly as good as anybody going round,” Toner mentioned.
Nick Scanlon (Narre Warren): One other accolade drenched Narre Warren star with an unimaginable seven premierships. “He might simply flip video games and do the freaky stuff, he would’ve performed quite a lot of VFL if he had of hung in there, however he was only a mate’s mate,” Toner mentioned.
FORWARDS
Mitch Cox (Narre Warren): One other participant who made their senior debut underneath Toner earlier than occurring to turn into an AFL-listed participant. Toner’s description of what Cox delivered to the aspect was succinct: “Absolute X-factor,” he mentioned.
Karem Baskaya (Narre Warren): The burly ahead made an infinite impression for the Pies. Baskaya as soon as kicked 22 in a match, however it was his finals performances that impressed Toner essentially the most. “In all of the finals he performed for Narre Warren, he averaged six plus targets a recreation, so if you happen to’re going right into a closing and you recognize you’ve obtained six already, you’re an extended strategy to profitable it … I feel we’re splitting hairs with Marc Holt,” he mentioned.
Aaron McIver (Narre Warren): McIvor complemented Baskaya tremendously, which Toner suppose labored via separation. “I feel he knew the place he needed to be and that was as far-off from ‘Bas’ as he might, there was some synergy there,” he joked.
FOLLOWERS
Steve Watson (Narre Warren): The workhorse competed tirelessly on his personal and sometimes outworked his opponents with relentless comply with up. “You’d usually see him working the ball out of the centre sq., bowl a number of over and flick out a handball,” Toner mentioned.
Col McNamara (Narre Warren): The powerful and unassuming inside midfielder had the arsenal to contribute on the within and the surface. He carried out at a high-level for a very long time, retiring in simply 2019.
Andrew Soumilas (Narre Warren): Soumilas and league best-and-fairest awards got here hand-in-hand. He made a late run for eligibility for this aspect, however his speedy impression earns him a spot within the engine room. “He put blokes in higher spots, he was simply terrific,” Toner mentioned.
INTERCHANGE
Chad Ingram (Cora Lynn): The winner of three best-and-fairest awards at Cora Lynn was by no means overwhelmed. His skillset was his one-wood, as opposition gamers struggled to limit his impression on both foot.
Ryan Davey (Cora Lynn): Whereas Cranbourne was Narre Warren and Toner’s nemesis for the most effective a part of 5 years, Toner needed to put Davey in there for his impression on the Cobras. Such was his reliability; Davey as soon as received a best-and-fairest regardless of lacking eight video games.
Dylan Quirk (Narre Warren): Quirk famously kicked the profitable level to defeat Cranbourne within the 2013 grand closing and Toner feels he’s endlessly in debt. “I’ve to place him in, he received a flag for me … there’s quite a lot of man love there,” Toner joked.
Dave Collins (Cora Lynn): The Cobras stalwart carved out a wonderful profession at Cora Lynn earlier than transferring to Casey VFL and making its Staff of the Decade.
Luke Hughes (Cora Lynn): The ball-magnet averaged 35 disposals constantly for the Cobras. His leather-based poisoning was rewarded with a pair of best-and-fairest awards.
Initially printed as Legendary coach Chris Toner names his greatest local footy team
