Country Footy Scores - O&M Top 40: Mackie knocks off Fev

Ovens & Murray FL From the Border Mail
NOW for the hard part. The best of the best.The bottom-half of the 40 is usually the section up for most of the debate but I reckon it’s pretty clear cut this year. This is the elite group of players in the Ovens and Murray right now, splitting them is the tricky part...

1. Joel MACKIE (Albury)

IS the best player in the league right now.

The Albury ace had one of the more dominant individual seasons in recent memory last year and turned at least half a dozen games for the Tigers on his own.

He won the Morris medal, Albury’s best and fairest, and was named vice-captain of the All Australian team after a stellar national championships carnival.

What more could you ask of the reigning Border Mail-Johnsons-MME Player of the Year?

2. Brendan FEVOLA (Yarrawonga)

WAS No.1 this time last year and could easily remain there.

The former AFL superstar booted 110 goals and guided the Pigeons to a premiership in his first season at the club.

He delivered on the hype and then some.

Unlikely to play as many games as he did last season and his crippling knee injury is still giving him grief.

That’s the concern.

Unstoppable at his best.

3. Jason GRAM (North Albury)

GRAM should still be at St Kilda.

It’s that simple.

The flashy midfielder should take the Ovens and Murray by storm this year and is the early Morris Medal favourite.

He won’t get the freedom he had in the AFL, and is likely to be tagged, but it shouldn’t faze him.

He wants to get back to the elite level and the O and M is just a stepping stone in making that happen.

He’ll be as good as he wants to be.

4. Marcus McMILLAN (Yarrawonga)

THIS year’s bolter.

The enigmatic utility put his finals demons to bed once and for all last year.

McMillan is the most valuable swingman in the competition right now and was by far and away the best player of last year’s finals series.

Can play forward or back and has shown the ability to dominate both positions (often in the same game).

Rose from occasional match-turner to out-and-out star last season.

5. Karl NORMAN (Wangaratta Rovers)

THE star Hawk remains the league’s premier big man.

Norman runs all day and is basically an extra midfielder for Rovers and a seriously handy one, too.

Rated highly by every club in the competition and with good reason.

When Norman’s up and running the Hawks are mighty tough to stop.

6. Dean POLO (Albury)

HAS joined the league straight off St Kilda’s list and there’s no reason to suggest he won’t dominate.

Polo will be one of the competition’s prime ball winners and is a massive addition to an already strong side.

Will run all day, play his role and has a natural knack of finding the football.

Could end up the pick of the bunch.

7. Craig EDNIE (Yarrawonga)

ISN’T getting any younger and his body isn’t getting any less battered but, as they say, you’re only as good as your last game.

Ednie’s was a best-on-ground performance in a grand final.

The Little Master remains one of the best players the league has seen and his flashes of brilliance still turn matches on a regular basis.

Write him off at your peril.

8. Chris HYDE (Albury)

THE new Tiger co-coach remains in the competition’s elite bracket of players.

Hyde has more tricks than most others and rarely wastes a possession when he gets it.

Injury quietened his impact late last season but he’s still lethal by foot and one of the league’s premier goal-kicking midfielders.

At his best on the run but is by no means an inside player.

In fact, his toughness is probably underrated.

9. Ben DAVIES (Wangaratta)

THE former Wodonga Raider has changed clubs over the summer but should be better for a year in the competition.

Amazingly, the biggest question marks over Davies at AFL level were his skills and pace but he’s one of the silkiest and more explosive players in the league.

Every team would love to have him link up through the midfield.

Has a serious amount of X-factor.

10. Kayne PETTIFER (Yarrawonga)

THE former Richmond livewire has arrived over the summer and is almost certain to have a major impact.

He’s only 31 and looks to be in solid shape.

Pettifer made a name for himself at the highest level playing as a high-flying forward but expect the Pigeons to use him in a more prominent midfield role.

Could end up as the recruit of the year.

11. Tyson HARTWIG (Wangaratta Rovers)

THE league’s premier defender.

Hartwig got all the big jobs last year and did them far better than any of his contemporaries did.

Not only that, he’s adapted to the modern game and is extremely efficient running out of the backline with footy in hand.

Doesn’t put a foot wrong.

Probably the first name Hawks coach Mick Caruso pencils in each week.

12. Brad OTTENS (Yarrawonga)

RANKS in at No.12 purely because he’ll only play a handful of games, plus finals, this year.

But expect every minute of those games to count.

Ottens was the master of hitting his straps when it mattered most in his AFL days and he could well do the same in the Ovens and Murray.

Shapes as a finals wild card who could prove the difference between the Pigeons going back-to-back, or not.

Will be a formidable on-field presence.

13. Daniel LESLIE (North Albury)

THE North Albury skipper remains one of the best players in country footy.

Leslie bounced back to his brilliant best last season after a quieter than normal 2011 season by his lofty standards.

Should thrive under new coach Jason Akermanis and is set for an unfamiliar role in the backline.

Kicked 40 goals in a wooden-spoon side last season and is still formidable up forward when he plays there.

Nothing short of a superstar.

14. Sam CARPENTER (Wangaratta Rovers)

WILL waltz straight into the Hawks’ midfield and will be just about their best player.

One of the elite ball-winners the league has seen over the past decade and his arrival will more than help offset the loss of John Pratt.

Desperate to re-establish himself as one of the competition’s gun players and should have little trouble doing so.

The scent of a premiership has sprung him into action.

Young guns Sam Caruso, Jamie Sheahan and Toby Ryan will learn plenty playing alongside the inspirational midfielder.

15. Charles GAYLARD (Albury)

THE Tiger co-captain can’t slip under the radar any longer.

Rated extremely highly by opposition clubs and even more so by those at the Sportsground.

Versatile, tough, skilled and rarely plays a bad one, particularly when it counts.

Plenty will argue No.15 is still too low.

Maybe it is.

16. Luke GARLAND (Lavington)

THE Panther ace wasn’t as damaging as many expected last year but he still managed to finish third in their best and fairest.

That shows you how high the standards are he sets.

Garland is a booming left-foot kick who pushes forward to kick goals on a regular basis.

Midfielders with that ability are hard to come by.

Is Lavington’s best player when up and running.

17. Brad MURRAY (Myrtleford)

THE Myrtleford co-coach is another modern-day great of the league and will have little trouble adjusting to life back in the Ovens and Murray after a stint in Melbourne.

A genuine star when up and running and has given the Saints’ a desperately needed morale boost.

The only worry is he’s older, stepping back up a level and has the coaching burden on his shoulders.

But it would be a shock to see that hold him back.

18. Adam PRIOR (North Albury)

THE two-time Doug Strang medallist returns to the Border this year and, at 26, we could yet see the best of him.

Will get AFL-class service on the lead from Jason Gram and Jason Akermanis and it could prove devastating.

Looms as Brendan Fevola’s biggest threat in the goal kicking stakes this season.

But a late clearance drama with current club East Perth shapes as a genuine concern.

Is no certainty to line up this weekend for that reason.

19. Xavier LESLIE (Yarrawonga)

A MODERN day great who is sorely underrated at times.

Is the heart and soul of the Pigeons midfield and helps make everyone else around him look better.

Leslie is a clearance machine who never takes a backward step.

Was a deserved runner-up in the Morris Medal last year.

20. Mark DOOLAN (Wodonga Raiders)

FACES a mighty ask this season.

The Raiders’ skipper is just about the club’s only top liner to stay at the club over the summer and he’ll be asked to carry a major burden this year.

Can play forward or midfield and is one of the competition’s elite running players.

Would walk into any Ovens and Murray team.

THE REST: Click here for full comments with 21-40.

21. Jamie SHEAHAN (Wangaratta Rovers)

22. Matt PENDERGAST (Lavington)

23. Drew BARNES (Yarrawonga)

24. Kristan HEIGHT (Myrtleford)

25. Kade STEVENS (Lavington)

26. James WONG (Wangaratta)

27. Dean LIMBACH (Wodonga Raiders)

28. Daniel MAHER (Albury)

29. Tyler BONAT (Yarrawonga)