The league has capped the biggest night of its history, naming 11 former VFL-AFL players in the Team of the Century.
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The side boasts 912 games at the elite level and four flags, with a 1971 Hawthorn premiership player declaring it alongside that career highlight.
"To be selected in this particular side is equally as good as playing down there I believe because the players were either all capable of or played a lot of VFL (AFL) footy," half-back flanker Norm Bussell said.
Fellow Wangaratta Rovers' star Neville Hogan was named centreman and captain, while another Hawk in Rob Walker was the only player named in both the Team of the Century (1893-1992) and Team of the Past 25 Years (1993-2018).
Father and son Jim and Dennis Sandral - named at centre half-back and back pocket respectively - were also named.
"It's very special, I didn't see much of him playing, I just heard a lot of stories about him," Dennis said.
"To be playing alongside him in a Team of the Century is just great."
Eighty-six-year-old Jim, one of the four premiership players, at Melbourne in 1956, was delighted with more league recognition after being named in the first Hall of Fame in 2005.
"This is one of the greatest honours I've had I feel," he said.
"(And) that was terrific (that Dennis made it), I'm very pleased, it made the night."
The Ovens and Murray's bold decision to name the two football teams, along with netball's Team of the Past 25 Years, outside the football season proved a bumper success with 290 people at Albury's SS&A Club.
The crowd heard fantastic tales of the camaraderie between both team-mates and opponents in the league, which has traditionally been considered the strongest in country Victoria.
"It was interesting and enjoyable, but the biggest difficulty was weighing up era against era," selection chairman Ron Montgomery said.
"We probably had 45 to 50 serious contenders, but we threw up 200 names in all.
"There were probably two to three players for every position.
"It was an exercise that was well worth doing."
Selectors named 22 players, including four on the bench.
Apart from Bussell and Jim Sandral, the VFL representatives were Kevin Smith (Richmond), Les 'Salty' Parish (Fitzroy-Melbourne), Don Ross (Footscray), Bob Rose (Collingwood), Maurie Hunter (Richmond), Gary Williamson (Richmond-South Melbourne), Mick Nolan (North Melbourne), Haydn Bunton (Fitzroy) and Andrew Scott (Hawthorn).
Former Collingwood and four-time Wangaratta premiership mentor Mac Holten was named coach.
"Well, I'm surprised for a start, but it is indeed an honour, they're terrific players and I wouldn't be trying to tell them how to play," skipper Hogan laughed.
The Team of the Century is: B: Richie Castles (Benalla), Brian Gilcrist (Wodonga), Dennis Sandral (Corowa-Rutherglen-Wangaratta); HB: Bussell (Rovers), Jim Sandral (Corowa), Smith (Myrtleford); C: Ross (North Albury), Hogan (Rovers), Parish (Yarrawonga); HF: Hunter (St Patricks), Walker (Rovers), Rose (Rovers); F: Williamson (Wodonga), Stan Sargeant (North Albury), Tim Lowe (Wangaratta); Foll: Nolan (Wangaratta Rovers), John Smith (Rutherglen, North Albury, Wodonga, Myrtleford), Bunton (Albury, West Albury); Int: John Brunner (Yarrawonga, Benalla), Neil Hanlon (Benalla), Steve Norman (Wangaratta Rovers), Scott (Rovers). Coach: Holten (Wangaratta).
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