AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match
{{Use Australian English|date=December 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox Australian rules football match
| year = 2008
| competition = AFL
| match_type = Hall of Fame Tribute Match
| image = AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match logo.png
| home_abbr = VIC
| away = 50px
Dream Team
| away_abbr = DT
| home_qtr1 = 3.6 (24)
| home_qtr2 = 9.8 (62)
| home_qtr3 = 14.9 (93)
| home_qtr4 = 21.11 (137)
| away_qtr1 = 5.4 (34)
| away_qtr2 = 8.6 (54)
| away_qtr3 = 15.8 (98)
| away_qtr4 = 18.12 (120)
| home_score = 21.11 (137)
| away_score = 18.12 (120)
| date = 10 May 2008
| stadium = Melbourne Cricket Ground
| attendance = 69,294
| umpire = Vozzo, Kennedy, Rosebury, McInerney
| coin_toss = Victoria
| kick_end = Punt Road End
| anthem =
| bestongroundmedal = Brendan Fevola
| network = Network Ten
| commentators = Stephen Quartermain and Anthony Hudson
}}
The AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match was a one-off all-star game between two representative sides organised by the Australian Football League to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Australian rules football. The match was intended to celebrate the contribution of State of Origin and interstate matches to the history of the code.
The match was played on 10 May 2008 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia, between Victoria (the "Big V") and the "Dream Team", with a crowd of 69,294 in attendance.
Victoria won the match by 17 points: 21.11 (137) to 18.12 (120).
Background
{{see also|Interstate matches in Australian rules football}}
In 2007, the AFL announced that it would support a return of the State of Origin concept as a once-off carnival as part of the 150th anniversary of Australian rules football scheduled for 2008. The format of the carnival was not announced at this early stage.
The media featured several opinions on how the series could work without unduly interrupting the AFL season. There were suggestions that each state be individually represented, with a two division format to ensure that there would be no one-sided matches between the stronger states and the weaker states, and there were also suggestions for Victoria to be divided into separate Metro and Country, both of which are features of the annual AFL Under-18 Championships.{{cite web |last1=Walsh |first1=Courtney |title=Divide Victoria in State of Origin, says Connolly |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/divide-victoria-in-state-of-origin-says-connolly/news-story/6cf5d4e37a51e0d75ea1a91d0cf416cb |publisher=The Australian |access-date=8 February 2022 |date=31 May 2007}}
Many of the options that the AFL considered featured composite teams of weaker states, similar to the Allies team which represented Tasmania, Queensland, New South Wales and the Northern Territory collectively during State of Origin series in the 1990s.{{cite web |title=Tasmania's Origin plea |url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/tasmanias-origin-plea/news-story/ea94c451b607b843fb994c0c363d8b99 |website=Fox Sports |publisher=Fox Sports Australia |access-date=8 February 2022 |language=en |date=30 May 2007}}
By December, the vision for a full carnival had been reduced to a single all-star match, to be played between Victoria and the Dream Team, a composite team of all other states, territories and countries, on a State of Origin selection basis. The match would be held as a stand-alone match on the weekend between Rounds 7 and 8, on Saturday 10 May.
South Australia's Graham Cornes was critical of the format, saying that it deprived non-Victorian players of the honour of wearing a state guernsey. He felt that each state should have been given the opportunity to field their own team.{{cite web |last1=Timms |first1=Daryl |title=Cornes blasts all-star match |url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/cornes-blasts-all-star-match/news-story/9175735322d002856410228090354267 |website=Fox Sports |access-date=8 February 2022 |language=en |date=26 November 2007}}
Amid concerns over player participation, the AFL considered introducing penalties for selected players who refused to participate. Instead, players were paid A$5,000 each to compete in the match, and the players agreed to donate the money to the AFL Players Association to be to distributed to three charities, a special past players fund, the Ladder program to combat homelessness and RecLink, which funds football leagues in remote communities in the Northern Territory.{{cite web |last1=Cullen |first1=Mic |title=Tribute match fees handballed to needy |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/532960/tribute-match-fees-handballed-to-needy |website=afl.com.au |access-date=8 February 2022 |language=en |date=6 May 2008}}
In early 2008 the AFL announced the full details of the match and branded it as the "AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match", deliberately distancing it from the former State of Origin series. It promoted the event by announcing two captains would be Jonathon Brown (Victoria) and Andrew McLeod (Dream Team).
Victoria wore its traditional navy blue guernsey with a white V. The Dream Team wore a predominantly white guernsey, with beige cuffs and collars, and blue numbers and side panels; the names of 1246 community and grass-roots football clubs competing within the Australian states and territories eligible for the Dream Team were also included in small beige text across the front.
{{cite web
|url = http://www.150years.com.au/TributeMatch/TributeMatchArticle/tabid/11379/Default.aspx?newsId=56831
|date =
|title = Dream Team jumper design revealed
|access-date = 25 November 2008
|publisher = Australian Football League
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110706100226/http://www.150years.com.au/TributeMatch/TributeMatchArticle/tabid/11379/Default.aspx?newsId=56831
|archive-date = 6 July 2011
}}
Squads
File:Big v.jpg, Adam Goodes, Robert Murphy, Darren Milburn, Scott Pendlebury, Heath Shaw, Troy Simmonds, Trent Croad, Paul Chapman, Josh Fraser, Jimmy Bartel, Brent Harvey, Ryan O'Keefe, Sam Mitchell, James Kelly, Jarrad Waite, Chris Judd, Jonathan Brown, Daniel Bradshaw.) ]]
In April 2008 the AFL announced 40-man squads for both teams, which would later be trimmed to 25 per side. All AFL teams except Essendon and Melbourne had at least one player selected in one of the sides. The match was played with an extended interchange bench of seven players instead of four.
Several high-profile players pulled out of the match in the final weeks before the game. Gary Ablett Jr, Nick Dal Santo and Brad Johnson pulled out for Victoria, while Luke McPharlin and Irishman Tadhg Kennelly dropped out for the Dream Team.{{cite web |url=http://afl.com.au/tabid/208/default.aspx?newsid=59371 |title=Official Website of the Australian Football League > News Article > Tribute Match teams |access-date=31 July 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080611195604/http://afl.com.au/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsid=59371 |archive-date=11 June 2008 |url-status=dead }}
=Final teams=
{{Aussie rules team | title = 2008 Victorian Tribute Match side
| backpocket1 = Campbell Brown
({{AFL Haw}} Hawks)
| fullback = Matthew Scarlett
({{AFL Gee}} Cats)
| backpocket2 = Darren Milburn
({{AFL Gee}} Cats)
| halfbackflank1 = Heath Shaw
({{AFL Col}} Magpies)
| centrehalfback = Trent Croad
({{AFL Haw}} Hawks)
| halfbackflank2 = Jarrad Waite
({{AFL Car}} Blues)
| wing1 = Brent Harvey
({{AFL NM}} Kangaroos)
| centre = Sam Mitchell
({{AFL Haw}} Hawks)
| wing2 = Adam Goodes
({{AFL Syd}} Swans)
| halfforwardflank1 = Ryan O'Keefe
({{AFL Syd}} Swans)
| centrehalfforward = Jonathan Brown
({{AFL BL}})
| halfforwardflank2 = Robert Murphy
({{AFL WB}})
| forwardpocket1 = Steve Johnson
({{AFL Gee}} Cats)
| fullforward = Brendan Fevola
({{AFL Car}} Blues)
| forwardpocket2 = Daniel Bradshaw
({{AFL BL}})
| ruck = Troy Simmonds
({{AFL Ric}} Tigers)
| ruckrover = Jimmy Bartel
({{AFL Gee}} Cats)
| rover = Chris Judd
({{AFL Car}} Blues)
| interchange1 = Josh Fraser
({{AFL Col}} Magpies)
| interchange2 = Luke Power
({{AFL BL}})
| interchange3 = Paul Chapman
({{AFL Gee}} Cats)
| interchange4 = James Kelly
({{AFL Gee}} Cats)
| interchange5 = Nathan Foley
({{AFL Ric}} Tigers)
| interchange6 = Scott Pendlebury
({{AFL Col}} Magpies)
Joel Selwood
({{AFL Gee}} Cats)
| coach = Mark Thompson
({{AFL Gee}} Cats)
}}
{{Aussie rules team | title = 2008 Dream Team Tribute Match side
| backpocket1 = Graham Johncock
({{AFL Ade}} Crows)
| fullback = Ben Rutten
({{AFL Ade}} Crows)
| backpocket2 = Craig Bolton
({{AFL Syd}} Swans)
| halfbackflank1 = Andrew McLeod
({{AFL Ade}}) Crows
| centrehalfback = Matthew Pavlich
({{AFL Fre}} Dockers)
| halfbackflank2 = Adam Cooney
({{AFL WB}})
| wing1 = Matthew Richardson
({{AFL Ric}} Tigers)
| centre = Daniel Kerr
({{AFL WC}} Eagles)
| wing2 = Shaun Burgoyne
({{AFL|PA}})
| halfforwardflank1 = Simon Goodwin
({{AFL Ade}} Crows)
| centrehalfforward = Cameron Mooney
({{AFL Gee}} Cats)
| halfforwardflank2 = Daniel Motlop
({{AFL|PA}})
| forwardpocket1 = Brett Burton
({{AFL Ade}} Crows)
| fullforward = Lance Franklin
({{AFL Haw}} Hawks)
| forwardpocket2 = Leon Davis
({{AFL Col}} Magpies)
| ruck = Dean Cox
({{AFL WC}} Eagles)
| ruckrover = Peter Burgoyne
({{AFL|PA}} Power)
| rover = Kane Cornes
({{AFL|PA}} Power)
| interchange1 = Nathan Bock
({{AFL Ade}} Crows)
| interchange2 = Jamie Charman
({{AFL BL}})
| interchange3 = Joel Corey
({{AFL Gee}} Cats)
| interchange4 = Mathew Stokes
({{AFL Gee}} Cats)
| interchange5 = Brett Kirk
({{AFL Syd}} Swans)
| interchange6 = Corey Enright
({{AFL Gee}} Cats)
Ryan Griffen
({{AFL WB}})
| coach = Mark Williams
({{AFL|PA}} Power)
}}
=List=
| style="width:100%;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" |
| style="width:40%; text-align:right;"|Victoria
| style="text-align:center; width:20px;"%|137–120 |width=40%|Dream Team |
| style=font-size:90%
|align=right|(21.11) |align=center| |align=left|(18.12) |
| style="width:100%;" | |||
| style="vertical-align:top; width:50%;"|
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; margin:auto;" | |||
| text style="width:100px; text-align:left;"|Position
! text style="width:180px; text-align:left;"|Player ! text style="width:60px; text-align:center;"|Pos'nsPos'ns stands for Possessions. ! text style="width:60px; text-align:center;"|Goals | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | Steve Johnson | text style="text-align:center;"|14 | text style="text-align:center;"|3.0 |
| Forward | Brendan Fevola | text style="text-align:center;"|10 | text style="text-align:center;"|6.2 |
| Forward | Daniel Bradshaw | text style="text-align:center;"|8 | text style="text-align:center;"|1.2 |
| Half-Forward | Ryan O'Keefe | text style="text-align:center;"|8 | text style="text-align:center;"|1.0 |
| Half-Forward | Jonathan Brown | text style="text-align:center;"|11 | text style="text-align:center;"|3.2 |
| Half-Forward | Robert Murphy | text style="text-align:center;"|14 | text style="text-align:center;"|1.1 |
| Centre | Brent Harvey | text style="text-align:center;"|23 | text style="text-align:center;"|3.0 |
| Centre | Sam Mitchell | text style="text-align:center;"|21 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| Centre | Adam Goodes | text style="text-align:center;"|21 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| Half-Back | Heath Shaw | text style="text-align:center;"|21 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| Half-Back | Trent Croad | text style="text-align:center;"|8 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| Half-Back | Jarrad Waite | text style="text-align:center;"|11 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.1 |
| Back | Campbell Brown | text style="text-align:center;"|12 | text style="text-align:center;"|1.0 |
| Back | Matthew Scarlett | text style="text-align:center;"|15 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| Back | Darren Milburn | text style="text-align:center;"|16 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| Follower | Troy Simmonds | text style="text-align:center;"|10 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| Follower | Jimmy Bartel | text style="text-align:center;"|19 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| Follower | Chris Judd | text style="text-align:center;"|20 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| colspan=4|Interchange: | |||
| Interchange | Josh Fraser | text style="text-align:center;"|12 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| Interchange | Luke Power | text style="text-align:center;"|20 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| Interchange | Paul Chapman | text style="text-align:center;"|15 | text style="text-align:center;"|1.2 |
| Interchange | James Kelly | text style="text-align:center;"|15 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| Interchange | Nathan Foley | text style="text-align:center;"|21 | text style="text-align:center;"|1.0 |
| Interchange | Scott Pendlebury | text style="text-align:center;"|19 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| Interchange | Joel Selwood | text style="text-align:center;"|14 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| colspan=4|Coach: | |||
| colspan="4"|Mark Thompson ({{AFL Gee}}) |
| style="vertical-align:top; width:50%;"|
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; margin:auto;" | |||
| text style="width:100px; text-align:left;"|Position
! text style="width:180px; text-align:left;"|Player ! text style="width:60px; text-align:center;"|Pos'ns ! text style="width:60px; text-align:center;"|Goals | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | Brett Burton | text style="text-align:center;"|14 | text style="text-align:center;"|2.1 |
| Forward | Lance Franklin | text style="text-align:center;"|14 | text style="text-align:center;"|4.5 |
| Forward | Leon Davis | text style="text-align:center;"|16 | text style="text-align:center;"|3.1 |
| Half-Forward | Simon Goodwin | text style="text-align:center;"|14 | text style="text-align:center;"|2.0 |
| Half-Forward | Cameron Mooney | text style="text-align:center;"|3 | text style="text-align:center;"|1.0 |
| Half-Forward | Daniel Motlop | text style="text-align:center;"|9 | text style="text-align:center;"|2.0 |
| Centre | Matthew Richardson | text style="text-align:center;"|13 | text style="text-align:center;"|1.1 |
| Centre | Daniel Kerr | text style="text-align:center;"|6 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| Centre | Shaun Burgoyne | text style="text-align:center;"|21 | text style="text-align:center;"|1.0 |
| Half-Back | Andrew McLeod | text style="text-align:center;"|29 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| Half-Back | Matthew Pavlich | text style="text-align:center;"|11 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.2 |
| Half-Back | Adam Cooney | text style="text-align:center;"|11 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| Back | Graham Johncock | text style="text-align:center;"|25 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| Back | Ben Rutten | text style="text-align:center;"|10 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| Back | Craig Bolton | text style="text-align:center;"|6 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| Follower | Dean Cox | text style="text-align:center;"|13 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| Follower | Peter Burgoyne | text style="text-align:center;"|36 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| Follower | Kane Cornes | text style="text-align:center;"|26 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| colspan=4|Interchange: | |||
| Interchange | Nathan Bock | text style="text-align:center;"|11 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| Interchange | Jamie Charman | text style="text-align:center;"|8 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| Interchange | Joel Corey | text style="text-align:center;"|23 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| Interchange | Mathew Stokes | text style="text-align:center;"|21 | text style="text-align:center;"|1.1 |
| Interchange | Brett Kirk | text style="text-align:center;"|12 | text style="text-align:center;"|1.0 |
| Interchange | Corey Enright | text style="text-align:center;"|12 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| Interchange | Ryan Griffen | text style="text-align:center;"|12 | text style="text-align:center;"|0.0 |
| colspan=4|Coach: | |||
| colspan="4"|Mark Williams ({{AFL PA}}) |
|}
Allen Aylett Medal
The Allen Aylett Medal for best on ground was awarded to Brendan Fevola, who kicked six goals for Victoria.{{Cite web | url=http://www.realfooty.com.au/ftimages/2008/05/10/1210131342980.html | title=AFL | Team & Player News, Live Coverage, Results, Fixtures, Tips & Analysis}}
Scorecard
{{AFLGameDetailed
|title = AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match
|date = Saturday, 10 May 2008 7:40 pm
|home team = Victoria
|home Q1 = 3.6 (24)
|home Q2 = 9.8 (62)
|home Q3 = 14.9 (93)
|home final = 21.11 (137)
|home goals = Fevola 6
J Brown, Johnson, Harvey 3
O'Keefe, Murphy, C Brown, Chapman, Bradshaw, Foley 1
|home best = Fevola, Foley, Pendlebury, Goodes, Harvey
|home injuries= Fraser (knee)
|home reports =
|winner = H
|away team = Dream Team
|away Q1 = 5.4 (34)
|away Q2 = 8.6 (54)
|away Q3 = 15.8 (98)
|away final = 18.12 (120)
|away goals = Franklin 4
Davis 3
Motlop, Burton, Goodwin 2
Richardson, Kirk, S Burgoyne, Mooney, Stokes 1
|away best = P Burgoyne, McLeod, S Burgoyne, Johncock
|away injuries= Kerr (lower leg)
|away reports =
|venue = MCG
|crowd = 69,294
|report =
|umpires = Vozzo, Kennedy, Rosebury, McInerney
|BOG award = Allen Aylett Medal
|BOG winner = Brendan Fevola (Victoria)
|notes =
}}
See also
- 2008 AFL season
- State of Origin for Bushfire Relief Match – contested in 2020 to raise funds for the recovery efforts following the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
{{commonscat}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080430190734/http://www.150years.com.au/TributeMatch/tabid/11372/Default.aspx Official 150 years website ]
{{2008 Victorian Team players}}
{{2008 Dream Team players}}
{{2008 AFL season}}
{{Interstate matches in Australian rules football}}
Category:Australian Football League
Category:Australian rules football games
Category:Australian rules football State of Origin
Category:History of Australian rules football
Category:Australian rules football competitions in Victoria (state)
Category:Sports competitions in Melbourne