BY PAUL VOLKERING

Last Saturday, an official Mansfield Football Club Champion Team from the Waranga North-East Football League (1946-1976) was announced.

More than 60 past players, officials, families and supporters who had a connection to that era gathered for the announcement, which took place in the Mansfield Football Netball Clubrooms prior to the home game against Rochester.

Tim Reilly and Paul Volkering, representing the club, were responsible for the event with the support of a number of co-selectors and support personnel.

Both were extremely grateful for the work done by approximately 15 selectors, some of whom were present on the day.

Most of the players chosen in the final team had a representative present at the gathering to accept a small, signed certificate acknowledging their place in the Champion Team.

There were approximately 98 nominees put forward by a range of people.

Some simply forwarded players' names, while others placed players in positions and actually selected teams.

Players in the Champion Team had to have played three seasons or a minimum of 50 games for Mansfield, which, given the shorter footy seasons back then, made tracking the number of games played quite difficult in completing the overall task.

Some players had multiple nominations.

"Speaking to some of those who attended, we're hopeful that everyone is reasonably happy with the outcome, but we know some will be disappointed," said Tim and Paul.

The highlight of the announcement was the naming of the coach and captain of the Champion Team, which went to Ted Leehane and Peter Dolling respectively.

Along with a number of other local players, both Ted and Peter took local football in Mansfield to another level, inspiring young players then and now to try and emulate their feat of having played at the highest level in VFL/AFL football.

Mansfield now has three Champion Teams spanning the past 80 years and, as the club approaches its 150th birthday in 2028, there is a rumour circulating about a possible Team of the Century.

Those players in all three Champion Teams (Waranga North-East Football League, Tungamah Football League and Goulburn Valley Football League) will soon be available to study and admire in the clubrooms and for people to start trying to select their own champion team from all lists.

WARANGA NORTH-EAST FOOTBALL LEAGUE

MANSFIELD CHAMPION TEAM (1946-1976)

B: Kevin Storer, Ged Comerford, Gary (G.A.) Wilson

HB: Bruce McCormack, Peter Dolling (Capt.)**, Seth Trenfield

C: Ray Yeoman**, Jim Walker, John Dolling

HF: Peter Morgan**, Ted Leehane**, Graeme Harper

F: Bill Reardon**, Allan Jewell**, Peter Sheahan

FOLL: Ron Fry**, Bobby Lockhart**, Geoff Payne

19th: John Reardon

20th: Tom Tarrant**

Emergencies: Henry 'Bluey' Brooks, Jimmy James.

** Denotes having played VFL or been on a VFL list.

Coach: Ted Leehane

Captain: Peter Dolling

Full story in next week's Mansfield Courier.