Across 325 games, 16 seasons, four Grand Finals and nine preliminary finals, it is safe to say I played in some very good teams. Across those teams I also played with some extremely good players. Many teammates in those teams are in the AFL Hall of Fame.
So naming the best 10 players I've played with across those years, at the Brisbane Lions and Western Bulldogs, is damn tough.
The last spot, in my mind, was down to a choice of Scotty West, Brad Johnson, Barry Hall, Darryl White, Gilbert McAdam, Craig McRae, Jonathan Brown and Dale Morris.
Yes, the squeeze for spots was a lot harder than I initially thought.
For the record, my closest friends when I played the Bears/Lions was Craig "Fly" McRae and at the Bulldogs it was Dale Morris and Mitch Hahn.
These days I see Mitch most weeks, with either helping at the Lions L3 Development program he runs or at our daughters' football training and games.
My teammates I see now the most outside of Mitch, is Simon Black and Clark "Mr September" or "Crackers" Keating. It's mostly Clark actually.
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He and I played in the Queensland under 12s team in Darwin back in 1988. We have been mates ever since. We both have three daughters and are always entwined with football work and other business. Football is an interesting place to play and be even after all these years.
So who is in my top 10, in order from 10 to 1, starting with that very tight final spot? Here we go!
2Craig Lambert (Brisbane Lions)
"Lambo" is the most ruthless, fearless player I have ever played with!!
Whether it be playing against him in ping pong, which nearly all players and coaches did at that time, or drinking at the pub, "Lambo" would be in your face stirring up emotions to match his lust for competition.
As "Lambo" reminds me every time I see him that when I was in my first session after a loss at Whitten Oval against the Dogs, we had a chat after a game. I am pretty sure we lost and I did kick half our score which was all of two of the four goals for us that day.
I said to him that I was confused as to how this game works. "Lambo" had none of my kicking skills, yet he was best on ground for us ... again.
He said with a smile, "Jase, if I had your talent, I would win a best and fairest and Brownlow every year". "Lambo" didn't just show us all what toughness was physically, but also mentally.
Brisbane wasn't his first choice, but when he and Lynch came to the Bears it seems the whole footy world changed within our club. What "Lambo" might've lacked in kicking skills he sure made it up everywhere else. His vision and handballing skills were better than anyone. He was the only player that could handball 35 metres and I didn't have to break stride receiving it.
Just like "Magic" McLean did, Lambo went on to coach with Leigh. "Lambo" helped all us midfielders the simple love and honour of being tagged. That one psychological change help to love and destroy taggers each and every week. Lambo was unlucky to be too old and beaten up to play with us during our premiership run but he was a much bigger part of our success than many would ever know.
