Best 22: Feel-good stories

A weekend that is being touted as a feel-good fixture, the return of Swans defender Alex Johnson and debut of Saints speedster Nathan Freeman highlight a heartwarming round of footy.

In honour of the round, we have put together a best 22 of players that have overcome significant injury, scrutiny or hardship of any kind - the best feel-good stories in football today.

Here is Zero Hanger's best 22 feel-good stories of players currently in the league:

Backs

Alex Johnson (Sydney)

Six years and 12 knee operations later, Alex Johnson makes his long-awaited return for the Swans this weekend. Johnson's last game for Sydney was the club's 2012 grand final triumph over the Hawks, and it is fair to say every footy fan will be cheering him on against the Pies on Saturday.

Dale Morris (Western Bulldogs)

Dale Morris is one of the game's most loved players. He has had to overcome a collection of injuries throughout his storied career and bounced back better every time. There is perhaps no player who deserved  premiership glory more than this man in 2016.

Tyson Goldsack (Collingwood)

Tyson Goldsack has two claims to being a feel-good story. He came in for the Pies in the grand final replay against St Kilda in 2010 after missing the infamous draw to become a premiership player. But his story this year is perhaps greater. An astonishing six months on from rupturing his ACL, Goldsack is on track to return before finals, an injury that normally takes closer to a year to recover from.

Half-backs

Angus Brayshaw (Melbourne)

The former pick three was forced to take a leave from the game in early 2017 after suffering four concussions in the space of 12 months. One year later and the helmet-wearing hard nut finds himself as Melbourne's most improved player in a year where they look destined to end a 12-year finals drought.

Liam Jones (Carlton)

One of the most scrutinised players in the league, Liam Jones' career was written off by many after he failed to breakthrough as a key forward at the Bulldogs between 2010-14. The Blues threw him a lifeline, which seemed like a failure at first, until he reinvigorated his career as one of the Blues' chief key defenders.

Brodie Smith (Adelaide)

One of the most damaging half-backs in the league, Brodie Smith tore his ACL for the grand final-bound Crows during the qualifying final against GWS last year. Smith missed out om every young athlete's boyhood dream of playing in the big dance, but returns for Adelaide in this weekend's Showdown.

Centres

Nathan Freeman (St Kilda)

Taken by Collingwood with pick 10 in the 2013 draft, the highly-touted speedster has had to wait five years to get his opportunity to play senior footy. After undergoing countless injury setbacks, Freeman will lineup for the Saints this weekend against the Bulldogs.

Dayne Beams (Brisbane)

Dayne Beams moved to the Lions in 2015 to spend time with his sick father, who tragically passed away earlier this year. The star midfielder courageously stood down as skipper throughout this tough period and now is playing some of the best footy of his career.

Brendan Whitecross (Hawthorn)

The majority of Brendan Whitecross' teammates throughout his 10-year career would have claimed as many as three premierships, some even four. But Whitecross has failed to appear in any of the Hawks' flag triumphs, in large due to injuries, twice tearing his ACL in finals series. It is great to see him finally getting a good run at it.

Half-forwards

Josh Thomas (Collingwood)

Josh Thomas missed two years of footy between 2015-16 after testing positive to a banned substance. After getting re-drafted by the Pies and finding his feet at AFL level again in 2017, he has emerged as one of their most important forwards this season.Thomas has drilled 32 goals in a year where Collingwood have risen back to prominence, which ranks second at the club.

Jarryd Roughead (Hawthorn)

Jarryd Roughead survived a bout of cancer to miss the entire 2016 season. Many thought that might have spelt the end of his decorated career, but Roughead returned to lead the club as skipper and now is looking to take them back to the promise land.

Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti (Essendon)

Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti earned a spot on the Bombers' list following their infamous 2015 supplements scandal. If not for that, he probably would never have been recognised, but is now one of the most exciting players in the league.

Forwards

Daniel Menzel (Geelong)

Daniel Menzel has had to overcome a plethora of injuries since making his debut in 2010, predominately knee reconstructions. It feels like he's never been on the park when Geelong have needed him most, so hopefully he can finally get a good ran at it as he approaches the prime of his career.

Tom Boyd (Western Bulldogs)

Tom Boyd has had to overcome a ton of scrutiny for being taken with pick one and earning a massive million-dollar contract in the infancy of his career. He delivered on his potential in the 2016 grand final, booting three goals in the club's famous 62-year drought-breaking premiership triumph. Boyd was widely viewed as best on ground on that legendary day.

Billy Gowers (Western Bulldogs)

Billy Gowers was drafted to the Blues with their first pick in the 2015 rookie draft. And the footy world is now scratching their head and wondering why he never got a game. The Bulldogs unearthed the 22-year old this year whose career has gone north, while Carlton have gone south and are crying out for goalkicking power.

Followers

Toby Nankervis (Richmond)

It is hard to fathom that this bloke could not get a game for the Swans, who found himself behind the likes of Kurt Tippett, Callum Sinclair and Sam Naismith in the pecking order. Named an emergency in their 2016 grand final losing outfit, Nankervis sought greater opportunities elsewhere and was traded to Richmond for a third-round pick. He went on to become the premiership Tigers' number one ruckman and arguably the most improved player in the competition.

Tim Kelly (Geelong)

Overlooked in as many as five AFL drafts, Tim Kelly has done it the hard way. After finishing runner-up in the Sandover Medal last year, AFL clubs could not sit on Kelly anymore. The Cats snatched him up with the 24th selection in the national draft, who has been arguably the best pickup of season 2018.

Robbie Gray (Port Adelaide)

After dealing with a series of injuries early in his career, Robbie Gray was widely thought of as a player whose body simply was not up to the rigours of AFL footy. But Gray has powered through many setbacks to become one of the greatest players of the modern era, most recently fighting testicular cancer last year.

Interchange

Aaron vandenBerg (Melbourne)

Taken as a mature-age pick by the Demons in 2015, Aaron vandenBerg has struggled to stay on the park in recent times. The 26-year old has not played AFL since 2016, but gets his chance against the Suns on the weekend.

Aaron Francis (Essendon)

The young Bomber took an absence from the club at the start of the year to deal with a mental health issue. The former pick six finally returned to the senior team last week against the Swans, gathering 14 disposals in a scintillating Bombers victory.

Lachie Keefe (GWS)

Lachie Keefe missed two years of footy with Josh Thomas after testing positive to a banned substance. After getting delisted for the Pies at the end of last season, Keefe joined the Giants and has proven to be an important depth player amongst an injury crisis.

Mason Cox (Collingwood)

Not even Collingwood supporters thought Mason Cox would be any good when he made his debut in 2015, struggling to clunk chest marks. But he has since proven to be the focal point up forward for a top four side, his highlight being a best-on-ground five-goal performance against Melbourne on the Queen's Birthday.

Best 22: Feel-good stories

B: Alex Johnson, Dale Morris, Tyson Goldsack

HB: Angus Brayshaw, Liam Jones, Brodie Smith

C: Nathan Freeman, Dayne Beams, Brendan Whitecross

HF: Josh Thomas, Jarryd Roughead, Anthony McDonald-Tipingwti

F: Daniel Menzel, Tom Boyd, Billy Gowers

Fol: Toby Nankervis, Tim Kelly, Robbie Gray

I/C: Aaron Vandenberg, Aaron Francis, Lachie Keefe, Mason Cox