The Oakleigh Chargers Football Club has had a great record of producing ready-made AFL talent in recent years. The southeast of Melbourne is a hotly contested region for elite young talent with Sandringham Dragons not far up the road, but the Chargers have more than held their own
In 2021 alone, the Chargers may have two of the best three players in the draft with Sam Darcy and Nick Daicos heading into the 2021 National Draft as likely top-five selections. They have also produced the last two number one draft picks.
Perhaps blessed with far more midfield talent than key position stars, the Chargers have been a footy factory in recent years which may see this list take a different look in coming years.
Looking through the spade of talent to come from the Warrawee Park, we select the best side of AFL players to have represented the Chargers.
Defenders
The Chargers have produced some top-shelf defenders over time and have produced a good balance of key-position players as well as running and lockdown small defenders.
Current stars Darcy Moore and Dan Houston have made the team alongside former players Josh Gibson and Andrew Carrazzo. Carrazzo is a Carlton Best and Fairest winner in 2007 and was one of the game's better lockdown players throughout his 194 games.
Gibson was a triple premiership star at the Hawks which has him a level above some of his defensive counterparts who are still in the game and chasing their maiden premierships.
Honourable mentions must go out to Jamie Macmillian and Heath Black who missed out but not by much at all. Jordan Ridley is well on his way to making this team, perhaps even by the end of next season.
Midfielders
This is a position on the ground in which the Chargers have had plenty of good cattle come through the door and go on to bigger and better things.
There have been plenty of premiership stars ply their trade on the covered turf wicket of Warrawee Park.
There hasn't been a Brownlow Medalist come out of Oakleigh but that may well change with the ever-improving form of Jack Macrae. He headlines a stacked midfield that includes West Coast duo Andrew Gaff and Luke Shuey.
Former Carlton skipper Marc Murphy left the Chargers at the first selection of the 2005 draft and forged a very successful 300 game career for himself.
Father-son selection, Jack Viney has just achieved the ultimate success after a short stint as captain of the Demons.
Adam Tomlinson is very stiff to miss out on a wing spot with Gaff just pipping him at this stage. While Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson will no doubt make their way into this team before their careers are over.
Forwards
Tall forwards haven't walked through the club with the same success rate as midfielders but the small forward brigade has been deep.
West Coast premiership player Ashley Hansen leads the forward line with fellow not-so-tall key position player Jack Silvagni. Nick Larkey was almost selected due to necessity but he is maybe just a little bit off stepping into an all-time 22.
Brisbane premiership legend Luke Power gets to a half-forward flank with GWS star Toby Greene on the other. The creative duo is accompanied by fellow genius Robbie Gray.
While not a key position machine, the Chargers have a great record of developing midfielders and small/medium forwards.
The 'best of the Oakleigh Chargers' side:
FB: Cambell Brown, Josh Gibson, Darcy Byrne-Jones
HB: Andrew Carrazzo, Darcy Moore, Dan Houston
C: Jack Macrae, Jack Viney, Andrew Gaff
HF: Luke Power, Jack Silvagni, Toby Greene
FF: Robbie Gray, Ashley Hansen, Jack Higgins
FOL: Todd Goldstein, Marc Murphy, Luke Shuey
INT: David Mackay, Jack Billings, Dan Hannerbery, Bret Thornton
