The Wimmera has long punched above its weight when it comes to football, with some of the greatest ever to play the game proud to call the region home.
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In saying that, who can lay claim to being the greatest AFL/VFL player the Wimmera has seen?
We've compiled a short list of some of the finest from the region and its surrounds below, though you can nominate a footballer you believe we've missed.
Who will you crown as the Wimmera's greatest AFL export of all time?
SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM TO VOTE IN OUR POLL
Adam Goodes
Horsham
A two-time Brownlow Medal winner and dual premiership player, Goodes played 372 games for the Sydney Swans, kicking 464 goals. The former Horsham Demon's accolades include three club best-and-fairests, four All Australian selections and a place in the Indigenous Team of the Century. Goodes held the record for the most VFL/AFL games played by an Indigenous player until Shaun Burgoyne surpassed it during the 2019 season.
Tim Watson
Dimboola
Handed his senior debut by Dimboola at just 13, it wasn't long before Watson was off to greater heights. He made his debut for Essendon as a 15-year-old, becoming the fourth-youngest player ever to play in the VFL/AFL. Watson's 307-game (335 goals) career with the Bombers saw him win three premierships, four club best-and-fairests and a place in the Essendon Team of the Century. He is also an inductee in the Australian Football Hall of Fame. Wade sits fourth on the AFL/VFL all-time goalkickers list with 1057.
Doug Wade
Horsham
Wade wrote his name into football folklore by becoming only the second player to reach 1000 career goals. He played 208 games for Geelong, helping the club to a premiership in 1963 as well as winning a club best and fairest and earning a spot in the Cats' team of the century. Wade won another premiership during his 59-game career with North Melbourne, to sit alongside his four Coleman Medals in the trophy cabinet.
Craig Sholl
Horsham
A loyal North Melbourne player, Sholl won two premierships during his 235 games (165 goals) with the Kangaroos. Sholl won the club's best and fairest award in his third year at AFL level.
Seb Ross
Horsham
Still only 27, Ross has established himself as a valued leader at St Kilda. A two-time club best-and-fairest winner, Ross has served as the Saints' vice-captain since 2018. He's played 128 games (22 goals) was named in the 40-man All Australian squad in 2017.
Shayne Breuer
Kalkee
Breuer holds a special place in the hearts of Port Adelaide fans having kicked the club's first goal in the AFL. He started at Geelong and kicked 77 goals in 71 games as an on-baller. Breuer spent his final three seasons with Port Adelaide where he played 54 games, kicking 29 goals.
Glenn Hawker
Kaniva
A member of Essendon's healthy Wimmera contingent in the late 1970s, Hawker played 200 games for the Bombers, including in their 1984 and 1985 premiership sides. He also won the club's best-and-fairest in 1986. Hawker played 27 games at Carlton at the end of his career, finishing with a goal tally of 198.
Rene Kink
Ararat
Dubbed the "Incredible Hulk", the colossal forward is the unfortunate owner of the AFL/VFL record for the most unsuccessful grand final appearances, with four losses and a draw at Collingwood and one loss at Essendon. Kink started his career as a 16-year-old with Collingwood (154 games, 240 goals), before later crossing to the Bombers (20 games, 35 goals) and St Kilda (7 games, 5 goals).
Merv Neagle
Dimboola
A member of Essendon's Wimmera brigade, Neagle established himself as one of the game's great creative forces alongside childhood friend Tim Watson. He played 147 games (52 goals) for the Bombers and was a member of the 1984 premiership side. Neagle finished second in the 1980 Brownlow Medal count and later finished his career with the Sydney Swans (56 games, 19 goals)
Matt Rosa
Warrack Eagles
Rosa hung up the boots in 2018, after a 207-game (45 goals) career with the West Coast Eagles and Gold Coast Suns. He was plagued by injuries but showed his talent with a 2006 rising star nomination and a Ross Glendinning Medal win in 2012, for being best-on-ground in the West Coast-Fremantle derby. Rosa is now a development coach with the Eagles.
Clinton Young
Minyip-Murtoa
A 116-game Hawthorn player, Young played an integral part in Hawks' 2008 premiership and recovered from a lean couple of seasons to play his last game for the club in its 2012 grand final loss. Young later moved to Collingwood, where he was plagued by injury again and only managed 21 games (9 goals) for the Pies.
Jake Lloyd
Horsham
Flying the flag for the Wimmera's modern-era AFL stars, earned his way from the Sydney Swans' rookie list to become an integral member of their half back-line. He's placed in the top 10 in the AFL for kicks for four seasons running. Lloyd finished second in the Swans' best-and-fairest count and won it a year later, along with earning recognition in the 40-man All Australian squad. He also represented Victoria in the 2020 State of Origin bushfire relief game.
Alastair Clarkson
Kaniva
An astute midfielder during his 134-game playing career with North Melbourne and Melbourne, Clarkson has gone on to earn plaudits as one of the most influential coaches in AFL/VFL history. Since taking the reins in 2005, he has led the Hawks to four premierships, becoming the club's most successful coach and a four-time All Australian coach in the process. Clarkson remains one of only two coaches to have won three straight premierships in the 21st century.
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