“I know it is a tough job and it is always going to create some controversy but I must say I was more than a little surprised,” Harvey said. “Obviously the interstate sides cornered the market this year but to finish fifth with the players we had watching from the stands for much of the season is a tribute to our team and in particular those three I have mentioned – they have all been outstanding.”
An AFL Team of the Year / All Australian team has been named every year since 1982. In the past 20 years only on two other occasions has the team not contained an Essendon player – those years being 1994 and 1997. Essendon’s representatives in those years have been:
1982: Paul Van Der Haar
1983: Tim Watson, Terry Daniher, Simon Madden
1984: Leon Baker, Terry Daniher, Simon Madden
1985: Mark Harvey, Terry Daniher, Gary Foulds, Roger Merrett, Leon Baker
1986: Mark Thompson, Glen Hawker, Terry Daniher,
1987: Simon Madden
1988: Simon Madden
1989: Simon Madden, Tim Watson, Terry Daniher
1990: Gary O’Donnell, Simon Madden, Mark Thompson
1991: Anthony Daniher
1992: Gavin Wanganeen
1993: Gavin Wanganeen, Mark Harvey, Greg Anderson
1994: No Essendon players
1995: Gavin Wanganeen, Michael Long, James Hird
1996: James Hird
1997: No Essendon players
1998: Sean Wellman, Matthew Lloyd
1999: Mark Mercuri, Matthew Lloyd
2000: Damien Hardwick, Dustin Fletcher, James Hird, Matthew Lloyd
2001: Sean Wellman, James Hird, Matthew Lloyd, Jason Johnson
2002: No Essendon players
