Just like that, in a blink of an eye, the AFL 2021 season is nearly over.

For many supporters not witnessing their side play finals, it can be a strong feeling of melancholy, as many patiently wait till the first ball of the 2020/21 Cricket Season is bowled on September 11th.

As the Cricket/Australian Rules combination has been a bubbling passion for many weekend battlers over the last 100 years, I have decided to look at both sports together, with a desire to celebrate the talented, year-round champions of the past in a dream XII.

Due to a wide range of talented sportsmen, I have made sure all these cricketers played 30 or more games of Australian Rules. This team on paper could give any current international team a run for their money.

Included we have a five-time premiership coach, a triple Brownlow medalist who captain-coached four flags, two further Brownlow Medal winners, a goalkicking legend who won the VFL/AFL goalkicking award (John Coleman Medal) and five more players who have won a Premiership; and that’s just their footy!

I am prepared to state that this team could hold their own against any international side currently in 2021. They could also win you a premiership or two.

2. Percy Beames 1911-2004

Opening the batting with Worrall is a 165cm rover who, if it wasn’t for his footballing commitments, would have fitted into the powerful Australian middle order during the 1930s.

Beames was named the captain of Victorian Cricket in 1945, but had to decline the captaincy to focus on Footy. Beames was a superstar rover who kicked 323-goals in 213-games and won a hat-trick of premierships between 1939-1941.

Beames was also named best on ground in all three grand final wins, the original ‘Dusty’ without the tattoos. He sits in the forward pocket of the Melbourne Team of the Century and scored a plethora of runs for the Melbourne District side as well as 1186 first-class runs in only 18-matches.

213-games, 323-goals for Melbourne (1931-1944)

3x Premiership player (1939-1941)

Melbourne captain (1942-1944)

FC Runs Ave HS 100s 50s Wkts Ave B/B 5-W 10-W
18 1186 51.56 226* 3 3 7 22.42 5/52 1 -
Vic Prem Runs Ave HS 100s 50s Wkts Ave B/B 5-W 10-W
189 7850 46.44 219* 20 36 29 26.58 4/20 - -