HOW hard is it to name a Dream Team that covers 118 years? Three or four teams are possible, maybe - but one? There have been so many quality players to have graced WA football in over a century that cutting it down to eleven players is a near impossible task - and one which will doubtless generate much healthy debate and criticism.
In response to Football West's request for the WA football public's involvement in deciding the ultimate men's Dream Team - all players must have represented the State at either senior or junior level - the Committee of the Football Hall of Fame WA has decided to provide some sort of guideline, and hopefully inspiration.
In order to fully cover the 118 year period (from the start of State team participation from 1902 to the present), as indicated by Football West, the FHoF Committee has decided to break it down to three separate eras, highlighting the outstanding players of the particular decades.
They are 1902 to 1960; 1961 to 1990; and 1991 to the present day.
A women's Dream Team will also be submitted, covering the period from 1970 to the present.
The HoF Committee's picks will be revealed in the coming days.
For further inspiration, call up the Milestone section on the Football Hall of Fame WA website, then click on The Great Teams, which highlights some superb achievements of the past 70 years or so.
*FOR THE RECORD: We commenced at 1902 because that was the year of the first official State match. A massive shift in WA football took place in 1960 when the game altered from being solely amateur to include semi-professionalism. And 1990 was chosen as it became the catalyst to further changes after years of internal bickering. The Soccer Administration of WA was formed that year with the objective of taking full control of the game, which eventually took place. Perth Kangaroos commenced in 1994 and Perth Glory joined the NSL in 1996 to alter the shop window of local football forever. Thankfully, State games were also continued.
**FOR THE complete information on how to go about submitting a Dream Team, the WA football public should refer to the Football West website.
(see https://form.jotform.com/200910483441043 for details).