THE EAGERNESS to represent the Dream Team against Victoria at the MCG this Saturday night has been reflected by the players unlucky to miss out on the 30-man squad, according to assistant coach Neale Daniher.
Daniher said the players selected in the Dream Team squad understood the honour of representing the star-studded side.
"The reason why it's going to work from a players' point of view is the coaches and clubs are really supportive and I unfortunately had to ring up four or five young men who missed out on the squad this morning and they're all very, very disappointed," Daniher said at a media conference at Telstra Dome on Tuesday.
"I explained to them the teams won't be finalised until Wednesday and we're still looking through at how blokes pull up and that's happening as we speak and they're all very keen to point out to me: 'I'm really keen to play'.
"Speaking to Tom Harley, 'Kosi' [Justin Koschitzke], Lenny Hayes - Lenny was really unlucky - and Tyson Edwards, these sorts of blokes that missed out and were on the edge are waiting for the call and I'll ring them again on Wednesday to confirm after training."
All seven states/territories - Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia - that make up the Dream Team have been represented. Plus, Irishman Tadhg Kennelly gives the side an international flavour.
Daniher said players such as West Coast ruckman Dean Cox were desperate to play in the team, although the competition's No.1 ruckman has been battling a foot complaint in recent times.
"He's a very good example. If you said: 'Dean Cox is not playing'. Everyone would go: 'Oh well, fair enough'. But he's really, really keen to play and hopefully he comes up and can play on Wednesday," Daniher said.
The former Melbourne coach said the Dream Team's forward line was a tantalising prospect - either tall or small.
"We might play tall. We might go (Cameroon) Mooney, (Matthew) Pavlich, 'Richo' (Matthew Richardson), (Lance) Franklin and (Luke) McPharlin up in our forward line and then we might go quick after that. We might then put (Daniel) Motlop and (Adam) Cooney out of the goalsquare, (Brett) Burton at centre half-forward, S.Burgoyne, (Simon) Goodwin and (Matthew) Stokes," Daniher said.
Daniher even said Franklin, Pavlich and Richardson could play across the centre line, offering an insight into the future of the game.
"That's looking ahead in 20 years time, where you've got six foot five blokes [Franklin and Richardson] playing on the wing and Pavlich in the middle. That's a pretty exciting team," Daniher said.
