The Victorian Football League-Australian Football League (VFL/AFL) Italian Team of the Century was announced in June 2007. It recognises the role of Italian Australian players in the sport.[1]
Players and/or at least one of the player's parents or grandparents had to have been born in Italy. They also had to have played at least one game at VFL/AFL level.[2]
Anthony Koutoufides, who was also in the Greek Team of the Century qualified via his mother,[3] whilst Ian Stewart's father was Italian, but he had always used his mother's maiden name.[4] John Kennedy's maternal grandparents were Italian.[3]
The team
The final selected team was announced at the Palladium Room at the Crown Casino in Melbourne on 31 May 2007.[5]
A team President was also named: Frank Costa.
Selectors
Choosing the team from the shortlist were:[6]
Shortlist
The panel's final selection was made from a shortlist of 50 (from an original list of 148). They were (listed alphabetically):[7]
- Steve Alessio
- Mark Arceri
- Ron Barassi, Sr. (deceased)
- Adrian Battiston
- John Benetti
- Mario Bortolotto
- Scott Camporeale
- Domenic Cassisi
- Vin Catoggio
- Frank Curcio (deceased)
- Nick Dal Santo
- Ron De Iulio
- Paul Dimattina
- Robert DiPierdomenico
- Alec Epis
- Brendan Fevola
- Silvio Foschini
- Cyril Gambetta (deceased)
- Daniel Giansiracusa
- Len Incigneri (deceased)
- Alan Johnson
- John Kennedy Jr
- Anthony Koutoufides
- Andrew Leoncelli
- Tony Liberatore
- Paul Licuria
- Stan Magro
- Gary Malarkey
- Al Mantello
- Gerald Marchesi (deceased)
- Alan Martello
- Peter Matera
- Phillip Matera
- Mark Mercuri
- Joe Misiti
- Tony Ongarello
- Peter Pianto
- Tony Polinelli
- Simon Prestigiacomo
- Adam Ramanauskas
- Peter Riccardi
- Mark Ricciuto
- Guy Rigoni
- Anthony Rocca
- Saverio Rocca
- Peter Russo
- Laurie Serafini
- Sergio Silvagni
- Stephen Silvagni
- Ian Stewart