Sport
More honours for Berwick's Tuck, Leppitsch
Paddy Higgs
23Jul08
TWO of Berwick's favourite footballing sons have yet another accolade to add their lengthy list of achievements.
AFL champions Michael Tuck and Justin Leppitsch were last week named in the MPNFL's VFL/AFL team of the century, announced as part of the league's centenary celebrations.
Tuck was born in Dandenong, but grew up in Berwick. After progressing through the juniors he won a senior best-and-fairest with the Wicks in 1970.
He joined Hawthorn the following year to begin a career which encompassed an AFL-record 426 games and seven premierships (four as captain).
Still living in Berwick, Tuck revealed his pleasure at being named ruck-rover in the team alongside former teammates Leigh Matthews, Russell Greene and Dermott Brereton.
"It's an honour, and it's good to get recognition for something you've enjoyed all your life," he said.
"Berwick's produced a lot of good players. That's probably what helped Hawthorn a bit, because the Mornington Peninsula was their zone in those days."
Leppitsch, named in the back pocket, played more than 100 games for Berwick Junior Football Club before a stint with the Dandenong Southern Stingrays in the TAC Cup.
He was taken at number four in the 1992 AFL draft by Brisbane, playing 227 games for the Lions, including three premierships.
Now an assistant coach with the Lions under Matthews, he was chuffed when learning of his selection with Tuck, John Coleman, Robert Harvey and company.
"It's unbelievable. They're obviously champions of the game," he said.
"It's an amazing honour. I haven't really achieved anything in football for few years because I've been out of it for such a long time now, so it's a great thing!"
THE TEAM
B: Nathan Burke (St Kilda, recruited from Pines juniors), Kelvin Moore (Hawthorn, from Frankston), Justin Leppitsch (Brisbane, from Berwick).
HB: Harvey Merrigan (Fitzroy, from Hampton Park), Chris Mew (Hawthorn, from Rosebud), Gary Colling (St Kilda, from Frankston).
C: Stan Alves (Melb, Nth Melb, from Edi-Asp), Robert Harvey (St Kilda, from Seaford), Stuart Trott (St Kilda, Haw, from Frankston).
HF: Gerard Healy (Melb, Syd, from Edi-Asp), Dermott Brereton (Haw, Syd, Coll, from Frankston Rovers JFC), Bryan Kenneally (Melbourne, from Lyndhurst-Hampton Park).
F: Stewart Loewe (St Kilda, from Mt Eliza), John Coleman (Essendon, from Hastings), Norm Johnstone (Fitzroy, from Chelsea).
FOLL: Jack Howell (Carlton, from Chelsea). Michael Tuck (Hawthorn, from Berwick). Leigh Matthews (Hawthorn, from Chelsea).
INTER: Bob McClure (Essendon, from Navy), Russell Greene (St Kilda, Hawthorn, from Pines juniors), Eric Guy (St Kilda, from Dromana), Jim Cameron (South Melbourne, from Frankston).
