Heroes, villains in team of 2013

There was controversy and success in equal measure, both on and off the field in what was an enthralling 2013 AFL season.

Jobe Watson was regularly in the headlines in 2013. Source: News Limited

AT THE end of each AFL season a panel of selectors sits down to pick their team of the year -the time-honoured All-Australian side.

Players are selected purely on form during the season just gone, rewarding stellar on-field performances and consistency across the 23 home-and-away rounds.

How boring.

Where is the recognition for extraordinary efforts like kicking the winning goal after the siren in your 200th game, taking an awe-inspiring goal with your first touch in the AFL then knocking yourself out in the next play, getting in trouble with the law twice for two unrelated acts of stupidity - or just turning up each week amid the firestorm of the Essendon drugs saga?

Farewell the year with our tribute to the best 22 headline-grabbers of the year just gone, for good or bad.

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DEFENCE

BRIAN LAKE

His career looked shot when he couldn't get a game at the Bulldogs in 2012. Fast-forward 12 months and he's not just a premiership player but the Norm Smith Medallist. Lake enjoying Hawthorn's Grand Final victory with his kids in the yellow confetti on the MCG was one of the feel-good images of 2013.

BRETT GOODES

Another good news story. The 29-year-old former player welfare manager at the Bulldogs became a staple of the Dogs' defence - and of most of our SuperCoach sides - after being recruited in the pre-season draft.

HERITIER LUMUMBA

The Collingwood star spent a weekend in Port Douglas mid-season after a falling out with coach Nathan Buckley, then revealed on his return he was dealing with a "complicated history" of sexual abuse and depression. The man once known as Harry O ended the year back in the news after reverting to his birth name.

CAMPELL BROWN AND STEVEN MAY

Risky selection to include the two Gold Coast teammates who came to blows outside an LA nightclub in November. But even after the incident ended Brown's AFL career, May insists they are still mates.

NATHAN LOVETT-MURRAY

The Bombers veteran was lucky to avoid serious injury when he was stabbed in a domestic incident in May. At the end of the year Lovett-Murray was in the news again after he admitted himself to a rehab clinic to deal with alcohol-related issues.

Campbell Brown fronts the media after he was sacked by Gold Coast. Source: Getty Images

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MIDFIELD

DARREN JOLLY

First ruck is the big Magpie who didn't take his delisting well, labelling former coach Nathan Buckley a "coward" on his departure.

GARY ABLETT

The undisputed on-field star of the season, collecting his second Brownlow Medal, fifth MVP award and his third Suns best-and-fairest in as many years. A modern - and possibly all-time - great.

JOBE WATSON (captain)

Couldn't quite match his Brownlow form of 2012 but was still one of the competiton's elite midfielders, all while carrying the burden of the biggest footy story of the year - and possibly of all time - the Essendon supplement scandal. Watson survived boos from fans in Perth, calls for him to give up his Brownlow and his own admission on Fox Footy's On the Couch that he believed he took banned supplement AOD-6904, to finish second in the Bombers' best-and-fairest despite missing three games with a broken collarbone.

ADAM GOODES

Took a stand against racism by pointing out a young Collingwood fan at the MCG, then unwittingly became the centre of an even bigger storm when Magpies president Eddie McGuire suggested Goodes could promote the King Kong musical in a breakfast radio brainfade. Dealt with it all with typical class.

DANE SWAN

Made headlines in March when he gave an unapproved interview on the Footy Show, prompting a club fine and a tirade from Eddie McGuire on the ethics of cheque-book journalism. In the interview Swan admitted he was no angel but denied he had a drug problem. He went on to produce another typically brilliant season on the field.

BRENDON GODDARD

In a well-rounded year he won the B & F in his first year at Essendon, declared a speech by coach James Hird after a stirring win against Fremantle should not have been made public, and shed tears in a post-match interview with Cam Mooney after the Bombers belted his old St Kilda mates at Etihad.

Adam Goodes displays his pride in his Indigenous heritage. Source: News Limited

FORWARDS

LANCE FRANKLIN

Kept Hawthorn fans on edge all year after putting off contract talks, then left GWS at the alter to join Sydney on a crazy nine-year deal. Kicked a few goals along the way, too.

JACK WATTS

Became the poster boy for Melbourne's year from hell after the No. 1 draft pick was dropped early in the season. After he also played the "putting off contract talks" card, he's now looking for a fresh start under new Demons coach Paul Roos.

KURT TIPPETT

Missed the first 11 matches of the year after being suspended over the Crows' salary cap scandal, returning with a bang by kicking his first goal in red and white just 45 seconds into his return game against Port Adelaide. Averaged almost three goals a game for the rest of the year and is set to form a scary - but possibly top-heavy - forward set-up with Franklin in 2014.

DUSTIN MARTIN

Starting on a flank is the 22-year-old tattooed Tiger who took his game to a new level in 2013. Then he shocked Richmond by walking away from a new contract and declaring his intention to pursue offers from other clubs. After two weeks on the open market, he returned to Punt Rd with his black and yellow tail between his legs to re-sign with the Tigers. Also copped a $2000 suspended fine for a jailhouse salute after kicking a goal against Carlton in the elimination final.

STEPHEN MILNE AND AHMED SAAD

Our two forward pockets are both from the Saints after enduring torrid years for very different reasons. Milne copped an indefinite suspension from his club after being charged with four counts of rape over an incident in 2004. His ban ended after two weeks, but his off-field fate will be decided by the courts. Salad also faces an uncertain future after copping an 18-month ban for taking an energy drink before a game that contained a banned substance. ASADA is pushing to have six months added to the suspension, a move that would effectively end Saad's career.

We saw a lot of photos of Jack Watts and Melbourne players like this in 2013. Source: News Limited

INTERCHANGE

DALE THOMAS

Missed most of the year with ankle problems but makes the cut for yet another contract saga. Clearly tired of months of speculation, he said in September: "I could sign (with Collingwood) before any sort of trade week period is up and that settles everything. And then everyone will have egg on their face and a lot of kids will have to get their No. 13 jumpers out of the bin because apparently a lot of them are throwing them out." Within a month rubbish men were picking up those No. 13 tops after Thomas joined old mentor Mick Malthouse at Carlton.

MAJAK DAW

The exciting former Sudanese refugee had already made plenty of headlines before making his AFL debut in April. His first touch was a spectacular one-grab mark which he converted for a goal with his first kick. His debut was over soon after when Daw knocked himself out in an accidental clash of heads. Three weeks later he kicked six goals in a dominant display against the Western Bulldogs.

BILLIE SMEDTS

The young Cat was on the wrong side of the twice in 2013, firstly in April when he and teammate Josh Caddy managed to turn an attempted prank into being arrested at gun-point. Aiming to fake a break-in at the home of youngster Jackson Thurlow, they turned up at the wrong house and the owner called the cops, who chased the balaclava-clad pair down in downtown Geelong. Smedts copped another blast from the men in blue over Christmas for posting a "selfie" on social media that appeared to show him driving while using his mobile phone.

ASH McGRATH

Kicking a goal after the siren to win a game is every kid's dream. Doing it in your 200th match to cap off a comeback from 52 points down - as McGrath did against Geelong in June - is just ridiculous.

Majak Daw's first touch in AFL. Source: News Limited

COACH

JAMES HIRD

It couldn't be anyone else.

ASSISTANT COACHES

MARK NEELD, MICHAEL VOSS, SCOTT WATTERS

The latest members of the sacked coaches club all deserve a gig.

PRESIDENT

EDDIE McGUIRE

Rarely out of the news, as usual. Will regret the King Kong gaffe for a long time.

Dean "the Weapon" Robinson with Essendon coach James Hird before their relationship self-destructed. Source: News Limited

TEAM PHYSIO

DEAN ROBINSON

The "Weapon" was stood down in February but his "black ops" interview with Luke "say that again" Darcy on Channel 7 in July was a ratings bonanza, even if all his claims didn't entirely add up.

COMMENTATOR

GERARD HEALY

The final word for 2013 goes to Fox Footy expert Gerard Healy, who somehow mangled the name of the team from "Gold Coast" live on air before a game against Melbourne in May. The result, which went viral online, was something more suited to an adults-only timeslot. You can watch it again HERE .

Happy new year and bring on 2014!

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