‘Me too?’ asks Brutus

By Glen Atwell
CRANBOURNE Football Club legends Steven Dalgleish, Pat Garrett and Leigh Capsalis have been named in the Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League Team of the Century squad.
Berwick, Doveton and Keysborough players were also among the 36-man squad which will be narrowed down to a final team of 22 to be announced at a gala dinner on Saturday 26 July at Frankston Arts Centre.
Cranbourne had three nominations with Dalgleish, Garrett, and Capsalis (who also played with Keysborough) among the names in line for selection.
Doveton great Graham Henwood and Berwick’s John Callery were also listed in the squad.
Dalgleish, nicknamed Brutus, played 108 games for Cranbourne and went on to become the president of the Lang Lang Football Club.
The centre half-forward, who also coached Cranbourne for two years (1988-89), now manages the Lang Lang pub, and is only too happy to pour a beer and have a chat with his football mates.
Dalgleish was unaware of his inclusion in the squad when contacted by the News.
“What team of the century?” he said.
When told of the accolade, Brutus was chuffed.
“That’s news to me, but great news all the same,” he said.
Garrett, a talented forward flanker, played 173 games for the Eagles in three stints between 1984 and 1998.
He booted 498 goals during his career and played in six premiership sides between 1986 and 1993.
Capsalis played 125 seniors games and began his career with Keysborough in 1988.
In 1998 he joined Cranbourne where the burly defender played 53 games and was honoured with the MPNFL league best and fairest award in 1999.
Henwood played 165 games for Doveton, including 25 for Berwick, and booted 537 goals in a prolific career spent on the half forward flank. He played in four premiership sides in 1979, ‘92, ‘83 and ‘88.
MPNFL selection panel chairman Alan Wickes said he was delighted with the extensive information provided to the panel to allow informed, objective assessments of every player nominated for the squad.
“The panel gave consideration to each player’s playing record, number of premierships, club and league best and fairest awards, goal kicking and representative matches played,” he said. “All players nominated in the final 36 are unquestionably elite players of the MPNFL.”
For every player selected in the team another 1100 played senior football in the MPNFL.
The MPNFL Team of the Century will represent less than 0.01 per cent of senior MPNFL players who have ever played.
Members of the public are invited to the gala dinner where the MPNFL will announce its Team of the Century.
Tickets are now on sale for $80 and include a three-course meal and drinks and can be purchased by contacting Sue Jones at the MPNFL office on 5977 8496 or suej@mpnfl.com.au.