Best from country honoured
The best footballers to have battled in annual country carnivals since 1965 will be honoured in an all-star team to be announced in Perth tonight at a gala function hosted by AFL legend Kevin Sheedy.
Commissioned to mark Landmark's support of country football for the past four decades, the team features players from WA's most powerful country football regions.
Players chosen must have established significant on-field service at the annual carnivals.
The full team has been kept a closely-guarded secret, however _The West Australian _ has learnt that former Swan Districts vice-captain and South Bunbury legend Peter Old will be among the players to be honoured.
Old said the honour rekindled fond memories of the annual clashes between WA's best regional footballers.
"All the great players you played both with and against in those carnivals, it was just a great atmosphere and it was great to be involved," said Old, who played in several of the South West's 10 consecutive carnival victories.
"In my day, a lot of the players really did look forward to being picked to go away for the country week and just test yourself against the other players in the other leagues.
"It was a great honour just to be picked in those sides to go away.
"So this is enormous, an absolute honour to be recognised in 50 years of WA country football.
"When you're at my stage of your career, which ended years ago, you can look back and just reflect. You might be touring around the State somewhere and you bump into someone you played with or against and have that quick conversation about the good old days.
"We used to go and play hard, but gee, we socialised hard, too.
"Occasions like this just give you that moment where you can stop in time and just have that little thought."
Selectors for the Landmark 50-year team were Terry House, John Ditchburn, Cam Knapton and Darryl Panizza.
