With the 2017 Country Festival clash between Essendon and Geelong taking place this weekend, Tony Greenberg has compiled a team of the best Richmond players, recruited to league football ranks from the country, that he’s seen throughout the past half-century. Here is the star-studded line-up...

B: Mick Malthouse – North Ballarat, VIC (121 games), Barry Richardson – Barnawartha/St Pat’s Ballarat, VIC (125 games), Scott Turner – Ararat, VIC (144 games)

HB: Mervyn Keane – Wycheproof, VIC (238 games), Jim Jess – Avoca/St Arnaud, VIC (223 games), Geoff Strang – Albury, NSW (88 games)

C: Francis Bourke – Nathalia, VIC (300 games), Matthew Knights – Mildura, VIC (279 games), Wayne Campbell – Ouyen/Bendigo, VIC (297 games)

HF: John Northey – Derrinallum, VIC (118 games), Dick Clay – Kyabram, VIC (213 games), Paul Broderick – Camperdown, VIC (169 games)

F: Chris Naish – Wangaratta, VIC (143 games), Michael Roach – Westbury, TAS (200 games), Dustin Martin – Castlemaine, VIC (160 games)

R: Mark Lee – Mildura, VIC (233 games), Barry Rowlings – Moe, VIC (152 games), Dale Weightman – Mildura Imperials, VIC (274 games)

IC: Tony Free – Lalbert, VIC (133 games), Brett Deledio – Kyabram, VIC (243 games), Leon Cameron – South Warrnambool, VIC (84 games), Nathan Foley – Colac, VIC (154 games)

Richmond premiership players within the team: Richardson (three), Keane (three), Jess (one), Strang (two), Bourke (five), Northey (two), Clay (four), Roach (one), Lee (one), Rowlings (one), Weightman (one), Malthouse (one).

Jack Dyer Medallists within the team: Free (two), Bourke (one), Knights (two), Campbell (four), Broderick (one), Martin (one), Lee (one), Rowlings (one), Weightman (two), Deledio (two).

Richmond captains within the team: Free, Bourke, Knights, Campbell, Lee, Rowlings, Weightman.