In the lead-up to tonight’s State-of-Origin Bushfire Relief match between Victoria and the All Stars at Marvel Stadium, Richmond Media has been running a series of historical articles about some top Tiger performers on the interstate football stage. We conclude the series with a look at Nathan Foley’s eye-catching debut in the Big V 12 years ago.

Richmond rover Nathan Foley was a 22-year-old with 56 games of AFL experience, in his fourth season, when he lined up for Victoria against the Dream Team in a special tribute match at the MCG commemorating Australian Football’s 150^th anniversary on May 10, 2008.

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Foley took his place in a powerful Big V side alongside star players such as Jonathon Brown, Matthew Scarlett, James Bartel, Steve Johnson, Brent Harvey, Adam Goodes, Chris Judd and Brendon Fevola. The Dream Team contained players of the calibre of Lance Franklin, Andrew McLeod, Simon Goodwin, Matthew Pavlich, Matthew Richardson, Brett Kirk and the Burgoyne brothers (Peter and Shaun).

Pre-game, Victoria’s coach Mark Thompson had said to Foley, “Do you know why you’re in the side? You win your own ball and you’re tough.”

It was those attributes that held Foley in such good stead throughout his Big V debut.

He was one of Victoria’s best in the 17-point victory over the Dream Team – 21.11 (137) to 18.12 (120) before a crowd of nearly 70,000 – finishing the match with 21 disposals (11 kicks, 10 handballs), which was the equal second highest of any Victorian player on the night, including six inside-50s and three clearances. Foley also had four tackles and capped off his industrious work with a superb goal.

When you consider that he started the match on the interchange bench, and had only 64 percent time on the ground overall, his first-up performance at state football level was all the more meritorious.

Four of Foley’s inside-50 entries came in the opening term after he’d been swung into the action by ‘Bomber’ Thompson in a bid to halt the Dream Team’s midfield dominance, which had enabled them to seize the early initiative.

Foley helped turn the tide for the Vics, winning plenty of contested ball, running the lines hard, and initiating scoring opportunities through his polished disposal.

Although Victoria’s full-forward Fevola was awarded the Allen Aylett Medal as best afield for his six-goal display, Foley certainly wasn’t far behind him in terms of the influence he exerted on the result of the contest.