The much anticipated Tribute Game has been won by Victoria by 17 points before nearly 70,000 fans at the MCG. The one-off match was close all night but never really rose to great heights, with the Big V pulling away in the last quarter.

New Zealand born Trent Croad may wear the Big V on the field with the best of the AFL, but his fern leaf tattoo signals his Kiwi heritage.

The 28 year old 190cm, 100kg Kiwi will play in perhaps the most important Australian Rules representative match in his career. While he wore the Big V in 1999 and appeared in Australia's International Rules side three times, this game is Australian Rules and the opposition for the 2005 All-Australian will be the best yet.

Recruited from suburban Melbourne, Croad is a star backman at the Hawthorn Hawks, but he played with the Fremantle Dockers (which is currently the home of the AFL's other NZ born player Adam Campbell).

Croad's grandfather Eric Bloggs represented New Zealand in rugby union 1946-1949 and toured South Africa. Trent is a huge fan of the All Blacks and recently met with the players at the Hawks current home Waverley Park.

After the withdrawal of Ireland's Tadhg Kennelly from the match (the only player in the squads to have been born and grown up overseas), Trent Croad will take the honour of representing the overseas born AFL players in the All-Star game.

Trent may get the assignment of lining up on one of the game's biggest name forwards in Hawthorn teammate Lance Franklin or Geelong's 2007 premiership centre-half-forward Cameron Mooney. One gets the sense that the match up may produce something special like Croad's magnificent soaring mark over his Victorian teammate Jonathan Brown in Round 19 last year.

The final teams have been named for the Dream Team versus Victoria match tomorrow night (Saturday 10th May) at the MCG. The game pits the Big V against the "best of the rest" under State of Origin rules as a tribute to 150 years of Australian Football.

Given that both SA and WA have had plenty of success against Victoria, the Dream Team with stars from across the nation should probably account for the home side. But pride and (hopefully) a large home crowd cannot be underestimated. Read on to check out the teams and consider the amazing passages of play we could see.

Just a quick reminder of our Tribute Match polls - see right hand side of website. Are you backing in the Big V or the Rest of the World (the Dream Team)?

Given comments by Victoria's skipper, Jonathan Brown, on Australian TV last night, the odds have firmed that he will pull on the state's jumper for the match. Given he only just missed Brisbane's match on Saturday, and a softening of coach Leigh Matthews' stance, Brown looks reasonably likely to represent his home state in what will probably be a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Incidentally, Brown's home town is Warrnambool, site of two rounds of this year's International Cup.

Against the Dream Team will be doubts raised over Lance Franklin due to a shoulder, and lining up against them is Adam Goodes, despite having spent all but four years of his life in South Australia and New South Wales.

The Dream Team versus Victoria match next Saturday has been rocked by a series of injuries to big name players. In doubt for the 150 celebration show-piece match are Big V stars Jonathan Brown (captain) and Gary Ablett, both of whom withdrew from the Brisbane versus Geelong clash yesterday, with quad and calf injuries respectively. And Hawthorn's Luke Hodge strained a hamstring and looks a definite loss for the Vics.

Meanwhile the Dream Team has already lost Chad Cornes (broken finger), Chance Bateman (broken bone in hand) and Simon Black (early signs of osteitis pubis). The Dream Team will also be waiting on the fitness of Dean Cox (playing with damaged ligaments in his right foot) and Brett Burton (who injured an elbow this week); of course they'll also be without fallen star Ben Cousins, missing indefinitely after problems with illicit drugs.

Australia is increasingly well known for Australian Football as the game gets a toe-hold in more and more countries. But in many sports we're also known to be prolific "sledgers" - using a bit of verbal abuse to throw the opposition off their game. It's questionable whether there is any place for sledging in sport, other than a bit of good natured "niggle", but there's no doubt a bit of "verbal jousting" will continue to be a part of many games, not just in Australia.

But what does need to be banished is any sledging along racial lines, be it truly "race" or any particular ethnic background. The Australian Football League has done an excellent job on that issue, with indigenous players such as Nicky Winmar and Michael Long making a stand and the AFL backing them up. However, anecdotal evidence and common-sense suggests that the changes in attitude have not filtered down to lower grades of football - at least not as thoroughly as needed.

Despite generations of immigration from around the world, the largest group in footy remains Causasian with an Aussie accent. Over the decades other European backgrounds have become much more common and better accepted. However the fact remains that any point of difference is often exploited.

As Aussie Rules continues to expand internationally we will see increasing numbers of players come to Australia. One such player is Brendan Murphy from Ireland, now on Sydney's rookie list. In just his second match playing for the Swans' reserves side he was reportedly subjected to abuse and told to go back to Ireland. It would be nice to think that international players will be made welcome, and they surely will at the clubs they go to, but let's hope opponents show appropriate respect too. In the meantime international players can assure themselves that part of the reason for any sledging is the fear that they just might be a better player than their Aussie opponent. It's no excuse, but should prove some comfort.

Murphy subject of racial abuse

G'day, I help run a local Auskick group on the Mornington Peninsular, south of Melbourne, and thought I'd give an update on our season so far.

Out season has kicked off and registration day saw 95 kids sign up, 50 more than last year, it was a great day and the two girls that run our clinic did a fantastic job and were very surprised at the turn out. We have a few more girls this year which is great to see, 40 preps (first year of school), 20 grade 1's, 15 grade 2's and 15 grade 3's - that's 5 groups we have to make up, with one coach and 2 coordinators, so we are going to need plenty of helpers.

USFootyNews.com is excited to be able to bring detailed statistics on USFooty games including game scores, goal kickers, the USAFL ladder and an MVP table. This information not only provides great fodder for water cooler discussion but will provide actual prizes to clubs and players that finish the season at the top of the various tables.

Other than a few breakout countries like South Africa and Papua New Guinea, growth in Australian Football around the world has generally been steady but not explosive. Simply building awareness of the code or its elite league, the AFL, is a difficult task. All the while the AFL and the people at grassroots have battled the perception of the game as violent. Ironically, in one swing Sydney's Barry Hall has put the sport onto the headlines (good) but for all the wrong reasons (so probably bad).

Here's some examples from Denmark and the United States.

Former County Kerry star and Sydney Swans premiership player Tadhg Kennelly has been named in the Dream Team in the one-off All-Star match against Victoria at the MCG in Melbourne on May 10 as part of the game's 150th celebrations.

Kennelly was the only non-Australian player to be named, and joins players from the Australian states and territories which make up the Dream Team:

• South Australia (15)
  
• Western Australia (12)
  
• New South Wales (4)
  
• Northern Territory (4)
  
• Queensland (2)
  
• Tasmania (1)
  
• Australian Capital Territory (1)
• Ireland (1)