Dream defenders of the A-League - Part IV

Two legends of the Australian game take out positions three and four.

We continue our countdown with two veterans of Australian football taking centre stage, one of them could arguably be the best defender the Qantas Socceroos have ever had at their disposal.

4. Craig Moore (Queensland/Brisbane Roar)

One of the greatest Qantas Socceroos to ever represent his country, Moore was the backbone of the Socceroos- defence for many, many years and even hung around until the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa to wind up a 16-year career.

That career saw him enjoy some terrific highs abroad, playing for Crystal Palace and Newcastle United, but most notable with Scottish Premier League side Rangers, where Moore won numerous Scottish titles, some of those as club captain.

His footballing odyssey would eventually see him return home to Queensland Roar as their marquee signing and while his time there was tinged with personal issues, which included Testicular Cancer and a bet he placed on football games (none of which the Roar played in) his impact on the club saw them improve markedly.

The Roar became a top four side, who in Moore-s second season improved to third on the ladder, just behind the leaders, his impact as a driving force at the back was obvious, he helped tighten their defence with his no-nonsense style at the back and played a big part in driving the club towards their future successes.

3. Mark Rudan (Sydney FC)

Better known to younger fans of the game as an anchor on Fox Sports- football broadcasts, it wasn-t so long ago that Rudan was dominating the Hyundai A-League.

The original Sydney FC captain had quite the presence on the pitch and wasn-t afraid to throw his weight around when it was required.

A stellar organiser at the back as a member of the original Sky Blues side along with Dwight Yorke he brought a great deal of experience to the team and helped the club to it-s reputation as one of the biggest clubs in Australia as they claimed the inaugural Grand Final, defeating Central Coast Mariners 1-0 thanks to a Steve Corica goal.

Though he was primarily responsible for helping the Sky Blues keep their shape, in the two seasons he spent at the club, Rudan was also a huge threat going forward and scored six goals for the club in his two seasons with them.

The views in this article are those of the author, and do not represent those of Football Federation Australia