The recent, highly publicised and expectant birth of Oscar Dylan Judd to Chris and Rebecca Judd has predictably sparked speculation about the Eagles and Blues having a father-son selection in the offing, and who is likely to get the nod, should it come to that.

In the case of the Blues, young Oscar won’t qualify to be selected by the Blues until this time next season, by which time his dad would have reached the necessary 100 games with Carlton.

The arrival of Oscar encouraged SEN’s Anthony Hudson to speculate about the very best father-son combinations in the history of VFL/AFL history. The official AFL website carried his top five yesterday, while adding suggestions from talkback radio.

I thought it might be fun to take a closer look at the suggested combinations, adding in an important one of my own which doesn’t appear to be mentioned by anyone, but which actually heralded the tradition of father-son selections.

1. Gary Ablett snr:

Played 248 games with Hawthorn and Geelong; AFL and Geelong team of the century; Australian Football Hall of Fame; Norm Smith medal 1989; Coleman Medal 1993-95; All-Australian 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 (Captain); fifth on all-time leading goal kickers; and

Gary Ablett jnr:

Has played 207 games to date with Geelong and Gold Coast; AFL Premiership (Geelong) 2007, 2009; Brownlow medal 2009; All-Australian 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 (vice-captain).

2. Sergio Silvagni:

Played 239 games with Carlton; VFL Premiership 1968, 1970; and

Stephen Silvagni:

Played 312 games with Carlton; VFL/AFL Premiership 1987, 1995; All-Australian 1994-1997, 1999; AFL Team of the Century; Australian Football Hall of Fame.

3. Ken Fletcher:

Played 264 games with Essendon; Club best and fairest 1978; record father-son combination of 552 games; and

Dustin Fletcher:

Has played 341 games to date with Essendon; AFL premiership 1993, 2000; All-Australian 2000, 2007.

4. Tim Watson:

Played 307 games with Essendon; VFL/AFL Premiership 1984, 1985, 1993; Club Best and Fairest 1980, 1985, 1988, 1989; and

Jobe Watson:

Has played 126 games to date with Essendon; Club best and fairest 2009-10.

5. Peter Hudson:

Played 129 games with Hawthorn; VFL leading goal kicker 1968, 1970, 1971, including equal record goals in one season; VFL Premiership 1971; All-Australian 1966, 1969; Legend status in Australian Football Hall of Fame; and

Paul Hudson:

Played 245 games with Hawthorn and Western Bulldogs; AFL Premiership (Hawthorn) 1991; All-Australian (Western Bulldogs) 1998

Other notable father-son selections

David Cloke played 333 games with Richmond and Collingwood, winning a VFL Premiership with the former in 1974 and 1980, and All-Australian honours in 1979.

He has actually had three sons turn out for the Magpies, the most notable one is the last one to do so, and current player, Travis Cloke with 139 games to date; AFL Premiership 2010; and Club Best and Fairest 2007.

Alan (Bull) Richardson played 114 games for Richmond, winning a Premiership medal in 1967. His son never tasted much team success, but perhaps reached greater heights as an individual player.

Matthew Richardson played 282 games for Richmond; All-Australian 1996, 1999, 2008; AFL Life Membership; Club best and fairest 2007.

Ted Whitten (Mister Football) played 321 games for Footscray and was part of their only VFL Premiership in 1954. He is the captain of the AFL Team of the Century and a Legend of the Australian Football Hall of Fame.

His son, Ted Whitten Jnr, played 144 games for Footscray and was a Victorian state rep.

John Scarlett played 212 games, but crucially provided Geelong with another invaluable father-son selection at the same time as Gary Ablett Junior.

Matthew Scarlett has played 261 games to date; AFL Premiership 2007, 2009; All-Australian 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009.

The last famous father-son selection I want to mention is the one that started it all off back in 1952.

Ron Barassi snr was killed in active service during World War II when Ron Barassi jnr was quite young. Barass was practically raised by the club, but he was zoned to Carlton, so the Demons lobbied to get a new father-son rule introduced.

Barass would go on to play in the six premierships Melbourne won between 1955 and 1964 and become an AFL legend.