The AFL grand final will double as a reminder of the sports development north of the Murray River, with seven players set to represent both club and state at the MCG.Sydney co-captains Jarrad McVeigh and Kieren Jack, veteran Ben McGlynn, defender Dane Rampe, ruckman Sam Naismith and young guns Isaac Heeney and Callum Mills were all recruited from NSW. In sharp contract there wont be one player from NSW running out for Western Bulldogs on Saturday.McGlynn hails from the border town of Dareton but otherwise they all learned to love football from beyond the Barassi Line. They took divergent paths to the SCG and reflect how recruitment and development has changed in Sydney and NSW over the past 20 years.Heeney, who grew up south of Newcastle in the town of Cardiff, and North Shore product Mills have both declared they would have stopped playing Australian football if not for the Swans Academy.McVeigh, the oldest of Sydneys NSW contingent, didnt have the same luxury.The 31-year-old was 11 when he watched an epic preliminary final from the SCG stands, revelling as Tony Lockett steered Sydney into the season decider with a point after the siren.McVeigh was at the MCG for the ensuing grand final. It was a match that made many Sydneysiders, including Jack, first sit up and take notice of the sport.But McVeigh was no stranger to the ground or the game, thanks to the fact father Tony played for Williamstown in the VFA.McVeigh had dreamed of winning an AFL grand final since attending the 1993 season decider but being based on the Central Coast presented difficulties.AFL wasnt talked about in the playground at all really, not many people knew much about it or the Swans ... there was only one other person from my school that played the game, McVeigh recalled in a column earlier this year.McVeighs parents recognised the best place for him and brother Mark to be noticed by recruiters was in Sydney so they agreed to make a regular commute. The boys become draftees after playing for Pennant Hills.Jack also made a big impression at the same club, having opted against following father and Balmain legend Garry Jack into rugby league.Jack played Australian football for the first time in the school-based Paul Kelly Cup and was instantly hooked. His AFL career started on the Swans rookie list - as was the case with Rampe and Naismith.Rampe was born and bred in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. The Swans supporter turned All-Australian defender still hasnt forgiven father Indrek for not flying him down for the 2005 and 2006 grand finals.Rampe moved to Melbourne after finishing school but returned home after a fruitless VFL stint. Dominant performances from the defender in the local Sydney league caught the attention of Paul Roos, then an academy coach, and word spread of his potential.Roos also helped steer Naismith from the north-eastern NSW town of Gunnedeah to Sydney. The rugby league fan started playing Australian football late in his childhood and was set to stop until a call from Roos convinced him otherwise.Id never been to the SCG and hadnt watched much AFL at all. The first game I watched was the 2008 grand final. There was very minimal exposure to it in the country, Naismith told AAP.Hopefully its a bit different now. Im sure mum has been telling everyone theres a game on and therell be a few people back home watching.Whenver Naismith drives through country NSW he is staggered by the changing scenery.It seems like its almost doubling every year. Before youd drive around and wouldnt see any AFL goal posts anywhere ... I think its developing nicely, he said.Nike Air Huarache Schweiz .ca! Hi Kerry, Its another day and here we are looking at another dubious hit to the head. In this case Blue Jackets forward Brandon Dubinsky elbowed Saku Koivu in the head about a second after he dished off the puck to a teammate, knocking him unconscious. Nike Air Force 1 Just Do It Schweiz . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. http://www.airforce1justdoitschweiz.ch/air-force-1-just-do-it-schweiz.html . Brad Jacobs and his Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., team took control of the game early. Nike Air Presto Off White . Then the Pacers gave Oladipo and his Orlando teammates the cold shoulder. Paul Georges buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter spurred a 21-4 run, finally sending Indiana past the Magic 97-87 in a tougher-than-expected opening night matchup. Nike Air Force 1 Just Do It Kaufen . Capitals head coach Adam Oates said Ovechkin was injured in the first period against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday and clarified it was not a head injury.Dont look now, but the MLB All-Star Break -- otherwise known as that annoying period without box scores -- is almost upon us. The annual Home Run Derby will take place Monday, July 11, at Petco Park in San Diego, followed one night later by the All-Star Game.By now, youve probably seen the Home Run Derby caps and jerseys, which are patterned after the Padres old Taco Bell uniform design, and the All-Star Game caps. This years festivities will also feature new All-Star and Derby socks, though its unclear whether well see much of them, as players wont be required to wear their pants high-cuffed. Will there be any other uni-related surprises? Quite possibly because MLBs All-Star history is replete with uni-notable moments, many of which are shown in this selected timeline:1933: The very first All-Star Game finds the two leagues taking different approaches to their uniforms. National Leaguers wear special uniforms for the occasion (which will turn out to be a one-year anomaly), while their American League counterparts wear regular team uniforms.1934: All players wear regular team uniforms, but American Leaguers wear new uni numbers pinned over their normal numbers.1964: With the All-Star Game taking place at the Mets new home, Shea Stadium, Johnny Callison of the Phillies wins the game with a walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth -- while wearing a Mets batting helmet. This is the earliest documented case of what will develop into a frequent All-Star Game trope: when players forget or misplace their helmets and end up using someone elses.1965: Giants outfielder Willie Mays forgets to bring his batting helmet to the All-Star Game, so he borrows Billy Williams Cubs helmet, then switches to Johnny Edwards Reds helmet (further info here). In addition, Mays teammate Juan Marichal wears a Milwaukee Braves helmet. It is later reported that Mays and Marichal almost didnt get their uniforms in time for the game and might have had to wear inside-out Twins uniforms instead! 1972: Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk makes his All-Star debut -- while wearing a Brewers helmet.1973: Dodgers outfielder Willie Davis hits a pinch-hit home run while wearing a Braves helmet.1974: Its customary for the previous seasons two pennant-winning managers to skipper their respective leagues All-Star squads. But Dick Williams, who guided the As to the 1973 championship, is no longer managing in Oakland. He has moved on to manage the Angels, so he becomes the first manager to win a pennant in one teams uniform and then skipper the following years All-Star Game in another teams uniform. Dusty Baker will pull the same trick in 2003, when he wears his Cubs uniform to manage the National League All-Stars after winning the NL pennant with the Giants the year before.1975: The As have eight representatives at the All-Star Game (seven players plus manager Alvin Dark), and they dress in almost that many uniform combinations.1976: With many National League teams celebrating the leagues centennial season by wearing pillbox caps, NL All-Stars wear pillbox caps for batting practice and pregame warm-ups. They wear their regular team caps for the game itself. 1977: Pirates slugger Dave Parker wears two mismatched helmets in the same game. First, he dons a Padres helmet for an early at-bat, then he switches to a Reds helmet later in the game. Not to be outdone, Mariners outfielder Rupert Jones bats while wearing a Blue Jays helmet, which gives him a dual distinction: He becomes the first Mariner to appear in an All-Star Game?and?the first player to wear a Jays uniform component in an All-Star Game. 1979: Yankees outfielder Reggie Jacksons uniform doesnt arrive in time for the American Leagues team portrait. The game is being held in Seattle, so Jackson dons a Mariners uniform. Fortunately, his Yankees uni arrives in time for the game. Meanwhile, Phillies first baseman Pete Rose plays the game in his maroon batting practice jersey. With BP jerseys still a fairly new and uncommon phenomenon at the time, Roses move draws a lot of fan interest, which results in many teams introducing their own solid-colored BP jerseys and alternate game jerseys over the next few seasons. 1980: Reds outfielder Ken Griffey is named the games MVP and is awarded a Stargell Star from National League teammate Willie Stargell.1981: Two more helmet mix-ups, as Royals infielder Frank White pinch runs in a Brewers helmet and Blue Jays pitcher Dave Stieb (who, as an American League pitcher, never expected to hit) steps up to the plate in a Mariners helmet.1982: The American Leagues starting pitcher, Dennis Eckersley of the Red Sox (still several years from redefining the game as an elite closer), comes to bat in an Indians helmet. Tigers catcher Lance Parrish later does the same.1984: With Royals third baseman George Bretts helmet missing, Brett uses American League teammate Alvin Davis Mariners helmet with thhe Seattle logo peeled off -- but with Davis telltale 21 still on the brim.dddddddddddd1985: You cant make this up: With the All-Star Game about to start in Minnesota, Tigers infielder Lou Whitakers uniform is missing, so he buys a replica Tigers jersey from a Metrodome gift shop and has his uniform number added in Magic Marker. Meanwhile, theres yet another helmet switcheroo, as Astros pitcher Nolan Ryan hits while wearing a Padres lid. 1987: With the game stretching into the 13th inning and the National League out of bench players, Cubs closer Lee Smith is forced to bat. He doesnt have a helmet on hand, so he goes with an Expos lid.1992: Phillies first baseman John Kruks jersey doesnt arrive in time for pregame workouts, so he wear Braves pitching coach Leo Mazzones jersey. Meanwhile, Cleveland pitcher Charles Nagy, who hits left-handed, wears a Rangers helmet while batting in the top of the eighth inning. He singles and then trades the helmet for a right-handed Rangers model, which he wears while running the bases and scoring a run. 1997: Cleveland catcher Sandy Alomar Jr., who is named the games MVP, wears a camera-equipped mask and a stars-and-stripes chest protector.1998: Reds pitcher Jeff Shaw is named to the National League All-Star team but is traded to the Dodgers three days before the game. He becomes the first MLB player to appear in an All-Star Game while wearing his teams uniform for the first time.1998-2000: In an attempt to make the game more visually interesting (or maybe just to sell more caps), MLB decides to have the players uniform numbers and signatures sewn into their All-Star Game caps. The program is scaled back in 2001, when the personalized details are replaced by the All-Star Game logo.2005: MLB and its official batting helmet supplier, Rawlings, decide to use the All-Star Game to showcase a new helmet model, called the Coolflo. With its side vents and reptilian-looking crown, the new lid is a major departure from previous baseball helmets. Its worn by most of the All-Star players and becomes MLBs standard headgear the following season.2009: With base coaches required to wear helmets and the All-Star Game taking place in St. Louis, Dodgers manager Joe Torre -- a former star with the Cardinals in his playing days -- wears a Cardinals helmet while coaching first base. He becomes the first All-Star coach to wear another teams helmet. In addition, Blue Jays pitcher Roy Halladay wears American League teammate Evan Longorias Rays helmet with the front logo decal removed. 2011: Players selected to the All-Star Game have little gold stars added to the backs of their jerseys and caps. The stars are worn for regular season games in the week leading up to the All-Star break and in the All-Star Game itself.2014: For the first time, a new cap template is used for the All-Star Game. With the game taking place in Minnesota, players wear white-front-paneled caps that recall the Twins 1970s batting helmets.2014 also features one of the stranger All-Star storylines, as Cubs pitcher Jeff Samardzija is selected to the National League squad and then traded to the As -- an American League team -- a few days before the game. This lands Samardzija in an odd form of statelessness, as MLB rules that he is ineligible to play for either league. He nonetheless appears at the game and is introduced with the National League team while wearing an NL batting practice jersey and a generic All-Star cap.2015: Another new cap format, this time sort of a hybrid, pillbox-esque concept, which is supposed to evoke baseballs old-time mustachioed era but ultimately looks like, well, a cap with some stripes.That brings us up to date.One last thing to remember about this years All-Star Game: Although the game is being played in San Diego, the American League is the designated home team, so National Leaguers will be wearing road uniforms. That includes Padres pitcher Drew Pomeranz, wholl have the unusual experience of wearing a road uni in his home ballpark. But it wont be the Padres regular road uni; the team created a special All-Star design that is basically a gray version of its white home uniform.OK, got all that? Good! Just dont try to keep score during an All-Star Game -- its hopeless.Would you like to nominate a uniform, uni element or event to be showcased in a future Friday Flashback installment? Send your suggestions here.Paul Lukas made his Little League All-Star Team (and wore the right helmet when he batted). If you liked this column, youll probably like his Uni Watch Blog, plus you can follow him on Twitter and Facebook. Want to learn about his Uni Watch Membership Program, be added to his mailing list so youll always know when a new column has been posted or just ask him a question? Contact him here. ' ' '