The announcement came as part of the Bushrangers’ 20-year celebration of being part of the pre-eminent U18 football competition in Australia - the TAC Cup.
A proud ‘Bushie’ hailing from Benalla in country Victoria, Rockliff joined some of his esteemed fellow alumni - including Barry Hall, Brett Deledio, Steve Johnson, Fraser Gehrig, Daniel Cross and former team-mate Steele Sidebottom - in the 24-man team.
As an even greater mark of respect, Rockliff was selected as the team’s rover.
“Great honour to make the Murray Bushrangers all time team. Some good players from the bush,” Rockliff tweeted on Monday.
The honour comes as no real surprise considering Rockliff was the Bushrangers’ most accomplished player during his final season as a junior in 2008.
He led the competition’s goal-kicking, won the Bushrangers’ Best & Fairest award, and helped lead his team to the TAC Cup Premiership with four goals in the Grand Final.
Rockliff also represented Victoria Country in the AFL U18 Championships and was named in the 2008 TAC Cup Team of the Year.
Since being drafted to the Lions, his star has continued to rise.
In just his third AFL season, Rockliff was awarded the Merrett-Murray Medal as the Lions’ 2011 Club Champion, and he is now widely regarded as one of the game’s most damaging midfielders.
He is one of three former Murray Bushrangers currently on the Lions' list - along with Jack Crisp and Patrick Wearden.
Murray Bushrangers Platinum Team (1993-2012)
B: Ben Matthews (Sydney), Ben Reid (Collingwood), Ryan Houlihan (Carlton)
HB: Joel Smith (St Kilda/ Hawthorn), Jarrad Waite (Carlton), David Mundy (Fremantle)
C: Steele Sidebottom (Collingwood), Brett Deledio (Richmond), Adem Yze (Melbourne)
HF: Steve Johnson (Geelong), Barry Hall (c) (St Kilda/ Sydney/ Western Bulldogs), Shannon Byrnes (Geelong)
F: Josh Fraser (Collingwood/ Gold Coast), Fraser Gehrig (West Coast/ St Kilda), Justin Koschitzke (St Kilda)
Foll: Steven King (Geelong/ St Kilda), Daniel Cross (Western Bulldogs), Tom Rockliff (Brisbane)
Inter: Robert Campbell (Hawthorn), David Teague (North Melbourne/ Carlton), Rory Hilton (Richmond/ Brisbane), Hamish McIntosh (North Melbourne), Alipate Carlisle (Port Adelaide), Jarrod Harbrow (Western Bulldogs/ Gold Coast)
Craig Ednie (Richmond), Kayne Pettifer (Richmond), Chris Hyde (Richmond), Ben McEvoy (St Kilda), Sam Reid (North Melbourne) and Jack Ziebell (NorthMelbourne) were the most notable players to miss out.
