THEY live in enemy camps 51 weeks of the year, but the past six days have helped reunite childhood friends Shaun Burgoyne and Graham Johncock.

Burgoyne and Johncock grew up together in Port Lincoln and were teammates at the famous AFL breeding ground, Mallee Park.

The talented duo went on to be drafted in the same year and could’ve easily become teammates at Adelaide. The Crows traded pick number 12 in the 2000 NAB AFL Draft to Port Adelaide in exchange for crumbing forward Matthew Bode.

In turn, the Power used that pick to select Burgoyne and, a short while later, Port Lincoln had even more reason to celebrate when the Crows pounced on Johncock at pick number 57.

Burgoyne and Johncock flew to Darwin together for the indigenous players’ three-day camp and, on Saturday night, Burgoyne said he would realise a dream that only rolls around every two years.

“I don’t get to play with Graham very often. We’re cousins, we’re born on the same day and we’re best mates. We’ve done a lot of things together and I’m really looking forward to playing with him again. It’ll probably be the highlight of the game for me,” Burgoyne said in Darwin.

“It will be a dream playing with Graham and a dream to play with some of the other guys too.”

The clash with Adelaide will be Burgoyne’s third All-Stars cap, but he said the novelty had far from worn off.

“It just gets more special because you don’t really know how long these games are going to be around for. This one was borderline whether to be scrapped or not, so you just appreciate the chance to play with the other indigenous players.”
 
“I grew up playing for an indigenous football team in Mallee Park, so it actually hits home pretty hard”.
 
The 26-year-old, who was born in Darwin, has been named vice-captain of the team alongside skipper Andrew McLeod.

Burgoyne, who is also in the mix for the captaincy at Port Adelaide, said it was an honour to be selected in a leadership role with the All-Stars.

“I’m one of the vice-captains at the Power at the moment,” he said.

“I hold that in high regard and I hold this up there with it because, not only am I representing the All-Stars, I’m representing the indigenous population and that means a hell of a lot to me.”

Burgoyne will be one of four Port Adelaide players to pull on the All-Stars guernsey this weekend. Midfielder Danyle Pearce returns for the line-up to try and avenge the 2007 loss to Essendon, as does Territorian Daniel Motlop.

Motlop’s younger cousin Marlon will also get the opportunity to play in front of his family and friends and Burgoyne encouraged the 18-year-old to make the most of his opportunity.

“I have a lot to do with Marlon being at the same club,” Burgoyne said.

“Hopefully, he gets a bit of game time and a few possessions, so he can kick-start his year. We’ve got big plans for him at Port Adelaide and this would be a good starting block for him for the 2009 season.”