View Full Version : Best Claremont team of the past 25 years
I've been a very keen Claremont supporter since I was knee high to a grasshopper. Since 1979 to be precise, so that's a quarter of a century. Thought I'd have some fun and try and pick a best ever team in that time.
Backs: Dale Kickett, Ashley McIntosh, Barry Beecroft
Half Backs: Guy McKenna, Daniel Southern, Ken Hunter
Centres: Michael Mitchell, Steve Malaxos, Darrell Panizza
Half Forwards: Chris Lewis, Michael Gardiner, Derrick Kickett
Forwards: Phil Krakouer, Warren Ralph, Ross Ditchburn
Ruck: Graham Moss, Ben Allan, Jim Krakouer
Interchange: Wayne Blackwell, Tony Evans, Don Pyke, Allen Daniels
Coach: Gerard Neesham
Captain: Graham Moss
Personally, I think this team would match up pretty well against most AFL teams from the same period.
So, have I done well? Anyone I've left out? Anything you agree with or disagree with?
Adrian Shelton
3 Jun 2004, 14:27
Peter Thorne, John Hutton, John Scott, Clinton Browning
Originally posted by Adrian Shelton
Peter Thorne, John Hutton, John Scott, Clinton Browning
Browning played for East Fremantle, not Claremont.
Thorne was a great player who would go close to making the team, but I'm not sure whose spot he would fill. John Scott was a fine player, but probably not quite good enough to make the team IMO. John Hutton had one great season when he kicked 100 goals, but Warren Ralph did it three times pre-Eagles, so you couldn't put Hutton in front of Ralph.
I just remembered that Ryan Turnbull started his career at Claremont, before later switching to East Perth. We'd have to include Turnbull, because he was a pretty good player for the Eagles, and won a Sandover Medal. Turnbull can fill Barry Beecroft's position in the back pocket. He can play as a ruckman, mind an opposing tall or play in a key position. So Turnbull's in for Beecroft. :D
Adrian Shelton
3 Jun 2004, 15:19
Whoops!! Ok then how 'bout Gary Shaw and Cam Shephard
McAlmanac
3 Jun 2004, 19:46
Good to see former Woodville wingman Darrell Panizza in the side. :D Pretty speedy and an accurate though not particularly penetrating kick. Great bloke too - very popular down at the Warriors.
Uncle Steve
4 Jun 2004, 12:37
Originally posted by gytre
Forwards: ..., Warren Ralph, ...
Ironic, since he would arguably fill the full-forward position in Glenelg's worst ever team. Was he really that good out West? What's his history: total games, goals, awards, etc?
Originally posted by Adrian Shelton
Whoops!! Ok then how 'bout Gary Shaw and Cam Shephard
Yeah, two more very good players but I'm afraid I can't find room for them! There's only 22 places available in a football team, sorry. :D
Adrian Shelton
4 Jun 2004, 13:35
Going on what i've read in my 2 Footy Facts yearbooks, Ralph Kicked 72 goals in 21 games for the Blues and 570 something goals for the Tigers to the end of 87. His stint at Glenelg got him 30 majors from 14 games in 88.Dont know if he went back to Claremont after that though.
Originally posted by McAlmanac
Good to see former Woodville wingman Darrell Panizza in the side. :D Pretty speedy and an accurate though not particularly penetrating kick. Great bloke too - very popular down at the Warriors.
"Dollar" Panizza is a legend at Claremont. He was a magnificent, dashing wingman in the 80's. I have many fine memories of him tearing down with the wing with the footy, taking bounces and wreaking havoc on opposition sides. He played State of Origin for WA, and I have no doubt would have made a fine AFL player.
When he came back to Claremont in 1990 following his 3 seasons at Woodville he played half-back and starred for us there as well. I remember being disgusted that he never made the WA state-of-origin team that year to play Victoria. Instead his place on a half back flank was taken by West Coast Eagle Geoff Miles, who was a bloody Victorian and shouldn't have even been playing for WA. :mad:
Panizza is Claremont's game record holder. He was a terrific coach for us too, leading Claremont to the 1996 WAFL premiership. He was surprisingly replaced by Don Pyke (pressure from the Eagles I believe). Dollar now coaches in Albany where his team there (Royals) dominates the district league.
Definitely one of my all time favourite players. :D
Originally posted by Adrian Shelton
Going on what i've read in my 2 Footy Facts yearbooks, Ralph Kicked 72 goals in 21 games for the Blues and 570 something goals for the Tigers to the end of 87. His stint at Glenelg got him 30 majors from 14 games in 88.Dont know if he went back to Claremont after that though.
Thanks for that, Adrian. :) Ralph starred for Claremont in the early 80's, winning the WAFL goalkicking four times and on three occasions kicking over 100 goals. His best was 123 goals in 1983. His best in a single game was 16 goals. He went to Carlton in 1984 with a huge reputation, but struggled with injury, loss of confidence, and he claimed he got along poorly with coach Robert Walls.
Yeah, he had that one year at Glenelg in '88, but there's no doubt by then his best years were behind him. He came back to WA in 1989 and was talked out of retirement by Claremont, making a comeback late in the '89 season, and played in Claremont's 1989 premiership side.
He was nicknamed "Almost" because he won over 900 grand in lotto (almost a million). Ralph was a champion full-forward in the early 80's for us - a great lead and kick and took some classic high marks. I have many fond memories of Ralph. People in the eastern states definitely never got to see the best of him.
Angry Dragon
4 Jun 2004, 15:15
Originally posted by Adrian Shelton
Going on what i've read in my 2 Footy Facts yearbooks, Ralph Kicked 72 goals in 21 games for the Blues and 570 something goals for the Tigers to the end of 87. His stint at Glenelg got him 30 majors from 14 games in 88.Dont know if he went back to Claremont after that though.
He lost interest after his Lotto win.
Juddism
31 Aug 2008, 00:32
*bump* I've been following the mighty Tigers since I was two, the names you list bring up some fantastic memories, "short" Daniels, Larry Kickett, Noel Morton who I noticed you didn't squeeze into the team & the list goes on.
my old PE teacher was none other than former captain Mark Hann...and who can forget the old racehorse Darrell Panizza, **** he could run!
fond memories sitting at the railway station end with the cheersquad and their paraphenalia, does anyone know what happend to most of that crew?
4th Tier
3 Sep 2008, 12:00
Any room for current day players... J Crabb & A Jones?
Between them they've captained the club, won a couple of Sandovers and a kicked a few goals...
Donnybrook
6 Sep 2008, 16:04
Pretty good effort on that side. The only player I could think of to come in would be Mike Aitken for Danny Southern across half back.
The Governor
13 Sep 2008, 20:31
Backs: Dale Kickett, Ashley McIntosh, Barry Beecroft
Half Backs: Guy McKenna, Daniel Southern, Ken Hunter
Centres: Michael Mitchell, Steve Malaxos, Darrell Panizza
Half Forwards: Chris Lewis, Michael Gardiner, Derrick Kickett
Forwards: Phil Krakouer, Warren Ralph, Ross Ditchburn
Ruck: Graham Moss, Ben Allan, Jim Krakouer
Interchange: Wayne Blackwell, Tony Evans, Don Pyke, Allen Daniels
Coach: Gerard Neesham
Captain: Graham Moss
As a Geelong supporter, the Geelong Football Club missed out on the Krakouer brothers back in the early 80s.
Here is my best Claremont Side. And, the coach is Graham Moss.
B:Dale Kickett Ashley McIntosh Danny Southern
HB: Ken Hunter Peter Mann Guy McKenna
C: Wayne Blackwell Steve Malaxos Michael Mitchell
HF: Chris Lewis Ross Ditchburn Phil Krakouer
F: Tony Evans Warren Ralph Mark Hepburn
RUCKS: Graham Moss Ben Allan Jim Krakouer
BENCH: Don Pyke Allen Daniels Michael Gardiner Brett Farmer
THE GOVERNOR