Best backlines in the last 20 years

[aussierulesrules]

Dempster - Dawson - Baker
Gwilt - Blake - Gram

Sam Fisher and Sam Gilbert say hello!! Both 100% locks in our backline in 2009 and both came top 8 in our B&F that season, with Blake coming 10th.

Dempster was more of a "bit parts player" back then and only played the 9 games that season. Gram had made his move into the midfield by then, as evidenced by his inside 50's and clearances stats for that season being easily the highest of his career and his rebound 50's being about half of what they were in say 2006. Gwilt played forward for most of his time on ground that season as evidenced by his goals kicked and also the fact he had a paltry 7 rebound 50's in his 15 games, compared to 34 inside 50's.

So our backline most weeks in 2009 looked a lot more like this:

B: Blake Dawson Baker
HB: Gilbert Fisher Clarke/Dempster/Geary

 

[Ian Dunross]

Hart Rutten Basset/Torney

McLeod Bock Johncock

IMO all are vying for second behind the WCE defence of the early 90s. This one shouldn't be overlooked because it failed to win a flag.

Definitely ahead of Collingwood's. Contending w Geelong's for 2nd.

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

The attacking cats only scored 1 more goal per game then us on average. We destroyed teams with our defense and killed them with our forwards.

I can't remember the last time a team other than Geelong cracked the 200 point mark in a game. Under Blighty AND Bomber we've done it a few times.

As for backlines, the Eagles' backline of the 1990's - frustratingly, robotically, soullessly good. Best backline I've ever seen. Bomber's Backline 2007-2009 second best.

 

[Roobs321]

Crows 2006 defence:
Ben Hart (AA in 2002), Ben Rutten (AA in 2005), Nathan Basset (AA in 2006)
Simon Goodwin (AA in 2006), Nathan Bock (AA in 2008), Andrew McLeod (AA in 2006)

Also had Graham Johncock, Marty Mattner & Scott Stevens to rotate when required.

That backline was so annoying. So many rebounds. Frightening collection of names there.

 

[Tarkyn_24]

No even in close. Please don't turn this into a [insert my teams best backline over the last 20 years] thread.

In my opinion the Brisbane one of the glory years. They literally scared opposition when they played. This meant half the job was done before the ball was bounced. As for skill will the West Coast of the 90's wins that.

It isn't even that.

I'd say Collingwood's back line was just as good in all the years from 2007-2010, if not better.

 

[Lester Burnham]

Yeah, I would have thought it was Scott not Power. Not sure Power ever played in defence.
Brisbane's
Johnson, Michael, C Scott
Lappin, Leppitsch, B Scott

Geelong's
Mackie, Scarlett, Enright
Harley, Taylor, Milburn

West Coast's from the mid 90s.
Ashley McIntosh Michael Brennan David Hart
Guy McKenna Glen Jakovich John Worsfold

Very hard to pick between these three. The Brisbane and Weagles defences probably reflects that footy was tougher back then. That Geelong defence were masters at intercept marks and rebounds.

 

[Stan_Darsh72]

Any Essendon fans what was your backline in 2000?

 

[BORK]

Yeah, I would have thought it was Scott not Power. Not sure Power ever played in defence.
Brisbane's
Johnson, Michael, C Scott
Lappin, Leppitsch, B Scott

Geelong's
Mackie, Scarlett, Enright
Harley, Taylor, Milburn

West Coast's from the mid 90s.
Ashley McIntosh Michael Brennan David Hart
Guy McKenna Glen Jakovich John Worsfold
- In fact I reckon that is one of the best half back lines ever

First three that came to mind. Daylight to the next IMO.

 

[raskolnikov]

Any Essendon fans what was your backline in 2000?

Hardwick. Fletcher M. Johnson
Solomon Wellman Wallis

 

[BORK]

Hardwick. Fletcher M. Johnson
Solomon Wellman Wallis

Was very, very good in that particular season.

 

[Quinz]

Hart Rutten Basset/Torney

McLeod Bock Johncock

IMO all are vying for second behind the WCE defence of the early 90s. This one shouldn't be overlooked because it failed to win a flag.

Definitely ahead of Collingwood's. Contending w Geelong's for 2nd.

Yeah Adelaide's 05/06 team were unfortunate to run into a team that played them well in both prelims, they were comfortably good enough to make a GF and maybe win one. That backline would be rated a lot higher if so, they were great in 2005 in particular.

 

[Monkey King]

If 1994 counts as part of the last 20 years then West Coast's premiership winning side put out a great unit.

FB: Ashley McIntosh Michael Brennan David Hart
HB: Guy McKenna Glen Jakovich John Worsfold

Yeah, WCE early 90's defense was the first that popped into my mind. Miserly pack they were. Geelong's of recent times with Enright, Scarlett, Taylor et al. also very good. Same with Brisbane's; oh the luxury of playing guys like Johnson and Lappin in defense. Carlton in that 95' season were a very good unit too. Such a pity that injury robbed Christou of a full career.

 

[writeoff]

Yeah Adelaide's 05/06 team were unfortunate to run into a team that played them well in both prelims, they were comfortably good enough to make a GF and maybe win one. That backline would be rated a lot higher if so, they were great in 2005 in particular.

I acknowledge that the Eagles had the wood over the Crows during this period (as the Crows had over Sydney but never encountered them in the finals) but the real bad luck that the Crows suffered in 2006 was the loss of Ricciuto (diagnosed with the Parvo virus), McLeod, Hart, Brett Burton and Trent Hentschel (ACL) in the last few rounds before finals. Roo, Burton & Hentschel were 3 of the clubs' leading goal kickers that season. The forward line was shot.
However these injuries occurred after the 82 point loss to the Eagles in round 17 of that year. So the prelim final result may have been the same.

 

[TBoyleSuperstar]

Hart Rutten Basset/Torney

McLeod Bock Johncock

IMO all are vying for second behind the WCE defence of the early 90s. This one shouldn't be overlooked because it failed to win a flag.

Definitely ahead of Collingwood's. Contending w Geelong's for 2nd.

Unfortunate isn't it, that the others named as probably the top 3 all won multiple flags, whereas the Crows one didn't win any. Was very good over their period of dominance (as a defencive unit)

 

[Vindicater]

B: Hardwick Fletcher M. Johnson
HB: Soloman Wallis Wellman

Essendon from 2000

Hard nuts: Wallis/Hardwick/Johnson/Soloman.

Elite users: Welman and Fletcher.

That defense was rock solid.

 

[pebblestone]

If Geelong's and Collingwoods count then so does that one

Not even close.

 

[Hipster Doofus]

Ty Zantuck Darren Gasper Jason Torney
Patrick Bowden Andrew Kellaway Craig Ednie

Good times.

 

[Cdreamer]

In the last 20 years would have to be Geelongs 2007-2011 or Brisbane 2001-2003. Absolute champions in their backline like Enright, Scarlett, Taylor, Leppitsch, Johnson, Power, Lappin

 

[Sir Priddis]

WCE 94, Ask the squiggle

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Watched an open mike episode of him, great watch, mentions non AA, moves to different clubs, premierships ect.

Whether you like Mike Sheehan or not, he has a bloody good show.

It was quite funny that Mal himself seems pretty nonplussed about it, despite everyone else's outrage. From memory he said he probably deserved it one year (the year Pavlich was named...2002 IIRC), but most of the other times, he was (legitimately) the second best full back in the league and lost out to a guy that had a better year.

Mal seemed like a sensational bloke, incidentally.

 

[Sttew]

Geelong's backline was sublime:

Mackie, Scarlett, Enright
Harley, Taylor, Milburn

- All All-Australians
- One of the greatest ever full backs - Scarlett
- One of the greatest small backmen ever - Enright
- 15 premierships between the named
- Part of the greatest H&A winning machine

 

[MC_9]

Geelong's is probably the best I've seen. Just edges out Brisbanes. Too young to have watched the early 90s Eagles unit. On an obligatory rose tinted note, I think history will look back very kindly on our backline from last year's GF

FB: Stratton - Lake - Hodge
HB: Birchall - Gibson - Burgoyne/Guerra

I think our back line has been underrated for a long time. What was once a weakness, is now a strength.

Gibson - B&F in premiership year, should be multiple AA
Lake - Norm Smith, multiple AA
Hodge - Captiain, dual premiership player, Norm Smith, multiple AA
Birchall - dual premiership player, AA
Guerra - dual premiership player
Stratton - 4th in B&F in premiership year

I'm not saying that it is better then great back lines listed in the thread, Geelong, Brisbane etc.

But absolutely was/ is not a weakness.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Yeah, I would have thought it was Scott not Power. Not sure Power ever played in defence.
Brisbane's
Johnson, Michael, C Scott
Lappin, Leppitsch, B Scott

Geelong's
Mackie, Scarlett, Enright
Harley, Taylor, Milburn

West Coast's from the mid 90s.
Ashley McIntosh Michael Brennan David Hart
Guy McKenna Glen Jakovich John Worsfold
- In fact I reckon that is one of the best half back lines ever

It gets interesting if you figure that Scarlett/Enright and Jakovich/McKenna pretty much cancel each other out. Left with Mackie/Harley/Taylor/Milburn v McIntosh/Brennan/Hart/Worsfold. Although it's possibly stretching things a bit to have Taylor and Harley in the same side. They played a bit together, but Taylor didn't really start to become the player he is now until after Harley was cooked/retired. Probably more realistic to either switch Harley for Lonergan/Wojcinski/Hunt, or Taylor for Egan. For players at or near the peak of their powers at the same time, I'd probably give the nod to the 2010/11 combination:

B: Scarlett, Lonergan, Milburn/Wojcinski/Hunt
HB: Mackie, Taylor, Enright

Geelong's had a good backline for a long time now. Even when we were rubbish in the early 00s, we were solid there, with Harley and Scarlett playing alongside the likes of Sanderson/Sholl/Graham/McGrath.

 

[Fyfetheknife]

Gray Morgan Mulligan
Walker Bevis Dimond
eaglesfan99

 

[blueboy25]

Carlton's 95 premiership winning backline certainly held its own.

Sexton, Silvagni, Hogg
Christou, Dean Mckay

Sexton - 200 games, 2 x AA
Silvagni - 300+ games, 5 x AA
Hogg - Vic rep, 170 odd games
Christou - AA
Dean - 248 games, 2 x premiership player
McKay - 244 games, 4 x AA