Who had best historic All Time 22?

Nov 8, 2007
11,728
16,692
Melbourne
AFL Club
Carlton
Been reminiscing with a few Carlton and Saints mates about creating a best 22 from our club's history and how they'd fare against each other.

Obviously we are a but limited by our age (all mid 20s) but:

-Who's in your all time 22 &
-How do they stack up?

Rules: Must have played at least 50 games for your club or at least had a significant contribution (Sam Mitchell doesn't count for WCE but Judd does)

Carlton's

Doull Silvagni Docherty
Kouta Southby Mckay

Nicholls Judd Williams
Bradley Ratten Barassi

Kernahan Jesaulenko
Bradley Fevola Betts

Johnston Sexton Hands Murphy
 

SCRAY72

Norm Smith Medallist
Jun 20, 2002
9,780
4,764
Footscray
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Been reminiscing with a few Carlton and Saints mates about creating a best 22 from our club's history and how they'd fare against each other.

Obviously we are a but limited by our age (all mid 20s) but:

-Who's in your all time 22 &
-How do they stack up?

Rules: Must have played at least 50 games for your club or at least had a significant contribution (Sam Mitchell doesn't count for WCE but Judd does)

Carlton's

Doull Silvagni Docherty
Kouta Southby Mckay

Nicholls Judd Williams
Bradley Ratten Barassi

Kernahan Jesaulenko
Bradley Fevola Betts

Johnston Sexton Hands Murphy
Dont know your team's history, do you ?
Out Fevola
In Vallence 204 games, 722 goals, legend of your club.
 
B: Corey Enright - Matthew Scarlett - Bernie Smith
HB: Andrew Mackie - Reg Hickey - Dick Grigg
C: Alistair Lord - Gary Ablett Jr - Garry Hocking
HF: Peter Riccardi - Bill Brownless - Gary Ablett Sr
F: Paul Chapman - Doug Wade - Steve Johnson
R: Graham Farmer - Bill Goggin - Joel Selwood
I/C: John Newman - Ian Nankervis - Bob Davis - Fred Flanagan
 
Sep 15, 2005
13,075
20,637
AFL Club
Geelong
B: Corey Enright - Matthew Scarlett - Bernie Smith
HB: Andrew Mackie - Reg Hickey - Dick Grigg
C: Alistair Lord - Gary Ablett Jr - Garry Hocking
HF: Peter Riccardi - Bill Brownless - Gary Ablett Sr
F: Paul Chapman - Doug Wade - Steve Johnson
R: Graham Farmer - Bill Goggin - Joel Selwood
I/C: John Newman - Ian Nankervis - Bob Davis - Fred Flanagan

no way I'm playing Billy Brownless ahead of Fred Flanagan at CHF, and Peter Riccardi, gun that he was, doesn't quite make my all-time Geelong 22.
I rate Darren Milburn ahead of Andrew Mackie, too; some good players to choose from on the HBF ... Jocka Todd in for Dick Grigg; Grigg has an extra B&F on Todd, but Todd has two premierships to his name, named CHF in '25 and FB in '31

love that you included Chapman, and Goggin too.

B: George Todd - Matthew Scarlett - Bernie Smith
HB: Darren Milburn - Reg Hickey - Corey Enright
C: Jimmy Bartel - Joel Selwood - Joel Corey
HF: Steve Johnson - Fred Flanagan - Gary Ablett Sr
F: Paul Chapman - Doug Wade - Gary Ablett Jr
R: Graham Farmer - Garry Hocking - Bill Goggin
I/C: John Newman - Jack Collins - Bob Davis - Edward Greeves

Pianto, Ling, I. Nankervis stiff.
 
no way I'm playing Billy Brownless ahead of Fred Flanagan at CHF, and Peter Riccardi, gun that he was, doesn't quite make my all-time Geelong 22.
I rate Darren Milburn ahead of Andrew Mackie, too; some good players to choose from on the HBF ... Jocka Todd in for Dick Grigg; Grigg has an extra B&F on Todd, but Todd has two premierships to his name, named CHF in '25 and FB in '31

love that you included Chapman, and Goggin too.

B: George Todd - Matthew Scarlett - Bernie Smith
HB: Darren Milburn - Reg Hickey - Corey Enright
C: Jimmy Bartel - Joel Selwood - Joel Corey
HF: Steve Johnson - Fred Flanagan - Gary Ablett Sr
F: Paul Chapman - Doug Wade - Gary Ablett Jr
R: Graham Farmer - Garry Hocking - Bill Goggin
I/C: John Newman - Jack Collins - Bob Davis - Edward Greeves

Pianto, Ling, I. Nankervis stiff.
Flanagan is our listed CHF in the TOTC I get that. Brownless kicked far more goals whilst being Yablett’s foil. Personal choice, we don’t have a lot of CHF’s to choose from, regardless Fred made my team so it’s semantics as to who’s starting v bench imo.

For a club that’s won flags in 6 decades in the VFL/AFL era and had a dominant yet fruitless 90’s including so many from our current dominant era seemed overkill to me Hence no Corey or Bartel. Albeit both considered, however I’d have had Couch ahead of both.

Not a lot of small forward pockets to choose from so naturally any of Ablett Jr, Chapman or SJ make sense.

We both remember the draft game you played and I ran. Well the bio on Grigg “Geelong's Dick Grigg was felt by some to be the best player in the VFL for much of his 11-season, 194-game career. A near automatic state selection, he marked brilliantly, had tremendous pace, and was one of the best kicks in the game.” In my team over Todd.

To have a side with no Goggin is sacrilege. Even a young buck like I, knows that at least.
I rate Andrew and Milburn similarly. I have a soft spot for one ;)
 
FB: Mark Thompson - Dustin Fletcher - Gavin Wanganeen
HB: Mark Harvey - Tom Fitzmaurice - Barry Davis
C: Michael Long - Jack Clarke - Tim Watson
HF: James Hird - Ken Fraser - Terry Daniher
FF: Albert Thurgood - John Coleman - Matthew Lloyd
R: Simon Madden - Dick Reynolds - Bill Hutchison
INT: Neale Daniher - Graham Moss - Ken Fraser - Leon Baker

Bit tall but damn there is a load of talent in that team and a fair bit left out too, Salmon, Watson, Birt, Vanders, etc.
 
Last edited:

Deep

Genius on Drugs
Jun 16, 2017
5,410
7,907
Waterfall Gully
AFL Club
Geelong
FB: Mark Thompson - Dustin Fletcher - Gavin Wanganeen
HB: Mark Harvey - Tom Fitzmaurice - Barry Davis
C: Michael Long - Jack Clarke - Tim Watson
HF: James Hird - Ken Fraser - Terry Daniher
FF: Albert Thurgood - John Coleman - Matthew Lloyd
R: Simon Madden - Dick Reynolds - Bill Hutchison
INT: Neale Daniher - Graham Moss - Ken Fraser - Mark Harvey

Bit tall but damn there is a load of talent in that team and a fair bit left out too, Salmon, Watson, Birt, Vanders, etc.
Thompson (c) I hope as he was a gun coach
 
FB: Mark Thompson - Dustin Fletcher - Gavin Wanganeen
HB: Mark Harvey - Tom Fitzmaurice - Barry Davis
C: Michael Long - Jack Clarke - Tim Watson
HF: James Hird - Ken Fraser - Terry Daniher
FF: Albert Thurgood - John Coleman - Matthew Lloyd
R: Simon Madden - Dick Reynolds - Bill Hutchison
INT: Neale Daniher - Graham Moss - Ken Fraser - Mark Harvey

Bit tall but damn there is a load of talent in that team and a fair bit left out too, Salmon, Watson, Birt, Vanders, etc.

Mark Harvey good enough to play both HB Flank and hold a spot on the bench?
 
I'll have a crack... apologies for any deserving players missed/forgotten (I'm sure many of you chaps around here will be quick to remind me)
note: liberally stolen from Hawthorn's team of the century with adjustments.

FB: Peter Knights - Kelvin Moore - Gary Ayres
HB: Shaun Burgoyne - Chris Mew - Luke Hodge (VC)
C: Robert DiPierdomenico - Sam Mitchell - Shane Crawford
HF: Dermott Brereton - Lance Franklin - John Platten
FF: Jason Dunstall - Peter Hudson - Cyril Rioli
R: Don Scott - Michael Tuck (C) - Leigh Matthews
INT: Grant Birchall - Chris Langford - Graham Arthur - Jarryd Roughead

Thats probably the scariest forward line ever assembled.....
few surprise inclusions... few stiff....
 

Roddy

Brownlow Medallist
Jul 10, 2006
11,380
14,091
M-Town
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Other Teams
Aussie Cricket team.
I'll have a crack... apologies for any deserving players missed/forgotten (I'm sure many of you chaps around here will be quick to remind me)
note: liberally stolen from Hawthorn's team of the century with adjustments.

FB: Peter Knights - Kelvin Moore - Gary Ayres
HB: Shaun Burgoyne - Chris Mew - Luke Hodge (VC)
C: Robert DiPierdomenico - Sam Mitchell - Shane Crawford
HF: Dermott Brereton - Lance Franklin - John Platten
FF: Jason Dunstall - Peter Hudson - Cyril Rioli
R: Don Scott - Michael Tuck (C) - Leigh Matthews
INT: Grant Birchall - Chris Langford - Graham Arthur - Jarryd Roughead

Thats probably the scariest forward line ever assembled.....
few surprise inclusions... few stiff....
I'd probably actually swap Scott out for the big Fish in ruck, and Langford or even Lake in for Moore. And yes, I'm old enough to remember Scotty and Kel, they were true greats.

But yep, that side would beat any other best 22 in history, IMHO. I'm counting the flags between them off the top of my head, I'm getting 84, give or take...
 

Barry_Badrinath

Brownlow Medallist
Aug 23, 2011
19,104
62,066
Bathing in Premiership Glory
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
Grand Finals at the Gabba
Team of the century updated with modern players

FB: K.Sheedy - V.Thorp - B.Green
HB: B.McCormack - A.Rance - M.Keane
C: F.Bourke - D.Martin - D.Clay
HF: M.Richardson - R.Hart - R.Dean
FF: D.Weightman - J.Titus - B.Morris
R: J.Dyer - I.Stewart - K.Bartlett
INT: R.Wright - G.Raines - T.Cotchin - B.Barrot

Coach: Tom Hafey
 
I'd probably actually swap Scott out for the big Fish in ruck, and Langford or even Lake in for Moore. And yes, I'm old enough to remember Scotty and Kel, they were true greats.

But yep, that side would beat any other best 22 in history, IMHO. I'm counting the flags between them off the top of my head, I'm getting 84, give or take...
Hawthorn’s team has Dunstall and Knights squeezed into the pockets at either end. Enough said.
 

GiantsTragic

Debutant
Dec 21, 2017
122
76
AFL Club
GWS
I'd probably actually swap Scott out for the big Fish in ruck, and Langford or even Lake in for Moore. And yes, I'm old enough to remember Scotty and Kel, they were true greats.

But yep, that side would beat any other best 22 in history, IMHO. I'm counting the flags between them off the top of my head, I'm getting 84, give or take...
Odd that Salmon makes yours and not the Bombers list on this page. I guess he was a key forward for them and ruck for you.
 

Roddy

Brownlow Medallist
Jul 10, 2006
11,380
14,091
M-Town
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Other Teams
Aussie Cricket team.
Odd that Salmon makes yours and not the Bombers list on this page. I guess he was a key forward for them and ruck for you.
Correct. And for all our glory over the last half century we have been piss-poor at producing our own rucks, for some reason. The names Paton, Byrne, Dear, Campbell etc, whilst they were great servicemen and clubmen in their respective days, don't exactly echo loudly in the halls of great VFL/AFL ruckman of all time.
 
In the modern era it would be a battle between the Hawks & Cats.

Adelaide
B: Hart, Rutten, Johncock
HB: McLeod, Bock, Smart
C: Johnson, Ricciuto, Sloane
HF: Burton, Walker, Edwards
F: Betts, Modra, D Jarman
R: Rehn, Dangerfield, Goodwin
I: Robran, Bassett, Thompson, McGuiness
 

GiantsTragic

Debutant
Dec 21, 2017
122
76
AFL Club
GWS
Correct. And for all our glory over the last half century we have been piss-poor at producing our own rucks, for some reason. The names Paton, Byrne, Dear, Campbell etc, whilst they were great servicemen and clubmen in their respective days, don't exactly echo loudly in the halls of great VFL/AFL ruckman of all time.
Hawks have been successful because they can get ahead of the game in my view. In modern footy rucks tend not to be rated highly, certainly the last two premier's haven't really tried that hard. Maybe your club saw that early. Easier to buy a competent ruck when you need one.
It's a shame cos I like a side with strong rucks.
I'd prefer we keep Lobb and Dawson ready and consider playing both against sides that can't be arsed with rucks, and hopefully punish them.
Developing rucks is hard though cos their's one position in the firsts and one in the seconds for game time.
 

Franc de Borges

Norm Smith Medallist
Feb 5, 2010
6,724
9,475
Behind Sunglasses
AFL Club
Carlton
Other Teams
Tottenham Hotspur, Australia
Correct. And for all our glory over the last half century we have been piss-poor at producing our own rucks, for some reason. The names Paton, Byrne, Dear, Campbell etc, whilst they were great servicemen and clubmen in their respective days, don't exactly echo loudly in the halls of great VFL/AFL ruckman of all time.

Similar to Carlton and full-forwards. Despite 16 flags, we've only had one guy ever kick 100 in a season, and he only did it once.

Kind of like how the teams with the most Brownlow Medallists have historically been s**t.
 
Mar 23, 2007
34,928
23,531
Where Premiership dreams are made...
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Other Teams
Man U, Canucks and 49ers
So Club TOTC + amendments for great players over the past 17 years???

FF: Platten - Dunstall - Hudson
HF: Brereton - Franklin - Buckenara
Ce: Dipper - Mitchell - Crawford
HB: Hodge - Mew - Ayres
FB: Collins - Langford - Knights

Ru: Scott
RR: Tuck
Ro: Matthews

I/C: Salmon, Moore, Jarman and Arthur.
 
Mark Harvey good enough to play both HB Flank and hold a spot on the bench?

Shiiiit thanks for the catch, that was meant to be Leon Baker, had to make a few adjustments on the field after my first effort.
 
I'd probably actually swap Scott out for the big Fish in ruck, and Langford or even Lake in for Moore. And yes, I'm old enough to remember Scotty and Kel, they were true greats.

But yep, that side would beat any other best 22 in history, IMHO. I'm counting the flags between them off the top of my head, I'm getting 84, give or take...

Yeh good call on Lake actually... I did consider him. Probably a bit stiff.
Not fussed about leaving Salmon out.

Yep its a scary best 22!
 
Back