I thought I'd do my comparison of our current squad with ur premiership squad, in response to those who argue the current squad is better. For argument's sake, I've taken the 1998 squad but am judging them on 1997-98 form.
Ruckmen: 1997/98 Rehn, Pittman, Keating; 2003Clarke, Biglands, Marsh. Clear edge to the dual premiership pair. Marsh and Keating nullify each other. Big advantage - 1997/98.
Key defenders: 1997/98 Caven, Jameson; 2003Bassett, McGregor. Head to head, I'd back the past pair. Advantage - 1997/98.
Key forwards: 1997/98 Modra, Robran, Standfield; 2003 Carey, Stevens, Perrie. More depth now, with Perrie being better than Standfield, but Modra+Robran came up with over 100 goals in 1998, outweighing the efforts of the current trio. Advantage - neither.
Smaller defenders: 1997/98 Smart, Hart, McLeod, Goodwin; 2003 Smart, Hart, Torney, Bickley. Smart (especially) and Hart (slightly) were better players then. McLeod was reaching his peak, although Goodwin (remembering the 1997 GF was his 10th game) was probably a weaker link than Torney or Bickley. The 1997 and 1998 teams were the number one defensive teams in the league for a good reason. Advantage - 1997/98.
Smaller forwards: 1997/98 Bond, Vardy, Rintoul, Sampson; 2003 Burns, Welsh, Johncock, Edwards. Bond and Vardy provided 60 goals between them in 1997, although the depth fell away after that; the current group is better overall. Advantage - 2003.
Centre square midfielders: 1997/98 Ricciuto, Jarman, Johnson; 2003 Ricciuto, Goodwin, McLeod. Probably a wash. Ricciuto hasn't slipped at all since the premiership years; Jarman and McLeod are both mercurial talents, and Goodwin and Kane Johnson (1997-98 vintage) probably equate Advantage - nil.
Wingers: 1997/98 Koster, Connell; 2003 Burton, Stenglein. Burton is more versatile than Connell, and Koster was not as good a tagger as Stenglein Advantage - 2003.
Utilities: 1997/98 Edwards, James, Ellen 2003 Bode, Ladhams, Massie. Advantage - 1997/98.
Squad depth: 1997/98 Eccles, Liptak, Picioane, Mark Stevens, Thiessen, Tregenza; 2003 Reilly, Shirley, Begley, Crowell, Schuback, Rutten, Doughty, Gallagher, Mattner. Deeper now. Advantage - 2003.
Overall, the 1997/98 squad was better than the current list IMHO.
Ruckmen: 1997/98 Rehn, Pittman, Keating; 2003Clarke, Biglands, Marsh. Clear edge to the dual premiership pair. Marsh and Keating nullify each other. Big advantage - 1997/98.
Key defenders: 1997/98 Caven, Jameson; 2003Bassett, McGregor. Head to head, I'd back the past pair. Advantage - 1997/98.
Key forwards: 1997/98 Modra, Robran, Standfield; 2003 Carey, Stevens, Perrie. More depth now, with Perrie being better than Standfield, but Modra+Robran came up with over 100 goals in 1998, outweighing the efforts of the current trio. Advantage - neither.
Smaller defenders: 1997/98 Smart, Hart, McLeod, Goodwin; 2003 Smart, Hart, Torney, Bickley. Smart (especially) and Hart (slightly) were better players then. McLeod was reaching his peak, although Goodwin (remembering the 1997 GF was his 10th game) was probably a weaker link than Torney or Bickley. The 1997 and 1998 teams were the number one defensive teams in the league for a good reason. Advantage - 1997/98.
Smaller forwards: 1997/98 Bond, Vardy, Rintoul, Sampson; 2003 Burns, Welsh, Johncock, Edwards. Bond and Vardy provided 60 goals between them in 1997, although the depth fell away after that; the current group is better overall. Advantage - 2003.
Centre square midfielders: 1997/98 Ricciuto, Jarman, Johnson; 2003 Ricciuto, Goodwin, McLeod. Probably a wash. Ricciuto hasn't slipped at all since the premiership years; Jarman and McLeod are both mercurial talents, and Goodwin and Kane Johnson (1997-98 vintage) probably equate Advantage - nil.
Wingers: 1997/98 Koster, Connell; 2003 Burton, Stenglein. Burton is more versatile than Connell, and Koster was not as good a tagger as Stenglein Advantage - 2003.
Utilities: 1997/98 Edwards, James, Ellen 2003 Bode, Ladhams, Massie. Advantage - 1997/98.
Squad depth: 1997/98 Eccles, Liptak, Picioane, Mark Stevens, Thiessen, Tregenza; 2003 Reilly, Shirley, Begley, Crowell, Schuback, Rutten, Doughty, Gallagher, Mattner. Deeper now. Advantage - 2003.
Overall, the 1997/98 squad was better than the current list IMHO.
