Opinion AFL era best 22... ever

[Towno78]

The AFL has been in existence for 30 years now. So time for an offseason boredom killer. Who is the best 22 to have ever played in the AFL era?

A few guidelines I used for my team:
- the team needs to be a balanced side (I.e there needs to be a second ruck option, mix of talls and smalls, at least 7 defenders, etc.)
- unlike AA sides, players need to have played in their selected position/role. (So that's either Dunstall or Lockett at FF, no putting one in a pocket. Franklin or Ablett snr on the other hand have shown versatility and played other roles to a very high level and can easily be justified in another position)
- for a fair comparison for players on the fringe of that period. I.e happy to consider 2-3 years of playing late 80s for those who played mostly through the 90s (i.e Dunstall/Lockett). On the flipside happy to project 2-3 years forward in the careers based on reasonably expected performance from current players (i.e Fyfe, Danger, Martin).

So here's my side:
FB Wanganeen Silvagni Scarlett
HB Enright Rance Hodge
R Cox Ablett Judd
C Matera Voss McLeod
HF Hird Carey Martin
FF Betts Lockett Franklin
I Goodes Dangerfield Buckley Hart
Coach Clarkson

How'd I do? Who'd I miss?
What's your team?

 

[Old Campaigner]

FB Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
HB Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
R Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
C Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
HF Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
FF Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
I Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
Coach Who cares?

 

[Haychh]

FB Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
HB Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
R Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
C Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
HF Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
FF Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
I Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
Coach Who cares?

Feel like given the time it would’ve taken you to type that out you care more than you’re letting on.

 

[Towno78]

FB Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
HB Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
R Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
C Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
HF Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
FF Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
I Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
Coach Who cares?

No one it appears, my apologies.
Your username to post game is strong though, I'll give you that.

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

The AFL has been in existence for 30 years now. So time for an offseason boredom killer. Who is the best 22 to have ever played in the AFL era?

A few guidelines I used for my team:
- the team needs to be a balanced side (I.e there needs to be a second ruck option, mix of talls and smalls, at least 7 defenders, etc.)
- unlike AA sides, players need to have played in their selected position/role. (So that's either Dunstall or Lockett at FF, no putting one in a pocket. Franklin or Ablett snr on the other hand have shown versatility and played other roles to a very high level and can easily be justified in another position)
- for a fair comparison for players on the fringe of that period. I.e happy to consider 2-3 years of playing late 80s for those who played mostly through the 90s (i.e Dunstall/Lockett). On the flipside happy to project 2-3 years forward in the careers based on reasonably expected performance from current players (i.e Fyfe, Danger, Martin).

So here's my side:
FB Wanganeen Silvagni Scarlett
HB Enright Rance Hodge
R Cox Ablett Judd
C Matera Voss McLeod
HF Hird Carey Martin
FF Betts Lockett Franklin
I Goodes Dangerfield Buckley Hart
Coach Clarkson

How'd I do? Who'd I miss?
What's your team?

Really good team. Maybe Fletcher over Enright but line ball. I don’t think Goodes is a good enough ruck to be that position but should be in the team. Salmon was a brilliant ruck, Robert Harvey unlucky. Milne in place of Dusty it could be argued for that position, or even Steve Johnson.

Nevertheless a good team.

Personally I would have Darren Jarman or Akermanis over Judd, I think Judd’s footskills were ordinary and while a great player, IMO he was overrated.

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

B: Wanganeen Silvagni Fletcher
HB: Enright Scarlett Hodge
C: Matera Voss McLeod
HF: Akermanis Carey Hird
F: Betts Lockett Franklin
Foll: Cox Ablett Jnr Jarman
Int: Salmon Goodes Buckley Ablett Snr

Ablett senior, while playing much more than 2-3 years prior to 1990, still played 8 years in the AFL period, averaging about 15 possessions and 4.5 goals a game in his AFL years. Too long and too good in the AFL era to ignore IMO. Plus it means father and son can be in the same side.

 

[Howard Moon]

I'd have Fletcher over SOS, but that's just red and black glasses...

Also think Pendlebury has been underrated his whole career, needs to be considered a great and probably will 10 years after he's done.

Probably as good as Harvey who won those

I could take Voss and Judd out for the said two

 

[84859300]

FB Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
HB Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
R Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
C Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
HF Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
FF Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
I Who cares?Who cares?Who cares?
Coach Who cares?

C'mon. Get serious.

You named Who cares? twice

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

B: Wanganeen Silvagni Fletcher
HB: Enright Scarlett Hodge
C: Matera Voss McLeod
HF: Akermanis Carey Hird
F: Betts Lockett Franklin
Foll: Cox Ablett Jnr Jarman
Int: Salmon Goodes Buckley Ablett Snr

I had so many players I wanted above that it got me thinking about if I had to select an “A” side to play against this team who would be in it. So...

B: C.Johnson Rance Leppitsch
HB: Archer G.Jackovich S.Burgoyne
C: N.Lappin Pendlebury Bradley
HF: Mercuri Pavlich N.Riewoldt
F: S.Johnson Dunstall Koutoufides
Foll: Stynes R.Harvey Black
Int: C.McKernan Judd G.Williams S.Mitchell

 

[Towno78]

I'd have Fletcher over SOS, but that's just red and black glasses...

Also think Pendlebury has been underrated his whole career, needs to be considered a great and probably will 10 years after he's done.

Probably as good as Harvey who won those

I could take Voss and Judd out for the said two

You could comfortably argue any of about 20-30 midfielders to be in the side, Pendlebury certainly one of them, but I'd have a fair few before him.

 

[Towno78]

I had so many players I wanted above that it got me thinking about if I had to select an “A” side to play against this team who would be in it. So...

B: C.Johnson Rance Leppitsch
HB: Archer G.Jackovich S.Burgoyne
C: N.Lappin Pendlebury Bradley
HF: Mercuri Pavlich N.Riewoldt
F: S.Johnson Dunstall Koutoufides
Foll: Stynes R.Harvey Black
Int: C.McKernan Judd G.Williams S.Mitchell

Yeh, you leave plenty out of the first side that should get a game, not hard to name an A and B side.

Can't argue much with any of those names. I reckon Longy gets a look in for the A side though.

Crawford, B. Harvey, Fyfe, Bartel, Ricciuto, Cousins, Kerr, Kelly, Swan, Hocking amongst plenty other mids around the mark also.

 

[eth-dog]

Enright - Silvagni - Fletcher
Wanganeen - Scarlett - Hodge
Matera - Voss - Harvey
Hird - Carey - Ablett
Betts - Lockett - Ricciuto
Cox - Judd - Goodes
Buckley - Koutafiedes - McLeod - Salmon

I went a genuine forward/ruck in Salmon because he will spend time forward.

 

[eth-dog]

And a club one:

Wanganeen - Hooker - Fletcher
M Johnson - Hurley - Wellman
Mercuri - Watson - Stanton
Hird - Lucas - Lovett
Bewick - Lloyd - Salmon
Ryder - J Johnson - Heppell
McPhee - Merrett - Goddard - Long

 

[Haychh]

B:Archer, Silvagni, Scarlett
HB: McLeod, Jakovich, Wanganeen
C: Long, Black, Matera
HF: Hird, Carey, Kouta
F: Betts, Lockett, Ablett Sr
R: Cox, Judd, Ablett Jr
I: Franklin, Cousins, Goodes, Hayes


Had to include Archer probably my favourite non-Bomber of all time.

A nice indigenous flavour on the half backs and wings (Winmar came into consideration on a wing too).

Not much needs to be said about that forward line, unbelievable amount of talent.

In the midfield I gave the nod to what I would say are the top 3 midfielders I’ve seen in Ablett Jr, Judd and Simon Black.

Say what you want about Ben Cousins the bloke was so good to watch in his prime, could watch highlights of him grabbing the ball out of the middle and streaming towards goal all day. Toss of the coin for final bench spot between Hodge, Voss and Lenny Hayes. Hodge had the accolades but I have Lenny as a better footballer, so underrated and deserved a Brownlow and a flag.

 

[Towno78]

Enright - Silvagni - Fletcher
Wanganeen - Scarlett - Hodge
Matera - Voss - Harvey
Hird - Carey - Ablett
Betts - Lockett - Ricciuto
Cox - Judd - Goodes
Buckley - Koutafiedes - McLeod - Salmon

I went a genuine forward/ruck in Salmon because he will spend time forward.

Snr or Jnr?

And a club one:

Wanganeen - Hooker - Fletcher
M Johnson - Hurley - Wellman
Mercuri - Watson - Stanton
Hird - Lucas - Lovett
Bewick - Lloyd - Salmon
Ryder - J Johnson - Heppell
McPhee - Merrett - Goddard - Davey

Couldn't squeeze Long in to your EFC side?

 

[eth-dog]

Snr or Jnr?


Couldn't squeeze Long in to your EFC side?

Junior.

Um, that was an oversight...

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

Yeh, you leave plenty out of the first side that should get a game, not hard to name an A and B side.

Can't argue much with any of those names. I reckon Longy gets a look in for the A side though.

Crawford, B. Harvey, Fyfe, Bartel, Ricciuto, Cousins, Kerr, Kelly, Swan, Hocking amongst plenty other mids around the mark also.

Yeah considered most of them, although somehow I forgot about Cousins and Ricciuto. Kennelly was a great half back too. It also depends on what you want to rate. I really tried to value foot skills so Dangerfield didn’t make either and Fyfe didn’t. Chris Grant unlucky as were many others.

 

[boncer34]

Enright - Silvagni - Fletcher
Wanganeen - Scarlett - Hodge
Matera - Voss - Harvey
Hird - Carey - Ablett
Betts - Lockett - Ricciuto
Cox - Judd - Goodes
Buckley - Koutafiedes - McLeod - Salmon

I went a genuine forward/ruck in Salmon because he will spend time forward.

No Ablett senior?

 

[eth-dog]

No Ablett senior?

I find it hard to judge him honestly. Most of the guys I listed I saw a significant part of their career or have a statistical dominance that makes it impossible to ignore, I didn't really see a lot of senior

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

I find it hard to judge him honestly. Most of the guys I listed I saw a significant part of their career or have a statistical dominance that makes it impossible to ignore, I didn't really see a lot of senior

4.5 goals a game for 8 years in AFL is not statistical dominance?

 

[eth-dog]

4.5 goals a game for 8 years in AFL is not statistical dominance?

To put him over Carey, who is the second best I've seen? No. Nor Lockett

 

[CBombers17]

Gary Ablett senior is the best footballer I've seen - period. He's arguably the best player ever. He makes this team and beyond.

 

[Towno78]

4.5 goals a game for 8 years in AFL is not statistical dominance?

Absolutely. For me Lockett and Carey were locks. Also, Hird and Goodes on the flanks and through the midfield too.
So it's starting to get very top heavy. So it was either Franklin or Ablett for me based on my balance rule, splitting hairs saying who's the freakiest.

 

[Towno78]

And a club one:

Wanganeen - Hooker - Fletcher
M Johnson - Hurley - Wellman
Mercuri - Watson - Stanton
Hird - Lucas - Lovett
Bewick - Lloyd - Salmon
Ryder - J Johnson - Heppell
McPhee - Merrett - Goddard - Long

EFC version:
FB Wanganeen - Hooker - Fletcher
HB Hardwick - Hurley - Wellman
R Salmon - J Johnson - Hird
C Long - Watson - Caracella
HF Mercuri - Lucas - McDonald-Tipingwuti
FF Bewick - Lloyd - Ryder
I Harvey - Merrett - Goddard - Misiti

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

To put him over Carey, who is the second best I've seen? No. Nor Lockett

Absolutely. For me Lockett and Carey were locks. Also, Hird and Goodes on the flanks and through the midfield too.
So it's starting to get very top heavy. So it was either Franklin or Ablett for me based on my balance rule, splitting hairs saying who's the freakiest.

Ablett wasn’t as tall as you’d think, nor was he slow, he could play in a pocket. A forward line is not top heavy with Franklin and Ablett Snr not playing the keys given they can play small. Additionally he was a very successful wingman too for many years. A perfect interchange player with flexibility to play in many roles.