Best backlines in the last 20 years

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Bardo State

Premium Gold
Joined
Nov 21, 2010
Posts
10,884
Likes
10,616
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Other Teams
Chelsea, Detroit Pistons
#28
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
 

HolyWars

Premiership Player
Joined
Apr 8, 2008
Posts
4,510
Likes
2,707
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Other Teams
Arsenal, Barcelona, Boca Juniors
#29
Eagles 94 was a ripping backline.

Carlton 95 also very good along with Geelong 2007-2009, Brisbane 2001-2003, Collingwood 2010.
 

Silvagnis

TheBrownDog
Suspended
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Posts
60,595
Likes
15,389
Location
Dr Geoffrey Edelsten's jacuzzi
AFL Club
Carlton
#32
B: Hogg Silvagni Christou
HB: Dean Sexton McKay

Manton Whitehead (wrecked by injury as the youngest member of the 1995 flag)

Dean and Hogg the only two who weren't AA. State players. SOS was a better swingman than Harry Taylor and McIntosh. 202 goals goes OK.
Eagles 94 was a ripping backline.

Carlton 95 also very good along with Geelong 2007-2009, Brisbane 2001-2003, Collingwood 2010.
Bombres 2000....

B: Hardwick Fletcher Johnson
HB: Soloman Wellman Wallis
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Joined
Nov 18, 2008
Posts
32,538
Likes
22,702
Location
Perth
AFL Club
West Coast
#37
If Geelong's and Collingwoods count then so does that one
Collingwood flooded the front half moreso than the back half

Geelong didn't flood - they played an attacking brand of footy which meant when the ball turned over they were exposed often leaving their team one out.

In terms of best back 6 - Collingwood's aren't in the same ballpark as some of the others mentioned.
 

Cooksen

Moderator
Joined
Jun 18, 2011
Posts
33,052
Likes
49,803
Location
Flying On A Prawn
AFL Club
St Kilda
Other Teams
Man Utd, NE Pats
Moderator #38
Collingwood flooded the front half moreso than the back half

Geelong didn't flood - they played an attacking brand of footy which meant when the ball turned over they were exposed often leaving their team one out.

In terms of best back 6 - Collingwood's aren't in the same ballpark as some of the others mentioned.
They still flooded back and the 2009 saints were the first team to press.

We were quite attacking in 2009 just people cant remember it.
 

craigvn123

Senior List
Joined
Oct 1, 2011
Posts
158
Likes
133
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
#39
2004 Brisbane Lions Grand Final side.

FB: Chris Johnson, Mal Michael, Darryl White
HB: Chris Scott, Justin Leppitsch, Brad Scott

Even though they didnt win, this is one of the best backlines ive seen on paper, a bunch of tough bastards to compliment a classy midfield and potent forwardline.
That's a backline you don't want to meet in a dark alley.
 
Joined
Nov 18, 2008
Posts
32,538
Likes
22,702
Location
Perth
AFL Club
West Coast
#40
They still flooded back and the 2009 saints were the first team to press.

We were quite attacking in 2009 just people cant remember it.
Counter-attacking...

You'd sit behind the ball waiting for an error and then hurt the other way.

Poor teams (like mine was at the time) didn't have the skillset or game nous to deny you the ball - so when you flooded back in numbers we kept giving the ball back to the dozen or so blokes there.

It is also why you ultimately fell short (and why freo is the same) because the better sides deny Ross the ball and he can't kick more than 10 goals.
 

Cooksen

Moderator
Joined
Jun 18, 2011
Posts
33,052
Likes
49,803
Location
Flying On A Prawn
AFL Club
St Kilda
Other Teams
Man Utd, NE Pats
Moderator #41
Counter-attacking...

You'd sit behind the ball waiting for an error and then hurt the other way.

Poor teams (like mine was at the time) didn't have the skillset or game nous to deny you the ball - so when you flooded back in numbers we kept giving the ball back to the dozen or so blokes there.

It is also why you ultimately fell short (and why freo is the same) because the better sides deny Ross the ball and he can't kick more than 10 goals.
And that's what we did too until Riewoldt did his hammy then we lost our key weapon and went defensive as any side losing a quality forward would do.

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.

Every team now defends as a unit and even the Cats and Pies back then were the same.
 

Pricey97

Premiership Player
Joined
Sep 24, 2013
Posts
4,874
Likes
6,077
AFL Club
Collingwood
Other Teams
Collingwood VFL
Thread starter #45
Mal Michael has to be one of the greatest non All Australian full backs of all time. Unbelievable that he didn't get recognized even once.
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.
 

Scotland

Hall of Famer
Joined
May 5, 2006
Posts
47,237
Likes
48,707
AFL Club
West Coast
#46
hehe beaten by 2 other Eagles supporters who were quick to identify that awesome backline from the 90's.

The 06 team was not far off it:

Wirrapanda Glass Waters
Chick Hunter Selwood

I think Hunter was the only non-all Australian out of that 6
1994 >>> 2006.

None of Chick, Hunter or Selwood ever won AA selection. Brett Jones was also a mainstay of the 2006 side. Moreso than Chick and Selwood.

Based on the 2006 GF I'd have our back 6 as:

B: Banfield Glass Wirrpanda
HB: Jones Hunter Waters
 

Scotland

Hall of Famer
Joined
May 5, 2006
Posts
47,237
Likes
48,707
AFL Club
West Coast
#48
RE: the WC backline of the mid 90s, Michael Brennan finished up in 1995.

Jakovich and McIntosh held down FB/CHB until the early 2000s, ably supported by Worsfold and McKenna on the flanks.

In addition to Hart we also had Waterman playing back pocket, two pretty handy players right there.

Then in 1996 we decided to play Peter Matera down back too. Who proceeded to win two AA selections.
 

writeoff

All Australian
Joined
Aug 12, 2006
Posts
692
Likes
217
Location
Somewhere in time
AFL Club
Adelaide
Other Teams
Socceroos, Adelaide United, Barca
#49
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.
 
Top Bottom