Best team from last 27 years

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Ben Johnson.. very underrated.. pistons for legs.. and rarely got tackled. Kicking improved as he got older.



Showing your age there Gimpy. Loved Johnno too (as a back pocket) but Crosisca was a beast of a half back and even played CHF in the 90 finals series. Johnno couldn't compete with Crosisca's power or kicking.
 
I'd say he was our second best rover in the period, Dane Swan was just better.

Tony Shaw could easily survive in today's football. Hungry competitive beast.
Got the hard ball. Took good options. Good movement of ball.
Ran non stop.
Tackled.
Opened his yap on the field.
Competitive.
Team orientated.

That's where Blair misses, for his height he needed to do the tony Shaw things, tackle and make them stick, have good to excellent decision making, rack up good possessions.

Was a beauty.

If you see Swanny as a rover. Was always more a midfield utility to me, but that's likely more to do with modern midfield structures and the decline of traditionally defined midfield roles.
 
I find the lack of Maxwell interesting, of the teams posted he only appears in the 22 twice. I understand he's not the most naturally talented player, but the same could also apply to T. Shaw (10 selections) and Prestigiacomo (5 selections) to various degrees.

When you've already got Pert, Reid and Clement down back it's hard to find a spot for Maxy, and he's not ahead of those 3.
 

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If you see Swanny as a rover. Was always more a midfield utility to me, but that's likely more to do with modern midfield structures and the decline of traditionally defined midfield roles.
He was a rover type I guess.
To me that was close enough.
 
If you see Swanny as a rover. Was always more a midfield utility to me, but that's likely more to do with modern midfield structures and the decline of traditionally defined midfield roles.



Bob Rose, Wayne Richardson, Ronnie Wearmouth, Tony Francis hey even Ray Shaw were all better "rovers" than T. Shaw. Tony was an in and under mid like a Luke Ball or a Taylor Adams or a tagger that annoyed the bejezus out of his opponents by chatting all the time. Real Rovers ran all day (quickly), kicked goals and used the ball beautifully....Tony didn't, but he got it a heap!

Swanny was a break away player like a Buckley or a Judd/Cousins. A ball magnet with initial speed and power.
 
I know it was a different era, but when I think of Pert I picture defensive double fisted ball punches with no opposition player within 30 metres.

In doing that he went against his instinct. During his first game for the Pies he went for a few fancy marks and both Kelly and Christian were straight into him for not doing the team thing. :)
 
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Ben Johnson.. very underrated.. pistons for legs.. and rarely got tackled. Kicking improved as he got older.

Absolute gun bleed black and white, the most underrated Pie I have seen, extremely important.
 
Ronnie McKeown. I loved the guy, but unfortunately not in the best 22 over the past 27 years. Serious talent.
 
Tier 1 - Absolute locks, Collingwood legends, don't even hesitate: N Buckley, J Clement, T Shaw, D Swan, S Pendlebury, P Daicos, D Millane, G Brown

B: J Clement ~ *** ~ ***
HB: *** ~ *** ~ ***
C: D Millane ~ N Buckley - S Pendlebury
HF: G Brown ~ *** ~ ***
F: Daicos ~ *** ~ ***
Foll: *** ~ Swan ~ T Shaw

I don't love Pendles on a wing, but I'm not starting him off the bench. I just won't do it.

A Graders, just a rung below legendary:

Tier 2 - A Graders, B&F's, All Australians, just a rung below consistently elite: G Wright, H Shaw, M McGuane, A Rocca, T Cloke, B Reid, L Davis, S Burns

B: J Clement ~ *** ~ L Davis
HB: H Shaw ~ B Reid ~ ***
C: D Millane ~ N Buckley ~ S Pendlebury
HF: G Brown ~ T Cloke ~ ***
F: Daicos ~ A Rocca ~ ***
Foll: *** ~ Swan ~ T Shaw
Int: G Wright ~ M McGuane ~ S Burns ~ ***

Leon's season in 2011 in a back pocket is just about the best season I've ever seen a back pocket play. He won that AA position in a canter. He also took an AA as a midfielder in 2009 so his inclusion has to be a no-brainer. Heater and Reid were elite at their peak, though that was sadly never sustained too long through injury, suspension and stupidity. Wright should have won a brownlow. McGuane was a joy to watch. Rocca and Cloke are our standout tall forwards from the past two decades, though the end of each of their careers they did decline markedly.

Tier 3 - filling in the gaps with guns:

Full back:
Presti. Jono Brown called Presti the best defender he ever played against. In the dark years after 02/03, it was Presti who held the backline together. Was rarely ever beaten. In one match, Carlton whipped us by ten goals, and yet he didn't give up a single goal to Fev. He had to stay to the end of games, so I did too. Apologies to Pert in particular, who did his best work for Fitzroy.

Half back flank: Ben Johnson is heart-and-soul Collingwood. 235 games. Multiple runner up in the Copeland. An ugly duckling but super-effective. A superb finals player in each of his campaigns, especially 2010, where he spanked Milne two weeks running in addition to bombing goals from 50+.

Half forward flank: Paul Williams was the reason, along with Sav, why I went to the football as a youngster. I was gutted we traded him - watching him take multiple bounces down the far wing at Victoria Park and slot goals on the run from 50+ with regularity was a memory I'll never forget. Insanely skilled. A goal kicker. 223 goals from 189 games for us. Over 300 games overall. A true champion.

Forward pocket: Alan Didak and Peter Daicos in opposite pockets is the stuff of fantasy. A leading goalkicker in a premiership year. A 200+ game AA. The most skilled player I've seen since Daics.

Ruck: This may cause controversy, but I'd go with Grundy over Monkhurst. I think Brodie is tracking to be the premier big man in the game, and is already top five. Monky was a warhorse, and had multiple top 3 finished in the Copeland, but lacked the pure class to be best-in-comp. I think we're going to start seeing that from Grundy as early as next season. We've seen glimpses already.

Interchange & EMG: I'm going to throw in a couple of current players who, while perhaps not there yet, I believe will sit comfortably in this team within the next three seasons. Jamie Elliott and Jeremy Howe.

Elliott is an AA quality forward with the best years of his career ahead of him. He's already topped the club goalkicking multiple times and has barely put a full season together. Injury is the only factor which prevents him becoming a genuine great.

Howe deserved AA this season, and if he produces more of the same quality he'll finish as a multiple All Australian half back by the end of his career. His marking is the best I've seen, but his disposal, competitive ability and willingness to take the game on have legitimately surprised me. He'll be remembered as a Collingwood great if he strings two or three more years of this calibre together.

B: J Clement ~ S Prestigiacomo ~ L Davis
HB: H Shaw ~ B Reid ~ B Johnson
C: D Millane ~ N Buckley ~ S Pendlebury
HF: G Brown ~ T Cloke ~ P Williams
F: P Daicos ~ A Rocca ~ A Didak
Foll: B Grundy ~ D Swan ~ T Shaw
Int: G Wright ~ M McGuane ~ S Burns ~ J Elliott
Emg: J Howe
 

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Bob Rose, Wayne Richardson, Ronnie Wearmouth, Tony Francis hey even Ray Shaw were all better "rovers" than T. Shaw. Tony was an in and under mid like a Luke Ball or a Taylor Adams or a tagger that annoyed the bejezus out of his opponents by chatting all the time. Real Rovers ran all day (quickly), kicked goals and used the ball beautifully....Tony didn't, but he got it a heap!

Swanny was a break away player like a Buckley or a Judd/Cousins. A ball magnet with initial speed and power.

No denying Francis had better skills, but as an overall package, not 1/2 the player T Shaw was, possibly tainted in my view because he finished his career at the Saints. None of the others listed meet the 90+ criteria otherwise I'd have opted for Richardson having never seen Bobby Rose.
 
Sidebottom needs to be in the team, has been in the top 5 of the BnF something like the last 5 years, should have won the norm smith and is only 26.

Bloke has been unbelievable since pretty much day 1.
 
Bob Rose, Wayne Richardson, Ronnie Wearmouth, Tony Francis hey even Ray Shaw were all better "rovers" than T. Shaw. Tony was an in and under mid like a Luke Ball or a Taylor Adams or a tagger that annoyed the bejezus out of his opponents by chatting all the time. Real Rovers ran all day (quickly), kicked goals and used the ball beautifully....Tony didn't, but he got it a heap!

Swanny was a break away player like a Buckley or a Judd/Cousins. A ball magnet with initial speed and power.
Too true.
But rovers sort of don't really exist as they did.
Different times.
 
Ronnie McKeown. I loved the guy, but unfortunately not in the best 22 over the past 27 years. Serious talent.
If 1990 the teams had 4 interchange in those days as opposed to the 2 interchange, he'd have played.

Ron McKeown and I'd say Paul Hawke would have been the two extras in.
 
Tier 1 - Absolute locks, Collingwood legends, don't even hesitate: N Buckley, J Clement, T Shaw, D Swan, S Pendlebury, P Daicos, D Millane, G Brown

B: J Clement ~ *** ~ ***
HB: *** ~ *** ~ ***
C: D Millane ~ N Buckley - S Pendlebury
HF: G Brown ~ *** ~ ***
F: Daicos ~ *** ~ ***
Foll: *** ~ Swan ~ T Shaw

I don't love Pendles on a wing, but I'm not starting him off the bench. I just won't do it.

A Graders, just a rung below legendary:

Tier 2 - A Graders, B&F's, All Australians, just a rung below consistently elite: G Wright, H Shaw, M McGuane, A Rocca, T Cloke, B Reid, L Davis, S Burns

B: J Clement ~ *** ~ L Davis
HB: H Shaw ~ B Reid ~ ***
C: D Millane ~ N Buckley ~ S Pendlebury
HF: G Brown ~ T Cloke ~ ***
F: Daicos ~ A Rocca ~ ***
Foll: *** ~ Swan ~ T Shaw
Int: G Wright ~ M McGuane ~ S Burns ~ ***

Leon's season in 2011 in a back pocket is just about the best season I've ever seen a back pocket play. He won that AA position in a canter. He also took an AA as a midfielder in 2009 so his inclusion has to be a no-brainer. Heater and Reid were elite at their peak, though that was sadly never sustained too long through injury, suspension and stupidity. Wright should have won a brownlow. McGuane was a joy to watch. Rocca and Cloke are our standout tall forwards from the past two decades, though the end of each of their careers they did decline markedly.

Tier 3 - filling in the gaps with guns:

Full back:
Presti. Jono Brown called Presti the best defender he ever played against. In the dark years after 02/03, it was Presti who held the backline together. Was rarely ever beaten. In one match, Carlton whipped us by ten goals, and yet he didn't give up a single goal to Fev. He had to stay to the end of games, so I did too. Apologies to Pert in particular, who did his best work for Fitzroy.

Half back flank: Ben Johnson is heart-and-soul Collingwood. 235 games. Multiple runner up in the Copeland. An ugly duckling but super-effective. A superb finals player in each of his campaigns, especially 2010, where he spanked Milne two weeks running in addition to bombing goals from 50+.

Half forward flank: Paul Williams was the reason, along with Sav, why I went to the football as a youngster. I was gutted we traded him - watching him take multiple bounces down the far wing at Victoria Park and slot goals on the run from 50+ with regularity was a memory I'll never forget. Insanely skilled. A goal kicker. 223 goals from 189 games for us. Over 300 games overall. A true champion.

Forward pocket: Alan Didak and Peter Daicos in opposite pockets is the stuff of fantasy. A leading goalkicker in a premiership year. A 200+ game AA. The most skilled player I've seen since Daics.

Ruck: This may cause controversy, but I'd go with Grundy over Monkhurst. I think Brodie is tracking to be the premier big man in the game, and is already top five. Monky was a warhorse, and had multiple top 3 finished in the Copeland, but lacked the pure class to be best-in-comp. I think we're going to start seeing that from Grundy as early as next season. We've seen glimpses already.

Interchange & EMG: I'm going to throw in a couple of current players who, while perhaps not there yet, I believe will sit comfortably in this team within the next three seasons. Jamie Elliott and Jeremy Howe.

Elliott is an AA quality forward with the best years of his career ahead of him. He's already topped the club goalkicking multiple times and has barely put a full season together. Injury is the only factor which prevents him becoming a genuine great.

Howe deserved AA this season, and if he produces more of the same quality he'll finish as a multiple All Australian half back by the end of his career. His marking is the best I've seen, but his disposal, competitive ability and willingness to take the game on have legitimately surprised me. He'll be remembered as a Collingwood great if he strings two or three more years of this calibre together.

B: J Clement ~ S Prestigiacomo ~ L Davis
HB: H Shaw ~ B Reid ~ B Johnson
C: D Millane ~ N Buckley ~ S Pendlebury
HF: G Brown ~ T Cloke ~ P Williams
F: P Daicos ~ A Rocca ~ A Didak
Foll: B Grundy ~ D Swan ~ T Shaw
Int: G Wright ~ M McGuane ~ S Burns ~ J Elliott
Emg: J Howe
Really like the way you've gone about it.
The structure, first legends then A graders.
Good idea.
Great post to read :thumbsu:
 
For the future when this is revisited I'm certain Treloar will be in everyone's team.
Grundy too.

Future candidates might be De Goey, Moore, Maynard etc.

The future awaits
 
Pert was a superstar at Fitzroy (I remember BT having to run away and hide in a pocket as Pert thrashed him) but when he went to pies while being a good offensive full back, he seemed to always get goals kicked on him
 
Tier 1 - Absolute locks, Collingwood legends, don't even hesitate: N Buckley, J Clement, T Shaw, D Swan, S Pendlebury, P Daicos, D Millane, G Brown

B: J Clement ~ *** ~ ***
HB: *** ~ *** ~ ***
C: D Millane ~ N Buckley - S Pendlebury
HF: G Brown ~ *** ~ ***
F: Daicos ~ *** ~ ***
Foll: *** ~ Swan ~ T Shaw

I don't love Pendles on a wing, but I'm not starting him off the bench. I just won't do it.

A Graders, just a rung below legendary:

Tier 2 - A Graders, B&F's, All Australians, just a rung below consistently elite: G Wright, H Shaw, M McGuane, A Rocca, T Cloke, B Reid, L Davis, S Burns

B: J Clement ~ *** ~ L Davis
HB: H Shaw ~ B Reid ~ ***
C: D Millane ~ N Buckley ~ S Pendlebury
HF: G Brown ~ T Cloke ~ ***
F: Daicos ~ A Rocca ~ ***
Foll: *** ~ Swan ~ T Shaw
Int: G Wright ~ M McGuane ~ S Burns ~ ***

Leon's season in 2011 in a back pocket is just about the best season I've ever seen a back pocket play. He won that AA position in a canter. He also took an AA as a midfielder in 2009 so his inclusion has to be a no-brainer. Heater and Reid were elite at their peak, though that was sadly never sustained too long through injury, suspension and stupidity. Wright should have won a brownlow. McGuane was a joy to watch. Rocca and Cloke are our standout tall forwards from the past two decades, though the end of each of their careers they did decline markedly.

Tier 3 - filling in the gaps with guns:

Full back:
Presti. Jono Brown called Presti the best defender he ever played against. In the dark years after 02/03, it was Presti who held the backline together. Was rarely ever beaten. In one match, Carlton whipped us by ten goals, and yet he didn't give up a single goal to Fev. He had to stay to the end of games, so I did too. Apologies to Pert in particular, who did his best work for Fitzroy.

Half back flank: Ben Johnson is heart-and-soul Collingwood. 235 games. Multiple runner up in the Copeland. An ugly duckling but super-effective. A superb finals player in each of his campaigns, especially 2010, where he spanked Milne two weeks running in addition to bombing goals from 50+.

Half forward flank: Paul Williams was the reason, along with Sav, why I went to the football as a youngster. I was gutted we traded him - watching him take multiple bounces down the far wing at Victoria Park and slot goals on the run from 50+ with regularity was a memory I'll never forget. Insanely skilled. A goal kicker. 223 goals from 189 games for us. Over 300 games overall. A true champion.

Forward pocket: Alan Didak and Peter Daicos in opposite pockets is the stuff of fantasy. A leading goalkicker in a premiership year. A 200+ game AA. The most skilled player I've seen since Daics.

Ruck: This may cause controversy, but I'd go with Grundy over Monkhurst. I think Brodie is tracking to be the premier big man in the game, and is already top five. Monky was a warhorse, and had multiple top 3 finished in the Copeland, but lacked the pure class to be best-in-comp. I think we're going to start seeing that from Grundy as early as next season. We've seen glimpses already.

Interchange & EMG: I'm going to throw in a couple of current players who, while perhaps not there yet, I believe will sit comfortably in this team within the next three seasons. Jamie Elliott and Jeremy Howe.

Elliott is an AA quality forward with the best years of his career ahead of him. He's already topped the club goalkicking multiple times and has barely put a full season together. Injury is the only factor which prevents him becoming a genuine great.

Howe deserved AA this season, and if he produces more of the same quality he'll finish as a multiple All Australian half back by the end of his career. His marking is the best I've seen, but his disposal, competitive ability and willingness to take the game on have legitimately surprised me. He'll be remembered as a Collingwood great if he strings two or three more years of this calibre together.

B: J Clement ~ S Prestigiacomo ~ L Davis
HB: H Shaw ~ B Reid ~ B Johnson
C: D Millane ~ N Buckley ~ S Pendlebury
HF: G Brown ~ T Cloke ~ P Williams
F: P Daicos ~ A Rocca ~ A Didak
Foll: B Grundy ~ D Swan ~ T Shaw
Int: G Wright ~ M McGuane ~ S Burns ~ J Elliott
Emg: J Howe
Maxwell, Daisy & Tarrant are all AA's...

& whilst I like the igniter in there, Benny J & didnt do enough to edge out Treloar, Beams or Sidey from the side... who are all on a diff level.

Elliott has the potential & is an A grader when, but I dont think has done enough yet (even Medhurst has had better seasons), whilst A Rocca never got close to AA, was too inconsistent & his record just doesnt stack up against his brother's
 

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