Carlton’s greatest finals era

Jul 15, 2008
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Please forgive me if this has been done before but I am interested in the thoughts of those old enough to have seen our golden periods
1968-73, 1979-82, 1993-95

I will preface this by saying I witnessed both of the latter periods but have been told by my father and witnessed quite a few times the first era via videos of preliminary and grand finals.

Which era do you consider Carlton was strongest and had the best finals players ?

For me, the more I watch the 68-73 era I find it the best. The style of play was different and arguably not as skilful but the individual players were among the best we’ve ever had !

Besides the obvious I would like to put forward a few names- Adrian Gallagher, Brent Croswell, David McKay, Kevin Hall, Peter Jones ( very underrated as a forward ) Syd Jackson ( Cyril Rioli before he existed ) , Ian Robertson very consistent in finals, Vin Waite , Gary Crane, Sergio Silvagni
Even the players that couldn’t get a game like Greg Kennedy, Hurst, and Neil Chandler were good players

Having grown up as a kid watching the great 79-82 side I always thought they were the best
Now I think my vote would have to go toward 68-73 😮
 
Aug 27, 2014
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there are no other teams worthy
Jack Worrall era.
Three premierships in a row of 1906, 07 and 08.
Depends what you call an era too. They also won the 1914 and 15 premierships so 1906 tp 1915 is some era for the club.

I did not see the Barassi and Nicholls era but romantically that set up the most successful period in club history where the culture to develop, harness and expect nothing less than premierships for this club happened.
From 1968 to 1987 we won 7 premierships. The Golden period of the club's history to this point.
I only started following from 1978 so it took me until 12th season of following my club for us to not be in the top five. So personally for me, it is the greatest finals era. To see the Jezza influence was magical as a kid. Would not trade it for any other era as a Carlton supporter.
As we know, in club politics got in way and Jezza incredibly left after that amazing captain-coaching stint but we recovered from the shock over a year later and reset. Parkin came on board and re-focussed the talented players back to their best and back to back flags after gap year of 1980, even though we still made top four that gap year of 1980.

1978 to 1988 is no brainer for me as only one or two years in that period did I not believe we could win the premiership.
Making finals 11 seasons in a row when it was a top five is the greatest finals era in the club history imo.
Four premierships.

Did we make top four over 11 times in a row in early 1900's?
 
Last edited:

Broadside

Premiership Player
Jul 15, 2007
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93-95 has to be out of the equation. 93 was a terribly disappointing outcome and 94 we went out in straight sets.

79-82 for mine when I was about 10 years old. Too young to remember the earlier ones.
 

Dunna Heartknee

Club Legend
Jul 4, 2020
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Carltons greatest finals era
This bloke

Dom8Article_620X370.jpg


In the top few on the ground in all our premierships 79,81,82,87
 

ianh

Team Captain
Oct 14, 2008
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1906 to 1915 without a doubt. Of the rest - all of which I remember - it is tight between 68 to 72 and 79 to 82. But when you consider the Blues finished the 67 home and away season in second before going out in the prelim and at the other end of the era were grand finalists in 73 (being bashed out of the match) and were grand finalists in 69 with the finals missed in 1971 (5th) that era I think has to rank above 79-82 however you might tack on seasons either or both sides - 1977 6th, 1978 4th, 1980 2nd after h&a out in straight sets 1983 5th and straight out 1984 3rd and out in straight sets.
 

ianh

Team Captain
Oct 14, 2008
386
362
Narre Warren South
AFL Club
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This thread got me thinking which of the premiership teams between 68 and 82 was the best - not on the day but over the season but allowing for age and injury concerns.

Here is what I came up with:

[TD valign="top"] B: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]19 Ian Collins [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]20 Wes Lofts [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]42 Robert Walls [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HB: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]21 Barry Gill [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]11 John Goold [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]3 Kevin Hall [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] C: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]34 Ian Robertson [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]17 Brent Crosswell [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]6 Garry Crane [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HF: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]25 Alex Jesaulenko [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]12 Bill Bennett [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]32 Bryan Quirk [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] F: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]28 Peter Jones [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]16 Brian Kekovich [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]8 Dennis Munari [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Foll: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]2 John Nicholls (c)[/TD]
[TD valign="top"]1 Sergio Silvagni [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]10 Adrian Gallagher [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Res: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]36 Peter McLean [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]47 Neil Chandler [/TD]
[TD valign="top"] B: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]21 Barry Gill [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]3 Kevin Hall [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]30 Vin Waite [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HB: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]11 John Goold [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]43 David McKay [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]35 Barry Mulcair [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] C: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]6 Garry Crane [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]34 Ian Robertson [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]15 Phillip Pinnell [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HF: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]17 Brent Crosswell [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]42 Robert Walls (a/vc)[/TD]
[TD valign="top"]5 Syd Jackson [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] F: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]28 Peter Jones [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]25 Alex Jesaulenko [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]13 Bert Thornley [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Foll: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]2 John Nicholls (c)[/TD]
[TD valign="top"]1 Sergio Silvagni [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]10 Adrian Gallagher [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Res: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]22 Neil Chandler [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]7 Ted Hopkins [/TD]




COLLINS/Gill LOFTS/Hall WALLS/Waite

Gill/GOOLD Goold/MCKAY HALL/Mulcair

ROBERTSON/Pinnell CROSSWELL/Robertson CRANE/Crane

JESAULENKO/Crosswell Bennett/WALLS Quirk/JACKSON

P Jones/P JONES B Kekovich/JESAULENKO MUNARI/Thornley

NICHOLLS/Nicholls SILVAGNI 1/Silvagni 1 GALLAGHER/Gallagher

Chandler/CHANDLER MCLEAN/Hopkins



VERDICT – 1968 to beat 1970



1968 v 1972

[TD valign="top"] B: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]19 John O'Connell [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]20 Geoff Southby [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]43 David McKay [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HB: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]30 Vin Waite [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]11 Bruce Doull [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]33 Paul Hurst [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] C: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]34 Ian Robertson (dvc)[/TD]
[TD valign="top"]12 Barry Armstrong [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]27 David Dickson [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HF: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]22 Neil Chandler [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]42 Robert Walls (vc)[/TD]
[TD valign="top"]5 Syd Jackson [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] F: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]2 John Nicholls (c)[/TD]
[TD valign="top"]25 Alex Jesaulenko [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]8 Trevor Keogh [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Foll: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]28 Peter Jones [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]3 Kevin Hall [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]10 Adrian Gallagher [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Res: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]7 Andrew Lukas [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]6 Garry Crane [/TD]


Gill/O’Connell Hall/SOUTHBY Waite/MCKAY

GOOLD/Waite MCKAY/Doull Mulcair/HURST

Pinnell/ROBERTSON Robertson/ARMSTRONG CRANE/Dickson

CROSWELL/Chandler Walls/WALLS JACKSON/Jackson

P Jones/NICHOLLS JESAULENKO/Jesaulenko Thornley/KEOGH

NICHOLLS/P Jones SILVAGNI1/Hall GALLAGHER/Gallagher

CHANDLER/Lukas Hopkins/CRANE

Almost impossible to split – 1970 by a whisker!


[TD valign="top"]
B
:
[/TD]
[TD valign="top"]37 Wayne Harmes [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]20 Geoff Southby [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]43 David McKay [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HB: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]22 Robbert Klomp [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]11 Bruce Doull [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]33 Peter McConville [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] C: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]47 Peter Francis [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]25 Alex Jesaulenko (c)[/TD]
[TD valign="top"]19 Michael Young [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HF: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]7 Wayne Johnston [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]36 Mark Maclure [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]8 Trevor Keogh [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] F: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]3 Mike Fitzpatrick [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]41 Peter Brown [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]5 Ken Sheldon [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Foll: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]28 Peter Jones (vc)[/TD]
[TD valign="top"]12 Barry Armstrong [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]16 Jim Buckley [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Int: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]21 Rod Austin [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]34 Alex Marcou [/TD]


Gill/HARMES Hall/SOUTHBY Waite/McKAY

GOOLD/Klomp McKay/DOULL Mulcair/McCONVILLE

PINNELL/Francis Robertson/JESAULENKO CRANE/Young

Crosswell/JOHNSTON WALLS/Maclure JACKSON/Keogh

P Jones/FITZPATRICK JESAULENKO/Brown Thornley/SHELDON

NICHOLLS/P Jones SILVAGNI1/Armstrong GALLAGHER/J Buckley

Chandler/AUSTIN Hopkins/MARCOU

Very close but edge to 1979 in my mind


[TD valign="top"] B: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]27 Des English [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]40 Scott Howell [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]15 Val Perovic [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HB: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]9 Ken Hunter [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]11 Bruce Doull [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]37 Wayne Harmes [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] C: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]13 Phil Maylin [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]1 Greg Wells [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]32 David Glascott [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HF: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]4 Peter Bosustow [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]36 Mark Maclure [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]7 Wayne Johnston [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] F: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]43 David McKay [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]33 Peter McConville [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]16 Jim Buckley [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Foll: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]3 Mike Fitzpatrick (c)[/TD]
[TD valign="top"]5 Ken Sheldon [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]14 Rod Ashman [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Int: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]34 Alex Marcou [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]6 Mario Bortolotto [/TD]


HARMES/English SOUTHBY/Howell McKay/PEROVIC

Klomp/HUNTER DOULL/Doull McConville/HARMES

Francis/MAYLIN JESAULENKO/Wells Young/GLASCOTT

Johnston/JOHNSTON Maclure/MACLURE Keogh/BOSUSTOW

FITZPATRICK/McKay Brown/McCONVILLE Sheldon/J BUCKLEY

P Jones/FITZPATRICK Armstrong/SHELDON J Buckley/ASHMAN

AUSTIN/Bortolotto Marcou/MARCOU

1981 beats 1979 for mine


[TD valign="top"] B: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]27 Des English [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]11 Bruce Doull [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]15 Val Perovic [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HB: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]6 Mario Bortolotto [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]9 Ken Hunter [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]5 Ken Sheldon [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] C: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]32 David Glascott [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]16 Jim Buckley [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]37 Wayne Harmes [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HF: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]4 Peter Bosustow [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]36 Mark Maclure [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]7 Wayne Johnston [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] F: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]33 Peter McConville [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]8 Ross Ditchburn [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]34 Alex Marcou [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Foll: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]3 Mike Fitzpatrick (c)[/TD]
[TD valign="top"]13 Phil Maylin [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]14 Rod Ashman [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Int: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]2 Warren Jones [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]22 Robbert Klomp [/TD]


ENGLISH/English Howell/DOULL PEROVIC/Perovic

HUNTER/Bortolotto DOULL/Hunter HARMES/Sheldon

Maylin/HARMES Wells/J BUCKLEY Glascott/GLASCOTT

JOHNSTON/Johnston MACLURE/Maclure BOSUSTOW/Bosustow

McKAY/McConville McConville/DITCHBURN J BUCKLEY/Marcou

FITZPATRICK/Fitzpatrick SHELDON/Maylin Ashman/ASHMAN

BORTOLOTTO/Klomp MARCOU/ W Jones

Lastly I have 82 beating 81



Final view – I go 82 as the best of them despite the fact that the greatest players of the 68-72 run are the greatest of all Carlton players with only Doull and arguably Johnston from the latter teams standing alongside the greats of Nicholls, Jesaulenko et all
 
Jul 15, 2008
2,048
2,780
Blue Balls
AFL Club
Carlton
This thread got me thinking which of the premiership teams between 68 and 82 was the best - not on the day but over the season but allowing for age and injury concerns.

Here is what I came up with:

[TD valign="top"] B: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]19 Ian Collins [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]20 Wes Lofts [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]42 Robert Walls [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HB: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]21 Barry Gill [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]11 John Goold [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]3 Kevin Hall [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] C: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]34 Ian Robertson [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]17 Brent Crosswell [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]6 Garry Crane [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HF: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]25 Alex Jesaulenko [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]12 Bill Bennett [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]32 Bryan Quirk [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] F: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]28 Peter Jones [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]16 Brian Kekovich [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]8 Dennis Munari [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Foll: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]2 John Nicholls (c)[/TD]
[TD valign="top"]1 Sergio Silvagni [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]10 Adrian Gallagher [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Res: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]36 Peter McLean [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]47 Neil Chandler [/TD]
[TD valign="top"] B: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]21 Barry Gill [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]3 Kevin Hall [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]30 Vin Waite [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HB: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]11 John Goold [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]43 David McKay [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]35 Barry Mulcair [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] C: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]6 Garry Crane [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]34 Ian Robertson [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]15 Phillip Pinnell [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HF: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]17 Brent Crosswell [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]42 Robert Walls (a/vc)[/TD]
[TD valign="top"]5 Syd Jackson [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] F: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]28 Peter Jones [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]25 Alex Jesaulenko [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]13 Bert Thornley [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Foll: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]2 John Nicholls (c)[/TD]
[TD valign="top"]1 Sergio Silvagni [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]10 Adrian Gallagher [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Res: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]22 Neil Chandler [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]7 Ted Hopkins [/TD]




COLLINS/Gill LOFTS/Hall WALLS/Waite

Gill/GOOLD Goold/MCKAY HALL/Mulcair

ROBERTSON/Pinnell CROSSWELL/Robertson CRANE/Crane

JESAULENKO/Crosswell Bennett/WALLS Quirk/JACKSON

P Jones/P JONES B Kekovich/JESAULENKO MUNARI/Thornley

NICHOLLS/Nicholls SILVAGNI 1/Silvagni 1 GALLAGHER/Gallagher

Chandler/CHANDLER MCLEAN/Hopkins



VERDICT – 1968 to beat 1970



1968 v 1972

[TD valign="top"] B: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]19 John O'Connell [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]20 Geoff Southby [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]43 David McKay [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HB: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]30 Vin Waite [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]11 Bruce Doull [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]33 Paul Hurst [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] C: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]34 Ian Robertson (dvc)[/TD]
[TD valign="top"]12 Barry Armstrong [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]27 David Dickson [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HF: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]22 Neil Chandler [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]42 Robert Walls (vc)[/TD]
[TD valign="top"]5 Syd Jackson [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] F: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]2 John Nicholls (c)[/TD]
[TD valign="top"]25 Alex Jesaulenko [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]8 Trevor Keogh [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Foll: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]28 Peter Jones [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]3 Kevin Hall [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]10 Adrian Gallagher [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Res: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]7 Andrew Lukas [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]6 Garry Crane [/TD]


Gill/O’Connell Hall/SOUTHBY Waite/MCKAY

GOOLD/Waite MCKAY/Doull Mulcair/HURST

Pinnell/ROBERTSON Robertson/ARMSTRONG CRANE/Dickson

CROSWELL/Chandler Walls/WALLS JACKSON/Jackson

P Jones/NICHOLLS JESAULENKO/Jesaulenko Thornley/KEOGH

NICHOLLS/P Jones SILVAGNI1/Hall GALLAGHER/Gallagher

CHANDLER/Lukas Hopkins/CRANE

Almost impossible to split – 1970 by a whisker!


[TD valign="top"]
B
:
[/TD]
[TD valign="top"]37 Wayne Harmes [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]20 Geoff Southby [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]43 David McKay [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HB: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]22 Robbert Klomp [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]11 Bruce Doull [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]33 Peter McConville [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] C: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]47 Peter Francis [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]25 Alex Jesaulenko (c)[/TD]
[TD valign="top"]19 Michael Young [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HF: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]7 Wayne Johnston [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]36 Mark Maclure [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]8 Trevor Keogh [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] F: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]3 Mike Fitzpatrick [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]41 Peter Brown [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]5 Ken Sheldon [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Foll: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]28 Peter Jones (vc)[/TD]
[TD valign="top"]12 Barry Armstrong [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]16 Jim Buckley [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Int: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]21 Rod Austin [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]34 Alex Marcou [/TD]


Gill/HARMES Hall/SOUTHBY Waite/McKAY

GOOLD/Klomp McKay/DOULL Mulcair/McCONVILLE

PINNELL/Francis Robertson/JESAULENKO CRANE/Young

Crosswell/JOHNSTON WALLS/Maclure JACKSON/Keogh

P Jones/FITZPATRICK JESAULENKO/Brown Thornley/SHELDON

NICHOLLS/P Jones SILVAGNI1/Armstrong GALLAGHER/J Buckley

Chandler/AUSTIN Hopkins/MARCOU

Very close but edge to 1979 in my mind


[TD valign="top"] B: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]27 Des English [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]40 Scott Howell [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]15 Val Perovic [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HB: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]9 Ken Hunter [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]11 Bruce Doull [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]37 Wayne Harmes [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] C: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]13 Phil Maylin [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]1 Greg Wells [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]32 David Glascott [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HF: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]4 Peter Bosustow [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]36 Mark Maclure [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]7 Wayne Johnston [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] F: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]43 David McKay [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]33 Peter McConville [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]16 Jim Buckley [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Foll: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]3 Mike Fitzpatrick (c)[/TD]
[TD valign="top"]5 Ken Sheldon [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]14 Rod Ashman [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Int: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]34 Alex Marcou [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]6 Mario Bortolotto [/TD]


HARMES/English SOUTHBY/Howell McKay/PEROVIC

Klomp/HUNTER DOULL/Doull McConville/HARMES

Francis/MAYLIN JESAULENKO/Wells Young/GLASCOTT

Johnston/JOHNSTON Maclure/MACLURE Keogh/BOSUSTOW

FITZPATRICK/McKay Brown/McCONVILLE Sheldon/J BUCKLEY

P Jones/FITZPATRICK Armstrong/SHELDON J Buckley/ASHMAN

AUSTIN/Bortolotto Marcou/MARCOU

1981 beats 1979 for mine


[TD valign="top"] B: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]27 Des English [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]11 Bruce Doull [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]15 Val Perovic [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HB: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]6 Mario Bortolotto [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]9 Ken Hunter [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]5 Ken Sheldon [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] C: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]32 David Glascott [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]16 Jim Buckley [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]37 Wayne Harmes [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HF: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]4 Peter Bosustow [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]36 Mark Maclure [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]7 Wayne Johnston [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] F: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]33 Peter McConville [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]8 Ross Ditchburn [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]34 Alex Marcou [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Foll: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]3 Mike Fitzpatrick (c)[/TD]
[TD valign="top"]13 Phil Maylin [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]14 Rod Ashman [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Int: [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]2 Warren Jones [/TD]
[TD valign="top"]22 Robbert Klomp [/TD]


ENGLISH/English Howell/DOULL PEROVIC/Perovic

HUNTER/Bortolotto DOULL/Hunter HARMES/Sheldon

Maylin/HARMES Wells/J BUCKLEY Glascott/GLASCOTT

JOHNSTON/Johnston MACLURE/Maclure BOSUSTOW/Bosustow

McKAY/McConville McConville/DITCHBURN J BUCKLEY/Marcou

FITZPATRICK/Fitzpatrick SHELDON/Maylin Ashman/ASHMAN

BORTOLOTTO/Klomp MARCOU/ W Jones

Lastly I have 82 beating 81



Final view – I go 82 as the best of them despite the fact that the greatest players of the 68-72 run are the greatest of all Carlton players with only Doull and arguably Johnston from the latter teams standing alongside the greats of Nicholls, Jesaulenko et all
Great exercise and analysis
Personally I think 70 was better than 68 and 72 better than 70
But it’s all a matter of opinion ! 👍
 
This thread got me thinking which of the premiership teams between 68 and 82 was the best - not on the day but over the season but allowing for age and injury concerns.

Here is what I came up with:

[TD valign="top"] B: [/TD][TD valign="top"]19 Ian Collins [/TD][TD valign="top"]20 Wes Lofts [/TD][TD valign="top"]42 Robert Walls [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HB: [/TD][TD valign="top"]21 Barry Gill [/TD][TD valign="top"]11 John Goold [/TD][TD valign="top"]3 Kevin Hall [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] C: [/TD][TD valign="top"]34 Ian Robertson [/TD][TD valign="top"]17 Brent Crosswell [/TD][TD valign="top"]6 Garry Crane [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HF: [/TD][TD valign="top"]25 Alex Jesaulenko [/TD][TD valign="top"]12 Bill Bennett [/TD][TD valign="top"]32 Bryan Quirk [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] F: [/TD][TD valign="top"]28 Peter Jones [/TD][TD valign="top"]16 Brian Kekovich [/TD][TD valign="top"]8 Dennis Munari [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Foll: [/TD][TD valign="top"]2 John Nicholls (c)[/TD][TD valign="top"]1 Sergio Silvagni [/TD][TD valign="top"]10 Adrian Gallagher [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Res: [/TD][TD valign="top"]36 Peter McLean [/TD][TD valign="top"]47 Neil Chandler [/TD] [TD valign="top"] B: [/TD][TD valign="top"]21 Barry Gill [/TD][TD valign="top"]3 Kevin Hall [/TD][TD valign="top"]30 Vin Waite [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HB: [/TD][TD valign="top"]11 John Goold [/TD][TD valign="top"]43 David McKay [/TD][TD valign="top"]35 Barry Mulcair [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] C: [/TD][TD valign="top"]6 Garry Crane [/TD][TD valign="top"]34 Ian Robertson [/TD][TD valign="top"]15 Phillip Pinnell [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HF: [/TD][TD valign="top"]17 Brent Crosswell [/TD][TD valign="top"]42 Robert Walls (a/vc)[/TD][TD valign="top"]5 Syd Jackson [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] F: [/TD][TD valign="top"]28 Peter Jones [/TD][TD valign="top"]25 Alex Jesaulenko [/TD][TD valign="top"]13 Bert Thornley [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Foll: [/TD][TD valign="top"]2 John Nicholls (c)[/TD][TD valign="top"]1 Sergio Silvagni [/TD][TD valign="top"]10 Adrian Gallagher [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Res: [/TD][TD valign="top"]22 Neil Chandler [/TD][TD valign="top"]7 Ted Hopkins [/TD]




COLLINS/Gill LOFTS/Hall WALLS/Waite

Gill/GOOLD Goold/MCKAY HALL/Mulcair

ROBERTSON/Pinnell CROSSWELL/Robertson CRANE/Crane

JESAULENKO/Crosswell Bennett/WALLS Quirk/JACKSON

P Jones/P JONES B Kekovich/JESAULENKO MUNARI/Thornley

NICHOLLS/Nicholls SILVAGNI 1/Silvagni 1 GALLAGHER/Gallagher

Chandler/CHANDLER MCLEAN/Hopkins



VERDICT – 1968 to beat 1970



1968 v 1972

[TD valign="top"] B: [/TD][TD valign="top"]19 John O'Connell [/TD][TD valign="top"]20 Geoff Southby [/TD][TD valign="top"]43 David McKay [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HB: [/TD][TD valign="top"]30 Vin Waite [/TD][TD valign="top"]11 Bruce Doull [/TD][TD valign="top"]33 Paul Hurst [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] C: [/TD][TD valign="top"]34 Ian Robertson (dvc)[/TD][TD valign="top"]12 Barry Armstrong [/TD][TD valign="top"]27 David Dickson [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HF: [/TD][TD valign="top"]22 Neil Chandler [/TD][TD valign="top"]42 Robert Walls (vc)[/TD][TD valign="top"]5 Syd Jackson [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] F: [/TD][TD valign="top"]2 John Nicholls (c)[/TD][TD valign="top"]25 Alex Jesaulenko [/TD][TD valign="top"]8 Trevor Keogh [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Foll: [/TD][TD valign="top"]28 Peter Jones [/TD][TD valign="top"]3 Kevin Hall [/TD][TD valign="top"]10 Adrian Gallagher [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Res: [/TD][TD valign="top"]7 Andrew Lukas [/TD][TD valign="top"]6 Garry Crane [/TD]


Gill/O’Connell Hall/SOUTHBY Waite/MCKAY

GOOLD/Waite MCKAY/Doull Mulcair/HURST

Pinnell/ROBERTSON Robertson/ARMSTRONG CRANE/Dickson

CROSWELL/Chandler Walls/WALLS JACKSON/Jackson

P Jones/NICHOLLS JESAULENKO/Jesaulenko Thornley/KEOGH

NICHOLLS/P Jones SILVAGNI1/Hall GALLAGHER/Gallagher

CHANDLER/Lukas Hopkins/CRANE

Almost impossible to split – 1970 by a whisker!


[TD valign="top"]
B
:
[/TD][TD valign="top"]37 Wayne Harmes [/TD][TD valign="top"]20 Geoff Southby [/TD][TD valign="top"]43 David McKay [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HB: [/TD][TD valign="top"]22 Robbert Klomp [/TD][TD valign="top"]11 Bruce Doull [/TD][TD valign="top"]33 Peter McConville [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] C: [/TD][TD valign="top"]47 Peter Francis [/TD][TD valign="top"]25 Alex Jesaulenko (c)[/TD][TD valign="top"]19 Michael Young [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HF: [/TD][TD valign="top"]7 Wayne Johnston [/TD][TD valign="top"]36 Mark Maclure [/TD][TD valign="top"]8 Trevor Keogh [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] F: [/TD][TD valign="top"]3 Mike Fitzpatrick [/TD][TD valign="top"]41 Peter Brown [/TD][TD valign="top"]5 Ken Sheldon [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Foll: [/TD][TD valign="top"]28 Peter Jones (vc)[/TD][TD valign="top"]12 Barry Armstrong [/TD][TD valign="top"]16 Jim Buckley [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Int: [/TD][TD valign="top"]21 Rod Austin [/TD][TD valign="top"]34 Alex Marcou [/TD]


Gill/HARMES Hall/SOUTHBY Waite/McKAY

GOOLD/Klomp McKay/DOULL Mulcair/McCONVILLE

PINNELL/Francis Robertson/JESAULENKO CRANE/Young

Crosswell/JOHNSTON WALLS/Maclure JACKSON/Keogh

P Jones/FITZPATRICK JESAULENKO/Brown Thornley/SHELDON

NICHOLLS/P Jones SILVAGNI1/Armstrong GALLAGHER/J Buckley

Chandler/AUSTIN Hopkins/MARCOU

Very close but edge to 1979 in my mind


[TD valign="top"] B: [/TD][TD valign="top"]27 Des English [/TD][TD valign="top"]40 Scott Howell [/TD][TD valign="top"]15 Val Perovic [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HB: [/TD][TD valign="top"]9 Ken Hunter [/TD][TD valign="top"]11 Bruce Doull [/TD][TD valign="top"]37 Wayne Harmes [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] C: [/TD][TD valign="top"]13 Phil Maylin [/TD][TD valign="top"]1 Greg Wells [/TD][TD valign="top"]32 David Glascott [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HF: [/TD][TD valign="top"]4 Peter Bosustow [/TD][TD valign="top"]36 Mark Maclure [/TD][TD valign="top"]7 Wayne Johnston [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] F: [/TD][TD valign="top"]43 David McKay [/TD][TD valign="top"]33 Peter McConville [/TD][TD valign="top"]16 Jim Buckley [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Foll: [/TD][TD valign="top"]3 Mike Fitzpatrick (c)[/TD][TD valign="top"]5 Ken Sheldon [/TD][TD valign="top"]14 Rod Ashman [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Int: [/TD][TD valign="top"]34 Alex Marcou [/TD][TD valign="top"]6 Mario Bortolotto [/TD]


HARMES/English SOUTHBY/Howell McKay/PEROVIC

Klomp/HUNTER DOULL/Doull McConville/HARMES

Francis/MAYLIN JESAULENKO/Wells Young/GLASCOTT

Johnston/JOHNSTON Maclure/MACLURE Keogh/BOSUSTOW

FITZPATRICK/McKay Brown/McCONVILLE Sheldon/J BUCKLEY

P Jones/FITZPATRICK Armstrong/SHELDON J Buckley/ASHMAN

AUSTIN/Bortolotto Marcou/MARCOU

1981 beats 1979 for mine


[TD valign="top"] B: [/TD][TD valign="top"]27 Des English [/TD][TD valign="top"]11 Bruce Doull [/TD][TD valign="top"]15 Val Perovic [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HB: [/TD][TD valign="top"]6 Mario Bortolotto [/TD][TD valign="top"]9 Ken Hunter [/TD][TD valign="top"]5 Ken Sheldon [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] C: [/TD][TD valign="top"]32 David Glascott [/TD][TD valign="top"]16 Jim Buckley [/TD][TD valign="top"]37 Wayne Harmes [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] HF: [/TD][TD valign="top"]4 Peter Bosustow [/TD][TD valign="top"]36 Mark Maclure [/TD][TD valign="top"]7 Wayne Johnston [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] F: [/TD][TD valign="top"]33 Peter McConville [/TD][TD valign="top"]8 Ross Ditchburn [/TD][TD valign="top"]34 Alex Marcou [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Foll: [/TD][TD valign="top"]3 Mike Fitzpatrick (c)[/TD][TD valign="top"]13 Phil Maylin [/TD][TD valign="top"]14 Rod Ashman [/TD]

[TD valign="top"] Int: [/TD][TD valign="top"]2 Warren Jones [/TD][TD valign="top"]22 Robbert Klomp [/TD]


ENGLISH/English Howell/DOULL PEROVIC/Perovic

HUNTER/Bortolotto DOULL/Hunter HARMES/Sheldon

Maylin/HARMES Wells/J BUCKLEY Glascott/GLASCOTT

JOHNSTON/Johnston MACLURE/Maclure BOSUSTOW/Bosustow

McKAY/McConville McConville/DITCHBURN J BUCKLEY/Marcou

FITZPATRICK/Fitzpatrick SHELDON/Maylin Ashman/ASHMAN

BORTOLOTTO/Klomp MARCOU/ W Jones

Lastly I have 82 beating 81



Final view – I go 82 as the best of them despite the fact that the greatest players of the 68-72 run are the greatest of all Carlton players with only Doull and arguably Johnston from the latter teams standing alongside the greats of Nicholls, Jesaulenko et all
Garry Crane on the bench? Not sure who this Dickson bloke is, wanna be good to get on a wing ahead of Crane.
 
Garry Crane on the bench? Not sure who this Dickson bloke is, wanna be good to get on a wing ahead of Crane.


Dickson was an absolute gun of a young player, played in grand finals in each of his first 2 years as part of the senior team.

Injured his knees the next year, took a couple of years to come back but was never the same, ended up at Collingwood as part of the mckenna trade, didn't last long there.

I took an interest in him as he was a Coburg boy like I was. Could have been anything.
 

sparkyblue

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I'm just old enough to remember the 79 grand final but have strong recollections of GF day in 1981 and 1982. 1987 was arguably my favourite of that era (Rhys blanketing Dermie was a stroke of coaching genius) as we had transitioned a lot of the older greats from the early 80s to the interstate crew we brought in circa '86 who set us up for the next decade and beyond.

1995 despite any salary misgivings is still the most complete team I've ever seen. Despite the dodgy start to the season we picked apart sides at will. I went to every game that year bar the GF (that's another story) and its the only time I've ever seen the club fulfill every ambition I had for them. They're still the model I hold all teams against as they had everything....skill, mongrel, professionalism, pace.
 

Loramarthalas

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Newly restored colour footage of the 1970 grand final. It features camera angles never seen before and Jezza’s mark in colour for the first time ever.

I hadn‘t seen this granny before. What a ripper. We were dead and buried. Syd Jackson, John Nicholl, Jezza, and Teddy Hopkins dug us out of a mighty hole. Incredible stuff.
 

Coona Blues

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Blues177

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The 1967-1973 era was the best as we were a premiership contender in every year with the exception of 1971 when we just missed the final 4 by half a game. I looked at the afltables website and noticed that in 1967 we were on top of the ladder in every week until the second last round.
From that era I would pick the 1972 team as the best as we lost only 3 games during the h&a season and in the grand final beat the tigers who also had a great era at that time with a great finals record. Robert Walls reckons the '72 win was the best. Richmond was the hardest team to beat.
Collingwood in 1970 had a great team and was the form team that year but had a poor finals record at that time and Essendon in 1968 was at the end of their era before they plummeted down the ladder within 2 years.
Our teams from 1979 -1982 were great but in 1983 we played poorly midseason and missed the double chance. 1984 was a strange year because even though we finished 3rd we never looked a serious threat for the flag when the bombers and hawks stood out as the best.
We had many years where we won more games than we lost in a season. One more win in 1974 would have made it 24 seasons in a row with a positive win/loss record in each season.
 
Aug 27, 2014
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there are no other teams worthy
79-82 was a great era.

95 was the best year - should have been unbeaten all season. We were absolutely dominant.
This thread is not about best years, but to temporary get off track myself, I rate 79 the best year.
The only time we did not score 100 was a couple of extremely wet and muddy days and the only few losses we had were narrow losses.
1995 we got smashed two weeks in a row. I count 95 as most complete end to a season but not the best season.
The 16 wins in a row after the two heavy losses to Swans and Saints was complete in that sense to comeback from those two bad failings but the 79 was had a better style of football to watch and just entertained to the max all year. Best season I seen.
But 79 teams also covers the best finals era for us of from 1978 to 1988 always in top five and four premierships in there that was as good as it gets for enjoyment as a fan following my club each season.
 
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