Essendon 2000 vs Geelong (current)

[jsd09]

Which team do you think would be better?

this would be an unbelievable game to watch if it was possible to watch

 

[The_Trav]

21-1 with a flag vs 21-1 without a flag. It's a no brainer

 

[Red Black and Blue]

Essendon were the slightly better team but today Geelong would kick the shit outta them, because they are two very different teams, developed perfectly to the way the game was played at different points in time.

Essendon were developed to attack the man, play hard football and kick long to our brilliant tall forwards, but the skill level wasn't great. The way the game is played today they wouldn't be able to attack the man like that, Geelong's skill would just be too great and be able to pass the ball around at will.

 

[MightyHawks]

That Bombers era won one flag from 2 Grand Finals.

The current Cats need to make this Grand Final to better the Bombers efforts...

 

[della]

home and away wins mean nothing, the Geelong 08 team would beat the 07 team even though they didnt win the flag.

adel 97-98 would beat them both even though they lost 20+ games in those 2 years, mmm????

 

[NatheM]

The question isn't "Which team has more achievments"
The question is " Essendon 2000 vs Geelong (current)"

The game has evolved so much since 2000.

Essendon of 2000 wouldn't get close to Geelong 08.

Achievments have very little meaning.
You can't say "21-1 with a flag vs 21-1 without a flag. It's a no brainer "

Because the simple fact is that Essendon 2000 wouldn't be aloud to touch the ball, that's the way the game is played these days. They wouldn't know what to do.

James Hird - "Sheeds, wtf do we do?? we can't get the ball off them when they have it!"

Sheeds - "I can see that Jim, I think we're f*cked"

 

[STC]

The question isn't "Which team has more achievments"
The question is " Essendon 2000 vs Geelong (current)"

The game has evolved so much since 2000.

Essendon of 2000 wouldn't get close to Geelong 08.

Achievments have very little meaning.
You can't say "21-1 with a flag vs 21-1 without a flag. It's a no brainer "

Because the simple fact is that Essendon 2000 wouldn't be aloud to touch the ball, that's the way the game is played these days. They wouldn't know what to do.

James Hird - "Sheeds, wtf do we do?? we can't get the ball off them when they have it!"

Sheeds - "I can see that Jim, I think we're f*cked"

Yep, just because Geelong lost the Grand Final this year doesn't make their skill level drop. Let's not forget that Essendon were the best side in the league for 3 years but only won one flag. Geelong were for two years and achieved the same. Who knows what will happen this year, but when you compare the two teams it's not that hard. Essendon dominated the competition for what it was back then, but Geelong's current side is more skillful without a doubt.

 

[Claude Balls]

Everyone says the game changes etc, and it's true. So you can only go by the level of dominance displayed by Essendon of 2000 and Geelong of 2008 relative the rest of the competition at that time...

With this in mind, Essendon get the nod. If the Dons of the 2000 GF had played Geelong of 2008, I reckon the Bombers would have won. Also, whilst Geelong were 21-1 in the home and away season, they could have easily been 19-3 or even 18-4, so scrappy and narrow were a few of their wins. Essendon never looked liked losing in any one of their 21 victories, and their solitary loss was a narrow one on account of flooding.

On paper it's a bit closer. The current Geelong team shades the Bombers in the midfield and defence, but Essendon were still full of class in these areas, and most importantly, were a hell of a lot classier in the forward line.

I reckon Geelong of the 2007 H&A season would have beaten the Dons however, as our structure was far better then, with Egan and NAblett in the team. Over the last 15 rounds of 2007, we won every game by about 12 goals.

 

[STC]

I definitely don't agree with statements that Geelong of 08 was better than that of 07 - the team of 07 were playing on more than just skill, they were hungrier, harder at it and desperate to win every game. Let's not forget that from round 6 to the Grand Final, they only lost one game, because that's when we truly snapped and started playing to the fullest of our potential.

 

[Big Blow Hard]

Essendons defence of 2000 would have kept geelongs forwards in check. Though it could be said Geelongs defence mightof kept Essendons forwards in Check. Essendons forward structure was certainly better, but Geelongs midfield is certainly better.
Gut running and win at all cost vs skill and poise.

Is in impossible one to answer I think. Maybe the Bombers would not be able to handle Geelongs more skillled players, but Essendon IMO would absolutely batter the Geelong side.

Can we call it a draw?

 

[NatheM]

No. Seriously people. Essendon wouldn't get the ball off Geelong.

The game evolves, it's gone up a notch, IT'S BEEN A DECADE!!

IMO, and i may get shot for this, but I couldn't see Essendon 2000 keeping up with the pace of doggies let alone Geelong. Games changed, Dons wouldn't know how to handle the basketball style game.

I'm not saying they couldn't adapt, I'm just saying they wouldn't figure it out in 4 quarters.

 

[Red Black and Blue]

Geelong would win the game if it was played under todays rule system.
Essendon would win if the game was played under 2000 rules.

 

[rainman06]

Trying to say who would win in a game is pretty futile....but to those saying ''Essendon wouldnt get the ball off Geelong'', surely the faster, more athletic/aerobic players would be generally beaten at the contested ball by the bulkier, stronger types? It would be a case of Geelong getting the ball off Essendon really. But once they did, they would be tough to catch.

But as for who was a better side on their merits... Essendon. Since it is specified as Essendon of 2000 then nobody really compares, not that I have ever seen anyway. But if you look at it as an era, only one flag is not super impressive.

 

[jsd09]

Essendon 2000

B: 11. Damien Hardwick 31. Dustin Fletcher 1. Mark Johnson
HB: 21. Dean Wallis 6. Sean Wellman 9. Adam Ramanaskuas
C: 32. Justin Blumfield 14. Jason Johnson 7. Dean Soloman
HF: 5. James Hird 25. Scott Lucas 33. Blake Caracella
F: 2. Mark Mercuri 18. Matthew Lloyd 13. Michael Long
R: 22. John Barnes 24. Joe Misiti 26. Chris Heffernan
Int: 27. Steven Alessio 8. Darren Bewick 29. Gary Moorcroft 16. Paul Barnard


When looking at that side it's pretty damn good.

 

[Big Blow Hard]

Essendon 2000

B: 11. Damien Hardwick 31. Dustin Fletcher 1. Mark Johnson
HB: 21. Dean Wallis 6. Sean Wellman 9. Adam Ramanaskuas
C: 32. Justin Blumfield 14. Jason Johnson 7. Dean Soloman
HF: 5. James Hird 25. Scott Lucas 33. Blake Caracella
F: 2. Mark Mercuri 18. Matthew Lloyd 13. Michael Long
R: 22. John Barnes 24. Joe Misiti 26. Chris Heffernan
Int: 27. Steven Alessio 8. Darren Bewick 29. Gary Moorcroft 16. Paul Barnard


When looking at that side it's pretty damn good.

True that. I think some might be underestimating just how skillful that side was, as well as hard. Geez, we are so far from that side now it is sad.

 

[jsd09]

True that. I think some might be underestimating just how skillful that side was, as well as hard. Geez, we are so far from that side now it is sad.

Baby bombers to come we have alot of good young players when they mature we will be very skilled and quick and will be a little 2good !

 

[Big Blow Hard]

Baby bombers to come we have alot of good young players when they mature we will be very skilled and quick and will be a little 2good !

Sounds like every other club 2. We can only hope. Doubt we will string together a team as strong as 2000, or like Geelong for a while tough.

 

[burto]

Whilst I think people are underestimating the skill of Essendon 2000, I think people are also underestimating the hardness of the current Geelong side.

People mistake quick ball movement for speedy, light runners. Geelong are one of the slower legspeed sides in the game because they have more bulk than most, if not all, other sides. Chapman, Mooney, Ling, Rooke, Bartel, Corey Selwood etc certainly aren't light and pacy pushovers. So the argument of Essendon 'battering' Geelong, I feel, is mislead.

But in terms of the original question, who knows!

 

[Jade]

The question isn't "Which team has more achievments"
The question is " Essendon 2000 vs Geelong (current)"

The game has evolved so much since 2000.

Essendon of 2000 wouldn't get close to Geelong 08.

Achievments have very little meaning.
You can't say "21-1 with a flag vs 21-1 without a flag. It's a no brainer "

Because the simple fact is that Essendon 2000 wouldn't be aloud to touch the ball, that's the way the game is played these days. They wouldn't know what to do.

James Hird - "Sheeds, wtf do we do?? we can't get the ball off them when they have it!"

Sheeds - "I can see that Jim, I think we're f*cked"

I agree that the game has changed and that if you simply put the teams together under current rules and said 'play' Geolong would win, having the benefit of seeing the 2000 Bombers and following teams.

This is why you can't really ask these questions, as the newer team always has hindsight on the older.

However, if you wish to ask which team was better for its time, then yes, it really is a very simple answer.

 

[gaz15]

This is a really tough one. Both were hard skillfull sides. Before 08 GF iwould have said geelong. And to people saying the game has changed we are not comparing the eras are we? We are comparing the teams. If Ess 2000 played a similar game style or geelong went bak to 2000 and had the same training and rules then who knows. ill stick with the bombers. At the time i remember thinking they were the best i had seen-then brisbane came along.
The Essendon forward line has geel covered. Some great matchups. Lloyd-scarlett both at their peak. Lucas-Taylor-lucas has the edge. Hird-milburn? Mercuri-Hunt, Harley-barnard. Mid goes to geelong. But ess could throw Hird in there which evens it up a little. Ablett, Bartel, Selwood, Ling, Corey. Johnson, misiti, heffernan, blumfield hird. Remember all these ess players were playing the best footy of careers.
Geelong forwards. Mooney v fletcher, lonergan-wellman, M johnson-stokes, hardwick- s johnson, chapman-soloman. Got to go with the bombers. Tougher and all had good skills. Its the same story, geelongs forward line would hold them back from beating this side.
For Geelong to be remembered as a truely great side they would have to win this years flag or next years flag. Otherwise i think they will go down as underachievers-much the same as Ess99-01.

 

[daffo]

Every team was scared to play Essendon back in 2000, no one really thought they could beat us, which lead to many 60+ point results. Essendon 2000 was better then Geelong 2008, but we only won one flag and Geelong have the chance to win 2-3.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

not even close, Geelong by quite a considerable margin, 5-10 goals if they both played to the best of their abilities.

in 2000 the competition was just about as bad as you will ever see it, then next best side in the competition was the Melbourne football club, who where nothing more than just a average side.

As soon as the competition went up in 2001 a notch, essendon struggled, and they were knocked off their mantle by a more tallented side in brisbane.

Geelong have dominated for 2 seasons now in a much more tallented competition, with much more quality oppositions to dispose of.

 

[Red Black and Blue]

not even close, Geelong by quite a considerable margin, 5-10 goals if they both played to the best of their abilities.

in 2000 the competition was just about as bad as you will ever see it, then next best side in the competition was the Melbourne football club, who where nothing more than just a average side.

As soon as the competition went up in 2001 a notch, essendon struggled, and they were knocked off their mantle by a more tallented side in brisbane.

Geelong have dominated for 2 seasons now in a much more tallented competition, with much more quality oppositions to dispose of.

Bullshit, the competition was as even as it has ever been, only 3 games between 3rd and 9th, only 7 games between 3rd and 15th.

 

[DapperDon]

not even close, Geelong by quite a considerable margin, 5-10 goals if they both played to the best of their abilities.

in 2000 the competition was just about as bad as you will ever see it, then next best side in the competition was the Melbourne football club, who where nothing more than just a average side.

As soon as the competition went up in 2001 a notch, essendon struggled, and they were knocked off their mantle by a more tallented side in brisbane.

Geelong have dominated for 2 seasons now in a much more tallented competition, with much more quality oppositions to dispose of.

You're a funny man, a simple man, but funny all the same.

I take it when Port was the second best team to your winning year they were the strongest second team ever? Give it a rest , your gig is old, time for a new routine.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

You're a funny man, a simple man, but funny all the same.

I take it when Port was the second best team to your winning year they were the strongest second team ever? Give it a rest, your gig is old, time for a new routine.

there are only so many ways to describe the truth dapperdon, call it simple if you like, but its rather just giving Essendon supporters a reality check.

I know that Essendon have been a struggling side ever since The dominance of the great brisbane team came along and showed their premiership team of 2000 what a real champion side played like when they took them to the cleaners in 2001, what the reality is in this case, that Essendon where just a good football team in a era of average footballing sides, just acting as caretakers waiting for the great brisbane side to come along and harvest their reign over the competition.

on the other hand, Geelong over the past 2 years have been clearly the number one ranked side in the competition, having broken the record for biggest winning margin in a grand final ever, and winning 21 games in 2008, being very unlucky to not win the grand final, and are looking red hot favorites for the 2009 season.