How on earth...

[Bunk Moreland]

Looking back over past GFs as I like to do this week…

Now the early years of the millennium are a tad fuzzy for me so I’m gonna need the collective wisdom of BF to help me out…

In 2003, how on god’s green earth did THIS TEAM make a grand final!?

Was the league really that bad?

B: Ben Johnson - Shane Wakelin - James Clement

HB: Matthew Lokan - Simon Prestigiacomo - Richard Cole

C: Brodie Holland - Nathan Buckley (c) - Ryan Lonie

HF: Shane O'Bree - Jason Cloke - Scott Burns

F: Ben Kinnear - Tristen Walker - Chris Tarrant

R: Josh Fraser - Shane Woewodin - Paul Licuria

I: Alan Didak - Heath Scotland - Rhyce Shaw - Leon Davis

It’s also a timely reminder of Malthouse at his peak given the inglorious end to his coaching career this year. The man got THIS team to a GF! Has to be one of his greatest achievements.

 

[BoxMatrix]

Worked well as a team.

It's called teamwork. It's a team game you know...

 

[LoungeLizard]

Looking back over past GFs as I like to do this week…

Now the early years of the millennium are a tad fuzzy for me so I’m gonna need the collective wisdom of BF to help me out…

In 2003, how on god’s green earth did THIS TEAM make a grand final!?

Was the league really that bad?



It’s also a timely reminder of Malthouse at his peak given the inglorious end to his coaching career this year. The man got THIS team to a GF! Has to be one of his greatest achievements.

Well 1st you have to qualify to get there, if you don't rate that side then Jeeze the other sides that didn't make it must have been poor.

 

[The Speaker]

Well 1st you have to qualify to get there, if you don't rate that side then Jeeze the other sides that didn't make it must have been poor.

That's what he's asking. How bad was the rest of the league?

 

[Despair]

Worked well as a team.

It's called teamwork. It's a team game you know...

So no credit goes to Malthouse?

 

[Suntory Boss Coffee]

Was Rocca injured or something?

 

[Ron]

B: Ben Johnson - Shane Wakelin - James Clement

HB: Matthew Lokan - Simon Prestigiacomo - Richard Cole

C: Brodie Holland - Nathan Buckley (c) - Ryan Lonie

HF: Shane O'Bree - Jason Cloke - Scott Burns

F: Ben Kinnear - Tristen Walker - Chris Tarrant

R: Josh Fraser - Shane Woewodin - Paul Licuria

I: Alan Didak - Heath Scotland - Rhyce Shaw - Leon Davis

Great team, not a team of greats.
Some real quality there though -

Clement was just about the best defender in the league at that stage.
Holland, Burns and Licuria were playing awesome footy.
And Bucks was playing like a superman at this point, just dominating.

 

[TassieSaint]

Epic choke job by Port in the qualifier cost them a home prelim and ultimately the gf. Outside of Port, Brisbane and Collingwood it was a transitional or rebuilding stage for all other teams.

Very average side on paper though I agree. Up there with Port 07 as the worst gf side of the new millennium.

 

[SJ]

Looking back over past GFs as I like to do this week…

Now the early years of the millennium are a tad fuzzy for me so I’m gonna need the collective wisdom of BF to help me out…

In 2003, how on god’s green earth did THIS TEAM make a grand final!?

Was the league really that bad?



It’s also a timely reminder of Malthouse at his peak given the inglorious end to his coaching career this year. The man got THIS team to a GF! Has to be one of his greatest achievements.

They were favourite on grand final day too.

To beat 'the best team ever'.

 

[Ron]

Was Rocca injured or something?

Suspended. Gave the big sook Lade a little tap and missed two games.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Was Rocca injured or something?

Belted someone in the prelim and got suspended.

 

[LoungeLizard]

That's what he's asking. How bad was the rest of the league?

Well you could ask the same question every year.

 

[Altum Volantes]

Favourites to win too.

But you under rate them. They were a good tough team with some quality players. Buckley lead the way but guys like Licuria and Burns were fine players and they were missing Rocca in the decider who was at the peak of his game.

 

[nickrebellious]

There's only one Matthew Lokan

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

Looking back over past GFs as I like to do this week…

Now the early years of the millennium are a tad fuzzy for me so I’m gonna need the collective wisdom of BF to help me out…

In 2003, how on god’s green earth did THIS TEAM make a grand final!?

Was the league really that bad?



It’s also a timely reminder of Malthouse at his peak given the inglorious end to his coaching career this year. The man got THIS team to a GF! Has to be one of his greatest achievements.

Ummm, they were favourites to win the GF as well...

 

[Back One Out]

Was the league really that bad?

But the thing you need to take into consideration is...

 

[The Punter]

They were favourites because they had beaten Brisbane three weeks before and had finished above them on the ladder.

The Brisbane side that day included Robert Copeland, Richard Hadley & Jamie Charman, and did not contain a Scott brother.

Perhaps it was just a weak year.

 

[ManWithNoName]

There's only one Matthew Lokan

Didn't he play every game one year and was then never seen again?

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

They were favourites because they had beaten Brisbane three weeks before and had finished above them on the ladder.

The Brisbane side that day included Robert Copeland, Richard Hadley & Jamie Charman, and did not contain a Scott brother.

Perhaps it was just a weak year.

Jamie Charman was good...

 

[La Flama Blanca]

I remember Malthouse saying he keeps a photo of that 2002/2003 Collingwood team on his desk as a reminder of where teamwork can get you. He admitted himself that the side probably wasn't Grand Final standard.

 

[Franc de Borges]

It was another year that Port screwed up. Still had Nick Stevens at that point as well.

 

[Baird]

I loved that full back line. That forward line though is atrocious except for Tarrant

 

[HTPunter]

They had perhaps the most dominant player in the league that year in Buckley, who dragged them to a grand final.

A very solid backline - Presti, Clement, Wakelin is a decent KD line-up.

Don't forget Rocca was suspended for the grand final. He wasn't a superstar but he was a huge focal point, a very good player still, kicked 50 goals in 2003. Chris Tarrant also kicked 50 - if I remember correctly he tore some games apart.

Then they had a mix of good players (blokes like Licuria, O'Bree, Burns, Holland weren't exactly shit, but they aren't flag players so they are forgotten), youth and yes some randoms.

Port 2003 was a good side who just couldn't get it done. There was probably only 3 flags chances. The Eagles, Crows and Swans were still a couple of years off, but nonetheless were competitive sides and were no easy beats.

There's been a lot of no names in grand finals most years - ones people forget in 15 years, guys like Kinnear, Walker, Lokan etc. they were the bottom 6 type players.

 

[manureid]

It was another year that Port screwed up. Still had Nick Stevens at that point as well.

Left and we won it. Worked out well I guess.

 

[bradrowe#32]

Buckley and Tarrant were AAs and Rocca, Licuria, Burns, Clement, Wakelin etc. had good years. We were a team of goers that lacked class. We just didn't have the depth either.