Team of Champions (All Australian) vs Champion Team (Hawthorn)

Which team would win

  • Team of Champions

    Votes: 90 54.2%
  • Champion Team

    Votes: 76 45.8%

  • Total voters
    166

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Dec 18, 2007
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Essendon
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Would modern day dees running back to clog up space including the (then) unheard of tagging and obstructing their backmen have thrown Hawks into disarray?

If we look at the modern Hawthorn, they have multiple goal kickers, I think people when thinking about Dunstall, make the mistake of looking at him as a 50 something old man, rather than the player he was, he was quite a quick forward for the day and his defensive side was okay for the way the game was played.

One of the reasons why scoring has fallen isn't just how the back line floods back, but also how the forwards look to pass the ball off or look for the kick over their shoulder or Jason's favorite, they go for the dribble goal, how often do we now see forwards look to pass it off before looking at the goals whilst forwards in Dunstall's day if they had a clear shot on goal they just went for it.

Often the congestion in today's game is caused by players looking to go for the short pass rather than just direct.
 
Dec 18, 2007
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Counting premiership cups
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Essendon
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Non that play Essendon
I read somewhere when the hawls played glenferrie, they tried to leave hudson one out in the forward half. That suggests the rest of the players were in hawthorns back half, a ground half the size of wavereley. Is that flooding?

I've heard about that, apparently Kennedy's idea was for Hudson to go to FF and have the rest of the side further up the ground, considering how narrow Glenferrie is, it was actually quite a smart tactic as those players moved forward it had the effect of ensuring that Hudson had an open forward line or at least it was difficult for the other side to clear it. I've heard that it is why they introduced the center square.
 
Apr 22, 2007
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Bentleigh
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Geelong
I've heard about that, apparently Kennedy's idea was for Hudson to go to FF and have the rest of the side further up the ground, considering how narrow Glenferrie is, it was actually quite a smart tactic as those players moved forward it had the effect of ensuring that Hudson had an open forward line or at least it was difficult for the other side to clear it. I've heard that it is why they introduced the center square.
Back then thinking was you had to man your opponent. Is countered now by playing zone. Two defenders loose in back line renders it obsolete
 

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Feb 28, 2007
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Sorry for bringing back this old thread but oddly enough I heard the discussion on SEN today about a match between the All Australian team vs the Premiers and I thought it would be interesting to bring this thread back since it deals with this exact issue.

How do you think the All Australian team would go against the premiers after a week of training together and would you like to see a Team of Champions vs Champion Team idea actually happen as a one off match?
 
Jun 28, 2013
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Hawthorn
Sorry for bringing back this old thread but oddly enough I heard the discussion on SEN today about a match between the All Australian team vs the Premiers and I thought it would be interesting to bring this thread back since it deals with this exact issue.

How do you think the All Australian team would go against the premiers after a week of training together and would you like to see a Team of Champions vs Champion Team idea actually happen as a one off match?
Sorry - are we talking the last premiership team - Doggies? Or Hawthorn still?
 

10571z

Brownlow Medallist
Aug 23, 2006
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Anyone saying Hawthorn has rocks in their head. Talent prevails over system every time.

It's just a matter of 'by how much?'
That is a load of crap. Seen plenty of less talented local teams get up because of good system.

Id argue that the bulldogs weren't the most talented team but had an amazing system in place.
 

Furn2

Norm Smith Medallist
Sep 27, 2012
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I still say in 'tis day and age the premiers win a close game after a week or two training for the AAs.

For a start the premiers aren't just a team of plodders with a good structure the usually have a fair bit of talent.

Secondly you've got one team that's spent months if not years knowing where to go at stoppages and set plays, you've got guys playing roles the know how to play.

The AA will also have egos to deal with. Are the forwards going to play for each other, make leads to create space or get in each others way ?

Are players going to block at stoppages and pick up or are they going to all go for the ball like they do usually ?

Are a backline of superstars going to be disciplined or run off to create and get caught out.

Is a start mid going to chase and tackle all day if put in the forward pocket ?

It's 50/50 at best for the AA side unless you have an abnormally average premier or an exceptionally good AA team.
 

Infra Ted

Cancelled
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Jan 28, 2015
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That is a load of crap. Seen plenty of less talented local teams get up because of good system.

Id argue that the bulldogs weren't the most talented team but had an amazing system in place.
local teams lol. When talent is THAT heavily in your favour, you're going to win. Of course system helps but it can only get you so far.

As you say, system might help the local magoos overcome the talents of fred the town drunk but this elite sport. Apples and oranges.
 
http://www.espncricinfo.com/superseries/engine/current/match/221840.html

Not footy but still applies. XI best players from across the world played the best side in the world and got thumped.
local teams lol. When talent is THAT heavily in your favour, you're going to win. Of course system helps but it can only get you so far.

As you say, system might help the local magoos overcome the talents of fred the town drunk but this elite sport. Apples and oranges.
Elite sport you say? Elite sport I give you.
 

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Bokonon_

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It'll never happen so we'll never know. The clubs have a goal of winning the flag anything else would be an exhibition game only, and low intensity and priority.
Frankly I get my combined team fix watching the Wallabies and accept AFL will always be about the clubs.
 
Thats cricket. Thats not even apples and oranges anymore. Thats like comparing a frog with a rock.
So the worlds best players playing the worlds best team has absolutely no relevance to this debate?

Cricket is ahead as a sport than AFL. It's viable at an international level; so if anything it's got a higher chance of winning in this scenario.
 

exxcessivve

All Australian
Jan 19, 2017
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In my opinion, a team of elite players that's been together for only a week or two could not match the Bulldogs' premiership squad's team cohesion or have as effective of a strategy.
Basically I think that teams are successful due to their ability to cooperate among themselves to reach a common objective (goals, getting the ball out of defence, etc.) through their established strategies.

That's probably a pretty naive and idealistic view of sport though, because I don't watch any sports other than AFL, and I suppose a case could be made using "Dangerwood", that teams can be successful off the back of a few very talented players.
 
Cricket is very different. While it is a team game it is more heavily reliant on individual performance.
So wouldn't that mean a "World XI" would be more likely to beat a champion team? Ergo; their smashing only helps prove my point more?
 
Jun 7, 2007
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So wouldn't that mean a "World XI" would be more likely to beat a champion team? Ergo; their smashing only helps prove my point more?
Not when the champion team would have had half the team in the world xi. Half the AA team would never come from 1 club
 
Not when the champion team would have had half the team in the world xi. Half the AA team would never come from 1 club
Only Ponting, Gilchrist and McGrath would have really. Controversial that Warne misses to Murali yes; but he was a bloody good player though.
 
Jul 5, 2006
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Only Ponting, Gilchrist and McGrath would have really. Controversial that Warne misses to Murali yes; but he was a bloody good player though.

Hayden plays before Smith every day of the week.

If Warne doesn't play ahead of Murali, he definitely plays ahead of Vettori.
 
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