Team of the Century

[#23 Hill]

Last night I noticed that Bucks made our Team of the Century back in 1997. At that stage of his career he'd played four seasons at the club, won two B&Fs but had no ten top finishes in the Brownlow. I know he was definitely worthy of being in Collingwood's best team of all time by the end of his career. But was it premature to have him in our Team of the Century in 1997?

 

[raymond35]

It caused some controversy at the time. Turned out to be the correct decision I think.

 

[#23 Hill]

It caused some controversy at the time. Turned out to be the correct decision I think.

At the time it was wrong. He hadn't earned Team of the Century status by 1997. By 2003, yes. But not 97.

 

[sr36]

At the time it was wrong. He hadn't earned Team of the Century status by 1997. By 2003, yes. But not 97.

Yeah but they knew that there was more to come, unlike the retired blokes. They got it right and it's a better team for his presence.

 

[Obese Arachnid]

Regarding Bucks, I think you're all correct.

 

[ZEV]

View attachment 1612328
Last night I noticed that Bucks made our Team of the Century back in 1997. At that stage of his career he'd played four seasons at the club, won two B&Fs but had no ten top finishes in the Brownlow. I know he was definitely worthy of being in Collingwood's best team of all time by the end of his career. But was it premature to have him in our Team of the Century in 1997?

The Brownlow was even more of a joke back then

 

[Fat Jesus]

The Brownlow was even more of a joke back then

The Brownlow is a media fashion show adjudicated by umpires.
Major wankfest and best to ignore.
The greatest players in history have never won one.
The coaches award holds more esteem. Privately not publically

 

[Fat Jesus]

Shane woewodin

Shane Woewodin

Age

47

Ht

185cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.7

4star

K

12.1

4star

HB

5.6

4star

M

4.2

4star

T

2.0

4star

No current season stats available

D

11.6

3star

K

8.2

4star

HB

3.4

3star

M

3.6

4star

T

0.8

3star

won a Brownlow FFS.
Leigh Mathews stats are off the charts and he has zero.
Gary Ablett zero
Daicos, Carey, and the list goes on and on.

Greg Williams got around 43 possessions in 1 game and didn't score a single vote robbing him of a medal.
Because the scumps didn't like him.

 

[Jim Levenstein]

Maybe they worried about Port stealing him because he shouldn’t have been in that team. As above, history shows it was an astute pick.

 

[35Daicos]

It's certainly an interesting discussion! Even though Buckley within a couple of years time had made it look like a good decision, it's reasonable to think it wasn't the right one at the time, as it wasn't the selectors job to predict the future! They announced the team on June 14 1997, the day we played our Round 12 match, so it would have been picked before that game. Buckley had played 76 games for us at that stage, so only 3 & 1/2 seasons spent at the club, and that doesn't seem enough. It's worth noting that the wonderful Gavin Brown wasn't named in the original team (only 21 were named), and he wasn't added until 2002. He'd played 193 games for Collingwood (over 10 & 1/2 seasons) by halfway through 1997, was a premiership player and (like Buckley) had won two Copelands by that stage. He was on his way to a third in 1997. Brown should have been picked in front of Buckley! Though he did at least get squeezed into the team a few years later, providing him with some consolation.

Ron Todd's non-selection in the team has probably always been the most controversial, with "politics" getting in the way and costing him a spot. Murray Weideman did wonderful things for the club, but I've long considered the "snubbing" of Todd one of the club's lower moments in recent years. Somewhat ironically, Todd played just 76 games for Collingwood (the same amount Buckley had at the time of his selection), though they were spread over 5 seasons. The impact he had in that relatively short time was astonishing, quite comparable to what Coleman managed (he only played 98 games but still made the AFL TotC). Once he got to full-forward (after Coventry had retired) there was no stopping him, topping the League's goalkicking twice and booting 11 goals in the Preliminary Final two years in a row. Then he left! He's the other player who should have been named in the team back in 1997.

 

[ZEV]

Maybe they worried about Port stealing him because he shouldn’t have been in that team. As above, history shows it was an astute pick.

Port was 12 games into the AFL when the team came out...

 

[#23 Hill]

Port was 12 games into the AFL when the team came out...

So Bucks had only played three and a half seasons for us when that team came out?

 

[35Daicos]

So Bucks had only played three and a half seasons for us when that team came out?

Realistically, the selectors should have been told to ignore anything that had happened in 1997 (though that would have been a difficult thing to do), and pick the team based on performances in the first one hundred years of the competition (1897-1996). If that is what they were told it makes the selection of Nathan Buckley even more difficult to justify.

Here's a very interesting article on the Ron Todd non-selection controversy, written by the late Trevor Grant, one of the five selectors: How a Magpie great lost his place in team of the century

It's interesting to note Grant said the team was selected early in the 1997 season.

 

[Matrix10]

Shane woewodin won a Brownlow FFS.
Leigh Mathews stats are off the charts and he has zero.
Gary Ablett zero
Daicos, Carey, and the list goes on and on.

Greg Williams got around 43 possessions in 1 game and didn't score a single vote robbing him of a medal.
Because the scumps didn't like him.

Shane Woewodin . The umpires had the song , “my eyes adored you” in their heads when watching him play. “So close , So close and yet so far “

 

[raymond35]

Woewodin did have a terrific season that year. It's just the way it happens, the best player I've seen, Gary Ablett Snr somehow never won one, yet Brian Wilson did! ( maybe those great songs he wrote for the Beach Boys influenced the umpires)

 

[Fat Jesus]

Woewodin did have a terrific season that year. It's just the way it happens, the best player I've seen, Gary Ablett Snr somehow never won one, yet Brian Wilson did!

Brad Hardie.

 

[Tarkyn_24]

Disappointed that the team wasn’t updated in 1999 for Tarkyn Lockyer

 

[Fat Jesus]

Disappointed that the team wasn’t updated in 1999 for Tarkyn Lockyer

Great player but team of the century great? I don't think so.

 

[Tarkyn_24]

Great player but team of the century great? I don't think so.

I think he edges Daicos out in a forward pocket

 

[Fat Jesus]

I think he edges Daicos out in a forward pocket

I get it you're taking the piss.

 

[cityslick1]

Shane woewodin won a Brownlow FFS.
Leigh Mathews stats are off the charts and he has zero.
Gary Ablett zero
Daicos, Carey, and the list goes on and on.

Greg Williams got around 43 possessions in 1 game and didn't score a single vote robbing him of a medal.
Because the scumps didn't like him.

Is a ‘fairest and best’ award… so diesel was lucky to win any

Whilst Our beloved and gentlemanly alumni of Bobe rose, bucks, Pendles and Jack regan should’ve won three each………

 

[Gone Critical]

The Brownlow is a media fashion show adjudicated by umpires.
Major wankfest and best to ignore.
The greatest players in history have never won one.
The coaches award holds more esteem. Privately not publically

Popular myth that many like but doesnt stand examination.

Brownlow and the coaches award are the two best awards going around and they produce very similar results which is pretty amazing in a 1st past the post award. They are both these days almost exclusively midfielders awards because mids dominate the modern game more than they ever have.

If you look at their results there is a storng correlation in the top 10 each year with almost always 7-8 players being top 10 in both awards. Unless someone has a standout year its no knock that different players might win each award in a year. In this system it would be naive to believe that should happen. Its the correlation with their top 10s that show they are both getting it right. The players award is the one that can be criticised. its voting system doesnt lend itself to accurate results, its more a popularity vote.