Team of the Century

[WCE2000]

This is my team of the Century:
Backs - Bernie Smith, Geoff Southby, Russell Greene
Half Backs - Bruce Doull, Ted Whitten, Kevin Murray
Centre - Francis Bourke, Roy Cazaly, Robbie Flower
Half Forwards - Kevin Bartlett, Dermott Brereton, Dick Reynolds
Forwards - Leigh Matthews, John Coleman, Richard Harris
Rucks - Graham Farmer, Jack Dyer
Rover - Bob Skilton
Interchange - Jock McHale, John Nicholls, Ron Barassi, Haydn Bunton, Ian Stewart, Gary Ablett

The Best 20 players of all-time:
1 Bob Skilton
2 Haydn Bunton
3 Roy Cazaly
4 Ted Whitten
5 Graham Farmer
6 Ron Barassi
7 Jack Dyer
8 John Coleman
9 Leigh Matthews
10 Dick Reynolds
11 John Nicholls
12 Ian Stewart
13 Kevin Bartlett
14 Francis Bourke
15 Bruce Doull
16 Gary Ablett
17 Peter Hudson
18 Bernie Smith
19 Tim Watson
20 Barry Davis

 

[servo]

I am not old enough to be able to pick a team of the century.

Why have you not named a coach?
Why 6 interchange?
Why no Malcolm Blight. He is widely acknowledged as a greater player than Brereton.

 

[Pessimistic]

The AFL not long ago named Matthews as the greatest

Being a Hawk I would go along with that, But my personal favourite player is John Platten.

 

[Bloodstained Angel]

Love your backlines and thanks for putting the Chimp at #1 but Graham Farmer is my pick for player of the century simply because his influence on the game was so profound he actually changed the way the game is played.

Other legends of the game such as Skilton, Matthews, Cazaly ... et al. were the greatest players but did they actually influence the way the game is played more than Farmer ? - perhaps not.

Also - with respect to Bomber fans - John Coleman should be on the bench, or even named as an Emergency because there have been more accomplished FFs in the game. Just for starters how about

Bob Pratt
Peter Hudson
Gordon Coventry
Jason Dunstall
Tony Lockett
Doug Wade
Gary Ablett

to name but a few. Sure Coleman was absolutely brilliant but his career was ended by a knee injury, so we can only wonder 'what might have been'. The fact is he didn't, so he shouldn't (be FF of the Century that is)

 

[sandie]

WCE2000

Have you ever heard of a player by the name of Simon Madden? Lol.
He has to be in the team of the Century.

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Mantis

 

[WCE2000]

Yeah, i know they picked Leigh Matthews at number 1, i think Ablett was 2 and Whitten 3.
There are quite a few better players i have seen than Matthews.
I dont think you can go past Skilton at number 1 because he was playing during an era of some of the greatest players ever and he still won 3 Brownlow Medals. He was playing at the same time as Farmer, Barassi, Whitten, Nicholls, Murray, Wade, Stewart and Bartlett and still won 3 Brownlow's.

 

[Bloodstained Angel]

and also WCE2000 you have to take into consideration Skilton was playing in a team that never made the finals except one brief appearance in 1970 and also took out a couple of wooden spoons too whilst all the other champions of the era played in powerful, successful teams.

Skilton 1960's is a bit like Buckley 1990's.

 

[gocatsgo]

Gary Ablett 16?

Top 5 for sure. Probably just behind Farmer.

 

[WCE2000]

Yeah, but Buckley has not won a Brownlow Medal yet has he. Skilton won 3.

 

[The Dutchman!]

Russell Greene? Shurely shome mishtake?

 

[Dan26]

Blood-Stained Angel.

With all due respect to the other champion players, Coleman is the greatest full-forward in history.

If games played was a pre-requisite, then Michael Tuck, and Kevin Bartlett would be the first two players picked.

Coleman averaged 5.5 goals a game in an era where goals were hard to come by. Only Peter Hudson, who played 20 years later averaged more (about 5.65). Lockett and Dunstall averaged in the high 4.9's. perhaps, Lockett might have nudged 5.0

A great player can stil be a great player over a short period of time, hence Colemans inclusion in the Team of the Century in 1996. It's not his fault he was injured.

Tiger Woods is widely regarded as a better player than Jack Nicklaus. Just because he has played 30 less years doesn't make him less talented. It makes him just as (if not more) talented, just not for the length of time that Nicklaus excelled.

When picking the team of the century, you are more or less picking the greatest footballers ever. You are not picking the 300 game club, are you ?

You are picking the greatest team of all time. Just becasue Michael Tuck played 426 games and played in 7 premeirships, while Ablett only played 250-odd games and never played in a premeirship, doesn't automaticaly make Tuck a better player. Tuck was great, sure.....but he wan't in the same league as Ablett.

Coleman averaging 5.5 goals per game in the 40's, and 50's, is equivalent to a player averaging 7 goals a game nowadays. it just shows you how good Colemans was, and why he justly deservs his place in the team of the Century.

 

[jod23]

I dont like this best of all time bullshit. Theres no way you can compare Skilton to Coleman and tell me whos better cos they both played two totally different roles. You should have best forwards of all time best Ruckmen of all time and so on.

 

[Rooboy 96]

Sorry, Dan24, I am with B-SA on this one Coleman was great but he did not stand the test of time, did he.

Why stop at Coleman, Maybe Daniher should be in the team. Therefore under your logic I can include Peter Jonas first broken leg happened in his 8th game, what he could have been.

 

[Dan26]

Rooboy,

Obviously you are wrong because Coleman is the official full-forward in the team of the century. Obviously, you've got to use common-sense with this one.

You can't go awarding "team of the century" status to a guy that's played 10 games, but often, the best players in history havn't played a lot of games.

Anyway, I think Coleman DID stand the test of time. He wasn't a one season wonder. He kicked 100 goals in a season 4 times, and led Essendons goal-kicking all 6 seasons he was there. He also played in two premierships (although that's irrelevant when deciding how talented a player is)

I suppose you want Michael Tuck in the team of the century just because he played the most games, do you ?

6 seasons is plenty of time to prove how good a player you are, and to prove you are one of the best players of all time. Coleman proved this over 100 games, and hence, is in the team of the century.

Deservadly so.

 

[WCE2000]

Coleman is without doubt the greatest full forward ever. You can say stuff like Daniher and whatever. Coleman and Daniher played a similar amount of games but Coleman proved himself in that amount to be considered as one of the greats. Daniher did enough to be considered a brilliant player but not one of the greatest ever.
Coleman did enough in his 90 or so games to prove he was a great player. If he had of played for a full career no one would have got close to Coleman's record.
With Jonas, he played 8 games and may have shown talent but no one really knows what he could have been. Everyone knows how good Coleman was, and what he should've been.
Jod 23 is this a bit better for you;
Fullbacks:
1. Geoff Southby
2. Jack Regan
3. David Densch
4. Anthony Daniher
5. Steven Silvagni

Back Pockets:
1. Bernie Smith
2. Russell Greene
3. Allan Ruthven
4. Laurie Fowler
5. Chris Langford

Half Backs:
1. Ted Whitten
2. Barry Davis
3. Jock McHale
4. Albert Collier
5. Alec Duncan

Back Flanks:
1. Bruce Doull
2. Kevin Murray
3. Graham Goulds
4. Denis Ryan
5. John Rantall

Centreman:
1. Roy Cazaly
2. Ian Stewart
3. Greg Williaws
4. Terry Wallace
5. Craig Bradley

Wings:
1. Francis Bourke
2. Robbie Flower
3. Dick Clay
4. Keith Greig
5. Doug Hawkins

Half Forwards:
1. Dermott Brereton
2. Albert Thurgood
3. Royce Hart
4. Wayne Carey
5. Stephen Kernahan

Small Forwards:
1. Terry Daniher
2. Bob Davis
3. Richard Harris
4. Kevin Sheedy
5. Richard Osborne

Full Forwards:
1. John Coleman
2. Gary Ablett
3. Peter Hudson
4. Tony Lockett
5. Dick Lee
6. Jack Titus
7. Jason Dunstall
8. Alex Jesaulenko
9. Doug Wade
10. Harry Valence

Ruckman:
1. Graham Farmer
2. John Nicholls
3. Justin Madden
4. Gary Dempsey
5. Simon Madden

On-Baller:
1. Bob Skilton
2. Haydn Bunton
3. Ron Barassi
4. Jack Dyer
5. Leigh Matthews
6. Dick Reynolds
7. Kevin Bartlett
8. Tim Watson
9. Robert Harvey
10. Michael Tuck

 

[Dave]

BA, Rooyboy, I have to agree with Dan here (groan!). 6 years, 98 games and over 500 goals is plenty of time to prove JC was no flash in the pan. Only one other player had a better goals/game average (Hudson) and whilst I can't compare them obviously those that could decided he was the man.

P.S BA, we don't have to wonder "what might have been", he showed us what a talent he was.

 

[The Dutchman!]

WCE2000

Very creditable lists. Except I don't know about KS as a small forward...

What about Buckenara?

 

[servo]

hmmmm still no Malcolm Blight.

And why not Barrie Robran?? Offered a fortune many times but stayed loyal to his North Adelaide.

I know I know, It is the VFL/AFl. I am just stiring the pot.

 

[WCE2000]

Blight is good, Blight was actually great, but there are a few better players at CHF than him.
I reckoned Brereton was the best purely on Mongrol factor, something that Carey, Hart and Kernahan dont have a great deal of.
I dont know the full story with Albert Thurgood except for stuff i've read about him. He reportdly kicked a place kick for a goal from 93 metres. From what i've read about him, he sounds like a great player.

 

[sandie]

Originally posted by WCE2000:
This is my team of the Century:
Backs - Bernie Smith, Geoff Southby, Russell Greene
Half Backs - Bruce Doull, Ted Whitten, Kevin Murray
Centre - Francis Bourke, Roy Cazaly, Robbie Flower
Half Forwards - Kevin Bartlett, Dermott Brereton, Dick Reynolds
Forwards - Leigh Matthews, John Coleman, Richard Harris
Rucks - Graham Farmer, Jack Dyer
Rover - Bob Skilton
Interchange - Jock McHale, John Nicholls, Ron Barassi, Haydn Bunton, Ian Stewart, Gary Ablett

The Best 20 players of all-time:
1 Bob Skilton
2 Haydn Bunton
3 Roy Cazaly
4 Ted Whitten
5 Graham Farmer
6 Ron Barassi
7 Jack Dyer
8 John Coleman
9 Leigh Matthews
10 Dick Reynolds
11 John Nicholls
12 Ian Stewart
13 Kevin Bartlett
14 Francis Bourke
15 Bruce Doull
16 Gary Ablett
17 Peter Hudson
18 Bernie Smith
19 Tim Watson
20 Barry Davis

Fount it WCE2000.

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Frodo does not exist outside of Tolkien's imagination

 

[RogerC]

Sorry WCE2000 to hark back to something you posted back in July, but I've just stumbled across your candidates for positions in the team of the century. Some of these are clearly bizarre choices. Anthony Daniher for full back of the century?? Surely you jest. Not ahead of Kelvin Moore. He's in there with Pert and Mick Martyn. I'd rate Gary Malarkey higher.

And I like Russell Greene as much as the next man, but he's not one of the great back pockets. Doug Hawkins had a big heart, but.... And all those full forwards (you consider Alex Jesaulenko a full forward?) and you couldn't find room for Gordon Coventry? He did pretty well, I hear. Justin and Simon Madden are brave choices, too. If you include them, you've got to start looking at Carl Ditterich, Don Scott, Mike Fitzpatrick, Scott Wynd. I'm thinking off the top of my head, but there are equally deserving candidates. And Richard Osborne?

Any takers for Garry Wilson? Bernie Quinlan? Peter Daicos? Jim Stynes? Ross Glendinning? Wayne Johnston? Norm Smith? Hassa Mann?

Oh, and if there's any arguing for the inclusion of Bob Skilton in the team of the century, he really should be argued on his own merits, not the number of Brownlow's he's won. Otherwise, we might find Peter Moore sneaking in as ruckman.

 

[Darky]

Here's my piss poor attempt

B : B.Doull, D.Dench, B.Smith
HB : F.Bourke, T.Whitten, K.Murray
C : G.Ablett, A.Hopkins, K.Greig
HF : H.Bunton, W.Carey, D.Reynolds
F : L.Matthews, T.Lockett, G.Coventry
R : G.Farmer, M.Blight, B.Skilton
IC : A.Jesaulenko, I.Stewart, B.Hutchinson

 

[croode]

Tim Watson, better player than Wayne Carey??
Oh pleeeeze, Don't make me laugh.
Or are you just showing your bias.
Even Tim himself has admitted that he had to take a bow to his prowess.

 

[WCE2000]

Originally posted by croode:
Tim Watson, better player than Wayne Carey??
Oh pleeeeze, Don't make me laugh.
Or are you just showing your bias.
Even Tim himself has admitted that he had to take a bow to his prowess.

Was that referring to me Crode, if so, how could i be showing any bias, i'm not an Essendon fan.

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[croode]

Originally posted by WCE2000:
Was that referring to me Crode, if so, how could i be showing any bias, i'm not an Essendon fan.

No I believe the bias is more anti-Wayne Carey.

However, with due respect WCE 2000, how can you nominate a team or a list of players of the century as you're probably not old enough to have seen a lot of the players you've mentioned play.