Team of the (Triple) Century

[royboy2]

Did Aker every play as a defender? And a bit cheeky putting Matthews in the Forward Pocket, but the man could kick a goal, so fair chop. I was far too young to have seen Bernie Quinlan play (born in the early 80s and only switched onto Aussie Rules in the mid-90s), so wasn't sure where he stood against some of the other greats of the game.

Great team you've posted though!

Lethal played as a small forward for a lot of his career

 

[blinkd]

Its a hard list to make thats for sure and a lot of players that I have never seen play.
From ~98 onwards:

B: Wanganeen SOS Fletcher
HB: Hodge Grant Enright
C: Goodes AblettJnr McCleod
HF: Akermanis Riewoldt Burgoyne
F: Johnson Franklin Harvey
R: Salmon Black Pendlebury
I/C: Pavlich Ricciuto Mitchell

Interesting that not many rucks have played 300 games. I'm pretty sure the big fish was coming into retirement in the early 00s but I don't rate Petrie. FF is another tough one as Buddy is not the traditional FF like Neitz or Lynch, but if it had to be more the traditional style I would go with Neitz over Lynch and Buddy as HF.

 

[Guardian Hawk]

Who'd you have in there instead? (referencing Selwood)

I'd reckon Sam Mitchell has a fair case...

Won equal or more flags than anyone in that side
Averaged more of the ball than anyone in that side (or any 300 gamer)
More Brownlow votes than anyone in that side bar GAJ (Mitchell is #2 all time)
More clearances than anyone in that side (#1 since the stat was kept)
More 30+ disposal games than anyone in that side bar GAJ (Mitchell #2 all time)
One of the greatest finals players of all time
Named in the top 25 players of the AFL era

Prototype dual sided inside mid/centreman (ala Diesel). I reckon he shades Selwood.

 

[Jinglebells32]

I searched the forum and the only thing I could find was thread after thread debating who the worst 300-gamer was and none of them were even as close to being as entertaining as THAT thread about the worst 200-gamer. Anyways, I thought it'd be an interesting debate to narrow down the 91 names of VFL/AFL 300-gamers to come up with a best 22 (with players in their normal positions).

Here's my effort. I've tried to keep players to positions they played (although of course, lots of them played in multiple positions over the course of their career) and have a bit of team balance, but feel free to rip it apart:

FB: Ian Nankervis - Stephen Silvagni - Dustin Fletcher
HB: Paul Roos - Ted Whitten - Bruce Doull
C: Simon Black - Gary Ablett Jr - Craig Bradley
HF: Kevin Bartlett - Lance Franklin - Dick Reynolds
FF: Barry Round - Gordon Coventry - Jason Akermanis
R: John Nicholls - Joel Selwood - Leigh Matthews
IC: Chris Grant - Andrew McLeod - Adam Goodes - Robert Harvey

Here's the list of the players (in order of number of games) to have reached that milestone. Nathan Jones is due to join the club in a couple of weeks, but I can't see him cracking anyone's 22:

Brent Harvey
Michael Tuck
Kevin Bartlett
Dustin Fletcher
Shaun Burgoyne
Robert Harvey
Simon Madden
Craig Bradley
Adam Goodes
Bernie Quinlan
Brad Johnson
John Blakey
Gary Ablett
Bruce Doull
Paul Roos
Matthew Pavlich
Doug Hawkins
Luke Hodge
Kade Simpson
Chris Grant
Andrew McLeod
David Mundy
John Rantall
Nick Riewoldt
Brendon Goddard
Eddie Betts
Kevin Murray
David Cloke
Leigh Matthews
Drew Petrie
Corey Enright
Justin Madden
Gary Dempsey
Sam Mitchell
John Nicholls
Barry Round
Heath Shaw
Jarrad McVeigh
Ian Nankervis
Jude Bolton
Jason Akermanis
Scott West
Paul Salmon
Nathan Burke
Nick Dal Santo
Simon Black
Ted Whitten
Stewart Loewe
Tyson Edwards
Scott Pendlebury
Dick Reynolds
Jordan Lewis
Marcus Ashcroft
Joel Selwood
Terry Daniher
Tony Shaw
James Kelly
Roger Merrett
Jack Dyer
Robert Murphy
Stephen Silvagni
Mark Ricciuto
Glenn Archer
Ben Hart
Scott Thompson
Tim Watson
Wayne Schimmelbusch
Gordon Coventry
Adam Simpson
David Neitz
Paul Williams
Alastair Lynch
Jimmy Bartel
Shane Crawford
Russell Greene
Michael OLoughlin
Chris Langford
Lance Franklin
Don Scott
Luke Power
Len Thompson
Shannon Grant
Sam Newman
Kelvin Moore
Garry Foulds
Barry Breen
Francis Bourke
Kane Cornes
Mick Martyn
Rohan Smith
Gavin Wanganeen

Ricciuto & McLeod would have to get a game.

 

[MC Bad Genius]

Ricciuto & McLeod would have to get a game.

I've got McLeod in there (on the bench), but couldn't find room for Roo (or the other Roo). Knock up a line up and see who you're leaving out to fit him in!

 

[Jinglebells32]

I've got McLeod in there (on the bench), but couldn't find room for Roo (or the other Roo). Knock up a line up and see who you're leaving out to fit him in!

B: Wanganeen Silvagni Fletcher
HB: Roos Whitten McLeod
C: Bradley Ricciuto Black
HF: Bartlett Riewoldt Reynolds
F: Franklin Coventry Matthews
R: Madden R.Harvey Ablett
Int: Goodes Tuck Akermanis Pendlebury

 

[Sttew]

How has Joel selwood made the side before quite a few on that list cmon seriously

• 3× AFL Premiership player: (2007, 2009, 2011),
• 6× All-Australian team: (2009, 2010, 2013 (c), 2014 (c), 2016 (c), 2017)
• 4× AFLPA Robert Rose Most Courageous Player Award: (2009, 2012, 2013, 2014)
• 3× Carji Greeves Medal: (2010, 2013, 2014)
• Geelong captain: (2012–)
• AFLPA best captain award: (2013)
• Herald Sun Player of the Year: (2014)
• Ron Evans Medal: (2007)
• AFLPA best first year player award: (2007)
• AFLCA best young player award: (2008)
• Pre-season premiership player: (2009)
• Michael Tuck Medal: (2009)
• Australian IRS captain: (2014)

 

[Kwality]

Lethal played as a small forward for a lot of his career

& played to the Lethal standard,

 

[BF Tiger]

Once again Michael Tuck ridiculously and criminally underrated. I'd take him on the ball with both his legs chopped off a thousand times before duckwood.

I would’ve thought you could only chop his legs off once. And he was one helluva player, but with no legs do you really think better than Selwood?

 

[BF Tiger]

Whatever side you come up with you could easily find a second team to match them.

 

[Stan_Darsh72]

Enright - Silvangi - Doull
Hodge - Whitten - Roos
McLoed - Mitchell - Hawkins
Akamanis - Riewoldt - Quinlan
Matthews - Franklin - Bartlett
Salmon - Ablett Jr - R.Harvey
Grant - Pavlich - Mitchell - Riccitio

The forward line is stacked,

 

[masai]

That'll be Gary Jnr, thus CHF wouldn't make sense

Wangas and McLeod are definite inclusions

I'm not sure you can select Polly unless he's selected as a non-ruck. He was a midget by today's understanding of the role.

He is the numero uno of rucks.

Better than Nicholls & Maddern.

You must select the team as to how they performed at the time. If they were the best in their era = the best in this era.

 

[nineteen eighty]

No easy task, but Bernie is still close to one of the best I've seen.

Gavin Wanganeen	Stephen Silvagni	Dustin Fletcher
Paul Roos	Ted Whitten	Jason Akermanis
Francis Bourke	Gary Ablett	Adam Goodes
Bernie Quinlan	Nick Riewoldt	Lance Franklin
Len Thompson	Gordon Coventry	Leigh Matthews
Simon Madden	Simon Black	Dick Reynolds
John Nicholls	Andrew McLeod	Robert Harvey	Kevin Bartlett

Absolutely agree with you on Bernie. What a magnificent player he was.

I would also have Francis as one of the first picked. Yes I am biased bit I grew up watching his heroics and he was as tough as they've ever come and silk.

 

[Power Raid]

He is the numero uno of rucks.

Better than Nicholls & Maddern.

You must select the team as to how they performed at the time. If they were the best in their era = the best in this era.

I hear you

But we are selecting the best/ greatest. We know athletes are getting better and better.

The best side in the 80s would be pliers by 100 plus points to a modern side and same said from an individual player basis.

I feel providing a handicap is not selecting the greatest. Rather it’s just romantic.

 

[MC Bad Genius]

Whatever side you come up with you could easily find a second team to match them.

OK, gauntlet thrown down. Choose a team from the ones I left out and let's see how they line up!

 

[masai]

I hear you

But we are selecting the best/ greatest. We know athletes are getting better and better.

The best side in the 80s would be pliers by 100 plus points to a modern side and same said from an individual player basis.

I feel providing a handicap is not selecting the greatest. Rather it’s just romantic.

By your method, basicly players who retired 20+ years ago, would not be considered.

If you think rucks like Salmon & Cox are better than Polly, so be it.

A Brownlow won in 1960 = a Brownlow won in 2020. I reckon Bobby Skilton is still viewed as a Legend to have won 3.

 

[Power Raid]

By your method, basicly players who retired 20+ years ago, would not be considered.

If you think rucks like Salmon & Cox are better than Polly, so be it.

A Brownlow won in 1960 = a Brownlow won in 2020. I reckon Bobby Skilton is still viewed as a Legend to have won 3.

Some players of the past would easily slot into the modern game and Skilton is great example. Brent Harvey highlights a 171cm player with skill can excel in the modern game as well as the past. Same with Diesel and Sam Mitchell.

Gary Ablett Snr had all the attributes to play today's game (fitness and strength) but may have played more on the wing, centre or a Stevie J role. We don't see 184cm KPP players for a reason these days.

However Polly, Whitten and Coventry can't be considered the best in their respective position, due to their sie, no matter how great they were as players. They may be selected in alternate positions but 191cm ruckman wouldn't get a tap, 178cm CHB wouldn't even have the height to chop the arms of franklin and a 183cm FF would be interesting at the least.

Polly could play anywhere and CHB would be possible, Whitten back pocket and Coventry forward pocket perhaps. but there are proven performers in those positions.

 

[Altum Volantes]

• 3× AFL Premiership player: (2007, 2009, 2011),
• 6× All-Australian team: (2009, 2010, 2013 (c), 2014 (c), 2016 (c), 2017)
• 4× AFLPA Robert Rose Most Courageous Player Award: (2009, 2012, 2013, 2014)
• 3× Carji Greeves Medal: (2010, 2013, 2014)
• Geelong captain: (2012–)
• AFLPA best captain award: (2013)
• Herald Sun Player of the Year: (2014)
• Ron Evans Medal: (2007)
• AFLPA best first year player award: (2007)
• AFLCA best young player award: (2008)
• Pre-season premiership player: (2009)
• Michael Tuck Medal: (2009)
• Australian IRS captain: (2014)

Are you saying he should be the concussion sub?

 

[Do the Dew]

Are you saying he should be the concussion sub?

Nah the umpires representative fits Duckwood better.

 

[HairyO]

X, Moore, X
Hodge, Langford, Burgoyne
Lewis, Crawford, X
X, Buddy, X
Matthews, Salmon, X
Scott, Tuck, Mitchell

Which team can do a better job than that ?

 

[Sttew]

X, Moore, X
Hodge, Langford, Burgoyne
Lewis, Crawford, X
X, Buddy, X
Matthews, Salmon, X
Scott, Tuck, Mitchell

Which team can do a better job than that ?

Given you are missing 6 players, you wouldn’t stand a chance

 

[HairyO]

Given you are missing 6 players, you wouldn’t stand a chance

If Geelong only had 8 players I dare say it would be a flogging.

 

[MC Bad Genius]

X, Moore, X
Hodge, Langford, Burgoyne
Lewis, Crawford, X
X, Buddy, X
Matthews, Salmon, X
Scott, Tuck, Mitchell

Which team can do a better job than that ?

The Swans could at least equal the same number of players on the field, but I reckon we'd get pantsed (especially if we have to share Buddy):

FB: X - X - X
HB: Paul Roos - Terry Daniher - John Rantall
C: Shannon Grant - Adam Goodes - Jarrad McVeigh
HF: Michael O'Loughlin - Lance Franklin - X
FF: X - Barry Round - X
R: Len Thompson - Jude Bolton - Paul Williams

 

[Power Raid]

• 3× AFL Premiership player: (2007, 2009, 2011),
• 6× All-Australian team: (2009, 2010, 2013 (c), 2014 (c), 2016 (c), 2017)
• 4× AFLPA Robert Rose Most Courageous Player Award: (2009, 2012, 2013, 2014)
• 3× Carji Greeves Medal: (2010, 2013, 2014)
• Geelong captain: (2012–)
• AFLPA best captain award: (2013)
• Herald Sun Player of the Year: (2014)
• Ron Evans Medal: (2007)
• AFLPA best first year player award: (2007)
• AFLCA best young player award: (2008)
• Pre-season premiership player: (2009)
• Michael Tuck Medal: (2009)
• Australian IRS captain: (2014)

great player that every supporter would love at their club. However he was a blight on the game and a step below the very best. I personally couldn't see him in the best 22.

 

[BF Tiger]

OK, gauntlet thrown down. Choose a team from the ones I left out and let's see how they line up!

Your team MC...

FB: Ian Nankervis - Stephen Silvagni - Dustin Fletcher
HB: Paul Roos - Ted Whitten - Bruce Doull
C: Simon Black - Gary Ablett Jr - Craig Bradley
HF: Kevin Bartlett - Lance Franklin - Dick Reynolds
FF: Barry Round - Gordon Coventry - Jason Akermanis
R: John Nicholls - Joel Selwood - Leigh Matthews
IC: Chris Grant - Andrew McLeod - Adam Goodes - Robert Harvey

Remaining players
Brent Harvey
Michael Tuck
Shaun Burgoyne
Simon Madden
Bernie Quinlan
Brad Johnson
John Blakey
Matthew Pavlich
Doug Hawkins
Luke Hodge
Kade Simpson
David Mundy
John Rantall
Nick Riewoldt
Brendon Goddard
Eddie Betts
Kevin Murray
David Cloke
Drew Petrie
Corey Enright
Justin Madden
Gary Dempsey
Sam Mitchell
Heath Shaw
Jarrad McVeigh
Jude Bolton
Scott West
Paul Salmon
Nathan Burke
Nick Dal Santo
Stewart Loewe
Tyson Edwards
Scott Pendlebury
Jordan Lewis
Marcus Ashcroft
Terry Daniher
Tony Shaw
James Kelly
Roger Merrett
Jack Dyer
Robert Murphy
Mark Ricciuto
Glenn Archer
Ben Hart
Scott Thompson
Tim Watson
Wayne Schimmelbusch
Adam Simpson
David Neitz
Paul Williams
Alastair Lynch
Jimmy Bartel
Shane Crawford
Russell Greene
Michael OLoughlin
Chris Langford
Don Scott
Luke Power
Len Thompson
Shannon Grant
Sam Newman
Kelvin Moore
Garry Foulds
Barry Breen
Francis Bourke
Kane Cornes
Mick Martyn
Rohan Smith
Gavin Wanganeen

My team
FB: Wanganeen Martyn Enright
HB: Burgoyne Langford Hodge
C: Hawkins Mitchell Ricciuto
HF: Bartel Riewoldt O'Laughlin
FF: Betts Quinlan Johnson
Rucks: S.Madden Pendlebury West
I/C: Tuck Pavlich Murray Bourke