The 2023 Grand Final vs The 1993 Grand Final - 30 Years on

[PowerfulPies2023]

Looking back at the quality both teams possessed, I can say that for the first time in a long time, the quality now is better than the quality than before. By both teams in the 2023 Granny, Collingwood and Brisbane. I was debating whether or not to make an ALL-Australian Team of the past vs the present ( and probably still will ) and got me thinking all things being equal, who would win, The team of the 90's vs the team of today. Then I started thinking about the quality of football. For a long time the game was getting dire due to many reasons. But after last years Granny, and even the previous two, I can't say that anymore. Because the teams of 2023, The Premiership Winning Cats of 2022 and Dee of 2021 were equally as great and every bit just as good as their previous predecessors.

So The Rose colored glasses are off. And no more '' they were better '' phrases. Because with the tempo, ferocity, skill, poise and pressure along with the execution the players have now. I can finally say that these days, They're better.

 

[RUNVS]

You should post both teams as I would not be able to name many players who played in the 1993 Grand Final.

 

[#gosaintas]

There were a lot of absolute spuds in last year's premiership side. Look at that forward line lol

 

[Didak_attack]

There were a lot of absolute spuds in last year's premiership side. Look at that forward line lol

The named forward line looked pretty spud free to me.

HF: Hill, Mihocek, Elliot
FF: Daicos, De Goey, McCreery

 

[Lockyer24]

The named forward line looked pretty spud free to me.

HF: Hill, Mihocek, Elliot
FF: Daicos, De Goey, McCreery

Probably referring to Frampton and Ginnivan who both got in due to injuries.
Plenty of premiership or GF teams simply can’t front up with their best 22.

 

[Ctracks]

There were a lot of absolute spuds in last year's premiership side. Look at that forward line lol

 

[Didak_attack]

Probably referring to Frampton and Ginnivan who both got in due to injuries.
Plenty of premiership or GF teams simply can’t front up with their best 22.

Ginni may not be one of ours anymore, but a very deserving premiership player.

It was a two year journey (well minimum may '22 - GF win '23) and Ginni kicked 40 odd last year, a damn strong season in a side that narrowly missed the big dance, but left as the prom king this year.

Sure, the closest Frampton would ever get to a seat at the Brownlow would be the "mates date" we occasionally see, but imagine if Andrews had the same impact of his 4th QTR in any of the first 3.

If only we had a glove on McGovern in 2018, even to just hold him up for a split second during that infamous play.

Atleast come 2023 we buried a few demons and not just in the QTR final (before anyone jumps down my throat, this is nothing to do with Brayshaw.) The best being that anytime we see the Sheed goal, we have sidebottom say "hold my beer" and go bang.

 

[Doc1763]

There were a lot of absolute spuds in last year's premiership side. Look at that forward line lol

Being a St Kilda supporter, you'd certainly know a spud when you see one.

 

[Shane Heard]

Ricky Olarenshaw… a true superstar forever etched in the glorious history of EFC GF victories. A teenager who would’ve won the Norm Smith medal in 93’ if it wasn’t for Longy putting on a clinic.

Fellow teenagers Mark Mercuri

Mark Mercuri

Age

50

Ht

178cm

Wt

77kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.7

5star

K

10.6

4star

HB

8.1

5star

M

4.8

5star

T

1.7

4star

G

1.2

4star

No current season stats available

D

17.2

5star

K

9.4

4star

HB

7.8

5star

M

4.4

4star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.8

4star

and Joe Misiti

Joe Misiti

Age

49

Ht

186cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

21.8

5star

K

12.3

5star

HB

9.6

5star

M

3.5

4star

T

1.5

3star

No current season stats available

D

22.2

5star

K

15.6

5star

HB

6.6

4star

M

4.4

4star

T

0.6

3star

also destroyed the pathetic all star Carlton losers on the day.

 

[Gordon Farkas]

Why not go back another 30 years to 1963?

They were better than 93 and 23 combined.

QED.

 

[Milux]

The named forward line looked pretty spud free to me.

HF: Hill, Mihocek, Elliot
FF: Daicos, De Goey, McCreery

I'd take being a flag spud any day.

 

[Gibbke]

I look at that Cats team that won the GF in 2022, and then compare it to the one which won three a decade ago, as well as the Hawks and Swans of that era, and not in any circumstances would I rate it as even close! After years of missing out, bombing out of finals due to inadequacy, they took advantage of similar flawed opponents and Melbourne's injury list and won a flag they were never going to repeat in 2023. Same with last year's opponents who put on such a great show...still works in progress. I see different footy these days, not better. We are in a bit of a lull, because no one has taken their squad to a level based upon experience and nous...only Richmond has gotten to that level in the last decade since the Hawks. Put them in a time machine, and there are heaps of teams since 1993 who would have put the last few years of GF teams to the sword. Give those older teams a preseason to learn modern tactics, and there's nothing stopping them from contending for a flag - you could go back to the eighties Hawks and Blues, teams whose fitness levels were right up there, give them that tactical leg up, and they would win games...

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

The named forward line looked pretty spud free to me.

HF: Hill, Mihocek, Elliot
FF: Daicos, De Goey, McCreery

He's just jealous.


It's a child's emotion.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Being a St Kilda supporter, you'd certainly know a spud when you see one.

2010 still haunts him. Over. And over. And over. Again. And again. And again.


lol.

 

[Doc1763]

2010 still haunts him. Over. And over. And over. Again. And again. And again.


lol.

A toe poke and a dodgy bounce from going back to back!!

Well, I suppose they did go back to back, sort of.

LOL

 

[rapidfire7]

I look at that Cats team that won the GF in 2022, and then compare it to the one which won three a decade ago, as well as the Hawks and Swans of that era, and not in any circumstances would I rate it as even close! After years of missing out, bombing out of finals due to inadequacy, they took advantage of similar flawed opponents and Melbourne's injury list and won a flag they were never going to repeat in 2023. Same with last year's opponents who put on such a great show...still works in progress. I see different footy these days, not better. We are in a bit of a lull, because no one has taken their squad to a level based upon experience and nous...only Richmond has gotten to that level in the last decade since the Hawks. Put them in a time machine, and there are heaps of teams since 1993 who would have put the last few years of GF teams to the sword. Give those older teams a preseason to learn modern tactics, and there's nothing stopping them from contending for a flag - you could go back to the eighties Hawks and Blues, teams whose fitness levels were right up there, give them that tactical leg up, and they would win games...

2 games clear on top, best defense, best attack and 16 wins in a row to win the flag, and not even close to all those other teams?

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

A toe poke and a dodgy bounce from going back to back!!

Well, I suppose they did go back to back, sort of.

LOL

They had three bites of the cherry and they STILL couldn't do it.

3-peat

 

[Gibbke]

2 games clear on top, best defense, best attack and 16 wins in a row to win the flag, and not even close to all those other teams?

You seriously think that team was as good as the one from a decade earlier...?!?

Someone is going to be ranked number 1 every season, pretty weak argument...just ask the guy who topped Adelaide grade cricket's batting averages the season after Bradman retired...

 

[Ricky Vaughn]

You seriously think that team was as good as the one from a decade earlier...?!?

Someone is going to be ranked number 1 every season, pretty weak argument...just ask the guy who topped Adelaide grade cricket's batting averages the season after Bradman retired...

Mate, I hate to break it to you, but we can’t.
He’s dead.

 

[_Mike_]

2 games clear on top, best defense, best attack and 16 wins in a row to win the flag, and not even close to all those other teams?

It’s a different comp now. I’d argue that the 07-11 Cats team would destroy the 22 Cats flag team

 

[Gibbke]

Mate, I hate to break it to you, but we can’t.
He’s dead.

Maybe he wrote a book. F###, if I did that, I would...

 

[rapidfire7]

You seriously think that team was as good as the one from a decade earlier...?!?

Someone is going to be ranked number 1 every season, pretty weak argument...just ask the guy who topped Adelaide grade cricket's batting averages the season after Bradman retired...

The 2022 Geelong team were a powerful side in their own right, who didn't just win because of flawed/injured opposition as you say. At least give them some credit.

They were also lot better in terms of overall personnel and gameplan compared with the other unsuccessful Geelong sides from years prior (which you are comparing them with), and far better than the average AFL Premier in general. The numbers don't lie.

In regards to comparing them to Premiers from a decade earlier, I never said they were as good, but I wouldn't say they were aboslutely miles off the pace of some of those sides either. In fact, The Cats forward line of 2022 was superior to how it ever was during their dynasty, and the defense was not too far away either. Midfield is another story, yeah.

 

[Gibbke]

The 2022 Geelong team were a powerful side in their own right, who didn't just win because of flawed/injured opposition as you say. At least give them some credit.

They were also lot better in terms of overall personnel and gameplan compared with the other unsuccessful Geelong sides from years prior (which you are comparing them with), and far better than the average AFL Premier in general. The numbers don't lie.

In regards to comparing them to Premiers from a decade earlier, I never said they were as good, but I wouldn't say they were aboslutely miles off the pace of some of those sides either. In fact, The Cats forward line of 2022 was superior to how it ever was during their dynasty, and the defense was not too far away either. Midfield is another story, yeah.

Unsuccessful Geelong sides? I'm directly comparing the 2022 side with the team from ten years earlier who won three premierships. Didn't say a word about the 1990's...

 

[rapidfire7]

I was referring to the unsuccssful Geelong sides from recent years 2021, 2020, 2019 etc, which you seemed to compare (indirectly) with the 2022 side. You were more or less implying that the 2022 side was no better than those years, but just got lucky if I'm not mistaken.

 

[peetoo]

I thought this was going to be which years were the weakest grand final players in recent history.

That Essendon team got smashed by hawthorn late in 1992