Universal Love Which midfield is better?

[catman 71]

Mark Bairstow, Paul Couch, Gary Hocking

OR

Gary Ablett, Jimmy Bartel, Joel Selwood?

Which midfield would beat the other?

 

[vinum coupe]

The first group would get smashed.

 

[SuperCats9]

Ablett, Bartel and Selwood would destroy Bairstow, Couch and Hocking.

 

[supahoops]

If Damian Bourke is palming it down I'll take the first.

All things being equal not too many midfield's in history would match up against the second.

 

[ekel92]

easy 2nd option.

How bout, assuming all in their prime....

Bartel, Selwood, Ablett, Ottens

vs

Judd, Cousins, Kerr, Cox

vs

Voss, Black, Akermanis, Keating?

 

[you pick one]

Mark Bairstow, Paul Couch, Gary Hocking

OR

Gary Ablett, Jimmy Bartel, Joel Selwood?

Which midfield would beat the other?

Ablett would take Toby apart,Couchy and Jimmy would be worth the entry price alone and Buddha v Joel would be last man standing.
As a side note I still have Buddha as the hardest player ever to pull on the boots at Cat Land.
Don't though have a problem with those who might go with Ablett Snr,Selwood or Rooke.

 

[keen cats fella]

De

easy 2nd option.

How bout, assuming all in their prime....

Bartel, Selwood, Ablett, Ottens

vs

Judd, Cousins, Kerr, Cox

vs

Voss, Black, Akermanis, Keating?

Definitely Judd, Cousins, Kerr and Cox.

 

[Jmac2225]

De


Definitely Judd, Cousins, Kerr and Cox.

Agree with that however I think our (and Brisbanes) midfield batted deeper in our respective era's and were better overall.

 

[Partridge]

De

Definitely Judd, Cousins, Kerr and Cox.

You reckon? When was the last time Ablett, Bartel or Selwood was held possession-less in a half? While they were reigning premiers too?

I'd back that Geelong combination against anyone. 3 premierships is pretty strong evidence. The West Coast combination won 1.

 

[Partridge]

Mark Bairstow, Paul Couch, Gary Hocking

OR

Gary Ablett, Jimmy Bartel, Joel Selwood?

Which midfield would beat the other?

Wouldn't even be a contest. The first group would get annihilated.

Bairstow had no left foot (and no heart after Kelly broke his jaw in 1991), and Couch had no right foot. Hocking would fare well with Selwood.

Ablett on his own could beat the first two.

 

[SleazySimon]

Mark Bairstow, Paul Couch, Gary Hocking

OR

Gary Ablett, Jimmy Bartel, Joel Selwood?

Which midfield would beat the other?

no contest. Our midfield combo was the best of the modern era bar Brisbane lions 01-04, yes even better than 80's hawks, although I think ablett jnr would beat Voss in his prime. Brisbane in their prime had better midfield depth than ours.

 

[yogogorilla41]

easy 2nd option.

How bout, assuming all in their prime....

Bartel, Selwood, Ablett, Ottens

vs

Judd, Cousins, Kerr, Cox

vs

Voss, Black, Akermanis, Keating?

Voss Black and Akermanis for me over Judd Cousins Kerr and Cox.
Bartel Selwood Ablett Ottens vs Voss Black Aker and Keating would be sensational to watch. I couldnt split it and it would be an absolute pleasure to watch in a grand final.

 

[Claude Balls]

The WC vs Brisbane vs Geelong midfield debate is interesting.

Individually it probably goes something like this:

1. Ablett
2. Judd
3. Voss
4. ....shit it gets hard from here. You could make a case for Cousins, Lappin, Aka and Selwood.

Meanwhile, rucks are pretty clearly Cox first, Ottens second, Keating third.

Ah gee, I dunno. The West Coast foursome was the sole reason that team won a flag, while the Cats and Lions won flags on the back of class all over the ground. For first 4 players, West Coast, for depth thereafter, pretty even between Bris and Geelong.

 

[Crow_Sting]

Cotchin, Deledio, Martin
But seriously referring to OP it would easily be the Ablett, Bartel, Selwood combo. Combine that with Ottens, Corey, Kelly, Ling and its a very intimidating team.

 

[footscore]

Individually it probably goes something like this:

1. Ablett
2. Judd
3. Voss
4. ....shit it gets hard from here. You could make a case for Cousins, Lappin, Aka and Selwood.

That's my top 5 mids

1. Ablett
2. Voss
3. Williams
4. Judd
5 Hird


Hird's a toughy because he didn't play as a permanent midfielder but when he played in the middle of the park, there were none as dynamic nor as game breaking as he.
The perfect mixture of Bartel/Cousins/Buckley all mixed into the one unit.

 

[topic97]

easy 2nd option.

How bout, assuming all in their prime....

Bartel, Selwood, Ablett, Ottens

vs

Judd, Cousins, Kerr, Cox

vs

Voss, Black, Akermanis, Keating?

If you were just talking 3 mids and a Ruck - Judd, Cousins, Kerr & Cox in form wins.

But our full midfield - Ablett, Bartel, Selwood, Ling, Kelly, Corey, Chapman & Ottens - That takes a bit of beating...

 

[FredLeDeux]

If you were just talking 3 mids and a Ruck - Judd, Cousins, Kerr & Cox in form wins.

But our full midfield - Ablett, Bartel, Selwood, Ling, Kelly, Corey, Chapman & Ottens - That takes a bit of beating...

Yes, that was the real strength, and why it was, by some considerable margin, the best midfield of all time.

 

[Berserker26]

The WC vs Brisbane vs Geelong midfield debate is interesting.

Individually it probably goes something like this:

1. Ablett
2. Judd
3. Voss
4. ....shit it gets hard from here. You could make a case for Cousins, Lappin, Aka and Selwood.

Meanwhile, rucks are pretty clearly Cox first, Ottens second, Keating third.

Ah gee, I dunno. The West Coast foursome was the sole reason that team won a flag, while the Cats and Lions won flags on the back of class all over the ground. For first 4 players, West Coast, for depth thereafter, pretty even between Bris and Geelong.

Gotta go with cousins, brownlow and all.

 

[year of the cat]

What about ranking those Geelong mids?

For me:

Ablett, Hocking, Bartel, Selwood, Couch, Ling, Kelly, Bairstow, Corey

some close calls but that's how I have it - Selwood to probably move up the order as time goes on.

 

[keen cats fella]

Wouldn't even be a contest. The first group would get annihilated.

Bairstow had no left foot (and no heart after Kelly broke his jaw in 1991), and Couch had no right foot. Hocking would fare well with Selwood.

Ablett on his own could beat the first two.

My response was no slight on our great midfield, but look who the Eagles we're kicking to... The big Q-Stick and Ash Hansen we're their key forwards. Apart from Glass, they had no superstars in their backline either. Then they had the depth of Braun, Fletcher, Embley, Banfield and even Wirrapanda running through the middle.

As I said, this is no slight on our midfield. We are clearly the better team.

 

[supahoops]

What about one of the most famous (albeit shot-lived) midfield's in our illustrious history :

LORD

BROWN

PICKERING

Always nice to be able to play this card when our friends from Lygon St need to be put in their place

 

[David the Cat]

Anyone for Polinelli Lord Routley?

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Mark Bairstow, Paul Couch, Gary Hocking

OR

Gary Ablett, Jimmy Bartel, Joel Selwood?

Which midfield would beat the other?

I'll firstly rate them in order.

1. Ablett
2. Hocking
3. Couch
4. Selwood
5. Bartel
6. Bairstow

It would be closer than a lot of people think. It's probably due to people forgetting just how good the first group were.

Hocking and Couch are among the best 5 midfielders I've seen at the club (couch was a ball winning freak, with some of the best foot passing the club has seen)

Ablett v Bairstow - Ablett too many tricks.
Selwood v Hocking - Hocking would beat him in every aspect of the game. Toughness, skill, marking, kicking etc. Is the 3rd best player I've seen play for the club.
Bartel v Couch - Couch for me was the better player.

It's probably too tough to call as an overall package. I'd take the former if Bourke was rucking at full fitness.

 

[DanA]

no contest. Our midfield combo was the best of the modern era bar Brisbane lions 01-04, yes even better than 80's hawks, although I think ablett jnr would beat Voss in his prime. Brisbane in their prime had better midfield depth than ours.

Not to sure about that one.

Ablett = Best midfielder of all time just about
Selwood = Dominant player early in career
Corey = Consistent performer
Bartel = Brownlow, Norm Smith
Ling = Best tagger this decade
Kelly = Highly productive midfielder
Ottens = Very solid ruck

That's seven All Australians right there and certainly were the most dominant team overall.

 

[FredLeDeux]

Chap

Not to sure about that one.

Ablett = Best midfielder of all time just about
Selwood = Dominant player early in career
Corey = Consistent performer
Bartel = Brownlow, Norm Smith
Ling = Best tagger this decade
Kelly = Highly productive midfielder
Ottens = Very solid ruck

That's seven All Australians right there and certainly were the most dominant team overall.

Chapman, too.