Who of the current side would get in a revised "Team of the Century"

[Hello Kitty]

I loved what Lonergan achieved but Gazza would've made him look like a GDFL twos backman! Too fast, too mobile, too good, too strong and if that didn't work, jump on his head!

My parents too rave about the class of Denis Marshall.

Except that Lonergan, on average, held Buddy to two goals. Still, Buddy is no GASr lol + I think you could be right

Wonder why Marshall only played 85 games? Did he retire due to injury? Wonder what happened?

One of Bobby Davis' famous sayings was "Cove, I think you've found another Denis Marshall"

 

[Hello Kitty]

Milburn is one of my favourite defenders of all time. Absolutely nothing penetrated him. When he was in our backline i always felt we were covered. Even in 2011 I was angry at his grand final omission. He was still great at that point of his career.
Marshall was a magnificent footballer who played like a mid today. He was quick and had elite ball skills. Like my omission of danger, he wasnt there long enough for team of century consideration. Otherwise they would both be in my team. As would greg williams.
Peter Walker was a tall rangy marking defender (as was my hope for his grandson josh) but not even close to milburns reliability, team smarts and strength.
As to hell kitty's comment, bartel was in mind, but with the likes of goggin, hocking, couch, selwood, ablett to compete against, i couldnt slide him in.
Very stiff. Stiffest of all. Was in my thoughts for interchange and emergency.
Ken Newland was also a very gifted footballer i couldnt get into my team. I wish i had have seen leo turner as tony polinelli was high in my wingman consideration too, as was peter riccardi. I relented to the team of 20th century selectors there
Loved wayne closter too. And johnny sharrock, roy west, billy ryan, barry stoneham, bruce nankervis, larry donohue and multitudes of others. Cannot all fit.

Agree totally with your bolded. It was difficult enough just choosing Sttew's Team of the Decade.

I really like your Team of the Century, LMcCarthy.

An exercise in comparison:
___________________Games___Goals___Brownlow
____________________________________Votes
Gary Ablett Jr^ ............ 192*...... 262...........112
Jimmy Bartel^ ............. 305 ....... 202 ......... 116
Paul Couch^..................259 ....... 203............ 99
Bill Goggin ................... 248 ....... 279.............97
Gary Hocking ............... 274 ....... 243 ......... 133
Joel Selwood ................ 249*...... 145 ......... 188

*still playing
^ Brownlow Medals

 

[Pollywaffle]

To answer original question....
In the current team, as it stands, only Ablett, Selwood or Dangerfield (if he continues in current form) would be possibles.
Daylight to the rest.

 

[Vdubs]

He also coached a team to 11th, 10th and 11th in 3 successive years. That's also exceptional by definition.

-particularly in a 12 team comp!!

 

[Vdubs]

Was a Goodes a great leader(football) or did he just have a C next to his name for a short time?

From Swans people that I know and respect, he is regarded as a superb captain.
Otherwise would not have included him.
I personally did not like him, or Lethal, or Carey, or Hodge, or Mitchell, but happy to admit their strengths.

 

[FredLeDeux]

Except that Lonergan, on average, held Buddy to two goals. Still, Buddy is no GASr lol + I think you could be right

Wonder why Marshall only played 85 games? Did he retire due to injury? Wonder what happened?

One of Bobby Davis' famous sayings was "Cove, I think you've found another Denis Marshall"

Marshall returned to WA to continue playing and coaching but, more importantly, to take up some lucrative business opportunities, from which he reportedly became very wealthy.

 

[FredLeDeux]

Peter Walker was a tall rangy marking defender (as was my hope for his grandson josh) but not even close to milburns reliability, team smarts and strength.
.

Peter Walker was a star CHB, slightly undersized even back then at barely 6 foot (the same height as Marshall, but considerably lighter). He was the country's best CHB of his era and was one of the very few players who could (most times) keep players as different as Baldock and Hart under control. He also starred on occasions in the Centre, but was not needed there very often because of, eg, Lord, Marshall and Closter.
When our TOTC was announced, some of his team-mates were reportedly upset at his omission; his premiership captain Fred Wooller said publicly that it was a travesty. At the time of his death in 2010, Doug Wade said that he was the club's best-ever CHB. These comments are significant because both Wooller and Wade would have been well aware of the legend of Reg Hickey.
Darren Milburn was a favourite of mine as well, but Peter Walker was simply in a different class to Milburn as a footballer.

 

[Vdubs]

Peter Walker was a star CHB, slightly undersized even back then at barely 6 foot (the same height as Marshall, but considerably lighter). He was the country's best CHB of his era and was one of the very few players who could (most times) keep players as different as Baldock and Hart under control. He also starred on occasions in the Centre, but was not needed there very often because of, eg, Lord, Marshall and Closter.
When our TOTC was announced, some of his team-mates were reportedly upset at his omission; his premiership captain Fred Wooller said publicly that it was a travesty. At the time of his death in 2010, Doug Wade said that he was the club's best-ever CHB. These comments are significant because both Wooller and Wade would have been well aware of the legend of Reg Hickey.
Darren Milburn was a favourite of mine as well, but Peter Walker was simply in a different class to Milburn as a footballer.

Spot on. The comments about Baldock and Hart are so true. I can recall the confidence my dad and his mates had at games when Walker was opposed to these freaks. He was a gem of a player. In fact, he possibly started that dashing running off the backline that people love Scarlett for, that also made David Dench so awesome.
No reason we can't have both Walker and Milburn in those spots.

 

[steady2]

Brownless played more as a centre half forward then Mooney so you cant just rule out Brownless from that position but include Mooney.

Not really. Mooney played Ruck, Ruck-Rover, Centre Half Back and CHF as well as occasionally FF. Brownless played almost exclusively at FF until that position was taken by Ablett in 93' since Blight was apparently unhappy with Brownless' poor performances in big games.

Brownless averaged 80 percent more goals per game then Mooney as well as averaging more marks and disposals per game.

That is because, as I have already pointed out, Mooney played a great deal of footy in the middle and in defense before settling in on the forward line in 2006.

So its just grand finals you are grading Couch on? 4 games? seems harsh for a player who played 250 plus.

No. As I suggested he played a lot of poor games in some important big, close games, the GFs are as big as it gets. That is why I went with the Norm Smith medalist Bartel.

Do Couch/Bairstow and Stoneham get to count important non finals games they played well in or is it just the modern players? Seems like you are tad biased towards premiership players.

No bias against those players you mentioned, I loved them. I picked a team which I thought was better, Bartel/Dangerfield/Mooney. Riccardi, Turner, Buddha and Ablett Snr were also non-Premiership players I chose, although I was tempted with Kelly for his versatility.

 

[FredLeDeux]

Spot on. The comments about Baldock and Hart are so true. I can recall the confidence my dad and his mates had at games when Walker was opposed to these freaks. He was a gem of a player. In fact, he possibly started that dashing running off the backline that people love Scarlett for, that also made David Dench so awesome.
No reason we can't have both Walker and Milburn in those spots.

Walker and Gazza are actually the only players I can remember who were able to run from half-back and bounce the ball with two hands and still outdistance their pursuers.
Though, if you read the histories, they say it was Bernie Smith who started the run and carry from defence. I would have seen him play, but I'm too young to remember it.

 

[Cursed Cat]

Walker and Gazza are actually the only players I can remember who were able to run from half-back and bounce the ball with two hands and still outdistance their pursuers.
Though, if you read the histories, they say it was Bernie Smith who started the run and carry from defence. I would have seen him play, but I'm too young to remember it.

the little footage I have seen of Smith does much to confirm his reputation; '51 GF he is the only bloke for either team not running around like a headless chook ..

 

[Partridge]

Not really. Mooney played Ruck, Ruck-Rover, Centre Half Back and CHF as well as occasionally FF. Brownless played almost exclusively at FF until that position was taken by Ablett in 93' since Blight was apparently unhappy with Brownless' poor performances in big games.

I'm not sure it was how Brownless went in big games, because while he had a query in Grand Finals - and deservedly so - his finals record was pretty good. In 1991 he had a bag of 8 (vs St.Kilda), and then in 1992 a bag of 9 (vs Footscray) in the Qualifying Final and another haul of 5 against them in the Prelim. I think it was more to do with getting maximum value out of Ablett than queries against Brownless. Maybe both were true, who knows.

 

[Hello Kitty]

Marshall returned to WA to continue playing and coaching but, more importantly, to take up some lucrative business opportunities, from which he reportedly became very wealthy.

Yes! He became a property developer, which would have made him a lot of money, especially in the 80s + 90s.

 

[Hello Kitty]

Without reading what others have said, I reckon the following players could vie for inclusion in a revised TOC:

Gary Ablett Jnr
Matthew Scarlett - easily Geelong's greatest ever full back
Corey Enright - arguably one of our best ever HBF's
Jimmy Bartel - a possibility
Steve Johnston - a possibility

Yes, I'd have all in a revised ToC, except it's so difficult to choose who to remove. I'd have to include Joel Selwood too.

possibly the third best, or at least the best in my life time. i'd have said he didn't play enough games to make the team of the century for us, but he played almost double that of polly farmer

Who are your first + second, please pinion?

Wank ! The whole naming on these things was just to have a reason for an expensive night out.

Team of the Cent.? Crap , its best 22 of the Cent. Obviously what was best 50 years ago may not even be VFL standard now , who knows if current players could play back then? Its so subjective.

Ottens will never jump Farmer and Newman yet he may well be as important as both.

Will Bartel replace Goggin or Hocking , probably not yet. Greeves must have been a hell of player but how would he fit into todays team?

In fact , we have no idea if any of these guys would mesh the way this current group has. If we have learnt anything the few years is that indvidual players do not always make up great teams. On talent , on skill , if you put best individuals up , our current group might struggle to have many in the best 22 to ever put the hoops on. We have been around 150 years , after all.

Team of the Century . One may say adding a star would make them better but losing Ablett last year didn't make us worse. The guts of our current group are the best TEAM i have seen in the hoops.

Your post was from 2012, what are your thoughts now TC?

That's a sensational team Nakia, hard to argue with it

 

[Hello Kitty]

Bump.

Cursed_Cat gave me the idea this’d be a good discussion again.

DrG, really pleased you 'bumped' this thread, it's fascinating to read the posts way back, especially those discussing our current guns - five years on. Really terrific idea! Huge thanks.

 

[Hello Kitty]

B: Doctor Gero dazbroncos Vdubs
HB: geelong_crazy26 catempire David the Cat
C: Daniel McL Willo_ Turbocat
HF: winty Nakia SJ
F: Pure_Ownage Biggy_Boy manboob
R: The rabbi Partridge Lana
I/C: fpm84 Boxhead_31 Spazz Cat Baudolino

Geelong board team of the century

Shell will coach you all as she types 100 posts an hour these days

I'm devo you left me out Deep Had my heart set on playing in our forward line

Must admit, in my prime, I'd be the Steve Waugh of the Big Footy cricket team

Why? I hear you ask? Dennis Lillee + Bob Massie taught me to bowl + I bowled Greg Chappell's middle stump, much to his surprise lol

For me, the first three in particular. But any call is tough. Geelong history is at least 120 years; you can’t just pick every star of the last decade and think they’re automatic selections.

Despite Ablett, Scarlett, Enright + Selwood being such phenomenal players? I've watched Geelong since 1967 + while some of my earlier memories are a bit hazy, I still reckon it would be hard to omit them.

JubJub? And for the longer term punters, FallOutBoy?

 

[Deep]

I'm devo you left me out Deep Had my heart set on playing in our forward line

Must admit, in my prime, I'd be the Steve Waugh of the Big Footy cricket team

Why? I hear you ask? Dennis Lillee + Bob Massie taught me to bowl + I bowled Greg Chappell's middle stump, much to his surprise lol


Despite Ablett, Scarlett, Enright + Selwood being such phenomenal players? I've watched Geelong since 1967 + while some of my earlier memories are a bit hazy, I still reckon it would be hard to omit them.

You were originally there but then I’d have to put myself in and that wasn’t happening

 

[Seeds]

Not really. Mooney played Ruck, Ruck-Rover, Centre Half Back and CHF as well as occasionally FF. Brownless played almost exclusively at FF until that position was taken by Ablett in 93' since Blight was apparently unhappy with Brownless' poor performances in big games.That is because, as I have already pointed out, Mooney played a great deal of footy in the middle and in defense before settling in on the forward line in 2006. No. As I suggested he played a lot of poor games in some important big, close games, the GFs are as big as it gets. That is why I went with the Norm Smith medalist Bartel.No bias against those players you mentioned, I loved them. I picked a team which I thought was better, Bartel/Dangerfield/Mooney. Riccardi, Turner, Buddha and Ablett Snr were also non-Premiership players I chose, although I was tempted with Kelly for his versatility.

You arent correct on the positions. Brownless started off key forward as a kid in his first couple of years but by the late eighties he played more as a traditional half forward then deep forward. We used him up the ground cos he could bomb goals from a long way out and Excell was deep with Ablett and Lindner occassionally sharing the deep forward role from time time. Brownless was also rotating deep forward as well but it wasnt his prime position in the late eighties. Brownless also spent sometime playing defence in 1990 but became the key deep forward when Excell fell out of favour in the early nineties and Ablett retired in 1991. It was only a couple of years though as Ablett was full time full forward from the start of 93 onwards. Brownless struggled to find his spot in 1993 with ablett at full forward and stoneham at centre half forward but when Stoneham broke his leg in 94 Brownless took over as full time centre half forward producing one of his best seasons as a centre half forward. Its pretty much where he played out his career only returning to full forward when Ablett injured himself, like in the 95 first final when Brownless returned to full forward to kick 6 goals in the opening half and win us the game after not playing as the key deep forward for years.

Mooney spent a couple of years up the ground in the middle of his career but you are significanrly overplaying how much. He spent most of his career as a key forward. Both early and late.

In mooneys best two seasons as key forward he averaged 2.7 and 2.2 goals per game adn played full forward the whole time. He didnt average over 2 in any others. In Brownless two seasons where he solely played as the deep key forward he averaged 4.1 and 3.3. I.e. far above Mooneys averages. My favourite Brownless seasons were 94 and 89 where he played along the half forward line.

Brownless wasnt poor in grand finals. He kicked more goals than Mooney in grand finals and didnt get the luxury of being in a side providing plentiful forward supply. Brownless worst GF was 89. He still kicked 2 goals though and was robbed by the umps of a big pack mark he took in the goal square for very dubious reasons and was unlucky to have an intercept mark he took running into an open goal from 40 metres called back because the ump forgot to blow the whistle when pritchard played on. I.e. he could very easily of kicked 3-4 in that game. In 94 GF he kicked four goals in a side giving him no supply. Tried to singlehandedly bring us back into the game in the second qtr but no one went with him. Took one of the great grand final marks as well that day. Kicked 3 in 95 as well despite the same lack of supply. And in 92 he kicked 3 as the key forward. Not great but not bad either. Certainly not worse than Mooneys 09 GF where he kicked 2.

Mooney played deep key forward in the 3 gfs at geelong kicking 9 with 4 of those coming in party time in the second half of the 07 Gf. Lets ignore the GF where Mooney didnt get a possession. Brownless had 12 goals from 4 games with 2 games our mids getting absolutely thumped. Brownless GFs individually were better then Mooneys. And Brownless blows most forwards away in terms of non GF finals performances including Ablett senior. Bags of 9, 8, 6, 5 and two 4s. The 9 in an elimination final thriller, the 8 when we were over 5 goals down at one point. Also kicked a match winning after the siren goal in another final.

Mooneys only 2 great non GF finals were a 5 goal haul in a 100 point thumping against Nth and when he played as ruck (not a forward) when his ruck oponent (Jeff White) got booted in the head with a flying kick from Steven King. That game was also a 10 goal spanking our way.

Brownless and Mooney aint even comparable in either all games or finals. Its clearly Brownless despite all his flaws.

 

[Hello Kitty]

You were originally there but then I’d have to put myself in and that wasn’t happening

Even more devo that you removed me

 

[Seeds]

I'm not sure it was how Brownless went in big games, because while he had a query in Grand Finals - and deservedly so - his finals record was pretty good. In 1991 he had a bag of 8 (vs St.Kilda), and then in 1992 a bag of 9 (vs Footscray) in the Qualifying Final and another haul of 5 against them in the Prelim. I think it was more to do with getting maximum value out of Ablett than queries against Brownless. Maybe both were true, who knows.

Blight also dropped Modra who went on to play great football at Freemantle and is regarded as one of the top 5 full forwards of the past 30 years. Getting dropped by Blight is not exactly a sign of how good a forward you were. More about team balance. Brownless kicked 19 goals in the 92 finals series. It was by no measure a poor series.

 

[Spearman]

For me, the first three in particular. But any call is tough. Geelong history is at least 120 years; you can’t just pick every star of the last decade and think they’re automatic selections.

This is one of things I love about sport; its history and lore. Gawd I would love to watch a game from the early 20th century. Greatest players can only be compared from who they were playing with and against. I've said it before, but Aussie rules needs a Ken Burns style docu to do it justice. I don't think the ones I've seen so far do a good enough job of showing the old time players.

 

[Vdubs]

I'm devo you left me out Deep Had my heart set on playing in our forward line

Must admit, in my prime, I'd be the Steve Waugh of the Big Footy cricket team

Why? I hear you ask? Dennis Lillee + Bob Massie taught me to bowl + I bowled Greg Chappell's middle stump, much to his surprise lol


Despite Ablett, Scarlett, Enright + Selwood being such phenomenal players? I've watched Geelong since 1967 + while some of my earlier memories are a bit hazy, I still reckon it would be hard to omit them.

My second favourite non AFL sports person of all time.

 

[steady2]

I'm not sure it was how Brownless went in big games, because while he had a query in Grand Finals - and deservedly so - his finals record was pretty good. In 1991 he had a bag of 8 (vs St.Kilda), and then in 1992 a bag of 9 (vs Footscray) in the Qualifying Final and another haul of 5 against them in the Prelim. I think it was more to do with getting maximum value out of Ablett than queries against Brownless. Maybe both were true, who knows.

Yeah I was at that game in '91 when he kicked 8 while at the other end Plugger kicked 9, Billy was easily BOG, it was one of the best finals I have ever been to. He certainly had some great games. I recall at the time reading that Blight was disappointed that he played poorly against the Eagles in the first final and again in the GF and decided to play Gazza at FF the following year. You might be right about Blights decision - it was a while ago and Brownless certainly played many great games in finals.

 

[steady2]

You arent correct on the positions. Brownless started off key forward as a kid in his first couple of years but by the late eighties he played more as a traditional half forward then deep forward.

Beg to differ. My memory (perhaps shaky) was that he played predominately as a key forward usually at FF. However in 89 Excell was used at FF and Brownless played further up, Excell had a fantastic season then fell apart so rapidly that he was dropped before the finals with Billy retaking FF.

Brownless also spent sometime playing defence in 1990...

I recall Brownless playing 3-4 games at CHB at the beginning of '90 and again in '91 before moving back to the forward line. He was very good in defense.

In mooneys best two seasons as key forward he averaged 2.7 and 2.2 goals per game adn played full forward the whole time. He didnt average over 2 in any others. In Brownless two seasons where he solely played as the deep key forward he averaged 4.1 and 3.3. I.e. far above Mooneys averages...

It was a different team in Mooney's time, the days of relying on the leading, marking tall forward were gone, Geelong in particular were sharing goals right across the field. Mooney was famous for handing goals to other players, in fact I think the team had their own competition for 'most assists/goals given away' to which Mooney was the regular winner.

Brownless and Mooney aint even comparable in either all games or finals. Its clearly Brownless despite all his flaws.

But you are the one comparing them. I picked Hawkins in my team as preference to Brownless at FF and Mooney at CHF as a preference to Stoneham, but am willing to be persuaded otherwise.

 

[Hello Kitty]

My second favourite non AFL sports person of all time.

Mine too! Was a fantastic all rounder, terrific captain + gives a lot of his time to charity, since retiring.

GASr my all time fave AFL player.

Who is your favourite, Vdubs?