While I mostly agree with the best team -picked, it seems, mostly by the brilliant Greg Wells - since Northey's days, I'd include Davey on the half forward flank - that's how old I am - instead of Mr Obst, much as I liked him. I'd try like buggary to find a place for Mattie Whelan as well.

Anyone able to post the article up here?

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/melbournes-best-team-of-afl-era-mostly-made-up-of-players-who-played-under-neale-daniher/news-story/b54b2785fd53a7afc949521490954391

Can someone enlighten me why Neale Daniher was given his marching orders and who was the pres and ceo at the time. I know he was with us for 9 seasons and every second year would be a bad one but when you look at what has happened after that and who has coached it's been a disaster.

Dean Bailey Mark Neeld I didnt bother to include Riley, Viney and Craig as they were just interims. Paul Roos im not including.

Aging team.

Had his favourites.

No plan B.

Anyone able to post the article up here?

heres the team

22 OF THE BEST

Melbourne’s team of the AFL era

B: James McDonald, Anthony Ingerson, Jared Rivers

HB: Steven Febey, David Neitz ©, Brett Lovett

C: Stephen Tingay, Shane Woewodin, Adem Yze

HF: Garry Lyon, David Schwarz, Andrew Obst

F: Brad Green, Allen Jakovich, Jeff Farmer

R: Jim Stynes, Todd Viney, Nathan Jones

I: Glenn Lovett, Jeff White, Graeme Yeats, Russell Robertson

i'd imagine brisbane's team would be nearly all matthews/voss era

I'd squeeze Aaron Davey in for Obst as mentioned previously and probably give Cam Bruce a gig instead of Yeats.

I'd squeeze Aaron Davey in for Obst as mentioned previously and probably give Cam Bruce a gig instead of Yeats.

Nope

Yeats was as tough as nails

Obst was no slouch either it was a brutal era under Swooper..

Aging team.

Had his favourites.

No plan B.

Second and third points are rubbish. Even if they were true (which I would contest), they contributed nothing to his dismissal.

Daniher had run his race. As you point out, we had an aging list in 2007, a coach who had been in the chair for 10 years, and a poor season. It's almost a textbook dead coach recipe. Combining a list refreshment with a young, fresh teaching coach (Bailey) made sense at the time, even if it looks like it all went to poo in hindsight.

Woey would not have made it in line.

Bruce, Davey, Wheels all better than woes career bar one year.

Run and carry destroyed our 2007 season.

Surprised Chippa didn't get the nod, he is a better 'stopper' than Rivers but does lack in disposal. Wonder how close he got.

Surprised Chippa didn't get the nod, he is a better 'stopper' than Rivers but does lack in disposal. Wonder how close he got.

Chippa really only had the one great season. Everything else was pretty meh.

Rivers was consistently good for us.

Chippa really only had the one great season. Everything else was pretty meh.

Rivers was consistently good for us.

Chippa was consistently good at stopping his opponent, that is his only value but he did show it for quite a few years. What was inconsistent was his rebound and disposal. It depends what you want from the defender as to whether he gets in or not as Rivers was far better at the latter two aspects.

Second and third points are rubbish. Even if they were true (which I would contest), they contributed nothing to his dismissal.

Daniher had run his race. As you point out, we had an aging list in 2007, a coach who had been in the chair for 10 years, and a poor season. It's almost a textbook dead coach recipe. Combining a list refreshment with a young, fresh teaching coach (Bailey) made sense at the time, even if it looks like it all went to poo in hindsight.

We had an aging list because from 2002 onwards Daniher wouldn't play the kids and traded for useless players like Fatboy Pickett who were just interested in boosting their retirement funds.

Daniher did a lot of very good things at Melbourne, but there is no question in my mind that he played favourites with a number of players, some of whom became very good players elsewhere.

Aside from the 1999 draft crop, we had a whole generation of draft picks waste away in Daniher's time. This is the number one reason why we went through Bailey's tenure with next to no senior players and leadership at the club.

Chippa really only had the one great season. Everything else was pretty meh.

Rivers was consistently good for us.

Rivers never reached the elite level. Frawley did. Love him or hate him, he showed his true wares on the big stage this year. I'd have found room for both. Bruce is also pretty unlucky.

Call me biased but that team would've beaten Fremantle's best of. Take out their top five players and you're not left with much to rave about. Melbourne's best bats a bit deeper. But again, I could just be biased.

Rivers never reached the elite level. Frawley did. Love him or hate him, he showed his true wares on the big stage this year. I'd have found room for both. Bruce is also pretty unlucky.

I do agree with you on that, though I suppose my reasoning is based on consistency rather than peak performance. It really depends on how you're judging the team: on their ability, on their best season, or on their entire body of work.

Edited November 12, 20159 yr by Good Times Grimes

heres the team

Neitz did his best work at full forward I'd put him there and Yeats in the back pocket Lyon was a very good centre half back

Which would make room for Davey HFF Frawley to full back

Jackovich on the bench ( I know he's everyone's favourite but his numbers don't stack up against Neitz or Schwarz)

White was good but with Stynes you didn't need a second ruck so James McDonald on the bench

Bruce would probably shade Glen Lovett and either ingerson or Rivers would have to go.

Todd Viney in the centre Tingay on the ball.

22 OF THE BEST

Melbourne’s team of the AFL era

B: James McDonald, Anthony Ingerson, Jared Rivers

HB: Steven Febey, David Neitz ©, Brett Lovett

C: Stephen Tingay, Shane Woewodin, Adem Yze

HF: Garry Lyon, David Schwarz, Andrew Obst

F: Brad Green, Allen Jakovich, Jeff Farmer

R: Jim Stynes, Todd Viney, Nathan Jones

I: Glenn Lovett, Jeff White, Graeme Yeats, Russell Robertson