Current best 22 playing "early 2000s" football

[Fitz Fitzpatrick 886]

Imagine the side we have now playing footy as it was played 15 years ago.

Imagine Hogan and Garlett having the F50 to themselves or Hoges roaming around CHF and Petraccca pinch hitting one out in the goal square , ala Darren Jarmen.

Harmes and Kent on the flanks, Brayshaw and Stretch or Watts on the wide open wings with space to create and hit up targets.

Vince, Salem , Jones kicking long to an uncongested forward line .

Vandenberg, Oliver, Jetta applying those solid bumps we no longer see in the game.

Dunn, TMac , Jetta working it cleanly out of the back line to an uncongested midfield.

This list is built perfectly for that footy that those of us old enough to remember know was better suited to show individual talent than what we have today.

We will never see Hogans best because he will spend his whole career trying to pick through 30 blokes inside 50.

[Grapeviney 9,706]

We will never see Hogans best because he will spend his whole career trying to pick through 30 blokes inside 50.

Hogan doesn't give a sh*t how many blokes are around him.

[Smokey 4,388]

That last sentence doesnt even make sense. He had plenty of room to move around and kick 40 odd goals this year, why will 2016 be so different?

[Fitz Fitzpatrick 886]

That last sentence doesnt even make sense. He had plenty of room to move around and kick 40 odd goals this year, why will 2016 be so different?

I'm not saying hogan isn't a gun. We know that. I'm saying that if hogan played in a game style of 15 years ago, we would see EVEN more. You misunderstood or were being disingenuous.

Or if you are a younger person, in your defense, may not remember how much more space key forwards used to have.

Edited November 28, 2015 by Munga

[Fitz Fitzpatrick 886]

Carey used to have the f50 to himself. We won't ever see that again of course but imagine the damage hogan could cause with THAT setup!!

[Smokey 4,388]

I'm not saying hogan isn't a gun. We know that. I'm saying that if hogan played in a game style of 15 years ago, we would see EVEN more. You misunderstood or were being disingenuous.

Or if you are a younger person, in your defense, may not remember how much more space key forwards used to have.

You just threw me a bit in saying "we will never see his best"

[Smokey 4,388]

I get exactly what your saying, just disagree with your assertion that we will not see the best from Hogan due to the structure of the game changing in the last 15 years. Players change along with the game, best is a relative term.

And no, im certainly not young haha!

Edited November 28, 2015 by Smokey

[Fitz Fitzpatrick 886]

You just threw me a bit in saying "we will never see his best"

Ok. Got ya . To reiterate , we will see his best in the current style of AFL football. And I. Can't wait!

But I reckon he would have been even better the way the game used to be played.

My point is I reckon our side now would Be fantastic to watch play in that era. Vandenberg shirt fronts!

Edited November 28, 2015 by Munga

[Smokey 4,388]

Jack Viney would break peoples souls if he were allowed to tackle like it were 2000

[Fitz Fitzpatrick 886]

Dunstall used to play one out, out of the goal square with space to lead into in front of him. I'd love to see hogan in that setup. We never will but surely you agree that that would be awesome to watch

We are talking a 100 goals plus in that case

Edited November 28, 2015 by Munga

[Smokey 4,388]

Absolutely agree, he could easily have kicked more goals than Plugger with a full career in that era ...

[Fitz Fitzpatrick 886]

Absolutely agree, he could easily have kicked more goals than Plugger with a full career in that era ...

Yeah a game with plugger one end and hogan the other would be a cracker that's for sure

[Fitz Fitzpatrick 886]

Absolutely agree, he could easily have kicked more goals than Plugger with a full career in that era ...

By the way, welcome to Demonland yoSmokie

[Smokey 4,388]

Thanks mate!

Extremely long time lurker, figured I should start talking haha

[Good Times Grimes 2,396]

Jack Viney would break peoples souls if he were allowed to tackle like it were 2000

If only, though I'm reasonably happy to settle for seeing him put players into different dimensions, like he did with Maverick Weller.

[Bluey's Dad 3,419]

Jack Viney would break peoples souls if he were allowed to tackle like it were 2000

He'd be a career-ender.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

If only, though I'm reasonably happy to settle for seeing him put players into different dimensions, like he did with Maverick Weller.

This is the greatest tackle I have ever seen in the AFL.

It has not received the attention it deserves.

[Good Times Grimes 2,396]

This is the greatest tackle I have ever seen in the AFL.

It has not received the attention it deserves.

Agreed. I could watch it on loop all day and still find it amazing.

[Smokey 4,388]

If only, though I'm reasonably happy to settle for seeing him put players into different dimensions, like he did with Maverick Weller.

I want the gif playing on loop on a huge screen at my funeral.

I'd also like a loop of Richie Benaud saying "marvelous" as the coffin is lowered into the ground, but thats another discussion all together.

[Little Goffy 14,443]

The tackle on youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQPt6W_gJXg

My favourite part is that Viney doesn't even look around for the umpire after the tackle. Or pause to reflect upon the mangled remains of a footballer at his feet and its metaphor for the universality of mortality and the fragility of existence.

As for playing early 2000s football, I wonder... maybe Hogan is actually even more suited to the current game than the game of Neitz and Farmer. His contribution right around the ground is exceptional, perhaps the best of the young forwards in circulation.

Where there would be a huge difference is in the relatively 'forgiving' environment for rebounding defenders. Aaron Davey hadn't come along and redefined the small defender yet, and the forward press or the cluster did not exist either. The chances of being able to at least spot up a reasonable 50/50 with a little space on the wing was a lot better than now, and the prospect of having 12 opponents lurking ready to bang the ball back over your head within a moment of a mistake was a bit lower.

So maybe it would be Colin Garland, Jack Grimes and Lynden Dunn who would gain the most from a 15-year time warp.