1994 Best 22
H&A 12 wins 10 losses, 116%, 7th
Finals 2 wins, 1 loss, PF, 4th

FB - S Febey, Wight, Yeats
HB - B Lovett, Neitz, Rhode
C - Tingay, G Lovett, Obst
HF - Lovell, Schwarz, Lyon
FF - Pike, Jakovich, Charles
R - Stynes, Viney, Dyson
INT - M Febey, Hilton, Norrish, Kowal, Grinter
Coach - Balme

Most goals - Lyon (79), Schwarz (60), Jakovich (51)
Most disposals - Viney (546), Tingay (539), B Lovett (537)
B&F - Lyon (355), Tingay (319), Schwarz (316), B Lovett (237), M Febey (201)

 

2000 Best 22
H&A 14 wins 8 losses, 118%, 3rd
Finals 2 wins, 1 loss, GF, 2nd

FB - Walsh, Nicholson, Whelan
HB - S Febey, Ingerson, Wheatley
C - Yze, Powell, Woewodin
HF - Bruce, Schwarz, Green
FF - Robertson, Neitz, Farmer
R - White, Leoncelli, J McDonald
INT - Johnstone, Simmonds, A McDonald, Rigoni, Ward, N Brown
Coach - Daniher

Most goals - Farmer (76), Robertson (44), Yze (37)
Most disposals - Powell (579), Woewodin (554), Rigoni (541)
B&F - Neitz (336), Bruce (295), Johnstone (232), Brown (224), White (223)

 

2018 Best 22
H&A 14 wins 8 losses, 131%, 5th
Finals 2 wins, 1 loss, PF, 4th

FB - Jetta, O McDonald, Hibberd
HB - Salem, Lever, Vince
C - Harmes, Jones, Brayshaw
HF - Neal-Bullen, Hogan, Petracca
FF - Hannan, T McDoanld, Melksham
R - Gawn, Oliver, Viney
INT - Lewis, Spargo, Tyson, Garlett, Weidman, Fritsch, Frost
Coach - Goodwin

Most goals - T McDonald (53), Hogan (46), Melksham (32)
Most disposals - Oliver (734), Jones (614), Brayshaw (574)
B&F - Gawn (657), Oliver (595), Harmes (468), Jones (449), McDonald (433)

Edited May 23, 20205 yr by W I S E

I'll take the defence of '94, the forward line of 2000, and the midfield of 2018.

 

Yes, that means two David Neitzes. But does anyone see that as a flaw?

1994 easily, IF Jakovich had played the full year. 
he was that good

3 hours ago, W I S E said:

1994 Best 22
H&A 12 wins 10 losses, 116%, 7th
Finals 2 wins, 1 loss, PF, 4th

FB - S Febey, Wight, Yeats
HB - B Lovett, Neitz, Rhode
C - Tingay, G Lovett, Obst
HF - Lovell, Schwarz, Lyon
FF - Pike, Jakovich, Charles
R - Stynes, Viney, Dyson
INT - M Febey, Hilton, Norrish, Kowal, Grinter
Coach - Balme

Most goals - Lyon (79), Schwarz (60), Jakovich (51)
Most disposals - Viney (546), Tingay (539), B Lovett (537)
B&F - Lyon (355), Tingay (319), Schwarz (316), B Lovett (237), M Febey (201)

 

2000 Best 22
H&A 14 wins 8 losses, 118%, 3rd
Finals 2 wins, 1 loss, GF, 2nd

FB - Walsh, Nicholson, Whelan
HB - S Febey, Ingerson, Wheatley
C - Yze, Powell, Woewodin
HF - Bruce, Schwarz, Green
FF - Robertson, Neitz, Farmer
R - White, Leoncelli, J McDonald
INT - Johnstone, Simmonds, A McDonald, Rigoni, Ward, N Brown
Coach - Daniher

Most goals - Farmer (76), Robertson (44), Yze (37)
Most disposals - Powell (579), Woewodin (554), Rigoni (541)
B&F - Neitz (336), Bruce (295), Johnstone (232), Brown (224), White (223)

 

2018 Best 22
H&A 14 wins 8 losses, 131%, 5th
Finals 2 wins, 1 loss, PF, 4th

FB - Jetta, O McDonald, Hibberd
HB - Salem, Lever, Vince
C - Harmes, Jones, Brayshaw
HF - Neal-Bullen, Hogan, Petracca
FF - Hannan, T McDoanld, Melksham
R - Gawn, Oliver, Viney
INT - Lewis, Spargo, Tyson, Garlett, Weidman, Fritsch, Frost
Coach - Goodwin

Most goals - T McDonald (53), Hogan (46), Melksham (32)
Most disposals - Oliver (734), Jones (614), Brayshaw (574)
B&F - Gawn (657), Oliver (595), Harmes (468), Jones (449), McDonald (433)

You've run the 2002 B&F results in the 2000 team.  Woewodin beat White for the 2000 Bluey, but I think the 1994 side was the best of that lot when all were fit and firing. We were genuinely capable of winning the flag in 1994.  In 2000 were probably the third best side in the comp but by besting Carlton in the first final we ensured they had to play Essendon in the prelim.  Nobody was beating Essendon that year. 2018 was exciting to watch but at no stage did I think we were likely to be premiers. Richmond, Collingwood and West Coast were all better sides than us.

You forgot '98 that was the best era.

98 we shoulda won the premiership

94 boded so well for the future...sigh

94, 98 and 18 we peaked at the right time of the year after just squeaking into the finals.

I think we tend to underrate our 2000 side. A team that finished top 3 on the table and had a huge run of form leading into the finals that year.  We were very good, but as others have said, Essendon were not likely to lose to anyone that year.

 

98 was probably our best chance to win a flag, but maybe not our best team.

2 hours ago, TeamPlayedFine39 said:

94, 98 and 18 we peaked at the right time of the year after just squeaking into the finals.

I think we tend to underrate our 2000 side. A team that finished top 3 on the table and had a huge run of form leading into the finals that year.  We were very good, but as others have said, Essendon were not likely to lose to anyone that year.

 

98 was probably our best chance to win a flag, but maybe not our best team.

Essendon had a great run with the umpires - it was a good team to start off with and had some great plays - however, its 'bash and crash', right jab to the head mantra ensured win after win after win through the season and in the final against the Dees. Footy and its outcomes is a tough game; 98 was the stage on which the Dees held the strongest spotlight, alas.

1990. 16 wins 6 losses.  Finished 4th on percentage but could and should have finished second. 

We had our best chances in the “even years”.   

1988, 1990, 94,98. 2000, 04, 06, 18. 

Edited May 23, 20205 yr by spirit of norm smith
X

1 hour ago, spirit of norm smith said:

1990. 16 wins 6 losses.  Finished 4th on percentage but could and should have finished second. 

Geelong led West Coast by 3 goals at 3 qtr time in the final round of 1990, but couldn’t hold on.

Had Geelong won, we would’ve finished third and played second place Collingwood at Waverley in week 1 finals 1990.

Bit of a sliding doors moment.

6 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Geelong led West Coast by 3 goals at 3 qtr time in the final round of 1990, but couldn’t hold on.

Had Geelong won, we would’ve finished third and played second place Collingwood at Waverley in week 1 finals 1990.

Bit of a sliding doors moment.

If it was at the MCG we would have won but not at waverly. Waverly, not collingwood, would have beaten us.

5 minutes ago, dl4e said:

If it was at the MCG we would have won but not at waverly. Waverly, not collingwood, would have beaten us.

Unless it was a draw!!

‘98 could’ve been a year to pinch one, we had a great team and the competition was quite even from top to 5th. It disgusts me that Adelaide went back to back in 97/98, not even close to being the best team that year, but they were the better team on the day it mattered. 

I was only young but I do look back at ‘94 and feel like they had the team to win it. 

14 minutes ago, Pates said:

‘98 could’ve been a year to pinch one, we had a great team and the competition was quite even from top to 5th. It disgusts me that Adelaide went back to back in 97/98, not even close to being the best team that year, but they were the better team on the day it mattered. 

I was only young but I do look back at ‘94 and feel like they had the team to win it. 

94 with Jakovich could have done it. I remember that last game he played against Whorethorn. 
his back was done at the end. 
 

By 98 Lyon and Stinger were almost done 

Lyon couldn’t move in that last game. His back was also done

On 5/23/2020 at 8:43 PM, WERRIDEE said:

You forgot '98 that was the best era.

I reckon 98 an average team that played out of its skin (apart from those two thrashings in the middle of the year). By 2000 you had Bruce, Green, Powell, Robertson, and older Woewodin and Farmer. '98 is still my favourite season thanks to repeat viewings of Hotter Than Hell but for mine 2000 a better side.

In 98 North beat us by about five goals in the preliminary final, as I remember, and I thought that was about right. They were simply the better side. They should have won the premiership that year. Adelaide winning was a joke.

3 minutes ago, Ollie fan said:

In 98 North beat us by about five goals in the preliminary final, as I remember, and I thought that was about right. They were simply the better side. They should have won the premiership that year. Adelaide winning was a joke.

I'd agree with that.  North let that one slip, but then got lucky the next year when Essendon were clearly the best side but lost that unloseable game to Carlton. I think the 1998 North Melbourne side was actually the best of that 7 year period.

Most goals - Lyon (79), Schwarz (60), Jakovich (51)

UNBELIEVABLE that with 190 Goals between 3 players we could not get the job done! Astounding really !

On 5/24/2020 at 9:45 AM, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Geelong led West Coast by 3 goals at 3 qtr time in the final round of 1990, but couldn’t hold on.

Had Geelong won, we would’ve finished third and played second place Collingwood at Waverley in week 1 finals 1990.

Bit of a sliding doors moment.

A bit of a sliding doors moment!? Our club has had many of these and always drawn the Sheeeit End of the Stick!

1 hour ago, Supermercado said:

I reckon 98 an average team that played out of its skin (apart from those two thrashings in the middle of the year). By 2000 you had Bruce, Green, Powell, Robertson, and older Woewodin and Farmer. '98 is still my favourite season thanks to repeat viewings of Hotter Than Hell but for mine 2000 a better side.

2000 was too young. In 98 we had older heads in Lyon, Stynes, Tingay and Shanahan. Personally I still think 98 team was better than 2000.

I'm leaning towards the 1994 team.

From my memory the 1994 team had more star quality, the 2000 team had more balance.

I think we've had a few other teams aswell that were better than the 2018 team; the 1998 team was definitely better as some other posters above have eluded to.

If I could make just one change it would have been Wight from 1994 for Nicholson 2000. I went 2000, thought it was a little more even. 

Love the question. I think talent wise 94 can't be beaten. 2000 had great talent too but it was also a partial rebuild which some may not have predicted to do quite as well as they did. 98 was probably the best chance to smash and grab. 

I'm going with 94, the bees difference being an injury free Ox.