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Best team from the last 125 years

Queanbeyan Demon
in Melbourne Demons

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In 2000, the Melbourne Football Club named its team of the 20th Century. If we were to name the Club's best team since the inception of the VFL (i.e. 1896), who makes the side? Here is the 2000 team.

Melbourne Team of the Century
B: John Beckwith Tassie Johnson Don Cordner
HB: Noel McMahen Gary Hardeman Don Williams
C: Brian Dixon Allan La Fontaine Robert Flower
HF: Hassa Mann Ivor Warne-Smith Garry Lyon
F: Jack Mueller Norm Smith Percy Beames
Foll: Denis Cordner Ron Barassi (Captain) Stuart Spencer
Int: Frank Adams Albert Chadwick Wally Lock
  Laurie Mithen Jim Stynes Todd Viney
Coach: Norm Smith

Stan Alves, Ian Ridley, Bob Johnson and Greg Wells were all named as emergencies.

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    Think it's difficult at this stage to replace any of these guys!

    If for instance, if you wanted to replace Denis Cordner with Max Gawn it would be hard to argue a three-time Premiership player should be replaced by a one-time premiership captain, albeit a five time All Australian.

    Maybe best to revisit in 79 years!

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    1 hour ago, Queanbeyan Demon said:

    In 2000, the Melbourne Football Club named its team of the 20th Century. If we were to name the Club's best team since the inception of the VFL (i.e. 1896), who makes the side? Here is the 2000 team.

    Melbourne Team of the Century
    B: John Beckwith Tassie Johnson Don Cordner
    HB: Noel McMahen Gary Hardeman Don Williams
    C: Brian Dixon Allan La Fontaine Robert Flower
    HF: Hassa Mann Ivor Warne-Smith Garry Lyon
    F: Jack Mueller Norm Smith Percy Beames
    Foll: Denis Cordner Ron Barassi (Captain) Stuart Spencer
    Int: Frank Adams Albert Chadwick Wally Lock
      Laurie Mithen Jim Stynes Todd Viney
    Coach: Norm Smith

    Stan Alves, Ian Ridley, Bob Johnson and Greg Wells were all named as emergencies.

    I'd replace the lot of them with our 2021 team, but that's just me.......

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    • Haha 2
     
    1 hour ago, Queanbeyan Demon said:

    In 2000, the Melbourne Football Club named its team of the 20th Century. If we were to name the Club's best team since the inception of the VFL (i.e. 1896), who makes the side? Here is the 2000 team.

    Melbourne Team of the Century
    B: John Beckwith Tassie Johnson Don Cordner
    HB: Noel McMahen Gary Hardeman Don Williams
    C: Brian Dixon Allan La Fontaine Robert Flower
    HF: Hassa Mann Ivor Warne-Smith Garry Lyon
    F: Jack Mueller Norm Smith Percy Beames
    Foll: Denis Cordner Ron Barassi (Captain) Stuart Spencer
    Int: Frank Adams Albert Chadwick Wally Lock
      Laurie Mithen Jim Stynes Todd Viney
    Coach: Norm Smith

    Stan Alves, Ian Ridley, Bob Johnson and Greg Wells were all named as emergencies.

    B: LEVER, MAY, DON.CORDNER

    HB: MCMAHEN, HARDEMAN, D.WILLIAMS

    C: DIXON, PETRACCA, FLOWER

    HF: MANN, WARNE-SMITH, LYON

    F: MUELLER, N.SMITH, BEAMES

    FOLL: GAWN, BARASSI, OLIVER

    IC: BECKWITH, T.JOHNSON, LA FONTAINE, DENIS.CORDNER

    SUB: SPENCER

    EMERG: ADAMS, CHADWICK, MITHEN

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    1 hour ago, WERRIDEE said:

    B: LEVER, MAY, DON.CORDNER

    HB: MCMAHEN, HARDEMAN, D.WILLIAMS

    C: DIXON, PETRACCA, FLOWER

    HF: MANN, WARNE-SMITH, LYON

    F: MUELLER, N.SMITH, BEAMES

    FOLL: GAWN, BARASSI, OLIVER

    IC: BECKWITH, T.JOHNSON, LA FONTAINE, DENIS.CORDNER

    SUB: SPENCER

    EMERG: ADAMS, CHADWICK, MITHEN

    Not a bad looking team at all. A good blending of the past and the present. Maybe swap Stuart Spencer with Beames.

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    Bit hard on Stynes. Only interchange?

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    6 hours ago, WERRIDEE said:

    B: LEVER, MAY, DON.CORDNER

    HB: MCMAHEN, HARDEMAN, D.WILLIAMS

    C: DIXON, PETRACCA, FLOWER

    HF: MANN, WARNE-SMITH, LYON

    F: MUELLER, N.SMITH, BEAMES

    FOLL: GAWN, BARASSI, OLIVER

    IC: BECKWITH, T.JOHNSON, LA FONTAINE, DENIS.CORDNER

    SUB: SPENCER

    EMERG: ADAMS, CHADWICK, MITHEN

    Nick Smith must have really impressed you in his 4 games!

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    • Haha 5

    Gary Hardeman was a great CHB in the era where CHF were only 185-193 but now with CHF being 194-202 his ability to jump would make him very tired in the 2nd half of games.

    The fact that players today have only one job makes them fitter and faster than yester year.

    I have followed the MFC since 1952 and never saw players like Don Cordner, Ivo Warne-Smith, Jack Mueller, Norm Smith Allan La Fontaine, Percy Beams and Albert Chadwick at all.

    Also prior to the 1950's teams played 4 ruckmen one in the FP, BP and 2 Ruckmen until the advent of the Ruck Rover like Ron Barassi, Serge Silvagni and Ted Whitten.

    As you can see football has evolved to 2021 where 2 specialist ruckmen have now re appeared but they are now midfielders as well, not lumbering crash and bash players.

    Changes in the rules has made the lumbering ruckman obsolete like Terry Gleeson.

    The Cordners where 193-194cm tall and would now be cannon fodder as ruckmen to the modern 200-211cm ruckmen.

    The MFC team of the century was ok in the 1900's but would struggle against the 2021 professional Demons.

    The great MFC teams had great rovers which today don't get a look in, Viney at 178cm is tall verses 170cm rovers of yester year. 

    Edited by durango

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    39 minutes ago, Nasher said:

    Surely at least some from our 1900 flag could get a gig?

    No? Could that be because it’s pointless comparing players of different eras, where the skill level was different to begin with, and relies on faulty and incomplete human memory?

    Probably because the 1900 team finished 6th of 8 teams after the H&A and only won the flag due to a ridiculous everyone makes finals system.

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    I've never found these comparisons to be very valid. Players today are aerobic machines and would absolutely run rings around players of past era's. 

    The 2021 team would very likely beat this team of the century by 10+ goals. Players just weren't as fit back then, plus the old players would be giving away endless free kicks with the way they used to hit each other. 

     

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    Robbie Flower would easily get a game in today’s team. What a player he was. 
     

    It’s too hard to compare players across 100+ years. Let’s celebrate they are all champions and enjoy the 2021 premiership team. 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

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    9 hours ago, WERRIDEE said:

    B: LEVER, MAY, DON.CORDNER

    HB: MCMAHEN, HARDEMAN, D.WILLIAMS

    C: DIXON, PETRACCA, FLOWER

    HF: MANN, WARNE-SMITH, LYON

    F: MUELLER, N.SMITH, BEAMES

    FOLL: GAWN, BARASSI, OLIVER

    IC: BECKWITH, T.JOHNSON, LA FONTAINE, DENIS.CORDNER

    SUB: SPENCER

    EMERG: ADAMS, CHADWICK, MITHEN

    I think David Neitz has to make this team.

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    Let's not limit ourselves to one team.

    Let's have the named team of the century as it stands.

    Then draw a line under it.

    Then start a new team of the new century. Starting with our GF 22. Now let's look forward to the arguments in the years to come over future greats breaking in to our new team of the century.

    GO DEMONS!!!

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    Pointless comparison. No way to compare what was a local amateur suburban competition to a nationwide professional one. Like comparing a T Model Ford to a Tesla. Best to honour great players in context of their own era. 

    Edited by John Crow Batty

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    Recency bias, no one alive can recall any players before 1920s 

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    The only fair way to compare players from different times is to compare them against their contemporary peers at that time that they played.

    To compare players against players of another time is unfair and misses the point. All the players in the team of the century were the best in their time and deserve their selection.

    Some players like Hardeman, Mann and Smith would likely seamlessly integrate in today's style of play whereas others, such as Dixon and, excuse the heresy, RDB, might struggle in a modern, free flowing running game.

    It goes without saying that the incomparable Robbie would have been several classes above all others and a star in any era.

     

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    10 hours ago, WERRIDEE said:

    B: LEVER, MAY, DON.CORDNER

    HB: MCMAHEN, HARDEMAN, D.WILLIAMS

    C: DIXON, PETRACCA, FLOWER

    HF: MANN, WARNE-SMITH, LYON

    F: MUELLER, N.SMITH, BEAMES

    FOLL: GAWN, BARASSI, OLIVER

    IC: BECKWITH, T.JOHNSON, LA FONTAINE, DENIS.CORDNER

    SUB: SPENCER

    EMERG: ADAMS, CHADWICK, MITHEN

    Frank Adams Emergency…

    He won 5 Flags!!!

     

    Fail Werridee

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    43 minutes ago, radar said:

    Recency bias, no one alive can recall any players before 1920s 

    My great grandpa reckoned Vin Coutie, Basil Onyons and Jack Leith were gun forwards and George Margitich was better than Norm Smith.

    Edited by John Crow Batty

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    Frank Adams 

    12 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

    Frank Adams Emergency…

    He won 5 Flags!!!

     

    Fail Werridee

    Frank Adams won 6 flags!!!!!!

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    Just now, durango said:

    Frank Adams 

    Frank Adams won 6 flags!!!!!!

    My mistake you are correct!!!

    Emergency indeed…

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    impossible task but i reckon Maxy gets a gig. 5 AA's after all. Trac and Oliver well on the way. Luke Jackson most likely after that if he continues to develop. Kozzy maybe

     

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    •  

    Maybe the best comparison should be a MFC team of the AFL which was after 1987 the year West Coast and Brisbane were admitted

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    11 hours ago, WERRIDEE said:

    B: LEVER, MAY, DON.CORDNER

    HB: MCMAHEN, HARDEMAN, D.WILLIAMS

    C: DIXON, PETRACCA, FLOWER

    HF: MANN, WARNE-SMITH, LYON

    F: MUELLER, N.SMITH, BEAMES

    FOLL: GAWN, BARASSI, OLIVER

    IC: BECKWITH, T.JOHNSON, LA FONTAINE, DENIS.CORDNER

    SUB: SPENCER

    EMERG: ADAMS, CHADWICK, MITHEN

    I saw Tassie Johnson play and I reckon he is the fullback ahead of May.

    May needs to play 2 more years of good football to displace him.

     

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