Jump to content

Featured Replies

Posted

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.

 

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!

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.......

 
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

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.


Bit hard on Stynes. Only interchange?

 
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!

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


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.

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. 

 

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. 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

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.

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!!!


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

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

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.

 

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

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


Frank Adams 

12 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Frank Adams Emergency…

He won 5 Flags!!!

 

Fail Werridee

Frank Adams won 6 flags!!!!!!

Just now, durango said:

Frank Adams 

Frank Adams won 6 flags!!!!!!

My mistake you are correct!!!

Emergency indeed…

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

 

 

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

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.

 


Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

Featured Content

  • PREVIEW: Fremantle

    A month is a long time in AFL football. The proof of this is in the current state of the two teams contesting against each other early this Saturday afternoon at the MCG. It’s hard to fathom that when Melbourne and Fremantle kicked off the 2025 season, the former looked like being a major player in this year’s competition after it came close to beating one of the favourites in the GWS Giants while the latter was smashed by Geelong to the tune of 78 points and looked like rubbish. Fast forward to today and the Demons are low on confidence and appear panic stricken as their winless streak heads towards an even half dozen and pressure mounts on the coach and team leadership.  Meanwhile, the Dockers have recovered their composure and now sit in the top eight. They are definitely on the up and up and look most likely winners this weekend against a team which they have recently dominated and which struggles to find enough passages to the goals to trouble the scorers. And with that, Fremantle will head to the MCG, feeling very good about itself after demolishing Richmond in the Barossa Valley with Josh Treacy coming off a six goal haul and facing up to a Melbourne defence already without Jake Lever and a shaky Steven May needing to pass a fitness test just to make it onto the field of play. 

    • 0 replies
    Demonland
  • NON-MFC: Round 06

    The Easter Round kicks off in style with a Thursday night showdown between Brisbane and Collingwood, as both sides look to solidify their spots inside the Top 4 early in the season. Good Friday brings a double-header, with Carlton out to claim consecutive wins when they face the struggling Kangaroos, while later that night the Eagles host the Bombers in Perth, still chasing their first victory of the year. Saturday features another marquee clash as the resurgent Crows look to rebound from back-to-back losses against a formidable GWS outfit. That evening, all eyes will be on Marvel Stadium where Damien Hardwick returns to face his old side—the Tigers—coaching the Suns at a ground he's never hidden his disdain for. Sunday offers two crucial contests where the prize is keeping touch with the Top 8. First, Sydney and Port Adelaide go head-to-head, followed by a fierce battle between the Bulldogs and the Saints. Then, Easter Monday delivers the traditional clash between two bitter rivals, both desperate for a win to stay in touch with the top end of the ladder. Who are you tipping this week and what are the best results for the Demons?

      • Thumb Down
      • Like
    • 176 replies
    Demonland
  • REPORT: Essendon

    What were they thinking? I mean by “they” the coaching panel and team selectors who chose the team to play against an opponent who, like Melbourne, had made a poor start to the season and who they appeared perfectly capable of beating in what was possibly the last chance to turn the season around.It’s no secret that the Demons’ forward line is totally dysfunctional, having opened the season barely able to average sixty points per game which means there has been no semblance of any system from the team going forward into attack. Nevertheless, on Saturday night at the Adelaide Oval in one of the Gather Round showcase games, Melbourne, with Max Gawn dominating the hit outs against a depleted Essendon ruck resulting from Nick Bryan’s early exit, finished just ahead in clearances won and found itself inside the 50 metre arc 51 times to 43. The end result was a final score that had the Bombers winning 15.6 (96) to 8.9 (57). On balance, one could expect this to result in a two or three goal win, but in this case, it translated into a six and a half goal defeat because they only managed to convert eight times or 11.68% of their entries. The Bombers more than doubled that. On Thursday night at the same ground, the losing team Adelaide managed to score 100 points from almost the same number of times inside 50.

    • 0 replies
    Demonland
  • PODCAST: Essendon

    The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 14th April @ the all new time of 8:00pm. Join Binman, George & I as we dissect another Demons loss at Kardinia Park to the Cats in the Round 04. Your questions and comments are a huge part of our podcast so please post anything you want to ask or say below and we'll give you a shout out on the show. If you would like to leave us a voicemail please call 03 9016 3666 and don't worry no body answers so you don't have to talk to a human.

      • Clap
    • 63 replies
    Demonland
  • PREGAME: Fremantle

    The Demons return home to the MCG in search of their first win for the 2025 Premiership season when they take on the Fremantle Dockers on Saturday afternoon. Who comes in and who goes out?

      • Thanks
      • Like
    • 466 replies
    Demonland
  • VOTES: Essendon

    Max Gawn leads the Demonland Player of the Year ahead of Clayton Oliver, Christian Petracca, Kade Chandler and Jake Bowey. Your votes please. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 & 1.

      • Like
    • 24 replies
    Demonland