Jump to content

Best team from the last 125 years

Queanbeyan Demon
in Melbourne Demons

Featured Replies

12 hours ago, faultydet said:

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

The next few years of the current bunch is going to be very interesting. 

  • Quote
    • Like 1
     
    5 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

    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.

    Is that right? Wow, that’s nuts. 

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    54 minutes ago, Cranky Franky said:

    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.

     

    Peter Hudson is on record as saying Tassie was the best he had played on. 

  • Quote
    •  
    2 hours ago, tiers said:

    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.

     

    Donny Williams would have no problems adjusting to the modern game with his speed and class. Barass too.

  • Quote

    7 hours ago, tiers said:

    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.

     

    RDB would be a gun in today's game.  He would be an inside bull. An Ollie Wines clone.

  • Quote
    9 hours ago, Smokey said:

    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. 

     

    I think about this often, are there players now that wouldn’t make it (and vice versa) if we were still playing with the more physical rules of eras gone by? Yes today’s players are much fitter, but if you got the current Melbourne team and then got this team magically in their prime and played a game of 80’s/90’s AFL rules…. Would the current team handle the physicality? Would the physicality be too much and the fitness advantage could be overcome?

     

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    • Author
    5 hours ago, chook fowler said:

    Peter Hudson is on record as saying Tassie was the best he had played on. 

    What? Not Ray Biffen?

  • Quote
    •  

    How many of those guys could beat D.Schwartz in a one on one?

    Very few I'd think.

  • Quote
    • Like 1

    8 hours ago, The heart beats true said:

    Is that right? Wow, that’s nuts. 

    Yep and in fact in two years (1897 and 1924) there was no GF but a round robin to determine the premier. Essendon won the flag both those years which is why Carlton supporters will tell you they hold the record for most GF's won with 16 while Essendon only has 14.

    Another quirky one is 1916 which you may already know. Due to the War only 4 teams competed that season playing each other 4 times each for the H&A. Fitzroy finished 4th (last) and then proceeded to win the flag being the only team to win the wooden spoon and the flag in the same season!

    After 1900 they changed the system to the final 4 after we won the flag from 6th defeating Fitzroy who would have had a 3peat if they won. Fitzroy were so confident they had already arranged carriages with "1900 Premiers" in their colours out the front of the ground.

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1898_VFL_finals_series#Finals_system

    • Secondly, and more significantly, the system had the drawback that it allowed a team to claim the major premiership by playing well only at the end of the year, regardless of its form during the home-and-away season. This came to a head after the unsatisfactory conclusion to the 1900 VFL season, when Melbourne won the premiership after having finished sixth out of the eight teams after the home-and-away season with a 6-8 record. A similar outcome could have occurred in 1899, as South Melbourne reached the non-challenge final and lost by one point to Fitzroy, despite having finished sixth with a record of 5-9 at the end of the home-and-away season.[7]

    Consequently, from the 1901 season, this scheme was replaced with the Argus system

    Edited by Dr. Gonzo

  • Quote
    • Thanks 1
    13 hours ago, Sir Why You Little said:

    Frank Adams Emergency…

    He won 5 Flags!!!

     

    Fail Werridee

    Can't fit them all in. Tough team to pick from. 

  • Quote
    On 10/27/2021 at 5:41 PM, Nasher said:

    Yeah that must be the only reason. How do you reckon Trac compares to old chap Jack Leith?

    Norm Smith medallist & 2020 B&F (2021 B&F?) - I think Trac has him covered 😜

  • Quote
    On 10/26/2021 at 11:05 AM, Sir Why You Little said:

    Frank Adams Emergency…

    He won 5 Flags!!!

     

    Fail Werridee

    Reading more about our older players I've changed the team.

    B: BECKWITH, T.JOHNSON, DON.CORDNER

    HB: MCMAHEN, DENIS.CORDNER, WILLIAMS

    C: DIXON, LA FONTAINE, FLOWER

    HF: MANN, LYON, WARNE-SMITH

    F: MUELLER, NEITZ, BEAMES

    FOLL: GAWN, BARASSI, SPENCER

    IC: ADAMS, MITHEN, PETRACCA, OLIVER

    SUB: RIDLEY

    EMERG: B.JOHNSON, HARDEMAN, JONES

    COACH: SMITH

  • Quote
    • Like 1

    On 10/26/2021 at 12:49 PM, Cranky Franky said:

    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.

     

    Friend of mine got me a Mobil Football Card of Tassie Johnson from 1964 and I put it on my desk and it stayed there for the whole of the year.

    I'm going to super glue it to the desk so it remains there as long as I do.

  • Quote
    3 minutes ago, WERRIDEE said:

    Reading more about our older players I've changed the team.

    B: BECKWITH, T.JOHNSON, DON.CORDNER

    HB: MCMAHEN, DENIS.CORDNER, WILLIAMS

    C: DIXON, LA FONTAINE, FLOWER

    HF: MANN, LYON, WARNE-SMITH

    F: MUELLER, NEITZ, BEAMES

    FOLL: GAWN, BARASSI, SPENCER

    IC: ADAMS, MITHEN, PETRACCA, OLIVER

    SUB: RIDLEY

    EMERG: B.JOHNSON, HARDEMAN, JONES

    COACH: SMITH

    They still must be held in high regard 

    Imagine if the majority of the current side won 4-5 flags going forward!!

    you have picked a killer side here

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    On 10/26/2021 at 9:00 AM, Left Foot Snap said:

    I think David Neitz has to make this team.

    Agree LFS I say CHBack 

    I would have had him in instead of Gary Hardeman but Neiter did finish his career in the 2000,s the naughties!!! 

  • Quote

    • 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...
    Go to topic listing

    Featured Content

    • PREVIEW: North Melbourne

      Can you believe it? After a long period of years over which Melbourne has dominated in matches against North Melbourne, the Demons are looking down the barrel at two defeats at the hands of the Kangaroos in the same season. And if that eventuates, it will come hot on the heels of an identical result against the Gold Coast Suns. How have the might fallen? There is a slight difference in that North Melbourne are not yet in the same place as Gold Coast. Like Melbourne, they are currently situated in the lower half of the ladder and though they did achieve a significant upset when the teams met earlier in the season, their subsequent form has been equally unimpressive and inconsistent. 

      • 0 replies
      Demonland

    • REPORT: Adelaide

      The atmosphere at the Melbourne Football Club at the beginning of the season was aspirational following an injury-plagued year in 2024. Coach Simon Goodwin had lofty expectations with the return of key players, the anticipated improvement from a maturing group with a few years of experience under their belts, and some exceptional young talent also joining the ranks. All of that went by the wayside as the team failed to click into action early on. It rallied briefly with a new strategy but has fallen again with five more  consecutive defeats. 

      • 0 replies
      Demonland

    • CASEY: Coburg

      The Casey Demons returned to their home ground which was once a graveyard for opposing teams but they managed to gift the four points on offer to Coburg with yet another of their trademark displays of inaccuracy in front of goals and some undisciplined football that earned the displeasure of the umpires late in the game. The home team was welcomed by a small crowd at Casey Fields and looked right at home as it dominated the first three quarters and led for all bar the last five minutes of the game. In the end, they came away with nothing, despite winning everywhere but on the scoreboard and the free kick count.

      • 0 replies
      Demonland

    • PREGAME: Rd 18 vs North Melbourne

      After four weeks on the road the Demons make their long awaited return to the MCG next Sunday to play in a classic late season dead rubber against the North Melbourne Kangaroos. Who comes in and who comes out?

      • 263 replies
      Demonland

    • POSTGAME: Rd 17 vs Adelaide

      The Demons were wasteful early before putting the foot down early in the 2nd quarter but they chased tail for the remainder of the match. They could not get their first use of the footy after half time and when they did poor skills, execution and decision making let them down.

        • Sad
        • Clap
        • Like
      • 246 replies
      Demonland

    • PODCAST: Rd 17 vs Adelaide

      The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 7th July @ 8:00pm. Join Binman & I as we dissect the Dees disappointing loss to the Crows.
      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.
      Listen LIVE: https://demonland.com/

        • Thanks
      • 28 replies
      Demonland
    View All