Melbourne FC Team of the Century - should be amended to include David Neitz

[Yze_Magic 3]

Here is the 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

I believe that the team should be amended, and that David Neitz be named somewhere.

I dont see the team as a representation of the actual best players of the 20th centrury, but more as the best players in the entire history of the club

Is it not a travesty that the legendary David Neitz, who holds just about every record at the club, is not in this team?

Discuss.

[dazzledavey36 55,360]

bitoff topic but you left kyle cheney and tom mcnamara out of your list of young guns. wouldn't be surprised if they played a game or two next year

[Yze_Magic 3]

No I didnt

Now comment on the topic Dazzler!

[brey9186 102]

do we see a "team 150" being released??

because neita would go VERY close to over taking the great ronald dale barassi as captain!!!

he deserves any honour the MFC can bestow him, he is our football club

[Jarka 767]

I wouldn't change any of the current forwards for Neitz, no way. He's not good enough for the CHB spot which just leaves the bench as a possibility, but even then I'm not sure that he deserves to be in front of any of them. It's all about quality, not just quantity.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

do we see a "team 150" being released??

because neita would go VERY close to over taking the great ronald dale barassi as captain!!!

he deserves any honour the MFC can bestow him, he is our football club

A team 150 would be interesting but it might be too close to the TOC to make a big issue out of it. Were there any players who were stars 1858-2000?

Neitz has been warhorse captain but take over from Barassi? .

If he is our football club, we must all be retiring at the end of 2008. B)

I wouldn't change any of the current forwards for Neitz, no way. He's not good enough for the CHB spot which just leaves the bench as a possibility, but even then I'm not sure that he deserves to be in front of any of them. It's all about quality, not just quantity.

Agree with that. Neitz has been a great campaigner but is he better than the players on the bench. Its arguable. I would probably swap Viney for him but its 50/50.

[Yencks 8]

what do you mean quality vs quantity RR?? neitz is actually quite a good player you know..that's how hes made all australian three times and won a colemon medal...i know atm hes a bit old and is suffering but when neitz is at his best ala st. kilda celabratory game, he is outstanding, wayne carey put him there as one of his tougheset oponents and this was before neitz even became a prominant forward....i do think neitz could be slotted in

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

what do you mean quality vs quantity RR??

Neitz selection should not be dictated solely by the number of games or goals he has kicked at the Club. Its an inexact and imperfect measurment. Neitz has been a grand warrior over the course of his career and a good captain. He has been a fine player. But having watched his career over its time, I think Neitz has managed to put together some great games he has put together some absolute crocks. Its the breadth of performance outcomes with Neitz over the long journey that prevent him in IMO being in the greatest 22 produced by the Club. He would be in the mix and make a second 18 but not the top one.

[Yencks 8]

but over the coarse of his career, he HAS been consistent...he plays the odd shocker but whats to say garry lyon, todd viney and jim stynes didnt (ala Hawthorn Prelim final!!!)....i think that the milestones shouldnt be what gets neitz into the team but if you were looking at our best players over the last 150 years, i think he is atleast on the bench....dont forget our current team of the century has 24 players, not 22

[deefuture06 0]

The best way to honour this man? Win the flag! He is in the history book for everything else.

[Yencks 8]

The best way to honour this man? Win the flag! He is in the history book for everything else.

that would be good lol

[Yencks 8]

another way to honour DN is to let him be captain for the 150th

[deefuture06 0]

I concur

[Oxxx 0]

If the team of the century was done now then he'd definately get a guernsey, but the team of the century was the team from last century, so therefore he probably doesn't deserve to make it ahead of the others. Also, you can't just kick a guy off the team, 10 years after he's been inducted into it.

[Demon Rob 2]

Considering that Norm Smith holds full forward, and is better than Neitz,

and I wouldn't have had Norm Smith at full forward anyway but had Fred Fanning, clearly the best full forward we've ever had, then no, neitz doesn't crack the team.

[warren dean 193]

Considering that Norm Smith holds full forward, and is better than Neitz,

and I wouldn't have had Norm Smith at full forward anyway but had Fred Fanning, clearly the best full forward we've ever had, then no, neitz doesn't crack the team.

It's an interesting question, isn't it? He is probably our second or third best full-forward as you rightly point out, and would have almost certainly been a better CHB than Hardeman had been allowed to play there for a reasonable amount of time - Carey did rate him alongside Jakovich as his toughest opponent. Unfortunately, injury to Schwarz over the 94/95 off season meant he had to play CHF for most of 1995 (when he was named AA and finished runner up in the B and F); and then continual injury problems with Lyon meant he had to move to FF. His first few of years under Daniher he became an exceptional utility player until he really settled at FF from 2002. IMO his best position was definitely CHB, but he has certainly been a very effective key forward. I'd have him at least on the bench and ahead of Viney who was a very good player but not in Neita's class.

[Jarka 767]

what do you mean quality vs quantity RR?? neitz is actually quite a good player you know..that's how hes made all australian three times and won a colemon medal...i know atm hes a bit old and is suffering but when neitz is at his best ala st. kilda celabratory game, he is outstanding, wayne carey put him there as one of his tougheset oponents and this was before neitz even became a prominant forward....i do think neitz could be slotted in

Three AA's...you sure about that? Other than 1995 when did he make All Australian?

I know I'm going to cop ALOT of flak over my next comment and I know that Neitz has been a great warrior for us but I truly believe he is the most overrated player we've had in a very long time. He's good, but he simply isn't as good as alot of demon supporters make him out to be. As a forward he's had one very good year and several good ones, but never a great year.

Let the flaming begin

[Hards 2]

He was AA FF in 2002, when he won the Coleman.

One of only a handful to have won AA selection in two completely different positions, that's a decent accomplishment.

I'd put him at CHB, lol.

[Jarka 767]

He was AA FF in 2002, when he won the Coleman.

One of only a handful to have won AA selection in two completely different positions, that's a decent accomplishment.

I'd put him at CHB, lol.

When was his third AA?

[Guest fatty]

Three AA's...you sure about that? Other than 1995 when did he make All Australian?

I know I'm going to cop ALOT of flak over my next comment and I know that Neitz has been a great warrior for us but I truly believe he is the most overrated player we've had in a very long time. He's good, but he simply isn't as good as alot of demon supporters make him out to be. As a forward he's had one very good year and several good ones, but never a great year.

Let the flaming begin

You’ve conceded so much I can’t argue with you.

When Melbourne finished bottom in 1981 with a sole victory and only due to the boot of Flower, Ron Barrassi stated that he had underestimated the influence that Carl Ditterich had over the team.

Without leadership succession plans (of which, I’ve seen very little to date), I suspect the same will be said of David Neitz. It may be an endightment on the MFC that no other player has stood up the way he has, but he is the best player we have had post-1987. Is he over-rated? I have no idea who rates him. I do know he has contributed more to the club on the field than any other player post Robert Flower.

Surely, you have better things to complain about.

[beelzebub 23,383]

With all due respect to the lad...how many premierships has Neeta led Melb to ? compared to say one Ronald Dale Barassi ??

History speaks for itself.. mightnt be pretty to all..but its there in balck and white ( or rather red and blue..lol )

All things in perspective...this hasnt exactly been our golden period !!

[Guest fatty]

With all due respect to the lad...how many premierships has Neeta led Melb to ? compared to say one Ronald Dale Barassi ??

History speaks for itself.. mightnt be pretty to all..but its there in balck and white ( or rather red and blue..lol )

All things in perspective...this hasnt exactly been our golden period !!

With all due respect to you BB59, your question is infantile. I don’t think anyone here disputes the lack of premiership success over the last 43 years.

I was referring to Barassi, The MFC Coach from 1981 – 1985. My reference to him was as coach only and was not not trying to make comparisons at all.

I can only guess that your inference is that Neitz has no premierships and therefore is no good.

[beelzebub 23,383]

dear oh dear.. another one incapable of rationale..

On th elist of team of the Centruty is listed one RDB... some have alluded that Neeta is about to take over the mantle as possibly the best of captains in the modern era

Fatty please take no offence but I wasnt even reffering to anything you said..

but I will now

you make guesses..and youre wrong.. ..always a bad move to assume isnt it

So where is fact wrong..?? The team of the century is strangely enough about a century's worth of players

So has Neitz been the best FF ? I would sugest..good...but not best. the best captain ??..again good ..but not best.

Nowhere do I infer he's no good..they are your words and you may keep them !!

[Guest fatty]

dear oh dear.. another one incapable of rationale..

On th elist of team of the Centruty is listed one RDB... some have alluded that Neeta is about to take over the mantle as possibly the best of captains in the modern era

Fatty please take no offence but I wasnt even reffering to anything you said..

Sorry - I thought as your post immediately followed mine, you were replying to me. I hadn't realised you were replying to the post in general.

I should learn not to be so conceited!!!

BTW - I agree with you ala David Neitz and his place in the TOC.

[DeeM 42]

Agree to all of it Neitz is a gun probably should be in the team but he needs the Premiership medal to secure a spot