We have a team of the Century - officially. There is a team of the 19th Century as selected by the team at blueseum,org for Mark Pennings "Origins of Australian Football". And the Zero Hanger website did a Team of the 21st Century in May 2020. There's a few more players have probably put their names forth since then. But what about trying to work out an all time best Blues team? Well, let's have a go. In order to try and iron out personal bias I have approached it in this way:
Discount anyone who is not one of the three teams of the Century starting line-ups. If they are only on the bench or emergencies I figure they are likely pushed out by players from another era, although that might be tough on the 20th Century boys who are being selected from a pool of 100 years of players rather than 36 years for the 19th Century and 20 years for the 21st Century groups. That might possibly be hard on people who have split their careers across 2 centuries but I figure if they are good enough to be in consideration for an all time best side then they will have done enough to have made one or other of the starting lineups. It has the effect of ruling out a couple of players that are particularly favourites of mine. Carbine Moloney didn't make the Carlton 19th Century Team of the Century despite being ranked by at least one observer, an ex-Hawthorn captain talking as a 75 year old in 1937 as one of the best 5 players he had seen (he ranked George Coulthard as number 1). Ultimately I have found room only for George Coulthard from the 19th Century. I just don't know enough about the rest of the 19th Century players to be able to put them ahead of the 20th Century guys. The staring line-up rule also pushes out interchange players Fitzpatrick, Hunter, Keogh and Walls, (all favourite players of mine from childhood and youth), and legends Chitty Clover Kerr and McGregor. The 21st Century bench players Ed Curnow, Docherty, Houlihan and Stevens are all players I am comfortable leaving out. Players who have stepped up since May 2020 include Walsh Weitering C Curnow Saad McKay and the developing TDK but I don't think any of them have elevate themselves to the necessary level. Players named in the May 2020 team who I included are Betts, Cripps Judd and Koutoufides whilst others who came under consideration but I ultimately didn't select included Fevola M Murphy Simpson and L Whitnall. They all however make my team of the best I have seen and can remember which again was selected only from the starting line-ups of the 2 relevant teams of the century.
Thus, All time Best Blues Team
Comben Silvagni Jnr Southby
James Koutoufides Doull
Coulthard Williams Judd
Johnston S Kernahan Jesaulenko
Hands Vallence Betts
J Nicholls Cripps Bradley
Ashman Crane Deacon Gallagher Silvagni Snr
Best I have seen and remember
Jesaulenko Silvagni Jnr Southby
Hunter Koutoufides Doull
Bradley Williams Judd
Johnston Walls Betts
S Kernahan Fevola Ashman
J Nicholls Cripps Gallagher
Crane Fitzpatrick Keogh Silvagni Snr Simpson
Discount anyone who is not one of the three teams of the Century starting line-ups. If they are only on the bench or emergencies I figure they are likely pushed out by players from another era, although that might be tough on the 20th Century boys who are being selected from a pool of 100 years of players rather than 36 years for the 19th Century and 20 years for the 21st Century groups. That might possibly be hard on people who have split their careers across 2 centuries but I figure if they are good enough to be in consideration for an all time best side then they will have done enough to have made one or other of the starting lineups. It has the effect of ruling out a couple of players that are particularly favourites of mine. Carbine Moloney didn't make the Carlton 19th Century Team of the Century despite being ranked by at least one observer, an ex-Hawthorn captain talking as a 75 year old in 1937 as one of the best 5 players he had seen (he ranked George Coulthard as number 1). Ultimately I have found room only for George Coulthard from the 19th Century. I just don't know enough about the rest of the 19th Century players to be able to put them ahead of the 20th Century guys. The staring line-up rule also pushes out interchange players Fitzpatrick, Hunter, Keogh and Walls, (all favourite players of mine from childhood and youth), and legends Chitty Clover Kerr and McGregor. The 21st Century bench players Ed Curnow, Docherty, Houlihan and Stevens are all players I am comfortable leaving out. Players who have stepped up since May 2020 include Walsh Weitering C Curnow Saad McKay and the developing TDK but I don't think any of them have elevate themselves to the necessary level. Players named in the May 2020 team who I included are Betts, Cripps Judd and Koutoufides whilst others who came under consideration but I ultimately didn't select included Fevola M Murphy Simpson and L Whitnall. They all however make my team of the best I have seen and can remember which again was selected only from the starting line-ups of the 2 relevant teams of the century.
Thus, All time Best Blues Team
Comben Silvagni Jnr Southby
James Koutoufides Doull
Coulthard Williams Judd
Johnston S Kernahan Jesaulenko
Hands Vallence Betts
J Nicholls Cripps Bradley
Ashman Crane Deacon Gallagher Silvagni Snr
Best I have seen and remember
Jesaulenko Silvagni Jnr Southby
Hunter Koutoufides Doull
Bradley Williams Judd
Johnston Walls Betts
S Kernahan Fevola Ashman
J Nicholls Cripps Gallagher
Crane Fitzpatrick Keogh Silvagni Snr Simpson
