Who of the current side would get in a revised "Team of the Century"

[Mr Meow]

Steven King is criminally underrated here.

It's not really about underrating. A second ruck is rarely picked in these merged teams. Blicavs or Mooney can chop out and are/were fantastic servants of the club as well. So for a lot of people it comes down to Ottens vs King.

James Kelly, Darren Milburn and Tyson Stengle have been All Australian too. Gryan Miers has been playing to that level as well, but link man forward flankers aren't picked for AA so he could be unlucky again. From your post suggesting changes to the team you quoted before, I believe these players were not in your side. Kelly and Milburn were really important players for the 2007-2011 premiership era, while Stengle and Miers were crucial for us breaking through in 2022 and potentially contending in 2024. Although I understand people not adding certain players untill they have more high quality years as Cats under their belts.

You could throw Tuohy into that group too.

But yeah, any omissions are just unlucky with space incredibly tight - it's not that people didn't consider them elite and fantastic contributors to the Cats.

 

[Wish Wellingtons]

Steven King is criminally underrated here.

Tried to get him in but Blicavs just a more useful second ruck option. I seriously considered Kent Kingsley too.

 

[Seeds]

Tried to get him in but Blicavs just a more useful second ruck option. I seriously considered Kent Kingsley too.

How is losing the hit outs more useful?

King, when fit, was pretty good around the ground too. Clearly the superior second ruck. As was john barnes.

 

[Sttew]

How is losing the hit outs more useful?

Because Blicavs offers so much more. He improves the flexibility and versatility of a team who can ruck, play back and forward, on the wing or in the midfield. He is such a rarity.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

A team of the last two decades is hard enough

Could have 2 teams and still argue over who's left out.
How blessed we've been.

 

[iameviljez]

Because Blicavs offers so much more. He improves the flexibility and versatility of a team who can ruck, play back and forward, on the wing or in the midfield. He is such a rarity.

To be fair, I have never seen Blicavs play forward. Occasionally he drops forward when playing on a wing to get the mismatch, but he never starts there.

King would have been a genuinely good second ruck in the modern game as well, for what it's worth. He could find the football, was good below his knees, and could genuinely play forward - not brilliantly, but certainly well enough, in the years where we also had Barnesy.

The guy was exceptional in a very, very ordinary footy team from 1999 till he started getting injured in 2003 - and that was the best of him, before he'd even turned 25. Nowadays, ruckmen get absolutely wrapped in cotton wool till they are 22, 23. Love the Blitz, but King was a better footballer.

 

[iameviljez]

James Kelly, Darren Milburn and Tyson Stengle have been All Australian too. Gryan Miers has been playing to that level as well, but link man forward flankers aren't picked for AA so he could be unlucky again. From your post suggesting changes to the team you quoted before, I believe these players were not in your side.

Milburn I left out in favour on Enright, Stewart and Sanderson. I do think Sando was the better player of the two, but only by a whisker.

Kelly - I preferred Cameron Ling, who is probably the best tagger I have ever seen in the game (including Liberatore Sr), due to his ability to hurt the opposition going the other way. His career before he switched to a tagging role was also slightly better (esp. 2004). Kelly could have been a club great, but for that busted leg.

Stengle and Miers have both had one great season so far, that's not enough (yet).

It's also a lot harder to win an AA jacket when you're in a crap team. To do so really requires a standout individual year well beyond the level of your teammates - especially in a specialist role like ruckman. That elevates King's standing IMO.

 

[supahoops]

Stewart, Blicavs & Jezza surely.

 

[supahoops]

Quiet day, and given we’re nearly a quarter of the way through, my rolling Team of the 21st Century.

Milburn Scarlett Enright
Stewart Taylor Duncan
Blicavs Bartel Kelly
Ottens Ablett Selwood
Guthrie Cameron Dangerfield
Johnson Hawkins Chapman

Corey Ling Stengle JHenry

 

[Cursed Cat]

I saw Gavaskar in his first match in Melbourne in 1972, playing for the Rest of the World Team they cobbled together to replace the South Africans. He'd had a fantastic debut series v the Windies, and obviously decided to continue the same way.
The very first ball of the match he hooked Lillee for 6 into the old concrete scoreboard stand.

So sad to recently learn of Fred's passing; I understand he went a little while ago now. Funny how you get to ''know'' certain poster's style and approach over time - Fred was certainly one of those distinctive voices, he was a great contributor to this forum.

Even though I'm now possibly the most senior poster here, I struggle with TOTC when regarding players we can only read about. No vision, totally different eras and professionalism. Would be great if we had the highlights packages we are able to access now

I mightn't have openly pried had you not put your seniority ''out there'' in the above quoted post Mr Vdubs, but - can I confirm that you were around to witness players from the 60s? Polly Farmer? I'm sure if I was a more diligent poster I would be able to recall these things. If ever you wish to ellucidte on such matters I am all ears!

And on the same path; was your Father a Cats man - and if so did he speak much about the 51-52 team?


Maybe around the time Geelong lost their 4th Grand Final between 1989-95 I became a little more interested in the club's distant (to me) past - specifically the Premiership years. Players who contributed mightily to Premiership efforts loom large in my estimations when it comes to weighing up a ''Team of the Century''

1924-2024 rules out Dick Grigg and a few other pioneers.

But I think I could still find room for Edward "Carji" Greeves, who was clearly one of the best players in the comp between 1923-'33.

He played in Geelong's overdue maiden VFL Premiership, and then managed to hang around another six seasons to once again take up his position as a centreman in a Geelong Premiership team. Won the 1st ever Brownlow medal in 1924.

A player like Jack Collins, who played in the 1937 Premiership team as a Centre Half Forward, was maybe (according to things I've read) a prototype of Jeremy Cameron - these match-winners of their eras have to be weighed and weighted against each other. Standing up in Finals is a big part of the criteria imo.


B: Bernie Smith Matthew Scarlett Jocka Todd
HB: Corey Enright Reg Hickey Andrew Mackie

C: Mick Turner Carji Greeves P. Dangerfield

HF: Paul Chapman Fred Flanagan Steve Johnson
F: Cliff Rankin Tom Hawkins Gary Ablett

R: Polly Farmer Joel Selwood Gary Ablett

I/C: Brad Ottens Jeremy Cameron Tommy Quinn Tom Stewart

Sub: Greg Williams

there are reputedly dynamic players from those early-50's teams who had a huge impact in a short time; in my estimation some that are hard to guage; John Hyde is one.

And maybe we only ever really had 1 True wing in Mick Turner? Peter Riccardi a really worthy consideration but alas a Premiership short; and yes you can shoe-horn any number of Genuinely Great Geelong legends into a faux-wing role (role call: Bartel, Joel Corey, James Kelly, - that's not even starting on historically conisseur sh*t like Jack Carney, so oddly aptly named...Blicavs... maybe even Mitch Duncan, Cam Guthrie) but maybe only Turner jr really fit the bill.

My advocacy for Andrew Mackie surprises myself; he was never one of my favourites as it all played out back in those watershed times. And yet whenever I look back at any of the Finals from that period, Andrew Mackie is playing. And playing well. He was Geelong's Swan McKay; a good player who low-key stepped up even further in the biggest of games.

 

[Vdubs]

So sad to recently learn of Fred's passing; I understand he went a little while ago now. Funny how you get to ''know'' certain poster's style and approach over time - Fred was certainly one of those distinctive voices, he was a great contributor to this forum.



I mightn't have openly pried had you not put your seniority ''out there'' in the above quoted post Mr Vdubs, but - can I confirm that you were around to witness players from the 60s? Polly Farmer? I'm sure if I was a more diligent poster I would be able to recall these things. If ever you wish to ellucidte on such matters I am all ears!

And on the same path; was your Father a Cats man - and if so did he speak much about the 51-52 team?


Maybe around the time Geelong lost their 4th Grand Final between 1989-95 I became a little more interested in the club's distant (to me) past - specifically the Premiership years. Players who contributed mightily to Premiership efforts loom large in my estimations when it comes to weighing up a ''Team of the Century''

1924-2024 rules out Dick Grigg and a few other pioneers.

But I think I could still find room for Edward "Carji" Greeves, who was clearly one of the best players in the comp between 1923-'33.

He played in Geelong's overdue maiden VFL Premiership, and then managed to hang around another six seasons to once again take up his position as a centreman in a Geelong Premiership team. Won the 1st ever Brownlow medal in 1924.

A player like Jack Collins, who played in the 1937 Premiership team as a Centre Half Forward, was maybe (according to things I've read) a prototype of Jeremy Cameron - these match-winners of their eras have to be weighed and weighted against each other. Standing up in Finals is a big part of the criteria imo.


B: Bernie Smith Matthew Scarlett Jocka Todd
HB: Corey Enright Reg Hickey Andrew Mackie

C: Mick Turner Carji Greeves P. Dangerfield

HF: Paul Chapman Fred Flanagan Steve Johnson
F: Cliff Rankin Tom Hawkins Gary Ablett

R: Polly Farmer Joel Selwood Gary Ablett

I/C: Brad Ottens Jeremy Cameron Tommy Quinn Tom Stewart

Sub: Greg Williams

there are reputedly dynamic players from those early-50's teams who had a huge impact in a short time; in my estimation some that are hard to guage; John Hyde is one.

And maybe we only ever really had 1 True wing in Mick Turner? Peter Riccardi a really worthy consideration but alas a Premiership short; and yes you can shoe-horn any number of Genuinely Great Geelong legends into a faux-wing role (role call: Bartel, Joel Corey, James Kelly, - that's not even starting on historically conisseur sh*t like Jack Carney, so oddly aptly named...Blicavs... maybe even Mitch Duncan, Cam Guthrie) but maybe only Turner jr really fit the bill.

My advocacy for Andrew Mackie surprises myself; he was never one of my favourites as it all played out back in those watershed times. And yet whenever I look back at any of the Finals from that period, Andrew Mackie is playing. And playing well. He was Geelong's Swan McKay; a good player who low-key stepped up even further in the biggest of games.

First games I went to were in 62 as a 6yo. But properly in 63.
I fondly remember Polly, Billy, Wade, Sharrock, Walker, Vinar, Polinelli, Heinz, Rosenow, the Lords, and my dad's favourite, Terry Callan.
When The Big Cat, Billy and Bobby (The Holy Trinity)visited our school in 65 to teach us a few basic footy skills (St. Joeys), I was a Cat for life, if I wasn't already.

Our parents immigrated here in 52, and did not live in Geelong until maybe 54, 55, and our dad did not attend games before 62, iirc.

 

[Gazza Greatness]

First games I went to were in 62 as a 6yo. But properly in 63.
I fondly remember Polly, Billy, Wade, Sharrock, Walker, Vinar, Polinelli, Heinz, Rosenow, the Lords, and my dad's favourite, Terry Callan.
When The Big Cat, Billy and Bobby (The Holy Trinity)visited our school in 65 to teach us a few basic footy skills (St. Joeys), I was a Cat for life, if I wasn't already.

Our parents immigrated here in 52, and did not live in Geelong until maybe 54, 55, and our dad did not attend games before 62, iirc.

-
I'd leave John Sharrock out of 'no Geelong side' including team of century. Better footballer than Geelong champs Chappy and Stevie J, so that's how good a footballer John Sharrock was!

John Sharrock was an abundantly talented footballer whose career was cruelly short-circuited by injury. Geelong recruited him from Tooleybuc and he made his debut in the premiership year of 1963, which culminated in his lining up for the Cats on a half forward flank in the Grand Final against Hawthorn. Strong overhead, a superb kick, and boasting exemplary ground skills, Sharrock was an eye-catching performer capable of turning a match single-handedly, as he did in the Preliminary Final of 1967 with three quick third quarter goals against Carlton.

Although he played most of his VFL career as a half forward flanker, Sharrock proved his adaptability in 1966 when he was shifted to full back to cover for the injured Roy West and ended up running third in the Brownlow. He made his interstate debut in 1968, but shortly afterwards a knee injury sustained while playing tennis brought his career to a peremptory end after just 94 games.

 

[Hinkley29]

How is losing the hit outs more useful?

King, when fit, was pretty good around the ground too. Clearly the superior second ruck. As was john barnes.

Of course King is the better second ruck. He was a very good first ruck.

The point is that Blicavs is the best second everything. That is why he makes the team and it means you don’t need a second ruck.

 

[Hinkley29]

-
I'd leave John Sharrock out of 'no Geelong side' including team of century. Better footballer than Geelong champs Chappy and Stevie J, so that's how good a footballer John Sharrock was!

John Sharrock was an abundantly talented footballer whose career was cruelly short-circuited by injury. Geelong recruited him from Tooleybuc and he made his debut in the premiership year of 1963, which culminated in his lining up for the Cats on a half forward flank in the Grand Final against Hawthorn. Strong overhead, a superb kick, and boasting exemplary ground skills, Sharrock was an eye-catching performer capable of turning a match single-handedly, as he did in the Preliminary Final of 1967 with three quick third quarter goals against Carlton.

Although he played most of his VFL career as a half forward flanker, Sharrock proved his adaptability in 1966 when he was shifted to full back to cover for the injured Roy West and ended up running third in the Brownlow. He made his interstate debut in 1968, but shortly afterwards a knee injury sustained while playing tennis brought his career to a peremptory end after just 94 games.

94 games not enough. Unlucky, but it just isn’t.

 

[Hinkley29]

So sad to recently learn of Fred's passing; I understand he went a little while ago now. Funny how you get to ''know'' certain poster's style and approach over time - Fred was certainly one of those distinctive voices, he was a great contributor to this forum.



I mightn't have openly pried had you not put your seniority ''out there'' in the above quoted post Mr Vdubs, but - can I confirm that you were around to witness players from the 60s? Polly Farmer? I'm sure if I was a more diligent poster I would be able to recall these things. If ever you wish to ellucidte on such matters I am all ears!

And on the same path; was your Father a Cats man - and if so did he speak much about the 51-52 team?


Maybe around the time Geelong lost their 4th Grand Final between 1989-95 I became a little more interested in the club's distant (to me) past - specifically the Premiership years. Players who contributed mightily to Premiership efforts loom large in my estimations when it comes to weighing up a ''Team of the Century''

1924-2024 rules out Dick Grigg and a few other pioneers.

But I think I could still find room for Edward "Carji" Greeves, who was clearly one of the best players in the comp between 1923-'33.

He played in Geelong's overdue maiden VFL Premiership, and then managed to hang around another six seasons to once again take up his position as a centreman in a Geelong Premiership team. Won the 1st ever Brownlow medal in 1924.

A player like Jack Collins, who played in the 1937 Premiership team as a Centre Half Forward, was maybe (according to things I've read) a prototype of Jeremy Cameron - these match-winners of their eras have to be weighed and weighted against each other. Standing up in Finals is a big part of the criteria imo.


B: Bernie Smith Matthew Scarlett Jocka Todd
HB: Corey Enright Reg Hickey Andrew Mackie

C: Mick Turner Carji Greeves P. Dangerfield

HF: Paul Chapman Fred Flanagan Steve Johnson
F: Cliff Rankin Tom Hawkins Gary Ablett

R: Polly Farmer Joel Selwood Gary Ablett

I/C: Brad Ottens Jeremy Cameron Tommy Quinn Tom Stewart

Sub: Greg Williams

there are reputedly dynamic players from those early-50's teams who had a huge impact in a short time; in my estimation some that are hard to guage; John Hyde is one.

And maybe we only ever really had 1 True wing in Mick Turner? Peter Riccardi a really worthy consideration but alas a Premiership short; and yes you can shoe-horn any number of Genuinely Great Geelong legends into a faux-wing role (role call: Bartel, Joel Corey, James Kelly, - that's not even starting on historically conisseur sh*t like Jack Carney, so oddly aptly named...Blicavs... maybe even Mitch Duncan, Cam Guthrie) but maybe only Turner jr really fit the bill.

My advocacy for Andrew Mackie surprises myself; he was never one of my favourites as it all played out back in those watershed times. And yet whenever I look back at any of the Finals from that period, Andrew Mackie is playing. And playing well. He was Geelong's Swan McKay; a good player who low-key stepped up even further in the biggest of games.

Stewart is a better player than Mackie. Stewart does everything Mackie did well, and is better in the air, quicker and more physical.

I love Mackie, that cheeky bastard is one of my all time favourite cats, but Stewart is just better.

Greg Williams played 34 games for Geelong. It is pretty insulting to a raft of Geelong champs who missed if you put him in an all-time Geelong team.

 

[year of the cat]

Stewart is a better player than Mackie. Stewart does everything Mackie did well, and is better in the air, quicker and more physical.

I love Mackie, that cheeky bastard is one of my all time favourite cats, but Stewart is just better.

Greg Williams played 34 games for Geelong. It is pretty insulting to a raft of Geelong champs who missed if you put him in an all-time Geelong team.

Williams best footy wasn’t even with us. He wouldn’t get in on that alone. His first year was excellent but from memory his second didn’t reach those standards. Shouldn’t be considered at all I wouldn’t have thought.

 

[Gazza Greatness]

94 games not enough. Unlucky, but it just isn’t.

John Sharrock was too good a footballer not to the break rules, so he's in for me.

 

[Cursed Cat]

First games I went to were in 62 as a 6yo. But properly in 63.
I fondly remember Polly, Billy, Wade, Sharrock, Walker, Vinar, Polinelli, Heinz, Rosenow, the Lords, and my dad's favourite, Terry Callan.
When The Big Cat, Billy and Bobby (The Holy Trinity)visited our school in 65 to teach us a few basic footy skills (St. Joeys), I was a Cat for life, if I wasn't already.

Our parents immigrated here in 52, and did not live in Geelong until maybe 54, 55, and our dad did not attend games before 62, iirc.

So good to have you as a resource to tap into those bygone days Vdubs - I'm no spring chicken, but that 60s team is prior to my birth so it is great to have someone on this board who can recall those times.

Always one of my favourite posters on a more general level, too.

 

[Cursed Cat]

Stewart is a better player than Mackie. Stewart does everything Mackie did well, and is better in the air, quicker and more physical.

I love Mackie, that cheeky bastard is one of my all time favourite cats, but Stewart is just better.

Greg Williams played 34 games for Geelong. It is pretty insulting to a raft of Geelong champs who missed if you put him in an all-time Geelong team.

Stewart may be a better player than Mackie by some measurements.

But Mackie played a lot of Finals for Geelong, and I'm not sure I ever saw him play a bad one. Underrated for what he achieved in Big games.

Greg Williams is one of the best players to have played Australian Rules Football.

 

[Hinkley29]

Stewart may be a better player than Mackie by some measurements.

But Mackie played a lot of Finals for Geelong, and I'm not sure I ever saw him play a bad one. Underrated for what he achieved in Big games.

Greg Williams is one of the best players to have played Australian Rules Football.

Are you putting Williams in our all time team because of how well he played for other teams?

Curious decision

 

[Cursed Cat]

Are you putting Williams in our all time team because of how well he played for other teams?

Curious decision

The football Greg Williams played for Geelong is some of the best football I've seen played for Geelong/

 

[Hinkley29]

The football Greg Williams played for Geelong is some of the best football I've seen played for Geelong/

Each to their own I guess

 

[TheEscapeClub]

Williams best footy wasn’t even with us. He wouldn’t get in on that alone. His first year was excellent but from memory his second didn’t reach those standards. Shouldn’t be considered at all I wouldn’t have thought.

Diesel's second season he won the Carji and was league MVP.

He'd be one of my first picked.

 

[Mr Meow]

So good to have you as a resource to tap into those bygone days Vdubs - I'm no spring chicken, but that 60s team is prior to my birth so it is great to have someone on this board who can recall those times.

Always one of my favourite posters on a more general level, too.

You told me I was your favourite...

 

[year of the cat]

Diesel's second season he won the Carji and was league MVP.

He'd be one of my first picked.

Stand corrected regarding his second season. Maybe it was the back end of his first I’m thinking of? In any case he didn’t play anywhere near enough games to be considered.