I think being Essington for so long we’ve forgotten what it’s like to have a team full of gun players within the salary cap. Look around, there are plenty of teams of recent years that have 8 to 10 legit guns in their respective positions some have had more .
The great geelong sides of last decade had 11 who were close to the best if not the best in their role in the comp
Key defenders Scarlett and Taylor
Small /medium rebounding defender Enright and Mackie
Mids Bartell, ablett, Selwood, Kelly and ling as tagger you could make argument for ottens too
Fwds Johnson and Chapman
11 or 12
Hawthorn this decade
Defenders Gibson Birchall lake burgone
Mids Lewis Mitchell Hodge Smith sewel
Forwards Rioli Franklin Roughead breust Guntson
13 though im cheating by having lake and Franklin in the same team so say 12
Sydney - admittedly with cap concession
Defenders Grundy, Richards malcheski Johnson Shaw
Mids Kennedy parker Haneburry Jack goodes McVeigh Bolton mumford Jetta (in the premiership year He was arguably the most damaging wing man in the comp)
Fwds okeefe
15, admittedly Parker was a sub and his reputation he later, Bolton was probably past his best and Johnson was a mere back pocket but arguably the best in the comp that year. Even so it’s still 12 or 13
ambrose isn’t up there yet… and you forgot McG… but yeah, our depth of real quality is looking alot better.
I think however that what separates the really good teams from the pack is their depth - their 15-25 players.
when I think of the p’ship Ess teams, it’s not the Madden/Daniher/Watson/Baker/Vanders or Hird/Fletch/Mercuri/Long/Lloyd/Lucas but rather the 2nd tier players that were really solid… It’s the teams that players in the 2nds have to absolutely break the door down to get a game in the seniors…
I did forget McGrath. Bj will go again next year but the year after? Gleeson Stewart and tbell will all be honest role players but i don’t think they will ever lay claim to being amongst the comps - interception/rebounding defenders, third tall forward or ruck. That isn’t to say they will not be superb contributors for us though and I’ll be wrapped for any of them to jump up and prove me wrong (something tbell has already done this year actually but he will not be a comp leading ruck unless he produces a whole season of his best footy from this year)