Good thing for the Tiges is no one will be raiding their list…
Essendon and Brisbane premiership teams would have murdered them. They played brutal football that was ruthless but also had players with skill to burn. Hawthorn and Geelong would have been interesting because they were precision gameplan with high skill that could have come unstuck against manic pressure.
Collingwood vs Richmond would be interesting because they possess similar game styles based around pressure.
Now I’ve read it all.
We joke that umpires are blind. There is probably some truth in your idea. Its not that they are blind, its that they do not always see.
Essendon and Brisbane premiership teams would have murdered them. They played brutal football that was ruthless but also had players with skill to burn. Hawthorn and Geelong would have been interesting because they were precision gameplan with high skill that could have come unstuck against manic pressure.
Collingwood vs Richmond would be interesting because they possess similar game styles based around pressure.
The game has changed radically since the Essendon/Brisbane premiership eras of the early '00s - it is now much higher pressure and higher possession - so in my mind it’s bunkum to say that they would’ve easily beat Richmond. There was a total of 80 tackles and 597 possessions in the 2000 GF, 88 tackles and 509 possessions in 2001; 117/553 in 2002; and 95/560 in 2003. A very ordinary but maniacal Collingwood almost knocked off the much more highly skilled Brisbane in 2002 by tackling the crap out of them - Collingwood laid 73 tackles that day (vs. Brisbane’s 44) and that was almost enough to win the game.
In this year’s GF there was 137 tackles and 687 disposals, and last year there was 193 tackles and 754 possessions, so it’s almost a completely different game to 15 years ago. And the evidence over the last 15 years is that extreme pressure can beat superior skill in the grand final - Sydney beat more skillful Hawks in 2012 doing that (110 tackles laid by Swans), Collingwood nearly beat more skillful Brisbane in 2002 by tackling, Bulldogs laid 101 tackles last year to beat the more skillful Swans, Collingwood stuck with more skillful Geelong for 3/4 in 2011 by laying 100+ tackles but eventually ran out of gas.
It is not a game where skill always beats pressure - maniacal pressure combined with modest skill can and often does beat superior skill. I suspect Richmond of 2017 would give Essendo/Brisbane of early 2000s a very good run for their money, and perhaps beat them, just like the 2002 GF.
To my eyes, AFL may be transforming into a game won by superior runners playing an unskilled rugby style.
- Defense just needs to scrag and tackle until it’s your turn with the ball.
- Now in possession, run in waves, throwing the ball about 2-5m, or very short foot passes. It requires minimal skill, low risk of a turnover.
- If you run out of nearby receivers, just kick the high ball forward to a contest, and make sure you run extra numbers there to collect the spill of the ball.
It doesn’t make for much of a spectacle IMO.
This rolling zone set up has created a game where you have sectioned off a big oval to instead have slices of the ground where nearly 36 players exist.
Its crap.
This is why ‘effort’ can now beat ‘skill’ because blocking shepharding and tackling in congestion disempowers the skillful player and doesnt allow for a skillfull running gamestyle to flow.
What the Tigers had though is Rance, Martin, Cotchin, Reilwoldt to compliment their running band of soldier ants.
You cant apply that pressure every week, but as tbe Tigers and Dogs have shown, a sustained 4 week block can get you over the line.
I think that it’s false to suggest that the Tigers have lucked out by playing well only during the finals with their game style.
I believe that we don’t give them enough credit for what they’ve achieved over the entire season.
They’ve been playing this way for the whole season.
We tend to forget that they started the year at 5-0 after less than impressive pre-season campaign whereby many pundits had them in wooden spoon contention.
They surprised everyone with that start but everyone felt that the inevitable Richmond drop off would come and that they’d end up in their traditional ladder position of ninth by the end of the season.
Then they got annihilated by the Crows after a great start in the first quarter before they regrouped and lost a number of close games by under a kick.
They then beat us in an scrappy affair at Dreamtime and apart from the Saunts shocker and loss down at Geelong have been a model of consistency since then.
Their improvement has not just come from being able to apply constant pressure all over the ground and sticking their tackles, I reckon it’s come from a much improved ability to move the ball quickly through the middle of the ground off half back due to much improved ball handling skills and their foot passing.
In previous years their ball movement and footskills were their greatest downfall which caused them to play out wide often along the boundary, but certainly not this year.
They play an extremely intensive style of football though that requires very high fitness levels and concentration, much like the Ross Lyon coached Saints teams and the Pies premiership side of 2010.
Not sure if this group will be able to sustain that ability to keep up the intensity for a long period though now that they will become the hunted now.
Do you think Essendon and Brisbane in the early 2000s couldn’t tackle?
They would’ve smashed Richmond. They were tougher and were way more talented. Seriously, Voss, Lappin, Akermanis and Black (that is the equivalent of 4 Dusty’s) / Hird, Johnson, Mercuri, Misiti… Those midfields a would’ve taken Richmond apart.
Completely missed the point.
Of course they could tackle, but the point is that there’s plenty of examples of less skilled teams beating more skilled opponents through pressure and tackling - I listed them, and omitted other examples like Saints very nearly beating Cats in 2009 and Swans more workmanlike midfield going toe to toe with Eagles superstar midfield in 2005-06.
It’s not as simple as saying that Brisbane/Essendon would win because they’re more skilled.
I agree with you but Brisbane and Essendon back then were as tough as nails. They were the most skilled and most determined.
razzle dazzle singing frank sinatra after our grand final win. imagine.
Who’s the most successful riewoldt now nick?
That Jack Riewoldt clip is awesome. Talk about having a good day.
Excellent summation.
All you need is the looney tunes music,