B: Harvey, Fletcher, Wanganeen
HB: Thompson, T.Daniher, N.Daniher
C: M.Neagle, J.Watson, Long
HF: Baker, Lucas, Mercuri
F: Bewick, Lloyd, Salmon
R: S.Madden, T.Watson, Hird
INT: Misiti, O'Donnell, Van Der Haar, J.Johnson
Emer: Merrett, Hawker, Ramanauskus
Hey Guys
All very well to pick your best 22, but what was the best team. Jobe Watson never played with TD or Vander.
Stay focussed, best team !!!!!!!!!!!
OP makes it clear the side is a composite of the best players you have seen play.
I have a problem with Essendon's small on-baller.
Baker and Williams were good, but I personally believe they're the weakest spot in most teams.
I think JJ and, dare I say it, Heppell have equal claims.
It's difficult to dislike any of these teams, though.
Is Heppell small? Almost 6'3"
Is Heppell small? Almost 6'3"
He must be still growing?
When he joined Bombers he was listed at 187cm (6'1and a bit "), now listed at 189 cm (6"2.5"). He will be as big a Paddy Ryder next year.
Goddard reckons he grew a few cms after being drafted - he was drafted at 17 though.
I know I grew 2-3cm from end of school (17 and a half) until stopping sometime 19/20/21.
Depends when they measure them as well. Most of them get measured at the start of their 18s year, again at draft camp if they go, and again when the clubs do the official heights & weights some time in pre-season.
Either way, 189 or 187cm is not what you'd call short for a midfielder in this era, let alone the 70s/80s/90s - Duckworth was listed at 187, TD 188, Dermie is shorter again.
Yeah doesn't puberty more or less stop at 21 or thereabouts? not out of the possibility for the draftees to grow a few cm after being drafted.
Some players also shrink. I remember when Jobe was a forward and therefore 194cm.
Some players also shrink. I remember when Jobe was a forward and therefore 194cm.
I thought I was stuck at a paltry 6'3" at age 19 but by 21 one I was an epic 6'4.5"
Has to be 2000 team. Flag and one loss for the year. Loss to the dogs at Etihad stadium on the back of Hardwick being injured early in the game.
Che Cockatoo Collins is a glaring omission…Gutsy and courageous to a fault and capable of kicking clinch goals.
Che Cockatoo Collins is a glaring omission....Gutsy and courageous to a fault and capable of kicking clinch goals.
Rubbish boomerang thrower, though.
Best Essendon Football Team. (From The Backline)
Back Pocket Full Back Back Pocket
Gavin Wanganeen Dustin Fletcher Graham Moss
Half Back Flank Centre Half Back Half Back Flank
Neale Daniher Scott Lucas Barry Davis
Wing Centre Wing
Michael Long Jack Clarke ( VC ) Mark Harvey
Half Forward Flank Centre Half Forward Half Forward Flank
James Hird Ken Fraser Terry Daniher
Forward Pocket Full Forward Forward Pocket
Paul Salmon Mathew Lloyd Mark Mercuri
Rucks
Ruck Ruck Rover Rover
Simon Madden Tim Watson Leon baker
Interchange
Paul Van Der Haar
Jobe Watson
Merv Neagle
Sub.
Mark Thompson
This is adapted slightly from the team l selected in a similar exercise in 2004, and is limited to players l have personally seen in action.
This is really, really hard. I've done it as the best I've personally seen (or in the case of when I was a kid, what I can remember seeing.)
B: Wanganeen Fletcher Thompson
HB: Harvey T.Daniher Wellman
C: Long J.Watson Bewick
HF: Hird Lucas Mercuri
F: Salmon Lloyd Baker
R: Madden T Watson J.Johnson
int:
Heppell, Misiti, Hardwick
Sub: Caracella
B.
Best Essendon Football Team. (From The Backline)
Back Pocket Full Back Back Pocket
Gavin Wanganeen Dustin Fletcher Graham Moss
Half Back Flank Centre Half Back Half Back Flank
Neale Daniher Scott Lucas Barry Davis
Wing Centre Wing
Michael Long Jack Clarke ( VC ) Mark Harvey
Half Forward Flank Centre Half Forward Half Forward Flank
James Hird Ken Fraser Terry Daniher
Forward Pocket Full Forward Forward Pocket
Paul Salmon Mathew Lloyd Mark Mercuri
Rucks
Ruck Ruck Rover Rover
Simon Madden Tim Watson Leon baker
Interchange
Paul Van Der Haar
Jobe Watson
Merv Neagle
Sub.
Mark Thompson
This is adapted slightly from the team l selected in a similar exercise in 2004, and is limited to players l have personally seen in action.
2000 was the best team I have seen. Pace, skill and champions all over the field.
Che Cockatoo Collins is a glaring omission....Gutsy and courageous to a fault and capable of kicking clinch goals.
Rubbish boomerang thrower, though.
....racist
Best Essendon Football Team. (From The Backline)
Back Pocket Full Back Back Pocket
Gavin Wanganeen Dustin Fletcher Graham Moss
Half Back Flank Centre Half Back Half Back Flank
Neale Daniher Scott Lucas Barry Davis
Wing Centre Wing
Michael Long Jack Clarke ( VC ) Mark Harvey
Half Forward Flank Centre Half Forward Half Forward Flank
James Hird Ken Fraser Terry Daniher
Forward Pocket Full Forward Forward Pocket
Paul Salmon Mathew Lloyd Mark Mercuri
Rucks
Ruck Ruck Rover Rover
Simon Madden Tim Watson Leon baker
Interchange
Paul Van Der Haar
Jobe Watson
Merv Neagle
Sub.
Mark Thompson
That would be a ridiculously slow side - 3 talls back, a pinch-hit CHB/CHF on the wing, 4 talls and a pinch hit CHF forward as well. Another CHB/CHF on the bench (and a pretty slow mid on the bench.
I'm with wim. If an Essendon "best of" team is weak in any area, it'd be in outside/running players.
Guys like Bewick, Rama get slightly more consideration than they might otherwise deserve, just because there's not a heck of a lot of great Essendon runners, even in the great sides. Conversely, there's always going to be 1 or even 2 CHB/CHF types very stiff to get missed.
If you're picking a team, I don't think you can force that many marking players in at the expense of midfielder-ey types.
80s sides had 3 talls back, 3 forward, and a ruck, with harvey able to do a bit of pinch-hitting off the bench.
2000 side had 3 back, 2 forward, a ruck and a ruck on the bench.
Modern sides have 3 back, 3 forward, and a ruck, with midfielders on the bench.
8 and a ruck just doesn't fit, especially when you've got some very large, slow midfielders.
B: Hardwick - Fletcher - M. Johnson
HB: Hibberd - Lucas - Wellman
C: D. Rioli - J. Watson - Long
HF: Mercuri - Harvey - Hird
F: Salmon - Lloyd - Caracella
R: Ryder - J Johnson - Misiti
I: Heppell - Wanganeen - O'Donnell - Zaharakis
I really tuned in around '93-'94-95.
Hooker & Hurley aren't too far off pushing into that side (for my timespan... the 80s group was pretty strong in that area)
B: Wanganeen A. Daniher Fletcher
HB: Thompson Wellman Hardwick
C: Long J. Watson Baker
HF: Hird Lucas T. Daniher
F: Mercuri Lloyd Bewick
Foll: Madden T. Watson J. Johnson
Inter: Salmon Misiti Van der Haar Harvey
Tough team to pick. I’ve been following since the mid-80s, so there was plenty of tall forward talent to pick from. I’ve gone with Anthony Daniher at fullback. In terms of pure stopping ability, he was as good as any tall defender I’ve seen pull on the red and black. He also releases Fletcher into a more attacking position, allowing him to zone off as third man up in the contest, and to get loose and use his kicking ability. CHB was just as tough. Wellman was probably undersized, but was one of the smartest defenders you’ll ever see. Harvey was even smaller, but just as wily. If Carlisle or Lucas had more opportunity in the role, they probably would have got the nod.
The forward line is probably a bit tall, but Hird can play on-ball, Van der Haar and TD at either end, and Lucas too. Lucas got the nod over Merrett, and Lloyd, Hird, Mercs and Bewick picked themselves. The ruck duo of Madden and Salmon was also no-brainer, especially considering what the both offer when resting forward.