Michael Long shouldn’t really be in that team. He was amazing the last 10 weeks or so in 93 after he stopped getting rubbed out but barring 95 he never got near those heights again. 3 major knee injuries stuffed his career, was a good contributor in 99-00 but adding it all up his career isn’t TOTC worthy.
Just had a look. Be hard pressed to average over 25 goals per game for both teams over the length of the seasons from 1949 to 1951…stopped there…but that standard would have stayed though the 60s too I think.
1980s & 90s were a goal feast weren’t they, not uncommon for both teams to exceed 100 points each…so say 30 goals average though the year I’m guessing though.
I’ll go out on a limb and say 40s and 50s footy scored 20% less than 80s and 90s footy, so Coleman to do what he did, at his size & weight, on ■■■■ grounds…yes a freak and the GOAT……And probably could have played most positions too and would have been a great footballer in any era, including today.
FFS you two: I posted it already!
So 25% less goals kicked in the 50 / 60s compared to the 80 / 90s or there abouts. I love being right 
I agree to a point. I am a firm believer that excellence does cross eras and that Coleman simply would have been an even better player in the modern game with the benefits of modern sports science, training facilities, physios, diets etc. Perhaps his physical size would see him playing more half forward than full forward but he would have still been a beast.
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I’m reasonably satisfied that as a small leading forward he’d be a better Houlahan.
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I know of at least 123,000 people who saw Coleman’s debut. What is this rubbish about 13,000 attending on the day
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Coleman was also sighted at the Star Hotel the night it burned down.
I didn’t see him there, what number was he wearing.
Back then they never kicked very long raking punts. Because they couldn’t…heavy leather balls, boots and ground surfaces took their toll. And Jesus they often drop kicked! Different times and different games tbh. They smoked freely at half time. Try that these days …
I never saw Coleman play but my old man did. I met him as a kid up in the EFC members whilst he was coach. Complete gent. He was my hero … we all as Bomber supporters and junior footballers wanted to be John Coleman and wear the No.10. To take those marks, kick the straightest of flat punts with a heavy ball and dominate the forward line like he did in replay after replay I studied was incredible. Fraser, Dyer, Caspar … all of them and many others couldn’t cope with his quick leads and marking. We had a freakish footballer and we knew it.
We ourselves were a large family … father being Richmond nailed on. My mother an avid Bomber and in love with Jack Clarke. The aunties loved Ken Fraser and Barry Davis of course. The Tiges side were CHF Royce Hart, Burke, Barrott and Clay (what a centreline btw) and Crowe, Greene Browne and Bartlett.Sheedy, Freddy Swift, Dean etc… they were a force. They eventually with Carlton took over the late 60s and 70s. But my father always said Coleman was the best footballer he ever saw.
To me so early on Essendon were different. When we were on no team came close. It flowed like silk and looking back on tape Coleman just kept nailing it. Geelong, Richmond and Carlton all great teams and backlines… but Essendon were and still are a class apart. We play forward looking, goal seeking, neat passing and tough enough football. And we’ll always favour a Coleman-esque type. Harry Jones … come on down.
Of course I’m 200% bias.
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That’s gotta be one of the greatest individual games by a midfielder ever.
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I think that game was peak Essendon for me. I’ll never see us be better than what we were that day. Yeah, we got through the prelim a few weeks later, and did what we had to do in the grand final, but that Qualifying final was like watching the best team ever play against the bottom team from the under 10’s.
125 point win in a final. Not against a team who scraped into 8th, but the 4th best team, who were also the reigning premiers. And cream on the top, Lloydy kicks his 100th and we get to run out on the field.
Days at the footy don’t get much better than that. (And yes, Joey was massive that day!)
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The longer our finals drought, the more I value players who performed in big finals.
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B: L. Gardiner - C. Ruddell - P. Bushby
HB: H. Tonkes - W. Buttsworth - H. Lambert
C: G. Hassell - W. Pearson - A. Harper
HF: H. Equid - G. Lane - R. Reynolds
F: R. McClure - W. Brittingham - K. Rawle
R: G. Abbott - J. Cassin - W. Hutchison
Res. : J. Jones - C. Lambert
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Check your maths Lloyd never kicked 150 goals/year
That was the best performance I’ve seen by any team that day. It was brilliant and ruthless. It was a 12 month build up for that day for the players and they wanted to make a statement.
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(Was used as music over a prelim final promo — in story, I link the above video to the Liberal-Party-leading Fark Carlton fascists)
They’re a bit hard to compare as different styles of players.
As a midfielder I actually think Hird and Watson have more similarities than Misiti and Watson.
Smokin Joe is more in the Merrett/Parish mould.