I read the double page spread in the Hun over the weekend about who from the current(last 5 yrs) Geelong Team would now be in their Greatest Team compared with there Team of the Century from 2001. http://www.geelongcats.com.au/geelongnews/newsarticle/tabid/3933/newsid/132556/default.aspx This got me thinking, and I've decided to try create the Best team of the past 5 years from Geelong. Here is what i ended up with... FB Harley Scarlett Enright HB Milburn Egan Wojcinski C Kelly Ling Corey HF Chapman Hawkins Bartel FF Stokes Mooney Johnson R Ottens AblettJnr Selwood INT Taylor J.Hunt Mackie Rooke EMG Byrnes Varcoe Podsiadly The hardest decision I thought was Egan over Taylor. I'm a massive fan of Egan. Was a shame his career was cut down but his foot.
Sorry mate Taylor has the runs on the board and no disrespect to Egan, but he wasn't in that class. Other than that I think the team is spot on.
Egan was All Australian in 2007. You're probably right. Was tossing up over it for ages. Irony is that if Egan never got injured, Taylor may have never played a game.
Yeah-nah, Taylor probably would have replaced Harley eventually. I think Taylor's performance in 2009 GF on Riewoldt was massive, and enough to swing things. Though I'm sure every Cat fan has jitters over his "deer in the headlights" in 2008 GF. Again, no disrespect intended on Egan because he was good on exposed form. Thing is he was about where Ben Reid is now, as All-Australian but still with lots to do. Taylor would be in a team before Reid mainly due to that runs on the board factor. Also I wouldn't have Byrnes on the emergencies, probably a few better players could fill that slot. You don't always get to play on Raph Clarke in the last quarter of a GF. Must be so happy every time he watches a replay of that game. Maybe for positional balance, you could insert Lonergan as an emergency. Podsiadly v Hawkins is also a tough selection. Pods has probably done more to deserve a spot, but Hawkins has potential to go better. If judging just on last 5 years, then one would have to go Pods > Hawkins, as his form at Geelong has been exceptional.
Pretty decent effort Warsaken, though i agree with Lucas and would have Taylor infront of Egan, and I would also have Rooke on the ground in front of Stokes, and possibly Stokes out and Varcoe on the pine - I have rarely seen Stokes contribute, and particularly so on the big stages.
Yea sorry lose all credibility when Hawkins is in best team of past 5 years. Has played 1 good game, the grand final and thats it. (not counting 2012 as its only 2 weeks old)
Hawkins was massive in all finals last year. Has kick 118 goals compared to Pods 108 (yes Thawk has played more games though). Hawkins played parts in 2007-now, Pods only from 2009. This swayed it to Hawkins for me. @Johnson - I loved the way Rooke went about it. @Lucas - Byrnes deserves to be emergency. Who else would you put there? Blake? King? Or one of the younger guys who made an impact last year (Duncan/Menzel/Christenson)? IMHO Byrnes has them covered. *Edit* Missed you suggested Lonergan. Already Have Scarlett/Taylor/Harley/Egan in side.