Swans chat Best 22 you have seen live

[MattW]

I saw a social media post today from a St Kilda supporter - the best 22 St Kilda players he had seen live.

I thought it seemed like an interesting exercise, applied to the Swans of course. Here’s mine:

B: Smith, Richards, Rampe
HB: McVeigh, Barry, Kennelly
C: Kirk(c), Kennedy, Cresswell
HF: Franklin, Hall, O’Loughlin
F: Papley, Lockett, O’Keefe
Foll: Goodes, Jolly, Kelly
Interchange: C Bolton, Parker, J Bolton, Hannebery

Thoughts?

[dejavoodoo44]

I saw a social media post today from a St Kilda supporter - the best 22 St Kilda players he had seen live.

I thought it seemed like an interesting exercise, applied to the Swans of course. Here’s mine:

B: Smith, Richards, Rampe
HB: McVeigh, Barry, Kennelly
C: Kirk(c), Kennedy, Cresswell
HF: Franklin, Hall, O’Loughlin
F: Papley, Lockett, O’Keefe
Foll: Goodes, Jolly, Kelly
Interchange: C Bolton, Parker, J Bolton, Hannebery

Thoughts?

Older fans would probably make a fair few changes, but I only have minor quibbles with that. Maybe Williams or Maxfield in for Cresswell? Williams probably had more pace and flair, but I doubt if he could have whacked his own kneecap back in? While Maxfield was very dynamic on his day.

I'm also not sure about Jolly? Some would say Ball. Some would go for the more intimidating Mumford. You could possibly even make a case for Stafford? But I would actually go for Mike Pyke. Sure, there was only a season or two when he was at his best, between a long apprenticeship and chronic late career injuries, but around about the 2012 final series, he was excellent.

[MattW]

Older fans would probably make a fair few changes, but I only have minor quibbles with that. Maybe Williams or Maxfield in for Cresswell? Williams probably had more pace and flair, but I doubt if he could have whacked his own kneecap back in? While Maxfield was very dynamic on his day.

I'm also not sure about Jolly? Some would say Ball. Some would go for the more intimidating Mumford. You could possibly even make a case for Stafford? But I would actually go for Mike Pyke. Sure, there was only a season or two when he was at his best, between a long apprenticeship and chronic late career injuries, but around about the 2012 final series, he was excellent.

I considered Maxfield and perhaps the team could do with more line breaking run. Cresswell was just so hard, though - it felt wrong to leave him out.

I almost went for Ball, particularly given his play over the 05 finals. Jolly just performed for longer. I couldn't pick Mummy. The exercise made me reflect - ruck is the one position we haven't had an elite player in the last 25 years.

[KSAS]

Going back some 50 years having watched my beloved Swans play, I find this an extremely difficult task. So many champions from so many different eras. I can't pick Skilton because I only got to see him play a few games live at the tail end of his career. Paul Roos was a bit past his best when he arrived. Here goes:

B: Dane Rampe, Leo Barry, Bernard Toohey
HB: John Rantall, Dennis Carroll, Mark Browning
C: Adam Goodes, Greg Williams, David Murphy
HF: Peter Bedford, Lance Franklin, Michael O'Loughlin
FF: Barry Hall, Tony Lockett, Steven Wright
R: Grahame Teasdale, Gerard Healy, Paul Kelly (C)

Interchange from: W Capper, R Quade, B Round, N Goss, S Hoffman, G Brice, J Pitura, T Morwood, B Evans, C Hounsell, D Ackerly, R Carter, D Rhys-Jones, B Mitchell, A Dunkley, D Lewis, D Cresswell, S Maxfield, J Bolton, C Bolton, B Kirk, T Kennelly, T Richards, H Grundy, R O'Keefe, L Jetta, D Hannebery, J McVeigh, K Jack, N Smith, J Kennedy, Luke Parker...I know I've left out more! T Papley & I Heeney on track to give serious consideration.

[goswannies]

Paul Roos was a bit past his best when he arrived.

You’re a pretty harsh critic! Roosy was an All Australian selection in 1996 & 1997 with us!

[KSAS]

I do sound a bit harsh about Roos when you mention that fact goswannies! He did retire at the end of 1998 if I recall correctly? Nevertheless I felt he played his best footy with Fitzroy over a longer period of time, notwithstanding he was very good helping us to transition from being a bottom team to a Grand Finalist in just 2 short years! Then of course coaching us to our drought breaking flag. It just goes to show how difficult it is for me to pick my best 22 over such a long period of time. Also realised I left out Mark Bayes from my extended bench, as he was graceful to watch.

[dejavoodoo44]

I think to any team that we pick, we should add: Coach - Paul Roos.

[goswannies]

I do sound a bit harsh about Roos when you mention that fact goswannies! He did retire at the end of 1998 if I recall correctly? Nevertheless I felt he played his best footy with Fitzroy over a longer period of time, notwithstanding he was very good helping us to transition from being a bottom team to a Grand Finalist in just 2 short years! Then of course coaching us to our drought breaking flag. It just goes to show how difficult it is for me to pick my best 22 over such a long period of time. Also realised I left out Mark Bayes from my extended bench, as he was graceful to watch.

I agree that Roosy best footy was with Fitzroy, but similar arguments could be mounted for Lockett at StKilda (he also had a hand in getting us into our first grand final in 51 years) and Buddy at Hawthorn (Bud helped us into our first grand final for 2 years ). Plugger, Bud & Roosy probably played their best footy at previous clubs (they were younger after all) and played more games at the previous clubs, but were still great contributors with us.

But it’s all very subjective

[Blood Fever]

I saw a social media post today from a St Kilda supporter - the best 22 St Kilda players he had seen live.

I thought it seemed like an interesting exercise, applied to the Swans of course. Here’s mine:

B: Smith, Richards, Rampe
HB: McVeigh, Barry, Kennelly
C: Kirk(c), Kennedy, Cresswell
HF: Franklin, Hall, O’Loughlin
F: Papley, Lockett, O’Keefe
Foll: Goodes, Jolly, Kelly
Interchange: C Bolton, Parker, J Bolton, Hannebery

Thoughts?

Great selection of modern day Swans players. Would put Hanneberry on wing in place of Cresswell who was a great warrior but I would put Crouch on bench. He got our best finals player award in 2005 and was a huge influence as a tagger in those golden years of the early to mid 2000s.

[111431]

Going back some 50 years having watched my beloved Swans play, I find this an extremely difficult task. So many champions from so many different eras. I can't pick Skilton because I only got to see him play a few games live at the tail end of his career. Paul Roos was a bit past his best when he arrived. Here goes:

B: Dane Rampe, Leo Barry, Bernard Toohey
HB: John Rantall, Dennis Carroll, Mark Browning
C: Adam Goodes, Greg Williams, David Murphy
HF: Peter Bedford, Lance Franklin, Michael O'Loughlin
FF: Barry Hall, Tony Lockett, Steven Wright
R: Grahame Teasdale, Gerard Healy, Paul Kelly (C)

Interchange from: W Capper, R Quade, B Round, N Goss, S Hoffman, G Brice, J Pitura, T Morwood, B Evans, C Hounsell, D Ackerly, R Carter, D Rhys-Jones, B Mitchell, A Dunkley, D Lewis, D Cresswell, S Maxfield, J Bolton, C Bolton, B Kirk, T Kennelly, T Richards, H Grundy, R O'Keefe, L Jetta, D Hannebery, J McVeigh, K Jack, N Smith, J Kennedy, Luke Parker...I know I've left out more! T Papley & I Heeney on track to give serious consideration.

Hard to fault this team. I think Roundy could captain from the bench