Top 10 for me, probably forgot someone huge Ablett - 99 Franklin - 97 Pendlebury - 96 Watson - 96 Kennedy - 95 Cotchin - 95 Swan - 95 Selwood - 95 Murphy - 94 Dangerfield - 94
He's the best fullback in the league now that Scarlett's gone. Just because his offensive threat isn't huge, doesn't make him not a gun. People underrate defense so, so much in the afl. So much.
I'm a defender, I grew up watching a legendary Geelong defence, but the problem is defence does not have as much an impact on the game as attack.
I'm pretty much the ultimate student of the game. I watch every game, every week - and at least twice. When I watch, I don't watch the football like most people, I analyse it. A bit like when people do HSC English and then every time they read a book after they're looking for themes and identifying crafts. I'm the ultimate AFL perv. Now that's not to say I'm > anyone or my opinion is. But I've watched so much football, and I'm certain defense is better than attack. I've never seen a premiership won with a (relatively) nonexistent backline, but I've seen plenty won with nonexistent forward lines. In fact, in the last 10 years I'd say most flags have been off the back of defense more than offense.
Most flags in the last 10 years have come from midfields. We live in the age of midfielders. What do midfielders do? They attack. There'd be 1? 2? defensive minded midfielders per team, and even then they're looking to cause damage on the attack. The best defences of the last couple of years have done what? Rebounded. You win by scoring more than the other team, you can't win without scoring. I love defence. My favourite players over the years have been Josh Hunt, Matthew Scarlett and Andrew Mackie. I played as a defender for 8 years. I know how defenders work, but they do not impact the game like a superstar forward or superstar midfielder does. Why are teams so intent on finding the next best key forward? Why do midfielders go so high in the draft? They're worth more on the field, and in today's footy they're genuinely the best players. The best players are played in places they're most damaging I mean.
2012 - Sydney. Midfield. Kennedy, Jack, etc. 2011 - Geelong. Midfield. Bartel, Selwood, Kelly, Corey 2010 - Collingwood. Midfield. Swan, Pendles, Thomas 2009 - Geelong. Midfield. Ablett, etc 2008 - Hawthorn. Probably the forward line. 100 to Franklin, 70 to Roughy 2007 - Geelong. Midfield. Potential for defence here admittedly, but the midfielders becoming elite won us this flag, the defence improved but they were still top quality prior 2006 - West Coast. Midfield. Judd, Cousins, Kerr, Embley 2005 - Sydney. Toughy, good all around team tbh. 2004 - Port Adelaide. Curious how you'd rate this one personally. 2001-2003 - Brisbane. Fab 4.
afl's a business bro. key forwards bring in the crowds and fans. The best midfields have been ones that are defensive minded though. You tell me, look at Carlton's midfield. Jizzworthy. Judd, Murphy, Kreuzer, Gibbs, Simpson, McLean, Robinson, Carrazzo. Why haven't Carlton succeeded? Overoffensive midfield. They've eventually picked up on it and sent Carrots in but it's still way too defensive. Statistically they dominate but they're rolled in things like centre breaks and goals from clearances. Look at the premiership midfielders - say, Geelong: Ablett, Bartel, Kelly, Corey, Selwood - I'll even throw in Enright as he often played through the middle then. Every single player was good offensively, but just as good defensively.
When I say defense wins premierships, I don't mean the back six. I'm referring to an amalgamation between the literal defence, the defense of the midfielders, pressure of the forwards and tactics. Sydney's 05 premiership was won not via midfielders or forwards, probably not even defenders - but with a revolutionary & defensive tactic. When I talk about defence, I'm not talking about players like Hurn who rebound; that's attack. I'm talking about defense mentality at it's core.
