Author Topic: What's our best 22 of the 21st century so far?  (Read 3832 times)

Offline one-eyed

  • Administrator
  • RFC Hall of Fame
  • *****
  • Posts: 98225
    • One-Eyed Richmond
What's our best 22 of the 21st century so far?
« on: November 02, 2023, 08:04:31 PM »
As per title - What would be our best 22 of the 21st century so far?

Offline mightytiges

  • RFC Hall of Fame
  • *****
  • Posts: 58597
  • Eat 'Em Alive!
    • oneeyed-richmond.com
Re: What's our best 22 of the 21st century so far?
« Reply #1 on: November 03, 2023, 02:20:47 PM »
To get the discussion going.


B:    Grimes            Rance         Vlastuin

HB:  J. Bowden       Astbury        Houli

C:   L. Cameron      Cotchin       W. Campbell

HF:  Richardson      Riewoldt      S. Edwards

F:    N. Brown          Lynch         D. Rioli       

R:  Nankervis         Martin         Prestia

Int:  K. Lambert    B. Deledio     S. Bolton      C. Newman 


I tossed up the ruck. Ottens over his career was a more highly rated ruckman but his best was at the Cats. Nank is a triple premiership player with us, so he got the nod.

The second key back could've been Gaspar but his kicking let him down. Astbury was underrated and we've struggled to replace him since he retired (Tarrant was his short replacement but not playing this year hurt us badly down back).

Small pressure forward I went with Dan Rioli as he is more versatile. Could have had Dan Butler but his best has been at the Saints. Georgie in the Gaspar category (ordinary kick). I was a fan of Matty Rogers but he is behind an A+ grader like Nathan Brown (pre-broken leg).
All you touch and all you see is all your life will ever be - Pink Floyd

Offline Andyy

  • RFC Hall of Fame
  • *****
  • Posts: 9972
Re: What's our best 22 of the 21st century so far?
« Reply #2 on: November 03, 2023, 04:00:01 PM »
I'd be tempted to have another ruck and it depends on the career.

If you look at their best you could argue Ottens + Stafford might trump Nank with one resting forward but that would leave us too tall imo

Offline lamington

  • RFC Hall of Fame
  • *****
  • Posts: 2872
  • For We're From Tigerland
Re: What's our best 22 of the 21st century so far?
« Reply #3 on: November 03, 2023, 04:36:29 PM »
Shaun grigg as 2nd ruck

Offline JP Tiger

  • RFC Hall of Fame
  • *****
  • Posts: 1562
  • For We're From Tigerland
Re: What's our best 22 of the 21st century so far?
« Reply #4 on: November 03, 2023, 05:05:41 PM »
Ohhhh ... the forward line!!  Wow!      :clapping
Once a Tiger, always a Tiger!  Loud, proud & dangerous!

Offline Diocletian

  • RFC Hall of Fame
  • *****
  • Posts: 19427
  • RWNJ / Leftist Snowflake - depends who you ask....
Re: What's our best 22 of the 21st century so far?
« Reply #5 on: November 03, 2023, 05:06:58 PM »
Always wondered how we would've gone if Cogs, Brown & Foley had never had those injuries. :shh
"Much of the social history of the Western world, over the past three decades, has been a history of replacing what worked with what sounded good...."

- Thomas Sowell


FJ is the only one that makes sense.

Offline mat073

  • Perth's biggest tiger tragic.
  • RFC Hall of Fame
  • *****
  • Posts: 4802
Re: What's our best 22 of the 21st century so far?
« Reply #6 on: November 04, 2023, 10:51:03 AM »
I can’t really argue with MT’s team but I have a few honourable mentions….

Andrew Kellaway was a top defender for a number of years . I think he was All Australia in 2000

The game has moved away from taggers - but Duncan Kellaway was the best in the business.

Mark Chaffey was solid down back .

If Leon Cameron is eligible …,then Broderick and Benny Gale could  seamlessly fit into that team too.
Unleash the tornado

Offline MintOnLamb

  • RFC Hall of Fame
  • *****
  • Posts: 3744
  • You have to think anyway, so why not think big? DT
Re: What's our best 22 of the 21st century so far?
« Reply #7 on: November 04, 2023, 11:30:17 AM »
Surprisingly no HRS 😂😂

FooffooValve

  • Guest
Re: What's our best 22 of the 21st century so far?
« Reply #8 on: November 04, 2023, 12:58:34 PM »
I reckon Matty Knights has to be in there somewhere.

Online Damo

  • RFC Hall of Fame
  • *****
  • Posts: 4495
  • Member of famed “Gang Of Four”. Ground the airbus!
Re: What's our best 22 of the 21st century so far?
« Reply #9 on: November 04, 2023, 02:39:02 PM »
I reckon Matty Knights has to be in there somewhere.

Why?

Was cactus by the turn of the century

Offline mightytiges

  • RFC Hall of Fame
  • *****
  • Posts: 58597
  • Eat 'Em Alive!
    • oneeyed-richmond.com
Re: What's our best 22 of the 21st century so far?
« Reply #10 on: November 04, 2023, 04:40:02 PM »
I'd be tempted to have another ruck and it depends on the career.

If you look at their best you could argue Ottens + Stafford might trump Nank with one resting forward but that would leave us too tall imo
I thought about a second ruck on the bench but, like you said Andyy, that team would be too tall. The only way around it would be to take Richo out of the forward line and put him on a wing 2008-style and then shove an Ottens in as a resting ruck forward.

I reckon Matty Knights has to be in there somewhere.
Knighter's best was in the 90s up until 1998. By the early 2000s he was approaching the end of his career. That's why I didn't include him.

I can’t really argue with MT’s team but I have a few honourable mentions….

Andrew Kellaway was a top defender for a number of years . I think he was All Australia in 2000

The game has moved away from taggers - but Duncan Kellaway was the best in the business.

Mark Chaffey was solid down back .

If Leon Cameron is eligible …,then Broderick and Benny Gale could  seamlessly fit into that team too.
Glad you brought up AK, matty. I thought about him as the 2nd tall defender vying against Astbury & Gaspar, but he really was more like a third tall type who was played at the time as a 2nd tall. So, based on that I had AK behind Grimes.

I wasn't a fan of Duncan. Yes, he could shut down opponents and earnt the nickname 'the glove', but with the ball he was a liability as he was arguably the worst kick I have ever seen play for the Tigers (he made George look a decent kick  :o ).

On the other hand, I loved Brodders. Thought about him as well but just couldn't put him in ahead of the mids included. His main competition was Kane Lambert and I just couldn't leave Lambo out. Also, Brodders' best was the 90s. Similar to Knights. He only averaged 13 disposals per game in 2000-01 before he retired.

On Benny Gale - I saw him as a solid contributor over a long period rather than a gun player. Again, more a 90s player IMO.

Which leads onto Leon Cameron. If there was a softer element to our dynasty era it would be the wings. We used Brandon Ellis, Kmac, Caddy and Grigg. All role players rather than stars (AT would disagree about Brandon ;D ). Occasionally, Sheds was placed on wing as well, but I've got Sheds at HF. So, Leon Cameron, who was still in his prime when he crossed over from the Dogs and a key to our 2001 finals run, got the gig on one wing. I put Cambo on the other wing as he played both centre and wing.

Chaffey was a solid B-grader who got the best out of himself IMO.
« Last Edit: November 05, 2023, 02:08:13 PM by mightytiges »
All you touch and all you see is all your life will ever be - Pink Floyd

Offline skiddymcghee

  • Future Richmond star
  • **
  • Posts: 99
  • "Be the Ball
Re: What's our best 22 of the 21st century so far?
« Reply #11 on: November 04, 2023, 04:42:51 PM »
Matthew Knights surely is in that team...

Offline Diocletian

  • RFC Hall of Fame
  • *****
  • Posts: 19427
  • RWNJ / Leftist Snowflake - depends who you ask....
Re: What's our best 22 of the 21st century so far?
« Reply #12 on: November 04, 2023, 04:49:41 PM »
Would put Rogers and even a cooked Knights in before any of the Three Kings of Unaccountable Football Campbell, Bowden & Newman. :shh
"Much of the social history of the Western world, over the past three decades, has been a history of replacing what worked with what sounded good...."

- Thomas Sowell


FJ is the only one that makes sense.

Offline Andyy

  • RFC Hall of Fame
  • *****
  • Posts: 9972
Re: What's our best 22 of the 21st century so far?
« Reply #13 on: November 04, 2023, 05:52:33 PM »
I'd be tempted to have another ruck and it depends on the career.

If you look at their best you could argue Ottens + Stafford might trump Nank with one resting forward but that would leave us too tall imo
I thought about a second ruck on the bench but, like you said Matty, that team would be too tall. The only way around it would be to take Richo out of the forward line and put him on a wing 2008-style and then shove an Ottens in as a resting ruck forward.

This is actually a sensational idea

Online Damo

  • RFC Hall of Fame
  • *****
  • Posts: 4495
  • Member of famed “Gang Of Four”. Ground the airbus!
Re: What's our best 22 of the 21st century so far?
« Reply #14 on: November 04, 2023, 07:06:21 PM »
Would put Rogers and even a cooked Knights in before any of the Three Kings of Unaccountable Football Campbell, Bowden & Newman. :shh

It’s a team for a this century
What was a better season , the 2 years of cooked Matty Knights or Taranto this year

Mark Coughlan won the Jack Dyer in 2003, definitely more than Knights did in this century

But longevity must play a role and Cogs only played 92 games

Personally, I was never a fan of Campbell and Bowden either
Give me Broad over Bowden every time