1980 Season

[Harry the Horse]

you would

um, they did have a 19-3 record that year, & were a dominant force.
North the best team in 1987, daylight 2nd.

Can't argue with that ... reckon daylight regularly finished 2nd during the decade.

But as for being one of the best teams of the 1980s ... you're giving yourself a little bit of a tickle up.

[Hondo]

you would

um, they did have a 19-3 record that year, & were a dominant force.
North the best team in 1987, daylight 2nd.

Can't argue with that ... reckon daylight regularly finished 2nd during the decade.

But as for being one of the best teams of the 1980s ... you're giving yourself a little bit of a tickle up.

The previous year we made the semi-finals of the Fosters Cup beating Melbourne and Collingwood (at Waverley)

1980 Port, 1983 West, 1985 Glenelg, 1987 North in no particular order were IMO the best teams of the 80s

Besides, your missing Punky's point. This discussion was started by Rog's opinion (which I agree with) that 1980 Port were the most dominant team in a single season. North only lost 1 game after round 5 that year.

And daylight was not a regular second in the 1980s. In 1984, 1986, 1982, 1981, 1985, 1989 the premier was not the minor premier. Unfortunately in 3 of those seasons it was North that were the minor premier. However, finishing minor premier 4 times in the 80s says something about the quality of the side, melt-downs in Grand finals aside.

Back on topic ... 1980 was the first season I followed footy closely. I remember watching highlights of most of the finals. Dad took me to one of Barrie Robran's last games (v West at Footy Park) and had me watch through the binoculars. He was trying to impress on me the importance of what I was watching but it was a bit lost on a 9 year old!

Port were everywhere I remember I had their entire side and guernsey numbers memorised and still can quote most of them to this day. If Port had gone into the AFL in 1981 with that exact side (including Mark Williams - can't remember if he played for Port in 1980?) they would have made top 4 IMO, at least.

[Punk Rooster]

you would

um, they did have a 19-3 record that year, & were a dominant force.
North the best team in 1987, daylight 2nd.

Can't argue with that ... reckon daylight regularly finished 2nd during the decade.

But as for being one of the best teams of the 1980s ... you're giving yourself a little bit of a tickle up.

bull5hit.
I reckon North circa '87 would've beaten West circa '83, no comment on Port's early 80's side (too young)

[am Bays]

bull5hit.
I reckon North circa '87 would've beaten West circa '83, no comment on Port's early 80's side (too young)

OK I'll bite....

I reckon ur 86 side was better than ur 87 side, which was on par with your 85 side. The biggest in from 85-87 was D Jarman. IIRC from 86 to 87 the biggest changes were Campbell, Robertson and Antrobus gone to AFL and replaced by Sims and Roberts.

With the draft introduced in 86 the downwad spiral to the formation of the Crows and Power well the SANFL was never the same from the early and mid 80s.

No question you were the best team of 87 and deserved the flag but I reckon our 85 side would have beaten ur 87 team by more than what we won the 85 final by. Ur 86 side would've beaten us by 20 goals on that day not 15.

the fire extinguisher is at the ready....

[spell_check]

the fire hydrant is at the ready....

[Hondo]

OK I'll bite....

I reckon ur 86 side was better than ur 87 side, which was on par with your 85 side. The biggest in from 85-87 was D Jarman. IIRC from 86 to 87 the biggest changes were Campbell, Robertson and Antrobus gone to AFL and replaced by Sims and Roberts.

With the draft introduced in 86 the downwad spiral to the formation of the Crows and Power well the SANFL was never the same from the early and mid 80s.

No question you were the best team of 87 and deserved the flag but I reckon our 85 side would have beaten ur 87 team by more than what we won the 85 final by. Ur 86 side would've beaten us by 20 goals on that day not 15.

I don't agree Tassie. The 85 team was an emerging side but by the GF was missing Dietrich (discipline) and Clisby (injured). Their replacements were good, honest players but if you watch the game they weren't a patch on the Bays that day. I'd say we had around 5 players that wouldn't have made either of the following 2 years' GF sides.

The 86 team on paper was the best side of the 3 years IMO. It was fast & skilfull however history shows that poor discipline and a lack of hardness found us out in the end.

To 87, Antrobus, Robertson, Campbell and Dietrich were outs however their replacements in Burton, Sims & Roberts were all quality players. 87 finally found the balance between skill and toughness so it is the superior TEAM, even though 86 had superior individual talent. In 87 we finally had 20 guys come together as a cohesive team on GF day.

If you talk up the 1986 team, remember that about 16 of the 20 were also part of the 87 side. And the outs from 86, had quality replacements as I mentioned. And, based on the performances of the missing 4 in the previous 2 GF's, I don't think we missed them as much as their talent suggested we would.

What seals the deal for me for 87 as the best team is that our greatest player of that era IMO, Darren Jarman, was at his best out of the 3 teams (didn't play in 85).

Yes, the VFL's player raiding was starting to get into full swing but following 1987, we had the 1988-90 PA sides which were very strong, as was the Glenelg team of 1990. I don't think you can use that alone to put early 80s teams > late 80s.

I'd be interested in the thoughts of Leaping Lindner or Wedgie if they happen on to this derailed thread about 1980!

[Harry the Horse]

you would

um, they did have a 19-3 record that year, & were a dominant force.
North the best team in 1987, daylight 2nd.

And daylight was not a regular second in the 1980s. In 1984, 1986, 1982, 1981, 1985, 1989 the premier was not the minor premier. Unfortunately in 3 of those seasons it was North that were the minor premier. However, finishing minor premier 4 times in the 80s says something about the quality of the side, melt-downs in Grand finals aside.

Minor premier is irrelevant. Daylight was second in 1981, 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1989 based not just on grand final margin but dominance of one team over the other at the pointy end of the season.

As for Punky's outburst ... North's 87 side wouldn't have held a candle to Port 80, West 83 or Glenelg 85.

I also have little doubt that Port 81 and Norwood 82 were better sides ...

[nickname]

North's '87 side only beat West's '87 side by 20 pts and 11 pts in their two encounters, which would, I'd have thought, make it hard to argue they would have beaten our '83 side.

[Hondo]

Minor premier is irrelevant. Daylight was second in 1981, 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1989 based not just on grand final margin but dominance of one team over the other at the pointy end of the season.

As for Punky's outburst ... North's 87 side wouldn't have held a candle to Port 80, West 83 or Glenelg 85.

I also have little doubt that Port 81 and Norwood 82 were better sides ...

I am talking about (as was Rog to start this debate) a dominant season - minor round, major round AND GF. North went 21-3 and dominated the entire season of 1987 just like Port did in 1980 and West in 1983. Glenelg didn't dominate 85 minor round but IMO were clearly the best side that year so I added them to my list.

In trying to compare different premiership sides remember the 87 North side was a steady improver from the 83 side which finished 4th, 85 2nd, 86 2nd. It was competitive with the strongest sides of 83-86. 83 North was much inferior to 87 but still came 4th so how can you argue 83 West was streets ahead of 87 North? In fact, the 85 North team (still inferior to 87) beat West in the Prelim. 2 years after being one of the best teams of all time?

TBH you can't argue one way and I can't the other because they never played each other.

I think the premiership sides right up to 1990 were all part of the SANFL's golden era. I rate Port's 89 side as better than their 81 but I'd be interested in Port fans' views. 1989 Port was very strong if you go back and look at it on paper. As was 1990 and as was 1990 Glenelg.

[Magpiespower]

West '83 - unbelievable. The one year they put it all together.

Still have nightmares about that round 15 match at Richmond when they came back from 29 points virtually into time-on in the last quarter to win by a point. Season over!

The second quarter in the GF was West at its rampant, irresistable best - ten goals after being five goals down. Game over!

I think the premiership sides right up to 1990 were all part of the SANFL's golden era. I rate Port's 89 side as better than their 81 but I'd be interested in Port fans' views. 1989 Port was very strong if you go back and look at it on paper. As was 1990 and as was 1990 Glenelg.

Port struggled early in '81 - were sitting out of the five after eleven rounds with only five wins.

But then hit their stride - won eleven out of their last thirteen games, including the demolition job of Glenelg in the GF. If '81 was just about the last roll of the die for many in this team, then 82 certainly was.

The '89 side boasted a 17 game winning streak from round three before dropping the last two minor round games. This was a team with plenty of footy to come.

Too young to compare these sides. But it's fair to say '81 was on the way down and '89 on the way up.

Reakon Port '89 was a shade stronger and a better-balanced side than '90. Even though they have similar records (21-4 in '89 versus 19-4 in '90).

Andrew Obst and Roger Delaney were two losses we just weren't able to cover in 1990. And reigning B&F Russell Johnston was on his last legs, too.

Some trivia to haunt Tassie, Pseudo, Harry & co. - the only reason three-goal hero Adrian Settre played in the GF was because Russell Boyd missed a training session and was dropped for disciplinary reasons.

[nickname]

We were never actually 5 goals down in the 83 GF Magpiespower but yes the 10-goal second quarter was a cracker.
The round 15 game is a favourite of most West fans. I've watched it quite a few times. We were actually 23 points down at the 24 minute mark (I think) after Cunningham kicked your last goal. Sorry, I know this is off topic.

[am Bays]

Too young to compare these sides. But it's fair to say '81 was on the way down and '89 on the way up.

Reakon Port '89 was a shade stronger and a better-balanced side than '90. Even though they have similar records (21-4 in '89 versus 19-4 in '90).

81 has to be a better side than 89, it had Russell.....

As for your Settre comment go and get F*****

[Leaping Lindner]

North's 1972 side was better than it's 1987 side IMO.

[drebin]

North's 1972 side was better than it's 1987 side IMO.

Certainly was and the fact we beat Carlton in the COA match added to that fact. In 1986 North did very well to beat Melb and Collingwood (both VFL strugglers) in the mid week night comp before getting flogged by eventual VFL Premiers Hawthorn in the semi's. We would have had absolutely no show against the '87 VFL Premier on that basis (who was ironically Carlton) which makes the 1972 NAFC team our best ever and arguably one of the best ever SANFL teams.

[Hondo]

I think if we were to draw a line in the sand to assess the strength of SANFL teams pre- and post- VFL player raiding we'd have to go earlier than 1986 IMO

Port for example after 1980 lost Abernethy, Phillips, Hughes, and M Williams ... who knows what could have happened in 82 if they had all stayed? Well before 1986 Glenelg lost Weston, Copping, Cornes (1 year only) & Hodgeman off the top of my head. 2 of them came back in time to make premiership sides.

Also, the VFL teams were progressively getting stronger by comparison from the late 70s as their recruiting across Australia stepped up. Carlton 87 had a host of ex WAFL and SANFL players while the SANFL clubs did not have the $$$ to keep up with the pace.

So even comparing results of NA v Carlton 1972 to Carlton 1987 is slightly flawed, even tho I'd assume North 1972 was stronger than North 87.

I always stand by my mantra - you can't compare champions of different eras! So many different variables plus they can never play off to prove it either way.

[Leaping Lindner]

Even though I think 87 had the best ruck in Redden;Jarman;and Hart compared to Sporn; Plummer and Von Bertouch. If you look at the spine in 1972 it puts it ahead.

1972 - D.Sachse; R.Robran; B.Robran; B.Jaworskyj; R.Hammond

1987 - J.Roberts; P.Bennett; K.Klomp; T.Clisby; P.Arnold

1972's spine IMHO is probably the best we ever had in the one side. But I don't know a lot about North's history.

[Hondo]

The spines are closer if you put Darren Jarman in the centre maybe LL? Or even normal centreman A Jarman? As an aside, I reckon Trevor Clisby is under-rated by history he was a great player.

Closer, but still not better than 72

AJ and DJ started on the half forward flanks in the 87 GF to put the tough nuts in the middle (I assume) as a strategy to counter Glenelg's expected opening tactics. I don't know if Klomp played there all season.

BTW, I am not trying to argue 87 is > 72 just rolling with the conversation

[nickname]

West's 1908 side (COA) was better than its 2008 side.

[MagareyLegend]

West's 1908 side (COA) was better than its 2008 side.

Not down the spine

[MagareyLegend]

North's 1972 side was better than it's 1987 side IMO.

Absolutely. Even just for one player. Barrie Robran. Name me any other premiership side (apart from NAFC in 1971 ) that had one of them.