The Ultimate Crows Line up

[am Bays]

Ah, no thanks I'll be right, so how are the beers going down Boonster? read any good books lately......

[Tassie racks his brain for anything to talk about other than Grand Finals whilst retreating back into his box!!]

[GWW]

Oops i have Hart in defence twice, so other back pocket would go to Scott Lee.

Like you side better than halo's but I think I might find a spot for Ruccitio.

Probably ahead of Bone on the field, BOne on the bench, add in Johnson for the 4th man on the bench

Yes i certainly had Ricciutio picked in my side, but when i switched a few players around for team balance he was the player who i accidentally overlooked. If i had looked over my side for a bit longer before posting it onto the site, i certainly would have made more modifications to fit him into the side.

[sydney-dog]

F D JARMAN MODRA McGREGOR

HF MCLEOD ROBRAN EDWARDS

C K JOHNSON ROO (C) GOODWIN

HB SMART CAVEN STENGLIEN

B BASSETT RUTTEN HART

IR REHN BICKLEY (VC) MCDERMOTT (DVC)

INT PITTMAN JAMESON JONCOCK LEE

COACH BLIGHT
ASST CRAIG

Two obvious non starters for me are A Jarman and Freddy McGuiness, reasons, love A Jarmans footy passion and footy brain but he was easily exposed with a lack of leg speed, this was so obvious in his final two years.

Freddy, well he was a very one sided player, he had no right side of his body and picked up too many easy kicks for my liking, receiving h/balls of the ruckman

I believe this side has toughness, skill and flexibility

Sorry I could not find room for Angwin

[haloman]

Good to see this has got a few responces. There's a few names I'd probably include now they've been grought to my attention.
Scott Lee, Rodney Maynard And Troy Bond had all pritty much slipped from memory but all were fantastic servents of our footy club and bloody good footballers. Not sure about Koster and Tregenza though. Both with ordinary foot skills and Trigger a touch soft. If Kane Johnson had hung around he would definatly made the grade. Played good footy for us but not for long enough.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who remembers John Klug's talent. Was a star in the making until struck down by injury. Don't understand how anyone could leave A.Jarman out of this side. In our first 3 or 4 years he was a dead set star, not just at the Crows, but in the AFL. Hodges was one I had to think about (cause I hate the bloke.) but its a bit hard to overlook his record pre Modra. Never a Ton but always around the 40 to 50 a year mark, very simular to Welsh or Vardy.
Injury (and Port Adelaide softness) finished his career off eairly, but at his prime was a star.
Just curious to know who everyone reckons our best trade was. Probably McLeod for Groom. Can anyone think of any others? Perhaps Jarman for Welman. Worst was probably losing B.Sanderson for draft picks. Any others?

[BubblesOfBlue]

I am not positive on this one but I have heard that we selected McGregor over Pavlich can anyone confirm?
If so that would be one of our worst.
No offense to Kenny but Pavlich is a good footballer!!

[JK]

I believe that is the case BOB .. Something along the lines of each club could select one 17yr old and whilst the Cows picked Kenny over Pavlova, the Power fared even worse with it's selection of Adam Morgan ..

Tend to disagree with ya Halo on Jars ... as much as I've always enjoyed watching his skill, vision and courage, I personally wouldn't have rated him as an AFL star ... Had he been in the VFL throughout the 80's I'm more than confident he could have gone close to that status!

No way Hodges would make my lineup, wonderful footballer and dubiously treated whilst at the Cows but didn't do enough in his time to warrant selection in this side for mine.

Whilst trying to come up with a team for this, you're memory naturally reverts back to the teams of 97 and 98 for much of it, and one player that really died in the ass was Andrew Eccles ... Unassuming sort who I thought played quite a few decent games yet never really amounted to anything!

Another player I thought was alright in the earlier years was Mark Viska (I know many will howl me down on this one) ...

[Blue Boy]

I believe that is the case BOB .. Something along the lines of each club could select one 17yr old and whilst the Cows picked Kenny over Pavlova, the Power fared even worse with it's selection of Adam Morgan ..

Tend to disagree with ya Halo on Jars ... as much as I've always enjoyed watching his skill, vision and courage, I personally wouldn't have rated him as an AFL star ... Had he been in the VFL throughout the 80's I'm more than confident he could have gone close to that status!

No way Hodges would make my lineup, wonderful footballer and dubiously treated whilst at the Cows but didn't do enough in his time to warrant selection in this side for mine.

Whilst trying to come up with a team for this, you're memory naturally reverts back to the teams of 97 and 98 for much of it, and one player that really died in the ass was Andrew Eccles ... Unassuming sort who I thought played quite a few decent games yet never really amounted to anything!

Another player I thought was alright in the earlier years was Mark Viska (I know many will howl me down on this one) ...

I thought Viska was good to - injuries cost him I think

[Leaping Lindner]

I believe that is the case BOB .. Something along the lines of each club could select one 17yr old and whilst the Cows picked Kenny over Pavlova, the Power fared even worse with it's selection of Adam Morgan ..
..

That's how I understand it as well CP. Mind you at the time (and Eagles fans would know more on this) apparently McGregor showed more potential, it just turned out in Pavlich's first year in the AFL he bloomed and exploded whereas Kenny took a little longer to develop. Thank the Lord he finally did.

[Blue Boy]

I am not positive on this one but I have heard that we selected McGregor over Pavlich can anyone confirm?
If so that would be one of our worst.
No offense to Kenny but Pavlich is a good footballer!!

Im not sure if it had anything to do with draft age - not sure of the month cut off. Was pav still classed as a 16 year old in the 98 draft as he hadnt turned 17 yet - im not sure. It seems to change every few years.

kenny born 29-1-81 taken in 1998
pav born 31-12-81 taken in 1999 pick 4 before the crows had first pick @ 36 Biggles

Pav really was a stand out the year before being drafted even making the team of the year as well - kenny was already on the crows list already and every one saying what the. Not sure what happened the year kenny was drafted and if either were playing league at the time.

Maybe any weagles supporters have more info

[sydney-dog]

two seasons ago I very much questioned why the crows opted for Kenny instead of Pav

Last couple of seasons Kenny is really starting to show his worth, obviously he does not have the natrual ability or polish of a Pav but he is tough, can play at either end and now a vital member of the side, so now I would still love to have the Pav but I'm glad to see Kenny making his own name.

On Rubber Chest Hodges, don't know how people can say he was a AFL star, great SANFL Player when he stoof full backs that were kids, but AFL level, was not up to it

Agree, best trade was Mcleod for Groom....

Disappointing to let Sanderson and Wellman go but to be honest to this stage we have not traded a player that has come back to really haunt us.......

My Worse Crows Side Ever (to qualify you have to have played at least 1 senior game)

F GILLIGAN E. HEWITT S. COOK

HF J. MAIL J. ROSS GROOM

C R. O'LOUGHLIN WINTLE TONGRIE

HB M. MKINNON DOWNSBOURGH SHIR

B FERNEE D HUGUES M. COLLINS

1R CHALMERS T. COOK A. SALIBA

INT HERBERT B. WILLIAMS S. BROWN P. TURNER

[haloman]

I'd reckon Clayton Lamb would probably make that side some to, along with Bruce Abernathy.
Watched Hodges a fair bit in our eairly days. Never really lived up to all the hipe, but, did enough in my book to looked after, and more importantly, get more games than he did. He was unlucky he was injured in round 1 of 1993, the day Modra burst onto the seen and kicked ten against Richmond. Hardly got a game after that. Remember seeing him kick 10 against Geelong in 1992 at footy park. Did not spill a mark and was kicking them from everywhere. Saw him kick 7 against Brisbane, along side Modra who also got 7, from 9 kicks. His other 2 kicks set up Mods for goals. Hodges was unlucky we had a crap coach at the time who didn't like him, hence wouldn't play him. When him and Mod's played side by side we kept winning. Cornes ruined his carear and that 1993 Prelim final proves it.

[am Bays]

I think J Byrne is a monty for any Crows worst ever side!!! In fact I'll have him with a (c) alongside his name!!

Along with A Payze, B Standfield, J Ciccolella, D Howard, A Richardson, S Wigney & L Stevens (SOFT)

Worst players to ever be listed T Clisby, J West and the great pick up (#54) of the 1993 draft B Logan!!

I actually didn't mind Collins, Hughes or McKinnon

[am Bays]

Watched Hodges a fair bit in our eairly days. Never really lived up to all the hipe,

Bit hard to play AFL footy when you are looking at the ground all the time ducking your head!!!

Had his chance again in 1996 under a different coach but couldn't cut it and didn't he dominate with the Power in 1997 & 1998!!!!

[GWW]

I think its a bit harsh to put Clayton Lamb, Trevor Clisby and Bruce Abernethy in the "worst" players/team class. All 3 were great players in the SANFL, with Abers excelling in the AFL/VFL as well. The fact they never excelled with the Crows is more of a reflection on AFC management than the players themselves. I have no doubt if they each had have been in their early to mid 20's when they started their Crows careers they would have succeeded.

[Leaping Lindner]

Worst Crows player listed - Allan Bartlett. Debate Over!

[am Bays]

Worst Crows player listed - Allan Bartlett. Debate Over!

Not so fast their LL, I would have to say Peter Bennet or Peter Turner would challenge Bobby for that title, or my if my memory serves me correct was Bennett even over looked for the original squad for the great Randell Bone....

Michael DiBiase's career really kicked on too hey.....

[haloman]

Worst Crows player listed - Allan Bartlett. Debate Over!

Not so fast their LL, I would have to say Peter Bennet or Peter Turner would challenge Bobby for that title, or my if my memory serves me correct was Bennett even over looked for the original squad for the great Randell Bone....

Michael DiBiase's career really kicked on too hey.....

I also have many fond memories of Chris Groom...............Atleast he brought us Andy McLeod
Gez its hard to top Allan Bartlet, Suji Cook would have to be up there, Stanfield would be right up there for worst trade. We could have used those draft picks. Shir for mine probably as bad as anyone. When he did muster enough courage to get near the footy he couldn't kick it.
Reckon the one thing our current squad is missing is a real cult hero. Someone like the Weed or Eddie Hocking. Who could forget the crowd at Footy Park holding its breath as Eddie danced around the man on the mark and bombed on in from 50......Ahhhh those were the days. Its a bit different now i supose. Not as much room for characters in the modern game.

[sydney-dog]

my apologies i also forgot the young gallagher boy from Victoria

"SOFT"

[Psyber]

Both these guys had the same problem - they needed to be fed - both totally dependent on their team winning further upfield and delivering to their strength - leading and marking. Without that they were both too unidirectional and too easily countered.

Modra was successful early, while catching everyone by surprise, but the opposition soon worked out how to counter him. Hodges - anyone who could lead and mark would have been a star in front of Port Adelaide in the SANFL in that era - I thought Tylor was actually a better player overall for the PA magpies.

[giffo]

I don't think McKinnon deserves to be on the worst list, what about Richardson and Eugene Warrior? Unfortunatley there seems to be some who are great at SANFL level- Brodie Atkinson, Adam Richardson and others who seem ordinary and then excell.