AFL Round 12 – Melbourne v Collingwood: Rivalry runs deep

Teams of the Century are given far more relevance than they really deserve. Selected by 6-10 people with their own opinions and prejudices. Created to sell memorabilia. So it’s not worth getting worked up over some of the selections. Even if it’s [EXPLETIVE] ridiculous that Collingwood couldn’t manage to get a single player in the team when the AFL selected their team of the century in 1996. I read with interest in Saturday’s Herald Sun the drama surrounding the selection of the Full Back in that 1996 team. Jack Regan, the so-called “Prince of Full-Backs” was apparantly a lock for the position in the minds of the selectors until Percy Beames and Bill Jacobs, who had seen him play, disagreed. What a shock Melbourne man Beames didn’t rate a Collingwood hero who starred against some of the great Full-Forwards in an era of great Full-Forwards. Whose battles with the great Bob Pratt (also unlucky not to be in that side) are legendary. Beames no doubt had a role in the selection of Norm Smith (coached 6 premierships) as coach of that team ahead of Jock McHale (8 flags). Even if Regan wasn’t the man for Full-Back surely there was a spot for a Coventry, a Collier, a Bob Rose or a Peter Daicos in that team? Maybe I’m biased.

Gillon McLachlan has just taken over the top job and is trying to right some past AFL wrongs. I’ve put up my hand to help. Have submitted a revised and improved VFL/AFL team of the Century (1897-1996)  that is fairer to all and contains no anti-Collingwood bias. See the bottom of this article for the new team of the century that I expect to be approved and announced by the AFL by the end of the week. I’ve also recommended that they go easy on the late Percy Beames due to his good character, service to the game (213 games and 3 flags for the Dees) and the fact he played cricket for Victoria (1186 runs at 51.56 in 18 First Class matches). He was also chief football and cricket writer for The Age for more than 30 years so obviously knew his stuff. So his only punishment for his anti-Collingwood bias will be that the Percy Beames Bar in the members will be re-named the Dayne Beams Bar. He will still have a fridge named after him.

The 2014 Melbourne v Collingwood Queens Birthday match had few redeeming features.

It was a dull game.

Melbourne set up well and made scoring hard for the Pies. And themselves. Plenty of errors by both teams. As Bucks said in his press conference, this game won’t be featured on ‘Footy Flasbacks’. Collingwood did enough. Witts and Grundy continue their development. Grundy better around the ground but Witts’ palming of the ball in ruck contests to Collingwood’s advantage is impressive. Getting regular games into these two has been a huge plus. Young played as good a game as he has played in the black and white. Seedsman shows we are a better team with him in it. Our young defenders Frost, Keefe, Langdon and Williams do well. Pendles is always good.

For Melbourne, Nathan Jones is a good hard player. He leads well. Dunn gets the better of Cloke in an impressive performance. I like Viney, will be a very good player. Jeremy Howe does well down back, takes a good hanger but would add a lot to their forward line. Especially when the Demons only kick 3 goals.

Always happy with a win. Hope the entertainment value is much higher next week.

COLLINGWOOD           1.2     3.7     5.10     8.13 (61)

MELBOURNE                1.3     2.4     3.6      3.10  (28)

GOALS:

COLLINGWOOD: Beams 2, Cloke 2, Pendlebury, Elliot, Goldsack, Macaffer

MELBOURNE: Jones, Howe, Vince

BEST:

COLLINGWOOD: Pendlebury, Young, Langdon, Frost, Mac Swan, Seedsman, Keefe, Grundy, Beams

MELBOURNE: Jones, Dunn, Vince, Cross

CROWD: 68,124 at the MCG

 

OUR VOTES:

3. Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood)

2. Clinton Young (Collingwood)

1. Nathan Jones (Melbourne)

 

REVISED, UPDATED AND IMPROVED VFL/AFL TEAM OF THE CENTURY (1897-1996)

B: Harold Rumney (Collingwood)  Jack Regan (Collingwood)  Syd Coventry (Collingwood) (Captain)

HB: Billy Picken (Collingwood, Sydney) Albert Collier (Collingwood, Fitzroy) Nathan Buckley (Collingwood)

C: Thorold Merrett (Collingwood) Bob Rose (Collingwood) Darren Millane (Collingwood)

HF: Des Fothergill (Collingwood) Murray Weideman (Collingwood) Dick Lee (Collingwood)

F: Phonse Kyne (Collingwood) Gordon Coventry (Collingwood) Peter Daicos (Collingwood)

R: Len Thompson (Collingwood, South Melbourne, Fitzroy) Des Tuddenham (Collingwood, Essendon) Harry Collier (Collingwood)

I/C: Tony Shaw (Collingwood) Wayne Richardson (Collingwood) Marcus Whelan (Collingwood) Gavin Brown (Collingwood)

Coach: Jock McHale (Collingwood)

I’m sure this team picked with an abscence of anti-Collingwood bias will be well received. Also nice that some Swans, Lions and  Bombers players made the team. This line-up will surely sell some memorabilia. What do you mean it looks exactly like Collingwood’s team of the century???