Magellan wrote:robranisgod wrote:I know that it is subjective but I think the Glenelg premiership side of 1985 is the best SANFL side that I have ever seen. Many people suggest that the West 1983 side is the best, it certainly had the best attack, but I think that the Glenelg was a better all round side.
18 out of the 20 Glenelg side either played VFL/AFL or played interstate football which to me was at least the equal of VLF/AFL.
I often have said that North were a very, very good side in 1987 but the overall standard had started to slip so much that I only saw three really good games of football that year, where both sides played fantastic football and North, who only lost 3 games for the year, lost one of those 3 really good games (against Port early in the year at Prospect).
I remember that Port game, a 10,000 strong crowd and Port got out to a large early lead and we mounted a rousing comeback in the third quarter.
Out of interest, what were the other two good games? I'll have a guess that they were: (a) the return match at Alberton, and (b) the mid-season match at the Parade where North came from 6 goals down at half-time in a low-scoring game.
The game against West Adelaide at Football Park. It was a shootout, but a lot of very good football played and the Norwood game. The Port game, although Port came home with a rush was of a much lesser standard, North seemed to be in the time of the year where they were being trained heavily for the finals and didn't play anywhere near their best that day.
I was thinking of the Norwood game as the other one.
Just my opinion and very subjective.
I am not downplaying North's 1987 side, it would have won a flag most years but many of the other teams had started to slip.
I think even though North had lost Antrobus, Robertson, Campbell and Phillips to the AFL from the 1985 side, I believe that the advent of SIms, D Jarman, Burton, J Roberts and Simmons to the side more than counteracted those losses and players like A Jarman, Bennett and Klomp were much improved footballers. What I am saying is that North in 1987 was a better overall side than North in 1985.
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