It’s been a mixed weekend for Australian sports. While our athletics team achieved its best ever result at a World Championships, with two gold and two bronze medals, we surrendered the Ashes back to England and the Wallabies lurched to their third straight Tri-Nations loss.
Thank God then we have the power to reminisce back to better days.
As an exercise in time-wasting, I thought I would present the best Australian cricket and rugby union teams of the past 40 years, and ask Roarers to share their own best.
Roar contributors from other countries can feel free to present the best cricket and rugby union teams from their own country over the past 40 years.
Best Australian cricket XI (1970-present):
1-Matt Hayden, 2-Michael Slater, 3-Ricky Ponting, 4-Greg Chappell, 5-Allan Border(vc), 6-Steve Waugh(c), 7-Adam Gilchrist(k), 8-Shane Warne, 9-Dennis Lillee, 10-Jeff Thomson, 11-Glenn McGrath, 12-Doug Walters(12th).
Backups: Justin Langer (opener), Ian Healy (keeper), Terry Alderman (paceman), Ashley Mallett (spinner).
This is an awesome team, and easy to pick, as each of the top XI basically selected themselves. I’m a ying-yang fan, so left-handed accumulator Hayden and right-handed dasher Slater are ideal to start the innings.
There’s another two lefties in the next five, followed by an equally imposing bowling line-up.
Pacemen Lillee, Thomson and McGrath, leggie Warne, backed up by medium pacers Waugh and Chappell, and slow left-armer Border. The fielding is also brilliant and versatile.
Although my favourite captain of the period is Ian Chappell, his batting wasn’t good enough to make the final XI. Waugh is captain because he’s the most ruthless, hardest-nosed leader in the team, with Border his able deputy.
Best Wallabies XV (1970-present):
15-Matt Burke, 14-David Campese, 13-Michael O’Connor, 12-Tim Horan, 11-Brendan Moon, 10-Mark Ella, 9-Nick Farr-Jones(c), 8-Mark Loane, 7-Ray Price, 6-Willie Ofahengaue, 5-John Eales(vc), 4-Dan Vickerman, 3-Ewen McKenzie, 2-Phil Kearns, 1-Topo Rodriguez.
Bench: 22-Jason Little, 21-Steve Larkham, 20-John Hipwell, 19-George Smith, 18-Tim Gavin, 17-Tony D’Arcy, 16-Tom Lawton.
Again, I thought this was an easy team to select, contrary to what some younger generation fans might think! Noting the problems of the current pack, this team has imposing forwards with a physical presence.
The bench is critical for its versatility – Little could play all three-quarter positions; Larkham, both flyhalf and fullback; Smith, both flanker positions; Gavin, both eightman and lock; D’Arcy, both sides of front-row.
The big omissions were Michael Lynagh and Simon Poidevin, and perhaps Rocky Elsom and George Gregan on the bench.
But I think Hipwell was a better scrumhalf.
Ben Tune and Joe Roff don’t give much away to Campese and Moon, and it was also a close call in some other positions as well, like Roger Gould at fullback.
But in the end, I am comfortable this team would hold its own against anybody.
I mulled long and hard over the captaincy. Finally, I came up with the following leadership configuration – Farr-Jones as team leader; Eales as deputy and forwards leader; Ella as tactical leader.
So soothe away the pain by selecting your best Baggy Greens and Wallabies of the past 40 years. And if you’re up to it, you can also throw in your best Kangaroos, Socceroos and marbles teams!
Bobas
Guest
Umm, you left Stephen Larkham out of the starting line up? Larkham with another 14 regualr blokes would win against your team.
Stin
Guest
Sam, Please make your way to Subiaco dressing room A,armed with your best Finchie voice. There's a team wearing mostly gold that needs to hear that. Preferably pre game, but if you can't make it that soon, then no later than half time. God speed!
sheek
Guest
Frank, Have you lost your mind? No Eales? This is a terrible example of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Eales is essential. What is necessary is to surround him with a couple of headkickers. Not every forward has to be a headkicker, just about half of them! Now I think we're going to have to get together so I can bring you back to your best with a few nice reds.
Hammer
Guest
Sheek - i'm no expert on Aust football - but Moore really was up there in respect to that elite club of worlds best .... that's why the surprise with that comment ... on players I'd have thought Okon was a better CB that Neill - and I know you qualified it with best Socceroos - but Craig Johnston would surely make a best ever group of Aust footballers
Mr
Guest
And we football supporters spent the better part of 32 years in the World Cup wilderness. Heartache upon heartache.
Frank O'Keeffe
Guest
The Wallabies side I'd most like to take on that side... 1. Bill Cerutti 2. Tom Lawton 3. Jon White 4. Graeme Cooke 5. Dan Vickerman 6. Owen Finegan 7. Simon Poidevin 8. Toutei Kefu 9. Nick Farr-Jones 10. Mark Ella 11. David Campese 12. Tim Horan 13. Trevor Allen 14. Joe Roff 15. Roger Gould Get 'em fellas! I've omitted John Eales because he's too nice. I've added Kefu, Finegan and Roff because they were so important to the Wallabies back when they'd break the hearts of the Blacks from 1998-2002. Bill Cerutti will tease the All Blacks after my side has beaten them. Poidevin would get stuck into them and start scraggling them around. Lawton would tease Fitzpatrick and tell him to go home to his momma. Campo and Mark Ella would make their backs look silly.
Frank O'Keeffe
Guest
I can't begin to describe what a bad day I've had. Watching NZ succeed on the weekend wasn't much better. So here's the All Black side I'd love to beat-up! 1. Kevin Skinner 2. Sean Fitzpatrick 3. Kevin Skinner (he could prop both sides, or what that 'punch' both side) 4. Andy Hayden 5. Colin Meads 6. Ian Kirkpatrick 7. Waka Nathan 8. Buck Shelford 9. Justin Marshall 10. Earle Kirton 11. Grant Batty 12. Bert Cooke 13, Tana Umaga 14. Ron Jarden 15. Don Clarke
sheek
Guest
Hammer, I'm not the expert on soccer, so I'm open to suggestions.
Hammer
Guest
"Wilson was Australia’s answer to Bobby Moore" - FM that's a massive call ... and surely there's got to be a better CB out there other than Lucas Neill
QC
Guest
Well just had to get it in there as I believe it's only the third time NZ has ever won the series against Australia and it was another case of Kiwis winning where they had been rated absolutely no chance. I guess Aussies can now start looking ahead it can't get too much worse or can it??? There's still swimming and surf life saving Sheek :-)
Brett McKay
Guest
no mate, it just begged to be asked!!
Luke W
Guest
There is no doubt that Bosnich at his peak was better than Schwarzer. C'mon, the guy was playing at Manchester United in arguable the greatest period of their history!
sheek
Guest
Brett, Did Fossie ring you to say that?!!! Well, if Fossie ought to be in, who should be out???
Brett McKay
Guest
No room for Craig Foster?!? Controversial, Sheek!!! ;-)
Hoy
Roar Guru
I love Webke a lot more than Blocka.
sheek
Guest
My best Socceroos, 1970-present. I'm a bit weak on football, so open to suggestions here. Anyway, here's my team, based on current 1-4-2-3-1. Goalkeeper: Mark Bosnich Left wingback: Scott Chipperfield Right wingback: Brett Emerton Centre fullbacks: Peter Wilson(c) & Lucas Neill Defensive midfielders: Johnny Warren(vc) & Ned Zelic Left attacking midfield: Harry Kewell Right attacking midfield: Ray Baartz Centre midfield: Tim Cahill Striker: Mark Viduka Bench: Mark Schwarzer(GK), Paul Okon(DF), Alan Davidson(DF), Jimmy Rooney(MF), Robbie Slater(MF), Atti Abonyi(ST). Who's better - Beatles or Rolling Stones; Bosnich or Schwarzer??? In the end Bosnich got it because when at his peak, he was truly awesome. I'm pretty comfortable with all my remaining first-choice selections. But trying to select a 2nd XI would be a nightmare! On the question of captaincy, Wilson's quiet authority won over against Neill's occasional hot-headedness. As deputy, Warren's passion is a good foil to Wilson's calmness. Wilson was Australia's answer to Bobby Moore, without being as good technically. But he was an equally inspirational leader, like a rock at the back. If this changed to a 1-4-4-2 formation, it would read - Bosnich/ Chipperfield-Wilson-Neill-Emerton/ Kewell-Zelic-Warren-Cahill/ Baartz-Viduka.
Brett McKay
Guest
Sheek, I opened your article hoping you hadn't heard about the Boomers losing to the Tall Blacks, but should have known one of the many (if not all of the) Kiwi Roarers would have provided the update... The horror, the HORROR!!!
sheek
Guest
My best Kangaroos team, 1970-present. 1-Graeme Langlands(c), 2-Jarrod Hayne, 3-Mal Meninga, 4-Bob Fulton, 5-Greg Inglis, 6-Wally Lewis, 7-Andrew Johns, 8-Arthur Beetson(vc), 9-Cameron Smith, 10-Glen Lazarus, 11-Paul Sironen, 12-Bob McCarthy, 13-Ron Coote. Bench/Interchange: 14-Darren Lockyer, 15-Peter Sterling, 16-Steve Roach, 17-Bobby Lindner. No problems with the starting XIII, but the bench caused headaches. Realising Johns can play relief hooker, this meant no spot on the reserves for Steve Walters. Lockyer beat Steve Rogers & Brett Kenny for the outside back bench spot. Roach beat Shane Webcke & Paul Harragon. Lindner beat Brad Clyde & Rod Reddy. Price & O'Connor, who both made the Wallabies starting XV, were ineligible, & anyway would only have been good enough for the bench, no higher. But it would be close. I don't rate either Brad Fittler or Gorden Tallis among the top 26 RL players since 1970.
sheek
Guest
Virgil, Wilson is a favourite of mine, but Price was better. And Smith has a better all-round game also. It's close, but you can only pick one guy at any one time. Latham was also very good, but not better than either Burke or Gould. At least, IMHO! As I mentioned, I'm a ying-yang fan. Roff was like Campo, a mercurial player but with a slightly suspect defence. Tune was like Moon, big, strong, fast, a great positional player & finisher. Campo & Tune mostly played right wing, while Moon & Roff mostly played left wing. Having the mercurial Campo & fine technician Moon together makes practical common sense to me. Ditto Roff & Tune.
sheek
Guest
Sam, At least I've been previously "conditioned" to disasters. I hadn't been following sport all that long when Aussie sport hit the skids between 1969-73. In cricket, South Africa beat us 4-0 in 1970, followed by a 2-0 drubbing in the 70/71 Ashes series. In rugby union, the Boks beat us all 4 tests in 69 & all 3 tests in 71. In rugby league, we lost the Ashes 2-1 to Great Britain for the last time (although we didn't know that at the time). Then there was the Woeful Wallabies tour of NZ in 1972, followed by an unthinkable loss to Tonga in 73. And of course, Australia failed to win a single gold medal at the 1976 Olympics. Today's generation simply don't appreciate what a dream run they've had over the past 15-20 or so years!