Matthew Lloyd reveals his top FIVE teams of the past 30 years

Essendon great Matthew Lloyd has named his top five teams of the past 30 years. Speaking on AFL.com.au, Lloyd revealed the five teams he believes will go down and be remembered as the greatest teams of the last 30 years. Lloyd counted down from 5-1... Essendon (2000) Lloyd: "From an individual team perspective, to only lose one game for the season, I think it was the best individual season any side has ever had." "To have James Hird as your captain, Fletcher at full-back, there's Mercuri and the Johnsons and Hardwick. I think the individual players and the collective of the team, I don't think there's been a better individual season than that." [caption id="attachment_6942" align="alignnone" width="594"] 02 Sep 2000: Gary Moorcroft #29, John Barnes #22 and Michael Long #13 of Essendon celebrate after winning the 2000 AFL Grand Final match between Essendon Bombers v Melbourne Demons at the MCG, Melbourne Australia. Essendon won the match 135 to 75. DIGITAL IMAGE Mandatory Credit: Darren England/ALLSPORT[/caption] Richmond (2017-2019) Lloyd: "Two premierships and that loss to Collingwood in 2018, how good are their players, some of them. You've got Dustin Martin, a two-time Norm Smith Medallist and Bachar Houli, Cotchin the captain, Jack Riewoldt, Alex Rance was part of the first one. Damien Hardwick, what a fairytale it's been for him." "It's the ruthless nature they've played the game, it's a pretty simplified gameplan as well. Surge the ball, harrass, tackle, lock the ball in their forward line, I just think teams haven't had any answer for it." "They've deserved all the success they've had in recent years." [caption id="attachment_36675" align="alignnone" width="1024"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 28: Dylan Grimes, David Astbury and Nick Vlastuin of the Tigers celebrate during the 2019 Toyota AFL Grand Final match between the Richmond Tigers and the GWS Giants at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 28, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)[/caption] Geelong (2007-2011) Lloyd said: "Three premierships. Couldn't go back-to-back but they won them in 07, 09 and 2011." "What about the father-sons that came through that period to form this team. Matthew Scarlett, Gary Ablett Jr, Tom Hawkins, and then you've got Joel Selwood, brilliant player. The Bartel's and all those players, just absolute hall of famers right throughout." [caption id="attachment_6286" align="alignnone" width="594"] GEELONG, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 30: Geelong Cats coach Mark Thompson and captain Tom Harley hold up the premiership cup during a Geelong Cats AFL Premiership Celebration day at Skilled Stadium on September 30, 2007 in Geelong, Australia. (Photo by Mark Dadswell/Getty Images)[/caption] Hawthorn (2013-2015) Lloyd said: "To win three in a row is just an unbelievable effort in this modern era. Clarkson's a genius, I think he should be credited with a lot of this because he had the ability to change the game style 13, 14 and 15. Coming up with different ideas to stay ahead of the pack like not many coaches can do." "When you look at some of the names - Luke Hodge and the way he performed through those Grand Finals. Cyril Rioli. Brian Lake who was brilliant through that period as well. And then you had Roughead and obviously Shaun Burgoyne." "Why I had them above Geelong is because they were able to do it three years in a row where Geelong couldn't do that, where as Hawthorn did in an era where you're not entitled to win three in a row." [caption id="attachment_33319" align="alignnone" width="2048"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 28: Jarryd Roughead of the Hawks celebrates with the Premiership Cup after the Hawks won the 2013 AFL Grand Final match between the Hawthorn Hawks and the Fremantle Dockers at Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 28, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)[/caption] Brisbane Lions (2001-2003) Lloyd said: "Don't underestimate how tough it is to travel every second week and go and win a premiership. They were doing it every second week and they had to go interstate for finals. They didn't finish on top in any of those three years the Brisbane Lions, but they were the best finals performers." "I think they had better individual players than any other team in regards to you think of the full back and centre half back, Mal Michael and Justin Leppitsch and then at centre half forward and full forward, Jonathan Brown and Alastair Lynch. And i think it's the best midfield. You think of Clark Keating who was a great finals performer, but Voss, Lappin, Black, Akermanis, Power, Ashcroft, Shaun Hart who won a Norm Smith in 01." "They were tough, but they were also skilful." "Having Leigh Matthews at the helm who just knew what it took from his Hawthorn days and then just brought that aura about him to this group and hardened them up. They were very predictable with the way they played. They were ruthless and I'm pretty comfortable to name them as the best of the last 30 years." [caption id="attachment_24003" align="alignnone" width="2048"] MELBOURNE - SEPTEMBER 28: Leigh Matthews coach, Alastair Lynch #11 and Michael Voss #3 celebrate with the Premiership Trophy after the 2002 AFL Grand Final between the Collingwood Magpies and the Brisbane Lions played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia on September 28, 2002. (Photo by Rob Cianflone/Getty Images)[/caption]

		P	W	L	PTS	%
1	SYD	23	17	6	68	126.7
2	PORT	23	16	7	64	114.8
3	GEEL	23	15	8	60	112.2
4	GWS	23	15	8	60	109.1
5	BL	23	14	8	58	121.9
6	WB	23	14	9	56	125.1
7	HAW	23	14	9	56	118.5
8	CARL	23	13	10	52	110.2

Matthew Lloyd reveals his top FIVE teams of the past 30 years

The Essendon champion has counted down from 5️⃣-1️⃣…

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