Chris Judd VS Gary Ablett

[Bert Man]

Both Brownlow medalist. Both legends of the game. At the peak of their powers who is better?

 

[Affidavit]

Thank god, finally a different thread!

 

[Bert Man]

Thank god, finally a different thread!

I was expecting several of those

 

[Monkey King]

Hird, Buckley and then Voss for me thanks.

inb4 - what about Ricciuto

 

[eaglespremiers]

Gosh, we got about half of a career from Judd and that was amazing.
I'm sure Geelong fans feel the same.
Their absolute best? Both have been so ridiculously good at their very best that neither answer is wrong.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

GAJ!

 

[jakson68]

Judd was and is a superstar but Gaz (by the end of his career) could be the best I have seen.

 

[Gone Critical]

Interesting question. Gaz career wise has left Juddy behind now but at their very best they were/are both so dynamic. I would go for GAJ as his skill set is more complete and makes me go wow just a little bit more often.

 

[port_adelaide_1870]

Judd for me, I think his recent form has people forgetting how big of a superstar he was

 

[The Joker]

Judd for me, I think his recent form has people forgetting how big of a superstar he was

This ↑. At WCE Judd was how everyone talks about GAJ now. Gaz is first class there is absolutely no doubt about that but Judd was pure poetry in motion from the very first game he played for the WCE.

InB4 someone changes the names around to suit thier argument.

 

[Stevi_Tigers]

if judd didnt have the groin injury i wonder what he could of been but gazza is the best mid of all time imo

 

[BadGuy]

Judd was great earlier on in his career and was even better than Ablett.. BUT now days, both being later in their careers, Ablett has overtaken Judd in many aspects. Both great players, both legends of the game IMO..

 

[Gods_Son23]

peak judd. over their career ablett. although it is probably forgotten that ablett took awhile to get going while judd hit the ground running.

 

[nicshata]

Ablett has had the better career and is way more skillful than Juddy

 

[Jones2ByrneJones]

At their peak? Judd by far.

But Ablett has been better for longer and is far cleaner.

 

[bones54]

Ablett hands down

 

[HaroCant]

Both legends, but Gary is a freak. Easily best footballer on the face of the planet.

 

[Monkey King]

At the peak of their powers? Judd for me. His impact on games was really something else at WCE.

 

[Partridge]

peak judd. over their career ablett. although it is probably forgotten that ablett took awhile to get going while judd hit the ground running.

15 touches a game in his first year, 18 in his second. Hit the ground running? Not so much. Promising young midfielder like any other. A lot of mythology around Golden Balls to this day.

The facts are, Judd has never, that is to say - NEVER - averaged more than 27 touches a game in any one year. That's at his peak, at West Coast, you name it. He's also never kicked 30 goals in a season. Not once. Ablett has not averaged less than 30 touches a game in his last 5 years. Three of those at a s**t team too, so the "he's surrounded by great players" argument is shot to pieces. A lot more goals as well.

Ablett has left Judd a distant speck in his rear vision mirror. His true rivals now are Pendlebury, Dangerfield, Cotchin, Watson, Selwood etc. Judd isn't even close anymore.

 

[Gods_Son23]

15 touches a game in his first year, 18 in his second. Hit the ground running? Not so much. Promising young midfielder like any other. A lot of mythology around Golden Balls to this day.

The facts are, Judd has never, that is to say - NEVER - averaged more than 27 touches a game in any one year. That's at his peak, at West Coast, you name it. He's also never kicked 30 goals in a season. Not once. Ablett has not averaged less than 30 touches a game in his last 5 years. Three of those at a s**t team too, so the "he's surrounded by great players" argument is shot to pieces. A lot more goals as well.

Ablett has left Judd a distant speck in his rear vision mirror. His true rivals now are Pendlebury, Dangerfield, Cotchin, Watson, Selwood etc. Judd isn't even close anymore.

Not really much mythology to it at all. Judd impressed a lot more from the word go. I'm not sure why you would argue otherwise. That 18 average you mention is something Gary couldn't better until his 6th season. Gary didn't impress to the same degree, spending his early time in the reserves while Judd was winning awards. AFLPA first year winner. Runner up B&F second yr. Brownlow and AA Team third year in a team that finished 8th. I wish our current promising midfielders were that good at the moment.

 

[Partridge]

Not really much mythology to it at all. Judd impressed a lot more from the word go. I'm not sure why you would argue otherwise. That 18 average you mention is something Gary couldn't better until his 6th season. Gary didn't impress to the same degree, spending his early time in the reserves while Judd was winning awards. AFLPA first year winner. Runner up B&F second yr. Brownlow and AA Team third year in a team that finished 8th. I wish our current promising midfielders were that good at the moment.

Ablett definitely took longer to warm up, but he was still finishing in respectable positions in Geelong's awards before 2007 as well. And since then, he's been on a different level to everyone. His best is better, and he's been doing it for far longer.

 

[Monkey King]

His true rivals now are Pendlebury, Dangerfield, Cotchin, Watson, Selwood etc. Judd isn't even close anymore.

Really kinda irrelevant to the thread question.

And disposal stats ... meh! Judd used tear games new arseholes at WCE in a way rarely seen. Looking at a sheet of paper isn't going to give you much insight into that.

 

[Monkey King]

Ablett definitely took longer to warm up, but he was still finishing in respectable positions in Geelong's awards before 2007 as well. And since then, he's been on a different level to everyone. His best is better, and he's been doing it for far longer.

Just two points for me. Firstly, I actually think Judd's best was better; just my opinion. Secondly, in 2010 I think Swan was better than GAJ and in 2011 Judd was better than GAJ. So I don't buy the "different level to everyone else since 2007" take on things. Great player and his cumulative form since 2007 puts him above everyone else, but it's not a yoy event for mine.

 

[Partridge]

Just two points for me. Firstly, I actually think Judd's best was better; just my opinion. Secondly, in 2010 I think Swan was better than GAJ and in 2011 Judd was better than GAJ. So I don't buy the "different level to everyone else since 2007" take on things. Great player and his cumulative form since 2007 puts him above everyone else, but it's not a yoy event for mine.

Fair enough. I actually think Ablett's 2010 was unbelievable, it just became fashionable to blame him for Geelong's ills that year. He kicked 44 goals and averaged 31 touches a game. Hate to see what a good year is.

Agree, it's all subjective. Swan in 2010 was line-ball, but including 2007 I honestly think Ablett's been way better than everyone else. Every year too.

 

[Monkey King]

Fair enough. I actually think Ablett's 2010 was unbelievable, it just became fashionable to blame him for Geelong's ills that year. He kicked 44 goals and averaged 31 touches a game. Hate to see what a good year is.

Never said he didn't have a good year, just that I think Swan's was better. Same with Judd in 2011.

Agree, it's all subjective. Swan in 2010 was line-ball, but including 2007 I honestly think Ablett's been way better than everyone else. Every year too.

Yes, all subjective. For me there's a couple of years he wasn't the best and he sure wasn't to half way through 2007 either. But I agree that cumulatively he's above all-comers during that period.