Gaff vs Darling vs Shuey

Who has been the best to date, and who will be the best when they all retire

  • Best first 100 games - Gaff, Best when they retire - Gaff

    Votes: 10 9.1%
  • Best first 100 games - Gaff, Best when they retire - Darling

    Votes: 4 3.6%
  • Best first 100 games - Gaff, Best when they retire - Shuey

    Votes: 6 5.5%
  • Best first 100 games - Darling, Best when they retire - Gaff

    Votes: 18 16.4%
  • Best first 100 games - Darling, Best when they retire - Darling

    Votes: 27 24.5%
  • Best first 100 games - Darling, Best when they retire - Shuey

    Votes: 14 12.7%
  • Best first 100 games - Shuey, Best when they retire - Gaff

    Votes: 14 12.7%
  • Best first 100 games - Shuey, Best when they retire - Darling

    Votes: 11 10.0%
  • Best first 100 games - Shuey, Best when they retire - Shuey

    Votes: 6 5.5%

  • Total voters
    110

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May 9, 2013
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In the last month or so each of these 3 players have passed the 100 game barrier. I was talking to a mate about it and he asked me "Who has been the best of the 3 to date and who will be the best by the time they retire?" I had no idea. So of course I've decided to ask the experts* here at BF.

Here are some stats to help you out.

Gaff

Game - 105
Disposals - 23.5/game
Goals - 40
Brownlow Votes - 16 (excluding this year)
Best and Fairest (only Top 10s) - 8th in 2013, 4th in 2014

He durable and has racked up 99 consecutive games. Was a Rising Star nomination in his first year. Has taken it to another level this year and is all but a certainty for his first All Australian gig. Currently Top 5 in Coaches votes and Brownlow odds this year. Should have back to back Top 5s in the B+F and is every chance to win it.


Darling

Games - 100
Disposals - 12.3/game
Goals - 179 goals
Brownlow votes - 4 (excluding this year)
Leading Goal Kicker - 2012
Best and Fairest (only Top 10s) - 4th in 2012, 5th in 2013, 5th in 2014

Another "Mr Durable" before this year missing just 3 games in his first 3 seasons. Was a Rising Star nomination in his first season. In just his second season he stood up when Kennedy went down leading our goal kicking as the primary forward. 3 consecutive Top 5s in the B+F shows his consistency.

Shuey

Games - 106
Disposals - 22.2/game
Goals - 95
Clearances - 5/game
Brownlow Votes - 37 (excluding this year)
Best and Fairest (only Top 10s) - 5th in 2011, 3rd in 2014

After playing just 6 games in his first 2 seasons due to injury and personal reasons, he quickly showed what he is capable of finishing runner up in the Rising Star in 2011. Ever since we've all been waiting for him to become an elite midfielder. But rather than happening overnight, it's been a gradual process. Surprised that he didn't finish in the Top 10 in the B+F in 2012.


No matter how you look at it, our future looks good with these 3 guys!

* in no way actual experts
 
Gaff for sheer weight of numbers and consistency. Also reckon he'll be regarded as the best player of the three when we look back at the end of their record breaking careers. The first 300 gamer for the club?

Nah, was having lunch with the Bombers the other day.
 
Good thread, can't pick them at all.

Went Darling, Darling but great problem to have. Shuey's peak is the best but he's been a bit up and down in his first 100, Gaff has only really started dominating now so not the best 100, but can see him cracking 300 with his run of good health and consecutive games so far. Really tough.
 

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Prem87

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Darling as a young KPP took the comp by storm. Super player, very unique. Just turned 23 and still a long way of his peak as a KPP. We'll see his best during the finals series.
 

GriddleCakes

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Can't really compare Darling to two midfielders, and it's hard to even compare Gaff and Shuey, but I went with Darling for both. He stood up when JK went down and has the ability to impose himself on a game like the other two haven't been able to do so far.

I hope all three are lifers, but I'm scared one of Shuey or Gaff will run back to Victoria one day.
 
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Darling has been the most consistent over the first 100 games. Has barely had a down period. I'd pick Shuey to be the overall best player after their careers. More damaging than Gaff when he is up and about. Is starting to become a lot more consistent. Wouldn't be a lot in it between the 3.
 
Good question.
If I was a Victorian ex-playing expert I'd go with our current captain Jeff Darling as the best over the first 100 games, and our reigning Coleman medallist Allan Gaffe as the best at the end of his career.
Lance Shuey all the way!
 
Darling will always be my Darling so he gets my vote - how many KPPs fire from their first few games and are as consistent as he has been? He's still only 23 so should have many years (and further improvement ) in him.

Gaff has probably had the best "50-100" game patch of the 3 and has been the most durable , but he was also the highest pick (so came with the highest expectations ). I'm hopeful that he'll become our first 300 gamer :)

I'm proud of Shuey- after injuries and tragedy affected his first 2 seasons , he justified how much we rated him/how high our hopes were for him by having a breakthrough 2011 season (he was robbed of the rising star!) . At his best , he's more damaging than Gaff, but we haven't seen it quite as often because he still draws the opposition's best tagger . He's also older than Gaff/Darling .
 

FatPizza

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I don't think anyone can underestimate how amazing it was that Darling carried our forward line as a second year player in 2012. Sure Lynch and Hill did their bit, but missing both LeCras and Kennedy was massive.
 
May 9, 2013
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Still early but to date the votes are First 100: Gaff - 1, Darling - 8, Shuey - 4; Career: Gaff - 6, Darling - 3, Shuey - 4.

People are expecting Gaff's upward trajectory to continue.
 

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Wow, I didn't realize Shuey had kicked so many goals. I suspect his average of 22 disposals and (almost) a goal a game in his first 100 would have him rubbing shoulders with pretty elite company.

Judd's numbers for the first 100...

Possessions — 20.0

Cont. Possessions — 10.9

Clearances — 4.9

Tackles — 3.5

Goals — 100

Shuey's numbers for first 106...

Disposals - 22.2

Cont. Possessions - 9.7

Clearances - 5

Tackles - 4.4

Goals - 95


Looking at that you would say Shuey>Judd over the first 100. Shows numbers don't show true influence.

One big difference is Judd had 68 Brownlow votes to 37.
 

Prem87

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I don't think anyone can underestimate how amazing it was that Darling carried our forward line as a second year player in 2012. Sure Lynch and Hill did their bit, but missing both LeCras and Kennedy was massive.

Completely forgot about that. What a gun!
 

EagleShore

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They all bring something quite different to each other and thus it is difficult to pick.

Given the degree of difficulty in a Key Position I'd give it to Darling's first 100 due to his early success, though Gaff and Shuey have perhaps reduced the gap over the latter half of their first 100 games due to their burgeoning consistency.

I get chills thinking about what Darling may do in big finals games, so I'll go with him for the best career with an element of wishful thinking because if he does, it bodes well for our forward line being difficult to match up on in years to come.
 

Shmiddy15

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I love that these 3 all kind of burst onto the scene together and have all had stellar careers to date for such young men. After Gaff and Darling played their first game together, it has always kind of been a dream of mine to see the two of them play their 300th games together, to simultaneously become our first 300 gamers :D They would of course be donning the peril in this scenario!
 
Jan 13, 2013
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I love that these 3 all kind of burst onto the scene together and have all had stellar careers to date for such young men. After Gaff and Darling played their first game together, it has always kind of been a dream of mine to see the two of them play their 300th games together, to simultaneously become our first 300 gamers :D They would of course be donning the peril in this scenario!
After 6 or 7 premierships
 

sey666

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Judd's numbers for the first 100...

Possessions — 20.0

Cont. Possessions — 10.9

Clearances — 4.9

Tackles — 3.5

Goals — 100

Shuey's numbers for first 106...

Disposals - 22.2

Cont. Possessions - 9.7

Clearances - 5

Tackles - 4.4

Goals - 95


Looking at that you would say Shuey>Judd over the first 100. Shows numbers don't show true influence.

One big difference is Judd had 68 Brownlow votes to 37.

True, Judd was better but Shuey is not far behind. We have to remember that Judd played in a midfield regarded as one of the best of all time while Shuey played a majority of his first 100 in a midfield generally considered to be one of the worst in the competition.
 
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Judd's numbers for the first 100...

Possessions — 20.0

Cont. Possessions — 10.9

Clearances — 4.9

Tackles — 3.5

Goals — 100

Shuey's numbers for first 106...

Disposals - 22.2

Cont. Possessions - 9.7

Clearances - 5

Tackles - 4.4

Goals - 95


Looking at that you would say Shuey>Judd over the first 100. Shows numbers don't show true influence.

One big difference is Judd had 68 Brownlow votes to 37.
True, Judd was better but Shuey is not far behind. We have to remember that Judd played in a midfield regarded as one of the best of all time while Shuey played a majority of his first 100 in a midfield generally considered to be one of the worst in the competition.
Also have to add that the game has significantly changed since Judd's first 4 years. Stoppages are nearly double (not going to bother looking that up) and I'd say general possessions in games is significantly higher. This really pissed me off when they were comparing Fyfe's stats to Judd's earlier this year.
 
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