If you could draft any player from history?

[#23 Hill]

Plugger. Would've kicked 150 goals in a season if he'd been in a good team. I know he played in a GF with the Swans but he was past his prime at that stage.

 

[RUNVS]

Plugger. Would've kicked 150 goals in a season if he'd been in a good team. I know he played in a GF with the Swans but he was past his prime at that stage.

Lockett is an interesting one because on the one hand he is only 191cm which is very small for a key forward these days and not a great shape for the modern game. If he was the same shape as he was in his playing career he would be useless in a team defence, but if he was made fitter so he could play a team defence he would be thinner, so not as dominant one on one. Also I have no idea how he would cope with playing against a zone defence instead of having a defender or two on him.

Don't get me wrong, I think he would still kick a lot of goals, but I don't think he would quite be the dominant force in the 2020's as he was in the 80's and 90's.

 

[#23 Hill]

Lockett is an interesting one because on the one hand he is only 191cm which is very small for a key forward these days and not a great shape for the modern game. If he was the same shape as he was in his playing career he would be useless in a team defence, but if he was made fitter so he could play a team defence he would be thinner, so not as dominant one on one. Also I have no idea how he would cope with playing against a zone defence instead of having a defender or two on him.

Don't get me wrong, I think he would still kick a lot of goals, but I don't think he would quite be the dominant force in the 2020's as he was in the 80's and 90's.

All very good points. Although I think if anyone tried to protect space in front of Plugger he'd just crash into them and take contested marks. Being useless in team defense doesn't strike me as too much of a problem either. Cats fans might correct me, but Tom Hawkins doesn't strike me as someone who offers a lot defensively.

 

[KermitJagger]

All very good points. Although I think if anyone tried to protect space in front of Plugger he'd just crash into them and take contested marks. Being useless in team defense doesn't strike me as too much of a problem either. Cats fans might correct me, but Tom Hawkins doesn't strike me as someone who offers a lot defensively.

Far from a cats fan but Hawkins is a fairly hard working player. Maybe not a pressure machine in a tackling sense but he moves more than you'd think.

 

[KermitJagger]

Lockett is an interesting one because on the one hand he is only 191cm which is very small for a key forward these days and not a great shape for the modern game. If he was the same shape as he was in his playing career he would be useless in a team defence, but if he was made fitter so he could play a team defence he would be thinner, so not as dominant one on one. Also I have no idea how he would cope with playing against a zone defence instead of having a defender or two on him.

Don't get me wrong, I think he would still kick a lot of goals, but I don't think he would quite be the dominant force in the 2020's as he was in the 80's and 90's.

I agree 100% - though from what I heard about his foot skills back in the day he'd probably still be a star playing higher up the ground and being a link man.

Buddy is one of those examples I like to bring up in arguments with anyone who tries to say older era players are better than modern era players. If you transplanted him as he is now into the 90s he'd kick 200 goals a season, he's essentially Gaz Sr but taller, faster and stronger. Same with say Dusty and Leigh Matthews, Leigh is arguably the greatest of all time but 2010s Dusty is all the same things as Leigh but again taller, faster and stronger.

FWIW I reckon Bucks would be a star in the modern game. He'd be up there in my choices.

 

[Lingsface]

I agree 100% - though from what I heard about his foot skills back in the day he'd probably still be a star playing higher up the ground and being a link man.

Buddy is one of those examples I like to bring up in arguments with anyone who tries to say older era players are better than modern era players. If you transplanted him as he is now into the 90s he'd kick 200 goals a season, he's essentially Gaz Sr but taller, faster and stronger. Same with say Dusty and Leigh Matthews, Leigh is arguably the greatest of all time but 2010s Dusty is all the same things as Leigh but again taller, faster and stronger.

FWIW I reckon Bucks would be a star in the modern game. He'd be up there in my choices.

Dusty and Gary Ablett snr ?
I don’t think so, I agree buddy would be great in any generation, Ablett snr took big overhead marks which is not one of buddy’s strengths, similar in athleticism and strength but I don’t think that is a good comparison.

 

[#23 Hill]

Alright. You've shaken my faith in Plugger. I'll go Gary Dempsey.

 

[half_back_flank]

I agree 100% - though from what I heard about his foot skills back in the day he'd probably still be a star playing higher up the ground and being a link man.

Buddy is one of those examples I like to bring up in arguments with anyone who tries to say older era players are better than modern era players. If you transplanted him as he is now into the 90s he'd kick 200 goals a season, he's essentially Gaz Sr but taller, faster and stronger. Same with say Dusty and Leigh Matthews, Leigh is arguably the greatest of all time but 2010s Dusty is all the same things as Leigh but again taller, faster and stronger.

FWIW I reckon Bucks would be a star in the modern game. He'd be up there in my choices.

Buddy would struggle to take an overhead mark in the 80s and 90s. He has struggled to do so for the last 15 years with much more stringent rules regarding arm chopping. He isn’t any way comparable to Gaz Snr who was a terrific contested mark. Faster and stronger isn’t really true either, I’ll give you taller though.

 

[KermitJagger]

Buddy would struggle to take an overhead mark in the 80s and 90s. He has struggled to do so for the last 15 years with much more stringent rules regarding arm chopping. He isn’t any way comparable to Gaz Snr who was a terrific contested mark. Faster and stronger isn’t really true either, I’ll give you taller though.

I meant in terms of the role they play in the league, not them as players. But yes, I'm sure 185cm and 90ish kg Ablett Sr is stronger than 200cm 110ish kg Buddy Franklin. Once again I've been set straight.

 

[half_back_flank]

I meant in terms of the role they play in the league, not them as players. But yes, I'm sure 185cm and 90ish kg Ablett Sr is stronger than 200cm 110ish kg Buddy Franklin. Once again I've been set straight.

97ish and 105ish by the way.

What role is Buddy Franklin playing where he kicks 200 goals a year in the 90s?

If you think that that kicking a football between a prime Buddy Franklin and a 92-95 era Ablett results in Franklin taking the chocolates more often than not, you are in the minority. Gaz senior too strong, too athletic and too good above his head.

 

[RUNVS]

97ish and 105ish by the way.

What role is Buddy Franklin playing where he kicks 200 goals a year in the 90s?

If you think that that kicking a football between a prime Buddy Franklin and a 92-95 era Ablett results in Franklin taking the chocolates more often than not, you are in the minority. Gaz senior too strong, too athletic and too good above his head.

Buddy wipes the floor with any key forward in history in terms of athletism and his one on one work is very much underrated. It is underrated because we rarely get to see it due to modern tactics but I remember one year (I think 2018 or something) where West Coast were nice enough to play one on one with Buddy and give him way more space than he was used to getting and Buddy kicked 8 goals in the match.

 

[half_back_flank]

Buddy wipes the floor with any key forward in history in terms of athletism and his one on one work is very much underrated. It is underrated because we rarely get to see it due to modern tactics but I remember one year (I think 2018 or something) where West Coast were nice enough to play one on one with Buddy and give him way more space than he was used to getting and Buddy kicked 8 goals in the match.

Ablett was more athletic, even when he bulked up later to play exclusively FF in the twilight of his career. It comes with being an 6’2 athletic freak as opposed to 6’6 one. When he was a winger/HHF the gap between he and Franklin was even larger. However even with the height gap, Ablett still very much has the edge on Franklin one on one.

 

[RUNVS]

Ablett was more athletic, even when he bulked up later to play exclusively FF in the twilight of his career. It comes with being an 6’2 athletic freak as opposed to 6’6 one. When he was a winger/HHF the gap between he and Franklin was even larger. However even with the height gap, Ablett still very much has the edge on Franklin one on one.

Not easy given that there isn't a lot of footage of him around but can you show some examples as I am honestly struggling to believe that given Buddy is unmatched in terms of being an athletic freak over the last 20 years. No player his size can do what he could do in his prime.

 

[Robroy22]

Without a doubt, Buddy is one of the best half forward flankers I've ever seen.
GAS on the other hand was as BRILLIANT a total player as there has ever been (though not as single mindedly brutal and cold blooded as Lethal)

 

[Lingsface]

Not easy given that there isn't a lot of footage of him around but can you show some examples as I am honestly struggling to believe that given Buddy is unmatched in terms of being an athletic freak over the last 20 years. No player his size can do what he could do in his prime.

Different forms of athleticism, 0-30 m Ablett Buddy can hold a an elite speed for 200-300 m and has that extra weight making him so hard to tackle. Ablett was a firework could just explode off the mark and be 10 meters on an opponent in seconds or on another one’s head taking a grab. Buddy could lead to a position get distance between his opponent and then go again if he didn’t get the mark and gather and move in directions a guy his size had no hope of doing.

 

[GhostofJimJess]

Wayne Carey

 

[The Devils Advocate]

Buddy Franklin, that way he couldn't kick 6 on us every game.
We'd probably try him at full-back and ruck for the first 5 years of his career, than he'd quit and flourish elsewhere.

 

[citizen-erased]

Simple question but I actually think surprisingly difficult.

This is not a "who do you think is the best player of all time" question. This is a "take any player from history and be able to draft them at 18 years old to your club for the 2023 season, who do you pick" question and I think it is different in some important ways as it requires more consideration in terms of how said player would handle the modern game compared to what the game was when they themselves played.

So for instance a popular answer could be Tony Lockett, but at 191cm and an almost non-existent tank would he be as successful in 2023 and beyond as he was in the 80's and 90's.

What about Simon Madden, the greatest ruckman of all time, he would be a good choice, but at 198cm he would definitely be on the shorter side for ruckmen of the modern game, would that hurt his chances?

Perhaps Wayne Carey, great player, but again a bit on the short side and knowing what we know would you want his personality at your club, possibly de-stablising the playing group?

What about Gary Ablett Snr? Athletic, can do freakish things and kicks a lot of goals but is only 185cm, which may have been fine a few decades ago but how many 185cm or lower Colemen medal winners have there been in the last 20 years. Would he be able to bring what made him great to the modern game as well?

What about Stephen Silvagni? Great player but again a bit undersided for a key defender in the modern game at 191cm and also what made him great are things that key defenders are not allowed to do anymore, so would that make him less influential?

So you have free choice to draft any player from history as an 18 year old into your team for the 2023 season? Who do you pick and why?

Also mods can you please not move this to the draft board as this is not a genuine draft discussion given this can't happen, but rather a best player of all time with a twist discussion.

Dons have 4 majorly pressing needs - quality tall defender, quality 2nd tall forward, quality small forward and someone who can impact games.

The best i can think of that could play all 4 roles is Goodes.

I'd normally say Ablett Jnr, but not as an 18yo.

 

[owen87]

Different forms of athleticism, 0-30 m Ablett Buddy can hold a an elite speed for 200-300 m and has that extra weight making him so hard to tackle. Ablett was a firework could just explode off the mark and be 10 meters on an opponent in seconds or on another one’s head taking a grab. Buddy could lead to a position get distance between his opponent and then go again if he didn’t get the mark and gather and move in directions a guy his size had no hope of doing.

People are having a laugh if they think Buddy wouldn't dominate other eras.

Compared to past great FF's he's enormous and short of simply punching him in the head to knock him out, he'd be too big, too fast, too strong, given that modern KPDs are bigger than historical ones and they've been terrorised by him 1on1 for years.

Ablett Snr was an amazing player in his time but the size of players today means he wouldn't be able to do what he did. He'd be a De Goey or Stringer type explosive medium forward if you dropped him in to modern day AFL.

The only issue with putting Buddy in to past eras is that at his height he'd be played as a ruckman more likely than not.

 

[nineteen eighty]

The GOAT will do me...Leigh Matthews. Lots of talk over the years that Ablett Snr is better than Matthews. Not for mine he's not. Carey has Ablett Snr covered as well for mine.

 

[Lingsface]

People are having a laugh if they think Buddy wouldn't dominate other eras.

Compared to past great FF's he's enormous and short of simply punching him in the head to knock him out, he'd be too big, too fast, too strong, given that modern KPDs are bigger than historical ones and they've been terrorised by him 1on1 for years.

Ablett Snr was an amazing player in his time but the size of players today means he wouldn't be able to do what he did. He'd be a De Goey or Stringer type explosive medium forward if you dropped him in to modern day AFL.

The only issue with putting Buddy in to past eras is that at his height he'd be played as a ruckman more likely than not.

I didn’t say he wouldnt, he’s an all time great no doubt just stating they are different atheletes.

 

[Captain_Bender]

Ablett Snr would struggle in the modern era, too undersized to be a KPF, yet wouldn't have the tank to play in the mid, would be a slightly better version of De Goey

 

[Captivating]

Hird.

He would equal excel today as he did 20-odd years ago. Everything just seemed to slow down when he had the ball.

 

[GhostofJimJess]

Ablett Snr would struggle in the modern era, too undersized to be a KPF, yet wouldn't have the tank to play in the mid, would be a slightly better version of De Goey

Nah, can't agree. He was a genius.

Not sure he'd fit in today culture-wise, but as a pure old school footballer he was magnificent.

 

[terrybull]

Without a doubt… Xerxes Mason.