If you could pick any athlete to play AFL

[ausbacker]

Which 203cm, 115kg NFL players have the same speed, strength, agility, power and explosiveness that LeBron does?

I'd wager Antonio Gates, Jimmy Graham, Rob Gronkowski and Tony Gonzalez would match if not exceed LeBron in some of the nominated categories. Then again, you could always reference Tight Ends of bygone eras such as Mike Ditka, Mark Bavaro and Shannon Sharpe as well.

I haven't even started on guys like DeMarcus Ware, Julius Peppers and Jared Allen, all modern day guys who are built on strength, explosiveness, agility, power etc as their positions demand.

 

[Ghost of Grinter]

Sergio Martinez wouldve been a hell of an AFL player in his prime.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Dez Bryant from the Dallas Cowboys, has the speed, evasiveness and gets inventive when it comes to taking contested grabs. Plus he's still young enough to get several years out of.

 

[Byron_Clanger]

LeBron James, freak of nature, can run all day, has a leap and will get the umpires whistle every time

 

[jive]

Stephen Larkham and Chris Latham would have made excellent afl players

 

[LeverPuller]

Rob Gronkowski from the New England Patriots. TE.

Draft stats 2010:
6'6"
117kg
4.68s 40yd dash
Vert jump almost 3ft

Career stats
132 receptions
1,873 Receiving Yards @ 14.2 YPC
17TD
2011 Pro Bowler

The guy is a monster, and just does it all. Tight ends have to both be able to block like an offensive linesman (guys who protect the QB) and catch like a wide receiver. Drop him to 110-105 to improve his enduro and play him at full forward once you teach him to kick, he'd be the ultimate gorilla.

 

[moses]

lol @ OP I thought this exact topic last night and also first thought Usain Bolt.. Also Lebron was my second vote...

What about Wrastling and the great Khali? Just chuck him in the ruck.. Aslo would take 10 guys to tackle him to the ground!

John Cena in the midfield, Undertaker at CHF, Rey Mesterio playing small forward, 619 off the goal post for a goal

 

[Hawthorn231533]

Andrew Bogut because unlike most of these player he has probably kicked a football

 

[windyhill]

Billy Slater. Love it how Jordan seems to get a mention along with all the "best sportsman ever" lines which is utter rubbish, basketballer ? Yes, sportsman ? No.

 

[mfcrox]

Would have to be Michael Jordan... he is the same height as Franklin (196cm), and was only 2-3kg lighter (once he started to take weight training serious). That debunks the myth that he is too skinny.

This bloke is considered by many to be the greatest athlete of all time... so he is an obvious choice! If he was brought up in Australia and played Australian Rules he would have absolutely DOMINATED the competition, just like he did in the NBA. Absolute genius!

 

[ausbacker]

Billy Slater. Love it how Jordan seems to get a mention along with all the "best sportsman ever" lines which is utter rubbish, basketballer ? Yes, sportsman ? No.

If you're going for title of best sportsmen you'd surely through up guys like Dan O'Brien, Daley Thompson, Jurgen Hingsen etc. All Track & Field decathletes, all world class performers with a variety of abilities across different events.

They could be interesting to watch given their size, power and versatility.

 

[windyhill]

Would have to be Michael Jordan... he is the same height as Franklin (196cm), and was only 2-3kg lighter (once he started to take weight training serious). That debunks the myth that he is too skinny.

This bloke is considered by many to be the greatest athlete of all time... so he is an obvious choice! If he was brought up in Australia and played Australian Rules he would have absolutely DOMINATED the competition, just like he did in the NBA. Absolute genius!

Just like his baseball career, best basketballer, no question, best sportsman ? Absolutely no way.

 

[mfcrox]

Billy Slater. Love it how Jordan seems to get a mention along with all the "best sportsman ever" lines which is utter rubbish, basketballer ? Yes, sportsman ? No.

Jordan would be up there in the greatest athlete stakes... we all know his basketball skill, but this is a bloke who also played minor league baseball (obviously not at a great level, but it is just like Folau playing AFL after dominating rugby... takes time to learn the sport). He is also a golfer who plays off scratch, and also has a pretty handy quarterback throw if I remember correctly from one of his videos.

The thing that sets him apart from 99% of athletes is his psychology. This is probably the most motivated athlete ever... and would stop at nothing to succeed. If he grew up playing Australian Rules, he would have absolutely smashed the opposition.

We have seen the last few years how junior basketballers transfer across to Australian Rules fairly comfortably... Pendlebury being one example. The all-round 360deg. vision and awareness of basketball translates heavily over into our sport too . If you have the best basketballer or all time transferring across I think he would be more than successful

 

[Herbs]

Mark Cosgrove - you know it makes sense.

 

[triplejdude]

Just like his baseball career, best basketballer, no question, best sportsman ? Absolutely no way.

Don't want to turn this into a basketball thread (although it's been heading that way), but this is tripe. MJ is without question in the top 3 greatest sportspeople ever.

 

[Danog]

Billy Slater

 

[swansfan51]

Anderson "The Spider" Silva. No one would go into jumper punch fight with him.

There would be bodies everywhere

 

[imadodgyumpire]

LeBron James, Billy Slater? Cam Newton pwns this thread. Also, on the NRL footy show a few weeks back, Andrew Johns showed he was a better kick of the footy than all, except a few, current footy players. Looking at his league career, Johns would be in the Voss level/type. But current day, in all sports, only one? Cameron Jerrell Newton.

 

[brendan84]

LeBron James, Billy Slater? Cam Newton pwns this thread. Also, on the NRL footy show a few weeks back, Andrew Johns showed he was a better kick of the footy than all, except a few, current footy players. Looking at his league career, Johns would be in the Voss level/type. But current day, in all sports, only one? Cameron Jerrell Newton.

Agreed. Absolute freak.

Also, Megatron (Calvin Johnson) would be a superstar.

 

[ilikepotatoes]

Lebron would be great, but he'd make Leon Davis look like a Norm Smith Medalist when it came to finals.

I would prefer to see Shaq at Full Forward.

Will probably see one in the forward pocket next year. Shaq McKenzie that is

 

[PumpyChowdown]

Haile Gebrselassie. Middle/long distance running freak from Ethiopia. He'd simply wear his opponents into the ground and turn games in the last quarter due to still being as fresh as a daisy.

 

[Chinners100]

A solid running back from the NFL such as Adrian Peterson, Chris Johnson or Matt Forte, they've got it all in terms of athleticism. Also agree with Calvin Johnson, beast.

 

[Shane_Mag]

Billy Slater or Messi.

 

[footscore]

I'm going down the opposite path to most and picking a short guy and when I say short I mean Robin Nahas stature

Spud Webb



I think he'd have the explosive speed and the agility to be deadly around the goals but his greatest weapon would be his marking ability.
Because he could jump off two feet or one foot, he'd be able to elevate beyond any defenders reach and he'd only a few steps in order to get up so defenders would be forced to impede him every chance they get resulting in non-stop free kicks.

He'd be like having a mixture of Betts/Rioli/Ablett snr all rolled into the one little package


...plus he'd be the most popular player amongst kids resulting in memberships & club $$$

 

[Ando727]

Haile Gebrselassie. Middle/long distance running freak from Ethiopia. He'd simply wear his opponents into the ground and turn games in the last quarter due to still being as fresh as a daisy.

Except he'd snap like a twig if anyone ever laid a tackle on him.