Opinion Who is the most versatile Geelong player you have seen?

[Sttew]

Gary Ablett Snr? Could play wing, HFF, full forward.
Harry Taylor? Can play CHB, HB, and forward
Jimmy Bartel? Can play midfield, HBF, HFF, Can do anything IMO!!
Stevie Johnson? Can play midfield and forward
Brad Ottens? Supposedly recruited by Geelong ad KPF, but will go down as one of our best ruckmen
Mick Turner? Was one of Geelong's greatest wingmen, but finished his days a CHF / HFF

Over to you

 

[Booger_t]

Spiro Malakellis - always seemed to plug many holes

 

[bulletproof]

What, no David Mensch?

 

[Sttew]

Spiro Malakellis - always seemed to plug many holes

Now you're not confusing Spiro with his brother, Tony? They did look alike!!

 

[Sttew]

What, no David Mensch?

My list was only a starting point. If you want to add Menschy!

 

[year of the cat]

Bartel - by far.

 

[Willo_]

From our recent era it's hard to go past Jimmy, probably cost him higher accolades by being a bit of a Mr Fix It at times

Ablett Snr of course but I'm a bit young and only really remember him out of the goal square

 

[Partridge]

I'd go 'none of the above'.

Barry Stoneham.

 

[witsend]

I'd go 'none of the above'.

Barry Stoneham.

Ditto...

 

[vinum coupe]

God. Tough question.

Colbert maybe.

 

[Frappe]

I'd go 'none of the above'.

Barry Stoneham.

Beat me to it!

Played all key positions - would be dominating in one position and then be moved to plug a hole. Remember the 92 QF when we down by 6 goals in the 2/4 and Stoneham was moved into the ruck and turned the game...with some help from Brownless.

 

[Catatonic Shock]

Peter Street or Mark Blake for sure!

Seriously though Bazza Stoneham for the taller dudes and Bartel for the short people.

 

[Frappe]

Beat me to it!

Played all key positions - would be dominating in one position and then be moved to plug a hole. Remember the 92 QF when we down by 6 goals in the 2/4 and Stoneham was moved into the ruck and turned the game...with some help from Brownless.

Remember he played the last quarter and a half on Lockett in 91 after he'd kicked 8 on Rogers and Spencer in the 91 EF.

 

[James1970]

Gary Ablett Snr? Could play wing, HFF, full forward.
Harry Taylor? Can play CHB, HB, and forward
Jimmy Bartel? Can play midfield, HBF, HFF, Can do anything IMO!!
Stevie Johnson? Can play midfield and forward
Brad Ottens? Supposedly recruited by Geelong ad KPF, but will go down as one of our best ruckmen
Mick Turner? Was one of Geelong's greatest wingmen, but finished his days a CHF / HFF

Over to you

Of those listed, only Jimmy is elite in his versatility. Stevie and Ottens close, but I wouldn't call two positions versatile. Taylor is a backman - he's been hit and mainly miss when pushed forward.

As Partridge said, Stoneham is easily the mose versatile player - could throw him anywhere.

 

[Sttew]

As much as I admire Jimmy Bartel and Barry Stoneham, I still think Gary Ablett Senior was THE man. He excelled in a number of positions.

In his first game for Geelong he played on the wing, as I recall, and was BOG.

I recall him playing CHF in a state of origin match against WA in which he kicked 5 or 6 goals and if the football world did not know who he was before that game they did by the end of it.

I recall another game in the mid 80's, I think, when Ablett played in the centre against Richmond. I think Turner was captain and Geelong was getting toweled. Turner said something to Ablett along the lines "do your magic, Gary". Next thing Ablett grabbed the ball out of the middle, bounced the ball once or twice and drove home a long bomb goal.

Of course, Ablett's feats on the HFF and FF are legendary.

In the 89 GF he showed he could ruck too!! Remember he went up in the ruck in the forward pocket, grabbed the ball and dropped it onto his boot for a 6 pointer!!

The only thing Ablett could NOT do was play south of the centre. His defensive skills were non-existent.

 

[Partridge]

As much as I admire Jimmy Bartel and Barry Stoneham, I still think Gary Ablett Senior was THE man. He excelled in a number of positions.

In his first game for Geelong he played on the wing, as I recall, and was BOG.

Ablett could certainly thrive in a number of positions. And was probably more versatile than I gave him credit for.

The only thing Ablett could NOT do was play south of the centre. His defensive skills were non-existent.[/QUOTE]

Actually, he played the entire pre-season (and first 4 games) in 1989 off a half back flank and starred. He was best on ground in the 1989 night Grand Final versus Melbourne too. Like a lot of players from that era, I wouldn't say his defensive skills were non-existent; it's that he was a matchwinner. And the instructions were (mostly) to get the ball to your matchwinners and let them do the rest. When he had to, he was perfectly capable of doing defensive things (his deft smother in the 2nd quarter of the Prelim Final in 1989 an excellent example).

 

[Sttew]

Ablett could certainly thrive in a number of positions. And was probably more versatile than I gave him credit for.

The only thing Ablett could NOT do was play south of the centre. His defensive skills were non-existent.

Actually, he played the entire pre-season (and first 4 games) in 1989 off a half back flank and starred. He was best on ground in the 1989 night Grand Final versus Melbourne too. Like a lot of players from that era, I wouldn't say his defensive skills were non-existent; it's that he was a matchwinner. And the instructions were (mostly) to get the ball to your matchwinners and let them do the rest. When he had to, he was perfectly capable of doing defensive things (his deft smother in the 2nd quarter of the Prelim Final in 1989 an excellent example).

Thanks for reminding me about Ablett's abilities as a defender. I had'nt remembered that. He was just a freak!!

 

[Seeds]

Ablett, Colbert, Stoneham and Bartel.

 

[THE CAT WRANGLER]

Blicavs

 

[Daniel McL]

Still got to be Jimmy for me

But watch out for Jansen, can play 3rd defender, 3rd forward, midfielder, and back-up ruckman after our 12874523 Ruckman get injured this year

 

[Jon Douglas]

I have been watching footy since around 1969 (old enough to appreciate enough of the aspects of a good footy player).

I only saw Polly play one game (Interstate game). But in my time no one has been a better footy player than Gary Senior.

And the freak thing about is that he started as wingman who has exhilarating pace and lots of dash. Then he went to the HFF and became a sensation.

When older moved to FF, and as a small FF, he blitzed every team - and often.

I remember a few players talking about Gary Snr. at the club and they seemed to think if he ever trained hard and got seriously fit and could run most of the day - he would have been the best centre player of his time.

People often forget that he had great hand skills and judgement when the ball hit the turf. He could on both feet and was a booming kick. And he hurt players when he hit them with a legitimate tackle.

So he was one of the best FF ever in the game, probably the best HFF ever and he could have been one of the best mids/wingers if he stayed in that position and got some more run in his legs.

Blight tried him at FB on Dunstall for around a quarter and that was a dismal failure. But he did play CHB in a few pre-season games (like the NAB Cup) and he was pretty good considering he had never learned to play as a backman.

Maybe Carey was more consistently very good - but when Ablett was on (and that was pretty often) he was unbeatable. From the wing down to FF - he was a gun player. A match winning player.

PS. Hate to write this but Ayres was a gun in just about any position he was asked to play - back pocket, as a mid or as tall backman. Very versatile and seemed to get the job done just about every time.

 

[you pick one]

I'm on the Partridge bandwagon no contest Stoneham.Bartel runner up.

 

[Moggy]

As much as I admire Jimmy Bartel and Barry Stoneham, I still think Gary Ablett Senior was THE man. He excelled in a number of positions.

In his first game for Geelong he played on the wing, as I recall, and was BOG.

I recall him playing CHF in a state of origin match against WA in which he kicked 5 or 6 goals and if the football world did not know who he was before that game they did by the end of it.

I recall another game in the mid 80's, I think, when Ablett played in the centre against Richmond. I think Turner was captain and Geelong was getting toweled. Turner said something to Ablett along the lines "do your magic, Gary". Next thing Ablett grabbed the ball out of the middle, bounced the ball once or twice and drove home a long bomb goal.

Of course, Ablett's feats on the HFF and FF are legendary.

In the 89 GF he showed he could ruck too!! Remember he went up in the ruck in the forward pocket, grabbed the ball and dropped it onto his boot for a 6 pointer!!

The only thing Ablett could NOT do was play south of the centre. His defensive skills were non-existent.

Am I the only one sorely tempted to ditch work in pursuit of a copy of an 80's Origin game?

As the best player ever (certainly for us) and quite versatile with it, then Gaz probably wins the most versatile award as well.

 

[Whit3y]

remember when ablett snr played full back after he came back from his retirement, this is comparable to harry taylor playing forward

both no good

 

[Sttew]

Am I the only one sorely tempted to ditch work in pursuit of a copy of an 80's Origin game?

As the best player ever (certainly for us) and quite versatile with it, then Gaz probably wins the most versatile award as well.

I was wrong!! Ablett kicked 8 in the SOO game. The game was in 1984!

"He was a super star and could kick bags at full forward or on the wing. In 1984 the arrival of Gary Ablett to the Big V team was a significant one as he snagged a lazy eight goals from the half forward flank. He also collected the best on field honours. A controversial selection in his first season confirmed he was a player and would remain as one of the best ever."
http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/...ents/top_ten_greatest_state_of_origin_moments