Modified Dog
Club Legend
- Mar 25, 2014
- 1,696
- 3,102
- AFL Club
- Hawthorn
- Banned
- #176
Lockett and Dunstall were always so hard to split as full forwards during their careers.
One year, it was Plugger dominating and kicking 100 goals. The next year it was Dunstall doing the same and kicking even more goals.
Plugger would be out injured or suspended for 4-5 weeks, then he'd come back and boot 10 goals and drag the Saints over the line. There has never been a more awesome forward in full flight. His ability to take pack marks, kick the big goals and monster opposition defences was second to none. He was always the focal point. Teammates had to clear the area and let Plugger take over. This meant he always kicked the bulk of his team's goals, but often for a losing cause.
Dunstall played in better teams (in the 80's) but he also worked better with his teammates. He was the ultimate professional who shared the goals and defensive responsibilities. He revolutionised the way full forwards played. In my opinion, this makes him the better footballer. Lockett was the better individual. Dunstall was the better team player, so I'll give him the nod because footy is a team game - people always seem to forget this when rating players. They just go by the highlight reel stuff and ignore the weaknesses or the boring fundamentals.
It's wrong to generalise about the pair of them and say that Dunstall played in great sides and Lockett played in shit sides, therefore Lockett was better. They both played in good and bad teams and it never had any bearing on how many goals they'd kick. Plugger received good delivery from his team-mates. The likes of Joffa Cunningham, Rob Harvey, Nicky Winmar, Paul Kelly and Wayne Schwass looked for him at every opportunity.
Let's not forget, Hawthorn were ordinary after 1992, but it didn't affect Dunstall. He continued on kicking bags of goals. He was a master craftsman. I've never seen anyone better at timing his lead, no one better at swerving and diving left or right, making shit passes look good and taking "slips catches" low to the ground. People just ignore this and attribute it all to the "good delivery from his teammates".
If it was that easy, then why doesn't every great team have a full forward kicking 100 goals?
One year, it was Plugger dominating and kicking 100 goals. The next year it was Dunstall doing the same and kicking even more goals.
Plugger would be out injured or suspended for 4-5 weeks, then he'd come back and boot 10 goals and drag the Saints over the line. There has never been a more awesome forward in full flight. His ability to take pack marks, kick the big goals and monster opposition defences was second to none. He was always the focal point. Teammates had to clear the area and let Plugger take over. This meant he always kicked the bulk of his team's goals, but often for a losing cause.
Dunstall played in better teams (in the 80's) but he also worked better with his teammates. He was the ultimate professional who shared the goals and defensive responsibilities. He revolutionised the way full forwards played. In my opinion, this makes him the better footballer. Lockett was the better individual. Dunstall was the better team player, so I'll give him the nod because footy is a team game - people always seem to forget this when rating players. They just go by the highlight reel stuff and ignore the weaknesses or the boring fundamentals.
It's wrong to generalise about the pair of them and say that Dunstall played in great sides and Lockett played in shit sides, therefore Lockett was better. They both played in good and bad teams and it never had any bearing on how many goals they'd kick. Plugger received good delivery from his team-mates. The likes of Joffa Cunningham, Rob Harvey, Nicky Winmar, Paul Kelly and Wayne Schwass looked for him at every opportunity.
Let's not forget, Hawthorn were ordinary after 1992, but it didn't affect Dunstall. He continued on kicking bags of goals. He was a master craftsman. I've never seen anyone better at timing his lead, no one better at swerving and diving left or right, making shit passes look good and taking "slips catches" low to the ground. People just ignore this and attribute it all to the "good delivery from his teammates".
If it was that easy, then why doesn't every great team have a full forward kicking 100 goals?
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