Player Watch Gary Ablett Junior is the best player ever

[Warhorse]

Are we just getting a bit carried away after a great game? Lance Franklin has some remarkable statistics also. Was Franklin discussed as the best player ever after breaking another goal kicking record?

In my opinion I reckon Franklin is better, I think for a modern player to kick 100 and to have a goal kicking tally like he does is remarkable. AA Captain last year. I think if Ablett won a flag this year and got a Norm Smith then it would elevate him hugely, but in my opinion Lance is the best ever and there are a few above GAJ.

 

[Craze]

I'd still have Matthews 1st

 

[NetworkNerd]

Awesome player but History will look back and say his departure cost Geelong 1-2 flags. Best opportunities when he was gone were 2013 and 2016.

 

[GastevsBeard]

miss the days of picking Ablett Jr in Supercoach for half your sides salary cap, but it being worth it as you could just sit the C on him and never take it off

 

[Eagleboy68]

One of the best ever. Top 3 probably.

I'd still pick Judd in his prime ahead of him.

There was something a class above in freaky talent judd had.

 

[Overhang]

So difficult to compare players from different generations, Ablett Snr didn’t have to contend with zones, taggers have come a long way since the Carey days. Buddy would have kicked 100 goals a season in the 90s.

 

[Furn2]

How many times has he kicked 5 goals and had 30+?

 

[PhatBoy]

You are wrong, Matthews and Carey streets ahead of Snr.

Got it done for their teams when it mattered.

It’s a great point.

Ablett should have kicked 10 in the 89 GF.

His fault they lost.

 

[smelly cat]

Lance Franklin

2× AFL premiership player
8× All-Australian team
4× Coleman Medal
Peter Crimmins Medal
6× Hawthorn leading goalkicker
5× Sydney leading goalkicker
2× Brett Kirk Medal
2× AFL Goal of the Year

Not sure if serious.

 

[Slysh]

Not sure if serious.

I mean it's hardly an unreasonable opinion, would have to be in the discussion with Ablett for best from this era.

 

[RUNVS]

One of the best ever. Top 3 probably.

I'd still pick Judd in his prime ahead of him.

There was something a class above in freaky talent judd had.

Which is exactly why Ablett isn't the best, because there is a genuine argument for Judd being the best midfielder, and while I don't think he is, the fact that there is an argument indicates the gap between Judd and Ablett was not huge.

Buddy though, no one (or most people at least) is going to argue that anyone other than Buddy is the best key forward of his generation. No other player comes even close. Buddy is the only player who is undisputed in terms of his position. Every other position someone can name who they think is best and someone else can go "what about this player" and it be a fair debate, but Buddy, there is no debate. He was the best forward of his generation, and no one is reasonably arguing otherwise.

eg

Cox or Gawn
Ablett or Judd
Scarlet or Rance
Betts or Milne

 

[BF Tiger]

He is a star. I think if the shoulder injury that cost him his third Brownlow didn’t occur it’s be unanaminous.

 

[PhatBoy]

Which is exactly why Ablett isn't the best, because there is a genuine argument for Judd being the best midfielder, and while I don't think he is, the fact that there is an argument indicates the gap between Judd and Ablett was not huge.

Buddy though, no one (or most people at least) is going to argue that anyone other than Buddy is the best key forward of his generation. No other player comes even close. Buddy is the only player who is undisputed in terms of his position. Every other position someone can name who they think is best and someone else can go "what about this player" and it be a fair debate, but Buddy, there is no debate. He was the best forward of his generation, and no one is reasonably arguing otherwise.

eg

Cox or Gawn
Ablett or Judd
Scarlet or Rance
Betts or Milne

There are one, sometimes two power forwards per team.

Is it easy to be the best? No. Is the competition lessened? Yes.

It’s a silly argument.
Of course there will be other midfielders in the conversation with Ablett - there’s a thousand of them in the competition so clearly year to year one or two or them are going to be at least pressuring him.

To use my cricket analogy from earlier again, Shane Warne being streets ahead of Anil Kumble as the best leg spinner of his generation doesn’t instantly make him the best bowler overall from 1991-2007 just because the competition among fast bowlers was much stronger does it?
Now for what it’s worth in this instance Warne has a good case for actually being the best overall bowler of that era. But it’s not based on the fact that he was head and shoulders above every other leg spinner.

Scarlett didn’t have anyone within cooee of him as a defender for the best part of a decade. It didn’t make him better than Ablett.

 

[Luv_our_club]

No. But he could be the best midfielder of this century so far. He would definitely finish top 5 in that conversation, without any debate.

I personally rate goal kickers as the most valuable players.
And leaders. This is the first season where I think neutral observers rate his leadership.

 

[Gypsy King]

He is a star. I think if the shoulder injury that cost him his third Brownlow didn’t occur it’s be unanaminous.

Best year I saw Ablett play is when the umps robbed him of a brownlow. They give it to Cooney instead, who, while he was servible that year, he was no where near Gary Ablett jr. Some also argue that Ablett shouldve won it when Bartel did, and also one of the years Swan or Judd did. Ablett should have 5 brownlows.

 

[Eagleboy68]

So difficult to compare players from different generations, Ablett Snr didn’t have to contend with zones, taggers have come a long way since the Carey days. Buddy would have kicked 100 goals a season in the 90s.

Buddy wouldn't have kicked 50 goals a season back when Carey played. Defenders could do so much more back then that buddy gets frees for now.

Eg: arm chops, spoils above the shoulders making contact, push in the back more.

Buddy would just cry and get nothing.

 

[Warhorse]

Which is exactly why Ablett isn't the best, because there is a genuine argument for Judd being the best midfielder, and while I don't think he is, the fact that there is an argument indicates the gap between Judd and Ablett was not huge.

Buddy though, no one (or most people at least) is going to argue that anyone other than Buddy is the best key forward of his generation. No other player comes even close. Buddy is the only player who is undisputed in terms of his position. Every other position someone can name who they think is best and someone else can go "what about this player" and it be a fair debate, but Buddy, there is no debate. He was the best forward of his generation, and no one is reasonably arguing otherwise.

eg

Cox or Gawn
Ablett or Judd
Scarlet or Rance
Betts or Milne

Teams seem to have more success once buddy leaves.

And Judd is nowhere near Ablett.

 

[hilly]

2GOAT for me. Hard to not respect him doing us for about a dozen years now.

 

[MOONEY 21]

Lethal is the GOAT.

to hawthorn supporters. yes.

 

[MOONEY 21]

Buddy wouldn't have kicked 50 goals a season back when Carey played. Defenders could do so much more back then that buddy gets frees for now.

Eg: arm chops, spoils above the shoulders making contact, push in the back more.

Buddy would just cry and get nothing.

Buddy is sh1thouse overhead. For anyone to say he would kick 100 goals a year in the 90's is a hilarious joke.

 

[Westicle]

Jack Graham in the conversation

Err.. ?

 

[Bald]

As a Bulldogs fan I’m torn. Common sense says he shouldn’t be suspended next week, but he’s playing so well I ******* hope he is considering we play them next week.

 

[Xtreme]

hard to argue anyone was or is better than Ablett.

Robert Harvey
Chris Judd
Luke Hodge
CYRIL DELICIOUS RIOLI
Dusty Martin (the single greatest season by ANY player!)

Luke Darcy ? JOKES

 

[gavaniacono]

Hayden Bunton Snr surely.
Then John Coleman.
A bottleneck for 3rd place that Junior is certainly in the discussion on, though lethal was the best and most intimidating of players in the 70s through early 80s.

 

[FairKouta]

Judd over Albett in their prime. Carey over everyone. Geelong supporters calm down it is only my opinion if you do not agree I am cool with that.