Prediction North Melbourne’s 10 best players ever - IN ORDER

[Marstermind]

1. Wayne Carey
2. Keith Greig
3. Malcolm Blight
4. Barry Cable
5. Les Foote
6. David Dench
7. Brent Harvey
8. Wayne Schimmelbusch
9. Noel Teasdale
10. Laurie Dwyer

Of course it's too much guesswork on this. My football watching experience began around 1983 so any player who played their best footy before then is based on reputation, presumption, Mabo and the vibe. How do I form the opinion that Teasdale was slightly better than Dwyer and both were better than a Glendinning or Archer. Stuffed it I know, but I like my list. And what about the real old-timers who no one alive would have seen play? I guess I just ignore them. I suppose the saying is kind of true: Everyone dies twice - the first when you stop breathing, the second when the last person who remembered you stops breathing.

What is most interesting to me is that the teams of the 70s seem far more heavily represented in most people's lists than 90s players - including my own. By my reckoning there are 62 NMFC Premiership players, how would they be ranked and what would be the differences between the 70s players and 90s. My top 10, taking into account what I said in the first paragraph would be

1. Wayne Carey
2. Keith Greig
3. Malcolm Blight
4. Barry Cable
5. David Dench
6. Brent Harvey
7. Wayne Schimmelbusch
8. Glenn Archer
9. Wayne Schwass
10. Anthony Stevens

 

[Snake_Baker]

I'm not going to take you on with your NMFC knowledge but Jock Spencer not getting a mention I find interesting? The blokes career was downright impressive. Finished with a goal average of over 3 per game.

Still sits fourth I believe on our overall goal kicking tally.


Anyway a bit of fun and very hard to mention them all I suppose

Jock is definitely in the 10-20 category, but Sel Murray tips him out of top 10 contention.

Spencer: 3.1 goals a game
Murray: 3.8 goals a game.

Murray actually won the VFL equivalent of the Coleman Medal back in his era.

 

[Snake_Baker]

1. Wayne Carey
2. Keith Greig
3. Malcolm Blight
4. Barry Cable
5. Les Foote
6. David Dench
7. Brent Harvey
8. Wayne Schimmelbusch
9. Noel Teasdale
10. Laurie Dwyer

Of course it's too much guesswork on this. My football watching experience began around 1983 so any player who played their best footy before then is based on reputation, presumption, Mabo and the vibe. How do I form the opinion that Teasdale was slightly better than Dwyer and both were better than a Glendinning or Archer. Stuffed it I know, but I like my list. And what about the real old-timers who no one alive would have seen play? I guess I just ignore them. I suppose the saying is kind of true: Everyone dies twice - the first when you stop breathing, the second when the last person who remembered you stops breathing.

What is most interesting to me is that the teams of the 70s seem far more heavily represented in most people's lists than 90s players - including my own. By my reckoning there are 62 NMFC Premiership players, how would they be ranked and what would be the differences between the 70s players and 90s. My top 10, taking into account what I said in the first paragraph would be

1. Wayne Carey
2. Keith Greig
3. Malcolm Blight
4. Barry Cable
5. David Dench
6. Brent Harvey
7. Wayne Schimmelbusch
8. Glenn Archer
9. Wayne Schwass
10. Anthony Stevens

Aylett?!

He was rated the best carnival player in Australia (tied with Whitten) when Whitten, Barassi & Farmer were arguably at their peak, and he took the rovers spot from Bob Skilton twice in the AA team.

 

[Marstermind]

Aylett?!

He was rated the best carnival player in Australia (tied with Whitten) when Whitten, Barassi & Farmer were arguably at their peak, and he took the rovers spot from Bob Skilton twice in the AA team.

Yeah. Probably an oversight and probably a victim of what I was saying. Slot him in the middle of my list somewhere.

 

[guapo]

1. Carey
2. Blight
3. Aylett
4. Greig
5. Dench
6. Cable
7. Foote
8. Schimmelbusch
9. Harvey
10. Glendinning/Carter/Teasdale/Larkin/Dempsey/Longmire/Dugdale/Murray/Davis/Dwyer.............

I can't really factor the pre-1940's blokes.

The "Invincibles" would have had guns, Syd Barker & Charlie Cameron were guns, as was Johnny Lewis, and Neville Huggins was purportedly the highest paid player in the country in 1936.

This lines up pretty closely to my thoughts, would swap Greig and Aylett, Schimma maybe a little higher, and consider J Krakouer and W Schwass in the raffle at #10

 

[koshari]

The problem with compiling these lists is that I didn't see anyone prior to about 1996, and even then I wasn't actually able to form reasonable judgements on footy until I was about 14 or 15, so about 2005-ish. It makes it hard then to judge players from before that time against players I've actually seen.

Personally, I just go with players in my lifetime, so from about 1991 because at least then I have some sort of frame of reference. On that basis:

1. Carey
2. Harvey
3. Archer
4. Stevens
5. McKernan
6. Grant
7. Schwass
8. Higgins
9. Swallow
10. Cunnington

Even then I'm not particularly happy with that list because, while I idolised most of that 90s team,

These threads invariably tell more about a posters age than the calibre of the players. Thats not said as a critisism either.

For example from my perspective at least cable, jim krakour and briedis would displace 3 of your selections. And thats not even going into the more obvious selections others have noted.

 

[The Y Factor]

I would struggle to do a top ten for our best 22!

However as an 80’s kid surely Jim Krakeour and Ross Glendenning should at least get a mention.

My personal favourites other than the King and every captain were Schwass and Shagger but I’d be happy for them to be top 10 of their decade

 

[Uber Roo]

Ross Glendinning was a magnificent footballer, beautiful to watch
Ill always have him in my top 10
He should’ve been a premiership player had those pricks East Perth cleared him for the 1977 season



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[Hojuman]

Carey
Greig
Blight
Schimmelbusch
Aylett
Foote
Dench
Teasdale
Dwyer
Spencer

 

[Passmore]

Jock is definitely in the 10-20 category, but Sel Murray tips him out of top 10 contention.

Spencer: 3.1 goals a game
Murray: 3.8 goals a game.

Murray actually won the VFL equivalent of the Coleman Medal back in his era.

Sel Murray is perhaps the most under appreciated player in our history.

 

[Groucho]

Jock is definitely in the 10-20 category, but Sel Murray tips him out of top 10 contention.

Spencer: 3.1 goals a game
Murray: 3.8 goals a game.

Murray actually won the VFL equivalent of the Coleman Medal back in his era.

Good point about Murray Snake. As a North supporting kid growing up in the ‘60’s my schoolmates would stir me up because ,not only hadn’t North won a flag ,but we didn’t even have a Brownlow medallist or leading goal kicker. Turns out we had both but not acknowledged until much later which was no friggin good to a North supporting kid growing up in the ‘60’s!

 

[Uber Roo]

I’ve only read briefly about the exploits of Sel Murray I chat to his daughter occasionally on FB, and quite rightly is always very proud of her late dad. I need to do more reading
Back to The North Story for a crash course


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[guapo]

Carey
Greig
Blight
Schimmelbusch
Aylett
Foote
Dench
Teasdale
Dwyer
Spencer

Great list, but anyone who saw Blight first hand will leave no doubt that he was our absolute best bar one exceptional exception.
Having sat in the second row, directly behind the social club end goals in the late 70s and early 80s, watching the mastery of a genius, I could mount a case for M Blight as our best ever


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[Rooboy 96]

Carey
Greig
Foote (Mum would beat me with the wooden spoon if Foote wasn't top 3)
Blight
Cable
Dwyer
Schimmelbusch
Aylett
Harvey
Glendinning

 

[Twinkletoes]

Great list, but anyone who saw Blight first hand will leave no doubt that he was our absolute best bar one exceptional exception.
Having sat in the second row, directly behind the social club end goals in the late 70s and early 80s, watching the mastery of a genius, I could mount a case for M Blight as our best ever


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I loved Keith Greig but agree with you re Blight. He was THE MAN in his day and I’d have him a close second behind The Duck. He was a genius!

 

[Uncle_Leo]

Brent Harvey will be top 5, possibly top 2 lock that in right now.

Carey has to be 1, best player to ever play the game

 

[fusion]

I loved Keith Greig but agree with you re Blight. He was THE MAN in his day and I’d have him a close second behind The Duck. He was a genius!

https://m.nmfc.com.au/video/2017-06-20/hall-of-fame-legend-malcolm-blight

Great highlights... hard to tell which was his preferred kicking foot.

 

[Benno_900]

I am only naming players that I was old enough to watch ...

Carey
McKernan
Boomer
Archer
Stevens
Tarrant
Wells
Goldstein
Cunnington
Grant

 

[Page8383]

Can’t argue with many lists on here.
Hard to know who to leave out.
No Crosswell on anyone’s lists - might make the 10 but would be considered imo despite playing more games for Carlton.
Cable would be my #1
Could be easily Carey or Blight though. Even Greig
Very hard


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[Kimbo]

As a 'gave their all while they were with us, held with affection, journeymen types' I'd quibble with a couple...

1. Troy Makepeace
2. Corey Jones
3. Leigh Harding
4. Brady Rawlings
5. Michael Firrito
6. Jess Sinclair
7. Saverio Rocca
8. Matt Campbell Matthew Burton
9. Nathan Thompson
10. Leigh Brown Daniel Harris

Honourable mentions to Scott McMahon, Lachie Hanson, Aaron Edwards. Adam Simpson would captain the side.

 

[DEVO]

If you take into consideration our VFA era almost 2000 players have worn the North Melbourne/Hotham uniform. Picking a top 10 would be a difficult task, But it ain’t going to stop me from having a go:

Wayne Carey
Keith Grieg
Malcolm Blight
Barry Cable
Brent Harvey
Wayne Schimmelbusch
David Dench
Les Foote
Ross Glendenning
Charlie Hardy

 

[Bertie22]

Can’t argue with many lists on here.
Hard to know who to leave out.
No Crosswell on anyone’s lists - might make the 10 but would be considered imo despite playing more games for Carlton.
Cable would be my #1
Could be easily Carey or Blight though. Even Greig
Very hard


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This is a mind blowing exercise. I am in my 60s so can offer up some insights from previous eras. Saw Aylett at his peak...very fine player, as was Noel Teasdale but perhaps more of a workhorse. But he does have a well deserved Brownlow! John Dugdale was a gem. He could play full forward, full back and centre and was a great high mark. Laurie Dwyer was a star as I have alluded in the Keith Greig thread. My dad saw Les Foote in the 50s and always rated him as North's best ever...until he saw Carey!

All of this does not help, so good luck to the selectors. How great however to reflect on the absolute champions that have graced every era of our Club?

 

[The Anvil]

1. Troy Makepeace
2. Corey Jones
3. Leigh Harding
4. Brady Rawlings
5. Michael Firrito
6. Jess Sinclair
7. Saverio Rocca
8. Matt Campbell
9. Nathan Thompson
10. Leigh Brown

Great list but where is Digby Morrell?????

 

[Snake_Baker]

The most courageous top 10

1. L. Colbert
2. A. Stevens
3. G. Archer
4. J. Law
5. J. Ziebell
6. W.Schimmelbusch
7. A. Swallow
8. J. Krakeour
9. M. Firrito
10.B. Cunnington

HM's: R. Smith, M. Larkin, B.Nettlefold, S. Kekovich, M. Martyn, B. Rawlings, S. Hickey, L. Thomas, K.Turner, R. Tarrant, J. McCartney, & S. Thompson

 

[Charlie63]

1. Wayne Carey
2. Keith Grieg
3. Ross Glendening
4. Les Foote
5. N.Teasdale
6. B Harvey
7. G Archer
8. D Dench
9. B Cable
10. W. Schimmelbusch