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

Nov 25, 2014
1,614
7,714
AFL Club
North Melbourne
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
Subjectivity reigns in this stuff - granted.

It's not to denigrate Leigh Colbert by dropping him down a peg or two, but three players stand head and shoulders above all other North players in the last 40 years in the courage stakes IMO and they are (not in any order)

G Archer
W Schimmelbusch
J Krakouer.


Archer took fearlessness to an unbelievable level, Schimma would never say die - ever - and watching Jimmy Krakouer taking teams on in the 80's with his tenacity and courage brought a tear to your eyes. The three greatest shinboners in my time.
 
Wasn't Colbert actually nearly killed as a result of an on field collision with Kingy that ruptured something internally?

Yep. And in his return game, the very first play he was involved in was to run back with the flight of the ball into a pack to effect a spoil.
 

WD Roo

All Australian
Dec 18, 2018
619
1,292
AFL Club
North Melbourne
There are probably five givens.

Boomer - games record holder
Archer - Greatest Shinboner of all time
Grieg - record speaks for itself
Carey - no need to comment.
Aylett - the father of the AFL

The next dozen is a toss of the coin to make the top ten.
 
There are probably five givens.

Boomer - games record holder
Archer - Greatest Shinboner of all time
Grieg - record speaks for itself
Carey - no need to comment.
Aylett - the father of the AFL

The next dozen is a toss of the coin to make the top ten.
Don't agree - Boomer and Archer are sensational players but don't make my best 10 ever. Certainly not 'givens'. Carey, Greig, Aylett ok. But it is also hard to do a list like this if you haven't seen Greig, Aylett etc. Between us all we could probably agree on a list around 20 players who could fill the top 10.
 

Page8383

Norm Smith Medallist
Sep 6, 2007
6,342
4,174
Sydney
AFL Club
North Melbourne
I would give an HM to David Teague, he eeked out an AFL career based primarily on courage.

And he took on the Carlton coaching job, that’s ridiculous courage.

I was always a Teague fan and followed his career closely. Loved his style.
Was disappointed to see him go to Carlton but was happy to see him get a B+F over there.

Another in the same mould I followed closely was Leigh Adams.
Had terrible luck and cracked in again and again and got the absolute best out of himself.
Was a real shinboner and I’d take him over your fancy Dayne Beam types with their tattoos who might or might not turn up when the whips are cracking
 

WD Roo

All Australian
Dec 18, 2018
619
1,292
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Don't agree - Boomer and Archer are sensational players but don't make my best 10 ever. Certainly not 'givens'. Carey, Greig, Aylett ok. But it is also hard to do a list like this if you haven't seen Greig, Aylett etc. Between us all we could probably agree on a list around 20 players who could fill the top 10.
The top ten will be picked on their achievements. There will be players no one of us have seen that will make the top 20. As a kid I barely remember the likes of Grieg, Glendinning, Steele, German and Buckley but they are players that busted their arse for the jumper week in week out.
 
Apr 24, 2013
81,024
153,170
Arden Street Hill
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Essendon Lawn Bowls Club
The North "mercurial" top 10.

1. M. Blight
2. K. Greig
3. W. Carey
4. W. Abraham
5. S. Kekovich
6. P. Krakouer
7. B. Harvey
8. D. Wells
9. J. Krakouer
10. A. McAdam

HM's: M. Larkin, S. Grant, L. Thomas, C. McKernan, S. Rocca

I'm sure Foote, Aylett & Dwyer would also make that all time top 10.
 

osaka mick

Club Legend
Oct 13, 2006
1,206
898
Gold Coast
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Everton, 76s, Canucks
LOL. I misread the threat title. Have redone my best all time Roos. Intentionally posting this without having a look at others posts. Wonder what public opinion is. If question was the most important, would be vastly different, but Ive gone with the best, as the question posed.

1. Cunnington
2. Higgins
3. Tarrant
4. Polec
5. Brown
6. Dumont
7. Ziebell
8. Anderson
9. Goldstein
10. Thompson



I have followed North since the 70s, so cant judge anyone further back than these guys.

1. Carey
2. Blight
3. Greig
4. Cable
5. Schimmelbusch
6. Dench
7. Glendenning
8. J. Krakouer
9. Harvey
10. Archer

I would have loved to put Stevens and Cunnington in, but just cant at the moment.
 
Last edited:
Apr 3, 2000
19,114
12,380
Melbourne
AFL Club
North Melbourne
The North "mercurial" top 10.

1. M. Blight
2. K. Greig
3. W. Carey
4. W. Abraham
5. S. Kekovich
6. P. Krakouer
7. B. Harvey
8. D. Wells
9. J. Krakouer
10. A. McAdam

HM's: M. Larkin, S. Grant, L. Thomas, C. McKernan, S. Rocca

I'm sure Foote, Aylett & Dwyer would also make that all time top 10.

Briedis? deserves a HM at the very least, leading goalscorer in our first two flags, and I will never forget that coathanger on Wearmouth.
 
Last edited:

benbanjo

Norm Smith Medallist
Aug 16, 2009
9,359
10,977
AFL Club
North Melbourne
And if anyone wants to question Colby’s courage, consider this. The guy is a now a pilot with Tiger.
He went to another airline since, however has recently handed in the resignation. has a new venture coming up.
 
Jun 8, 2004
13,673
30,236
Melbourne
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Thats interesting.. but Why?

I used to call it dumb courage because he was only ever going to get hurt as a result of how he played.

He just went all the time without hesitation, he put himself in places he just shouldn’t of.

His first play back after a life threatening injury possibly the bravest thing I’ve ever seen on a footy field.
 
The top ten will be picked on their achievements. There will be players no one of us have seen that will make the top 20. As a kid I barely remember the likes of Grieg, Glendinning, Steele, German and Buckley but they are players that busted their arse for the jumper week in week out.
True to a degree - but best ever is not just about busting your arse. There are many players who would die for the jumper and I love them. Archer number one example. But not the only criteria of who is in best ever list. The danger with a list like this is you leave out players you love, not because they aren't great, but because you have ten spots.
 
The North "mercurial" top 10.

1. M. Blight
2. K. Greig
3. W. Carey
4. W. Abraham
5. S. Kekovich
6. P. Krakouer
7. B. Harvey
8. D. Wells
9. J. Krakouer
10. A. McAdam

HM's: M. Larkin, S. Grant, L. Thomas, C. McKernan, S. Rocca

I'm sure Foote, Aylett & Dwyer would also make that all time top 10.

No “ Snake” Baker?
 
And if anyone wants to question Colby’s courage, consider this. The guy is a now a pilot with Tiger.

That's nothing - I know several people who've actually flown with them!
 

glenn2479

Club Legend
Jun 9, 2008
2,034
4,153
melbourne
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Not suggesting they’re top 10 of all time but I wonder how others rate McKernan ( would have won the rising star and brownlow if not for the umps) and he was an out and out match winner in a team that had Carey. The other one is Pickett ( won the rising star award) and was a consistently brilliant player at Nth. Obviously went to Port and GoDees which hurts. Also not enough love for my dufflecoat hero No.3 Jim Krakouer
 
Back