Opinion Who is your club's best defender of the 21st century?

[GoldenMagpie16]

Darcy Moore

30

Darcy Moore

Age

28

Ht

203cm

Wt

100kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.1

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

4.1

3star

M

4.8

5star

T

1.6

4star

MG

169.1

3star

D

13.9

3star

K

7.3

3star

HB

6.6

4star

M

4.9

5star

T

0.7

1star

MG

182.0

3star

D

6.8

2star

K

4.2

2star

HB

2.6

3star

M

2.6

3star

T

1.8

4star

MG

87.4

2star

 

[Lip Gallagher]

This may not be a popular view, but I don't reckon Presti was far behind him.

You listen to the full forwards of that era, and many rate Presti as their most difficult opponent.

Could throw Heater into the mix as well.

 

[RAPPA]

Says a lot for Carlton's century to date when Kade Simpson is rated their #1.

Understand you've got to acknowledge longevity; and yes he was heart and soul of Carlton. But as a true defender?!?

incorrect. It says a lot about the team at AFL.com.au who have undertaken this exercise.

 

[Fadge]

incorrect. It says a lot about the team at AFL.com.au who have undertaken this exercise.

Probably says a lot about both.

Who would be Carlton's best if not Simpson?

 

[RAPPA]

Probably says a lot about both.

Who would be Carlton's best if not Simpson?

most certainly it’s both.

firstly, and only a personal opinion, I don’t believe half back flankers should be included in the conversation. Simpson rotated between midfield and half back, in the same vein as Scotland. Both were in the more important category of players for the team in their time, but I wouldn’t regard them as a defender for this task. Also, I think their respective successful experiences in the midfield can skew opinions.

For a long time, Carlton’s back six was never stable. So often there were swing players who played decent periods in the back - Whitnall, Waite, Henderson, Walker. But no way in hell would they come into consideration.

I’d say Jamison was Carlton’s best, but he’ll be trumped by Weitering.

 

[Upgrayedd]

James Frawley was an AA full back so, at his peak, he'd be our best.

For consistency over a long period, probably Neville Jetta. He's been one of the premiere lockdown small defenders in the league for the past few years, with only last year showing his age.

Would of been AA if he played in a better side, Ripper player

 

[CrowsB4hoes]

The article has Andrew McLeod

Andrew Mcleod

Age

47

Ht

181cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.8

5star

K

13.1

5star

HB

6.7

4star

M

3.1

3star

T

2.2

4star

No current season stats available

D

10.8

3star

K

6.8

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

1.0

1star

T

1.6

4star

for us.

I mean, he did play in defence, but that doesn't mean he was a defender. He played there for his attacking attributes.

I would have Daniel Talia

12

Daniel Talia

Age

32

Ht

197cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.0

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

5.0

4star

M

4.4

4star

T

1.8

4star

MG

169.9

3star

D

10.4

3star

K

7.9

3star

HB

2.5

2star

M

4.5

4star

T

1.1

2star

MG

187.6

3star

D

11.4

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

4.4

4star

M

2.2

3star

T

3.4

5star

as our best defender of the 21st century.

 

[Cuzz09]

Glass and McKenzie were better "defenders" than McGovern.

Gov better interceptor. But gets beaten a lot.

 

[Football Tragic]

Alex Rance for us

I'm actually not sure. Rance was a superstar who got plenty of awards and accolades but Grimes and Vlaustin should be in the conversation too. Balta could actually prove to be the best of them all

 

[brutus76]

 

[PJays]

Sam Fisher

Sam Fisher

Age

41

Ht

191cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.3

5star

K

12.3

5star

HB

7.0

4star

M

7.0

5star

T

1.6

4star

MG

220.2

3star

No current season stats available

D

9.0

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

2.4

3star

M

2.8

3star

T

1.2

3star

was St.Kilda's obvious choice.

Sean Dempster

Sean Dempster

Age

40

Ht

191cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.2

3star

K

8.3

3star

HB

4.9

4star

M

4.8

5star

T

2.3

4star

MG

204.6

3star

No current season stats available

D

9.2

3star

K

4.8

2star

HB

4.4

4star

M

1.0

1star

T

2.6

4star

and Max Hudghton

Max Hudghton

Age

47

Ht

191cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.1

3star

K

5.5

2star

HB

4.6

3star

M

3.8

4star

T

1.2

3star

No current season stats available

D

6.0

2star

K

3.6

2star

HB

2.4

3star

M

2.4

3star

T

1.8

4star

were great too. Hudghton never made any AA teams but was an elite stopper. In his prime was near impossible to kick goals against.

Geary not the most talented footballer, but deserves a mention for his 200+ games and going into his 5th year of captaincy.

 

[Dr Tigris]

Rance is the obvious choice.

But I'd say that Grimes is pretty much the same quality, more versatile but less attacking. It's actually not an easy choice between the 2 of them.

 

[Genghis Tron]

Jayden Short

15

Jayden Short

Age

28

Ht

178cm

Wt

75kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.4

4star

K

13.3

5star

HB

4.1

3star

M

4.3

4star

T

1.5

3star

MG

430.8

5star

D

19.0

4star

K

14.1

5star

HB

4.9

3star

M

6.3

5star

T

0.8

1star

MG

447.1

5star

D

7.8

2star

K

6.4

3star

HB

1.4

2star

M

3.2

4star

T

2.4

4star

MG

185.2

3star

 

[WWSD]

Lake by a long way.

 

[Roobs321]

I think you'd have to pick Glass for the Eagles. Anything else is false. McGov & Mackenzie (briefly) might reach some greater heights in individual seasons, but Glass put in a full career with us. McGov only really became a regular defender in 2015 during the injury crisis down back, so he only has a couple seasons down there.

Glass - 270 games
Emac - 147 games
McGov - 138* games

No contest for now, and I'd have concerns over McGov's long-term durability. McGov is a great pure footballer, a star of the game, but Glass and protege Emac had that dark arts man-on-man tentacled defending within keen awareness of their limitations that enthralls. McGov is a little more preemptive and able to beat forwards on their own terms, more in the style of a loose defender swingman which the others couldn't really excel in.

 

[Sttew]

Scarlett. Our best & THE best!

And those ranked after Scarlett at Geelong were bloody good too:

Harry Taylor
Tom Lonergan
Corey Enright
Tom Stewart
Darren Milburn
Andrew Mackie

 

[KissKiss]

Leppich over Johnson makes sense for us. But Harris Andrews

31

Harris Andrews

Age

27

Ht

202cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.8

3star

K

7.4

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

5.6

5star

T

1.6

4star

MG

151.7

2star

D

17.0

4star

K

9.0

4star

HB

8.0

4star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.0

3star

D

9.8

3star

K

5.0

2star

HB

4.8

4star

M

3.4

4star

T

1.6

4star

MG

94.0

2star

looks to be on the trajectory to over take them sooner than later

 

[BronCrow]

The article has Andrew McLeod

Andrew Mcleod

Age

47

Ht

181cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.8

5star

K

13.1

5star

HB

6.7

4star

M

3.1

3star

T

2.2

4star

No current season stats available

D

10.8

3star

K

6.8

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

1.0

1star

T

1.6

4star

for us.

I mean, he did play in defence, but that doesn't mean he was a defender. He played there for his attacking attributes.

I would have Daniel Talia

12

Daniel Talia

Age

32

Ht

197cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.0

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

5.0

4star

M

4.4

4star

T

1.8

4star

MG

169.9

3star

D

10.4

3star

K

7.9

3star

HB

2.5

2star

M

4.5

4star

T

1.1

2star

MG

187.6

3star

D

11.4

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

4.4

4star

M

2.2

3star

T

3.4

5star

as our best defender of the 21st century.

Would personally have Rutten ahead of Talia, as good as Talia is. Also an honourable mention to Nathan Bassett.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Roobs321]

I'm actually not sure. Rance was a superstar who got plenty of awards and accolades but Grimes and Vlaustin should be in the conversation too. Balta could actually prove to be the best of them all

I think Rance's 2011-13 lifts him over the line. He was good for a little while before he became elite.

 

[Philth]

Grimes.

 

[The Dougster]

Robbie Tarrant

6

Robbie Tarrant

Age

34

Ht

196cm

Wt

96kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.5

4star

K

9.4

4star

HB

5.1

4star

M

5.3

5star

T

1.8

4star

MG

284.7

4star

D

15.1

4star

K

11.9

5star

HB

3.3

2star

M

4.1

4star

T

1.5

2star

MG

359.3

5star

D

11.0

3star

K

6.4

3star

HB

4.6

4star

M

2.6

3star

T

2.4

4star

has been our best. Arch was the man in the 90's. Scott Thompson gets an honourable mention

 

[The Dougster]

Lake by a long way.

Gibson was handy.

 

[Sttew]

Let's rank the top 18 defenders of the 21st Century (so far):

1. Scarlett
2. Rance
3. Fletcher
4. McLeod
5. Lake
6. Gibson
7. Leppitsch
8. McGovern
9. Fisher
10. McPharlin
11. Clement
12. Bolton
13. Davis
14. Tarrant
15. Frawley
16. Wakelin
17. Simpson
18. May

 

[branedotorg]

most certainly it’s both.

firstly, and only a personal opinion, I don’t believe half back flankers should be included in the conversation. Simpson rotated between midfield and half back, in the same vein as Scotland. Both were in the more important category of players for the team in their time, but I wouldn’t regard them as a defender for this task. Also, I think their respective successful experiences in the midfield can skew opinions.

For a long time, Carlton’s back six was never stable. So often there were swing players who played decent periods in the back - Whitnall, Waite, Henderson, Walker. But no way in hell would they come into consideration.

I’d say Jamison was Carlton’s best, but he’ll be trumped by Weitering.

was going to say the same, simpson and scotland remarkably consistent over long periods but for pure defensive talent, sadly ruined by injury, Michael Jamison.

 

[Milanista28]

Fletch into Hurley/Hooker