Players you thought were going to be elite but never got there

[TheRealComptroller]

Steven King, Michael Gardiner and Brad Ottens had careers, that while fine, were nowhere as good as their dominant early form would suggest they would be.

King and Ottens would both make AA teams as 21 year olds but would never be selected again.

Gardiner also only made it just once, in 2003, but at 23/24 and was on the bench.

FWIW all of them played in the 2009 GF.

 

[omgfridge]

Mark Nicoski

Career ruined by injuries but had one hell of a left peg on him. Mostly played half-back with a bit of wing. He actually kicked the opening goal of the 2005 grand final after a great play involving Kerr/Fletcher/Judd.

Injures his ankle in 2006, gets back to win a WAFL flag but missed selection for the successful 06 AFL flag.

Rest of his career follows a similar path till 2011 where he recreated himself as a defensive forward, look at how much this season stands out.


It included a 6 goal haul against the Tigers and 3 goals against Carlton in a semi-final. Was a really fun season to follow.

Unfortunately injured in the 2012 pre-season and never seen in the AFL again. Has been a development coach since Simpson came to West Coast so still around the club.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

The Grohan.from my mob. I seriously celebrated the trade to the Cats. Of course he has a Premiership medal to wave about but did little to earn it. He will go down as one of the worst Finals players of all time.

I mean without him this Geelong lose another QF final. I'd say he earnt every bit of it. He was good GF day too in the 'role' he played.

The game has developed a little further than pure stats in this day and age.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Had to google him, Pistol. Played 2 games in 2010. Was warned for eating a hamburger before a reserves game. I was living in remote WA then, teaching in the desert. News of Relton's eating exploits didn't reach us.

Everyone who played supercoach that year remembers relton

 

[Pure_Ownage]

The Grohan.from my mob. I seriously celebrated the trade to the Cats. Of course he has a Premiership medal to wave about but did little to earn it. He will go down as one of the worst Finals players of all time.

He was very good. We lose the QF without him and hes played some good games. This might be his last year but hes been good for pick 61. Ironically enough you used that pick we gave you on ryan clarke who also played in the GF.

 

[kirbatron]

I thought Tom Scully was going to be the next Judd or retire with similar awards

 

[Milanista28]

Does Kane Cornes still think Rozee is better than Walsh?

Is it that bad a call? Did you see Rozee in the 2nd half of last season he was incredible.

 

[Warhorse]

Brad Hartman.

Great call. Never seen a player improve as quicky. Could not get a touch at VFL when first drafted. Had huge potential

 

[Catsace]

I would have thought the knee to the throat in a ruck contest by former Number 1 pick Stephen Hooper derailed his footy career more than the booze.

I didn't think Hooper could get off the ground, unless that was his pre-Geelong iteration, knee injuries cruelled his time at the Cats.

Although a similar incident where Simon Madden did just that to a promising Sydney ruckman called Gareth John in the early 90's caused a bad injury to Gareth and i don't think he ever recovered. Lost to the game in his early 20's.

Harley Bennell, a crying shame for the Suns that he just went off the rails totally, his 6 goals in a 40-point win over Geelong in about the Sun's 4th season saw him reach Peter Matera levels for a time, but injuries and other things in his life saw that game as his apogee in his young career, and sadly out of the game when he'd only be around 30 now tops and a potential legend in the making. If he and Gary Jr (who also got injured in 2014) remained fit and firing the Suns may have been the first of the expansion sides to play in Finals.

One from long ago at Geelong, Stephen Reynoldson. Played a very promising 1st season in 1981, capped off with a dominating finals performance in the 1981 QF against the Pies, and again sadly that was his apogee in his career. Played about 10 seasons and finished at the Bears, but was a far cry from what he looked like becoming as a 19 y/o.

 

[Altum Volantes]

Gotta go with the ‘CAN’T MISS!’ Superstar high draft picks that went onto careers of varying success but were ultimately never really one of the truly elite players of the comp:

Daniel Wells
Bryce Gibbs
David Swallow
Tom Scully
Jonathan Patton
Tom Boyd
Jack Watts


Yikes. It happens a lot doesn’t it?

 

[Altum Volantes]

Mark Nicoski

Career ruined by injuries but had one hell of a left peg on him. Mostly played half-back with a bit of wing. He actually kicked the opening goal of the 2005 grand final after a great play involving Kerr/Fletcher/Judd.

Injures his ankle in 2006, gets back to win a WAFL flag but missed selection for the successful 06 AFL flag.

Rest of his career follows a similar path till 2011 where he recreated himself as a defensive forward, look at how much this season stands out.
View attachment 1588372

It included a 6 goal haul against the Tigers and 3 goals against Carlton in a semi-final. Was a really fun season to follow.

Unfortunately injured in the 2012 pre-season and never seen in the AFL again. Has been a development coach since Simpson came to West Coast so still around the club.

Could definitely play - never had a clear run at it but finished in style in 2011 (well finished after a year in the rehab room, very much his style, but still, we got a couple of good years out of him.)

 

[Catsace]

The Grohan.from my mob. I seriously celebrated the trade to the Cats. Of course he has a Premiership medal to wave about but did little to earn it. He will go down as one of the worst Finals players of all time.

As i made in a post in another thread, maybe Rohan is judged harshly in Finals due to the fact that he's played roughly one in seven games as a Final. 26 finals are among his 177 career games. And if you play even one great final you are remembered with great favour by your fans. I am assuming you missed the 2022 QF against the Pies?

Rohan's finals played as a percentage of his career is by far the highest among players who have played 25 finals or more, and certainly of those who have played 150+ games.

As a pick 61 recruit for Geelong (not the 6th pick he was drafted with by Sydney), he's been quite a solid and effective player for the Cats in my eyes.

 

[Dazb86]

Jesse Hogan was supposed to be on a similar level as Jeremy Cameron

 

[tiger_tough]

I thought David Rodan was going to be a star when he burst onto the scene

 

[VinnieB]

I thought David Rodan was going to be a star when he burst onto the scene

Really?

 

[My Tilly]

How good is it when you have vague father/son rules to favour you?

No doubt it has been hugely benefical to Geelong but all clubs have been given the same rule. Not sure anyone in their right mind could have predicted Scarlett, Ablett and Hawkins would go on to be just as good as what they have been.
Of course, there is also the great unknown where highly touted father/sons have amounted to very little eg. Levi & Che Turner, Oscar Brownless, Jordan Bourke, Thomas Couch, Toby Bairstow, Jacob Neal. Plenty of others as well.

 

[CakeEater]

No doubt it has been hugely benefical to Geelong but all clubs have been given the same rule. Not sure anyone in their right mind could have predicted Scarlett, Ablett and Hawkins would go on to be just as good as what they have been.
Of course, there is also the great unknown where highly touted father/sons have amounted to very little eg. Levi & Che Turner, Oscar Brownless, Jordan Bourke, Thomas Couch, Toby Bairstow, Jacob Neal. Plenty of others as well.

Um no they havent.

Differing qualification standards per state (and therefore the clubs in those states) over the years.

 

[Hazz]

Didn't Dean Polo kick 3 goals and get 30 possessions on his first ever game for Richmond? Can't remember what happened to him after that.

I suspect Polo cannot remember either

 

[My Tilly]

Um no they havent.

Differing qualification standards per state (and therefore the clubs in those states) over the years.

Don't feel too hard done by, Fremantle and West Coast have been handed an entire state to pick and choose from over the years.

You think West Coast's immediate success since entering the VFL/AFL was down to nothing but hard work

 

[boncer34]

No doubt it has been hugely benefical to Geelong but all clubs have been given the same rule. Not sure anyone in their right mind could have predicted Scarlett, Ablett and Hawkins would go on to be just as good as what they have been.
Of course, there is also the great unknown where highly touted father/sons have amounted to very little eg. Levi & Che Turner, Oscar Brownless, Jordan Bourke, Thomas Couch, Toby Bairstow, Jacob Neal. Plenty of others as well.

Hawkins they did

 

[CakeEater]

Don't feel too hard done by, Fremantle and West Coast have been handed an entire state to pick and choose from over the years.

You think West Coast's immediate success since entering the VFL/AFL was down to nothing but hard work

Sigh.

If only Freo got the concessions upon entry or what GC/GWS that WC (or established VFL clubs got with Father sons) got then your commentary would be valid.

 

[kane249]

You think West Coast's immediate success since entering the VFL/AFL was down to nothing but hard work

That's a fallacy that's been debunked many times on here

 

[My Tilly]

Sigh.

If only Freo got the concessions upon entry or what GC/GWS that WC (or established VFL clubs got with Father sons) got then your commentary would be valid.

Fremantle did get concessions on entry. All you need to do is go back and look at the 1994 & 1995 drafts.
Just because you failed to turn first round selections into anything is not a reason to blame West Coast's exceptional development program.
Even the 2001 'wonder' draft, of all players who eventually became household names, you guys select Graham Polak.

That's a fallacy that's been debunked many times on here

No, I am not talking about that other conspiracy, I am talking about all the local talent West Coast were given when they entered the VFL. Hard work is a big part of any sport but if you don't have the quality, you can only get so far. Generational talent is key to any long term success.

 

[kane249]

Sigh.

If only Freo got the concessions upon entry or what GC/GWS that WC (or established VFL clubs got with Father sons) got then your commentary would be valid.

You shot yourself in the foot as well by letting the likes of Andrew McLeod and other talented juniors go when you had the rights to them

 

[BigFrizz36]

Jesse Hogan was supposed to be on a similar level as Jeremy Cameron

We can be thankful that Paul Roos agitated strongly "its a lot harder for a young key position player than a midfielder" to ensure that he defeated Cripps in the rising star.

Been some real anomalies there with the benefit of hindsight. I'm looking at you Lewis Taylor.