Which Was The Best Norm Smith Performance?

[Cyclops]

I honestly don't remember Willie too much from 2018, apart from heel-tapping our first goal and do a couple of nice things here and there. Will have to re-watch. Shuey and Sheed were the men, though.

Always enjoyable to watch a win.

I've seen us lose a few, as favourites, as evens and as underdogs. It was a bit silly we were even there in 2018, and that first quarter blitz was so fearless and joyful I had tears in my eyes.

Its not a regrettable loss to me, its like 2002 when we took on a better side. Bucks carried us that day vs those Lions, the only 4 quarter performer in either side.

Pies in 2018 were so even, I don't think we had a standout to challenge Shuey.

 

[Cyclops]

Loved Brian Lake as a player and was happy he won the NSM, but for me in that game it was Gunston, when everyone else from both sides were choking down hard, Gunston kicked 4.1

I disliked him,but he wasn't a bad choice. Could play.

 

[abchawk]

Liberal use of the word superstar there. If Geelong were a superstar team they would have won 2 of them. They weren't, they had 2, maybe 3 superstars, some very good players and some strugglers.

There's actually a lot in that list, that if I were voting, I wouldn't have voted them as being BOG, of the ones that I would, it's hard to put them in order.

Fair enough on your opinion of Geelong of that era. As I said earlier in thread to a fellow Geelong fan with similar opinion to you, I guess I just rated your team more highly.

I think your excellent players in that time (92-93) of Ablett, Stoneham, Brownless, Couch, Bairstow, Hocking, Hinkley, Barnes, Riccardi, etc. ... I am probably missing some too, were as good as WCE's top 10 at that time. They just went deeper. Per that ladder I pasted earlier, the scores Geelong kicked in 1992 vs. the rest of the league in difference is staggering. Plus Blight as coach.

 

[abchawk]

1. Ablett Snr 1989 - 9.1 in a losing side, I don't think there's anything else he could have done, except for kick another couple of goals. Tallies of 3, 7, 8 and 9 goals across the series for a record that's never likely to be beaten.

eq 2nd - Luke Hodge 2008, if he didn't play, Hawthorn wouldn't have won.
eq 2nd - Dustin Martin 2020, if he didn't play, Richmond wouldn't have won.
eq 2nd - Peter Matera 1992, if he didn't play, WCE wouldn't have won.

Unfortunately, all of them against Geelong.

The Hodge one I agree with in sense there was a lot of intangibles that were needed that day for Hawthorn to win. Him just being there, letalone playing well, especially in first 2.5 quarters when it was hard was critical. Along with many other things.

But unlike the other three on your list, he wasn't the clear #1 on the day with the timeless highlight reel.

 

[abchawk]

I know I'm biased, but Matera was electric in 1992.

5.3 off a wing and single-handedly kept the Eagles in the game when a blowout threatened. Even the behinds that he kicked were highlights that day.

I think with time most fans who disliked the Eagles at the time agree with this (including me!!), sans maybe Bairstow and some Geelong fans of 1992/94 era who never experienced recent success.

 

[abchawk]

It was frustrating as hell but
Lakes 10m 14 intercepts in a 15pt hawks win had a massive impact on the game
Andrews had 9m 11 intercepts in 2025 to give perspective

Interesting - has the game changed enough where 2013 version is more impactful than 2025?

Or in low scoring (closer) and more dour game, against Lyon's Fremantle, did it just stand out more in a game of fewer spectacular highlights/

 

[TheEscapeClub]

The Hodge one I agree with in sense there was a lot of intangibles that were needed that day for Hawthorn to win. Him just being there, letalone playing well, especially in first 2.5 quarters when it was hard was critical. Along with many other things.

But unlike the other three on your list, he wasn't the clear #1 on the day with the timeless highlight reel.

He was the clear difference in Hawthorn winning or not and on gf day, that's all that really matters.

 

[kid_a]

Agree with those.

Also...

JPK or Tom Boyd 2016
Zac Bailey 2025*


*I'll die on this hill.

Good call on both jpk and boys in 2016. Both could've easily won the medal given their efforts that day

 

[TheEscapeClub]

Fair enough on your opinion of Geelong of that era. As I said earlier in thread to a fellow Geelong fan with similar opinion to you, I guess I just rated your team more highly.

I think your excellent players in that time (92-93) of Ablett, Stoneham, Brownless, Couch, Bairstow, Hocking, Hinkley, Barnes, Riccardi, etc. ... I am probably missing some too, were as good as WCE's top 10 at that time. They just went deeper. Per that ladder I pasted earlier, the scores Geelong kicked in 1992 vs. the rest of the league in difference is staggering. Plus Blight as coach.

Geelong's 2 superstars were Ablett and Hocking with maybe Couch as a 3rd on the back of the '89 Brownlow.

Geelong's goal scoring was amazing that season, but temper that with the Eagles defence and points against. Blight only had one plan and that was all out attack because he didn't have the defence to hold a good opponent out, so his philosophy was simple, you just kick more goals than the opposition.

Riccardi was 19, Barnes was an undersized ruckman who gave you everything but wasn't a star, Bairstow when it really mattered had 2 direct opponents win NSM on him, Brownless was a very good player, Hinkley was a very good player who never showed up in a single gf that he played in. Stoneham's real coming of age was the following season in '93 until he snapped his leg and was never close to being the same again.

 

[abchawk]

Stoneham's real coming of age was the following season in '93 until he snapped his leg and was never close to being the same again.

I may be misremembering but wasn’t Stoneham named (and started the game) as the staring CHF ahead of Brereton for the famous 1989 State of Origin game vs South Australia. If so, says a lot about how good he was that year so young. He had a great second half of the 1989 grand final as well.

 

[Walter H White]

Thank you! A person or bot on BF that talks sense....

I was at the game surrounded by lions fans and it was farking clear that Bailey was best on ground!!!!

It's funny how much stock people on here seem to put on Norm Smith as an achievement when they seem to get it wrong as often as they get it right. It's just another opinion like AA, AFLCA, Brownlow, MVP.

Another two I thought were wrong in recent years:

Smith over Dangerfield 2022
Ashcroft over Neale 2024

 

[jesterwester]

Matera’s will always be my personal favourite - in a really tight game he blew it open and won WC their first premiership. Given they lost the GF the year prior a fair bit of pressure on the club and he stood up. Only 18 touches but made them all count. Amplified in my opinion by Sandy Robert’s commentary also.

In more recent memory - Martin’s GF collectively were something else too. A special footballer. Saved his best for the big moments.

 

[hilly]

Martin 2020 - they don't win if he isn't out there
Ablett 1989 - what more can you say
Matera 1992 - fav ever non NM individual game

 

[RonnieRaven]

Interesting - has the game changed enough where 2013 version is more impactful than 2025?

Or in low scoring (closer) and more dour game, against Lyon's Fremantle, did it just stand out more in a game of fewer spectacular highlights/

It stood out more because he had more marks more intercepts
3 more intercepts than Harris
Hawks won by less than 3 kicks
It stood out more because lake had double the intercepts of the next best
(Johnson had 7)
2025 Harris had 11
O Sullivan for cats had 9
3 more players had 8
It also stood out more because freo was on the receiving end
And every intercept was a cut to the heart

 

[RonnieRaven]

Loved Brian Lake as a player and was happy he won the NSM, but for me in that game it was Gunston, when everyone else from both sides were choking down hard, Gunston kicked 4.1

Gunston had a great game but that’s just doing a good job as a fwd for me
Gunston had no assists
Pav kicked 3.2 and an assist so had more direct scoreboard impact than Gunston
lake had 14 intercepts double everyone else on the field
The next best was Johnson for freo with
7.

 

[darcytiger]

Don’t have an opinion really, just wanted to post this video. It was 4 “goal of the week” worthy goals from Martin, unreal. Not one short set shot or Joe the goose.

 

[M Malice]

Will Ashcroft to go the 3Peat Norm Smith in 2026 with 30+ disposals and 3 goals and end this conversation.

 

[Xtreme]

Don’t have an opinion really, just wanted to post this video. It was 4 “goal of the week” worthy goals from Martin, unreal. Not one short set shot or Joe the goose.

The true GOAT

 

[TheEscapeClub]

Gunston had a great game but that’s just doing a good job as a fwd for me
Gunston had no assists
Pav kicked 3.2 and an assist so had more direct scoreboard impact than Gunston
lake had 14 intercepts double everyone else on the field
The next best was Johnson for freo with
7.

Pav played a big part in losing the game for you guys in the first half. Him, Fyfe in the first half and Ballas who killed you for the whole game.

Don't forget Pav's shot from about 35 or 40m that didn't make the distance.

 

[RonnieRaven]

Pav played a big part in losing the game for you guys in the first half. Him, Fyfe in the first half and Ballas who killed you for the whole game.

Don't forget Pav's shot from about 35 or 40m that didn't make the distance.

That’s what I’m saying
Pav had a shocker
And had more disposals the
Same score inv
Same goal/goal assits
In a lower scoring team
Than your norm smith medalist?

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Played in a losing team, but IMHO Ablett's performance in the 1989 GF was as good as Ive seen.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

P Matera
Dusty 2020

 

[TheEscapeClub]

That’s what I’m saying
Pav had a shocker
And had more disposals the
Same score inv
Same goal/goal assits
In a lower scoring team
Than your norm smith medalist?

You can't.just quote stats or else I could quote Max Holmes from 2 weeks ago when he had 33 disposals, had 800+ metres gained and kicked a goal, and imo, was nearly best on ground for Brisbane.

There were Geelong players on the day who barely touched the ball but I would argue that Holmes' constant turnovers in key moments and in bad positions that led directly to multiple Brisbane goals is what killed any hope Geelong had.

It's quite often where you kick them and when you kick them that counts.

 

[Blackhawk42]

Will Ashcroft to go the 3Peat Norm Smith in 2026 with 30+ disposals and 3 goals and end this conversation.
View attachment 2455484View attachment 2455488

Might be an unpopular opinion, but his victory this year had a bit of 'history bias' IMO.

If a voter was on the fence about who to select, they'd go with Ashcroft due to the historical significance of a player at his age winning back to back Norm Smith medals.

As I've previously stated, having rewatched the game twice now, Zac Bailey had the biggest impact on the contest throughout 4 quarters. Way too many people, the Norm Smith voting panel included, wrote off him off due to his inaccuracy in front of goal, completely ignoring the positive impact he had.

 

[RonnieRaven]

You can't.just quote stats or else I could quote Max Holmes from 2 weeks ago when he had 33 disposals, had 800+ metres gained and kicked a goal, and imo, was nearly best on ground for Brisbane.

There were Geelong players on the day who barely touched the ball but I would argue that Holmes' constant turnovers in key moments and in bad positions that led directly to multiple Brisbane goals is what killed any hope Geelong had.

It's quite often where you kick them and when you kick them that counts.

That’s just to back up opinion
That’s not what I base the opinion on
Obviously being dockers only grand final in my 30+ years of support it sticks in the mind
Lake great
Gunston good
Pav poor
Is where I’m at
Agree to disagree