Who are the biggest examples of wasted talent in AFL history and why?

[the harry]

Jarred Brennan as well. For 5 minutes in a quarter he could take the piss an do whatever he wanted. Remember him carrying the ball one handed like Darryl White used to

I expected this name much earlier in the thread. I remember going to training the week after his debut and everyone was going on about how amazing this new kid was. Running along the far boundary with the ball in one hand in your first game is pretty ballsy stuff.

Pretty funny GC signed him up. Really sums up the sort of players they targeted in terms of professionalism and want to succeed. Probably goes some way to explain the different path GC have taken relative to GWS.

 

[ZEV]

Ive heard from alot of people he was atleast equal to Carey in that period if not better before his knee.
Shame

It was too early to tell how good the Ox was going to be when he had his run of knees. 1994 was his breakout season and best season of footy ever. He drew comparisons to Carey but Carey was two years older and had a bigger and better resume than Schwarz. At the end of 1994 if you could take your pick of centre half forwards you would have had Carey at 1, Chris Grant at 2 and the Ox at 3.

 

[OffTheBit]

Josh Schache

 

[Sparkle]

Was there a story about him doing a cool down session post '07?

Yep, there's a not too well known story about the night after the 07 GF

James Button's book Comeback explains how one of the head-honchos down at the club (I think her name is Sarah Albon) who was in charge of looking after the cup that night (which actually ended up with Tom Harley) went back to the club at about 12:30am to find Nathan inside the change-rooms doing some cool-down exercises. Albon picked up Nathan and they drove through the city (which was packed in scenes reminiscent of the end of WWII). The book explains that she luckily had slightly tinted windows, so the fans couldn't see him

 

[the harry]

Yep, there's a not too well known story about the night after the 07 GF

James Button's book Comeback explains how one of the head-honchos down at the club (I think her name is Sarah Albon) who was in charge of looking after the cup that night (which actually ended up with Tom Harley) went back to the club at about 12:30am to find Nathan inside the change-rooms doing some cool-down exercises. Albon picked up Nathan and they drove through the city (which was packed in scenes reminiscent of the end of WWII). The book explains that she luckily had slightly tinted windows, so the fans couldn't see him

There is a lot to unpack there, especially given he just experienced a grand final win with his brother.

Is he just a different sort of guy or something more complicated? I suppose being the relation of two of the greatest players ever probably has a previously unknown impact

 

[Sparkle]

There is a lot to unpack there, especially given he just experienced a grand final win with his brother.

Is he just a different sort of guy or something more complicated? I suppose being the relation of two of the greatest players ever probably has a previously unknown impact

That's right, there's no real way of knowing exactly what was going through his mind. Did he not care that he'd just won the Premiership, or did he think "well this is great, but I don't want to have a stuffed body" (even though he retired in the coming weeks)

It's interesting too how similar Nathan and Gary Snr are in terms of their commitment to the game, yet Gary Jnr hasn't shown any of the same characteristics (at least in public)

 

[Catsace]

Aaron Black. Played some really good footy early on at North beefing up his asking price, a few clubs were circling inc Freo. We signed him up on good coin and it all turned to shit after that. North fans would know what I'm talking about. I think we ended up giving him to the Cats for pick 850.. Huge dissapointment.

Sadly for him and Geelong, he actually was playing well in the backline last year, looked to nearly establish himself there, and did his knee. Subsequently he was delisted, but i think may still have a role with Geelong's AFLW in a coaching capacity. Bit still in his case with the knee.

 

[Phat Toni]

Josh Schache

Disagree, you need to show something to be deemed wasted your talent. When has he shown anything other than being the biggest kid in juniors?

 

[Kwality]

Johnstone is a good shout. Just a naturally gifted star, oozing class. He played some great games for Melbourne and ended up playing 209 games over a 13 year career, so he didn't completely squander his talent. But at his core, he was a lazy footballer who showed more passion for the punt than getting himself super fit, shaking off the taggers and winning a Brownlow Medal which would've been well within his reach. He had some good seasons, some great games, but by the end of his career, most AFL fans wouldn't give him a second's thought. Wasted talent.

Sometimes the #1 pick is not as good as the ranking suggests, transitioning from a kid to an AFL champ is not 'a given'. 13 years in the AFL is fair career even though we (the fans) expected more.

 

[the harry]

Disagree, you need to show something to be deemed wasted your talent. When has he shown anything other than being the biggest kid in juniors?

Some suggestion that the different rules in TAC competition amplified his positive traits while hiding the negatives. A situation that has inverted with the advancement to AFL.

 

[Kwality]

Ben Cousins.
Not so much a wasted talent but a wasted life.
He had it all, good looking bloke, great footballer, premiership player, widely admired by all. From the outside looking in, he had the perfect life.
Then evil stepped in and the rest is common knowledge.

The life of an AFL footballer is full of expectations, not my idea of perfect.

 

[jakson68]

The life of an AFL footballer is full of expectations, not my idea of perfect.

True there would be expectations and the pressure that comes with this could be difficult to handle.
That being said though, every kid who has ever kicked a football would love the chance to do what they love as a living and have a crack at this not so perfect life.

 

[Espio]

This was the first bloke I thought of when I saw this thread. I still remember Blues mates banging on about him in the early '90's. He'll be better than Dunstall they'd tell me, if only he decides he wants to play.

Loads of examples in the past of supremely talented guys who just could not come to terms with the “big smoke”.
Trevor Sutton many years back was an absolute freak, and John Brunner are 2 examples from the Murray League alone.


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[earlsta]

Peter Motley from Carlton. I never got to see him play but he was supposedly the more talented player out of the Sticks, Bradley.
Had a car crash which caused brain damage and never got to play football again.

Played for SA against VIC when he was 18

 

[Tramps]

Aaron Black. Played some really good footy early on at North beefing up his asking price, a few clubs were circling inc Freo. We signed him up on good coin and it all turned to shit after that. North fans would know what I'm talking about. I think we ended up giving him to the Cats for pick 850.. Huge dissapointment.

Yes i remember.
Also Kieran Harper, injuries got him. could've been anything

 

[Scotland]

Ben Cousins didn't waste his talent at all. Back One Out already posted his CV. Better than 99% of players will ever achieve on the straight and narrow. He could go and and party like a rockstar on Saturday night and be the first to training Monday morning and best on track.

What he wasted his the life football gave him. 40 years old now and has been on a downward spiral since his late 20s/early 30s.

 

[SHAKESPEARE]

Lawrence Angwin.

 

[Shooter#17]

MFC own this thread....
Jurrah
Silvia
Jako
T Johnstone
Clarke
With hogan tracking nicely to join the list.

Numerous others come to mind through Injury such as Schwartz, Tingay, Lyon, G Lovett..

 

[WWSD]

Harley Bennell. He could’ve been one of the most talented players in the league.

 

[Mofra]

On a sad note, I have to nominate Ronnie James. Had 'superstar mid' written all over him and was the next big thing at Footscray, tragically died while water-skiing on a post-season break.

The story of him making his senior football debut playing in the VFA Grand Final in 85 as a 14 year old is legendary.

 

[SwampCreature]

Some suggestion that the different rules in TAC competition amplified his positive traits while hiding the negatives. A situation that has inverted with the advancement to AFL.

Specifically what rules may I ask

 

[Fourthawn]

Surprised Matthew Egan hasn't been mentioned yet. Was a star in the making at CHB for the Cats before his foot injury ended his career.

 

[M Malice]

Modern day - Jake Stringer. His 2015 season should have been used as a springboard for an exceptional career, rather choosing the path of laziness and skirt chasing.

I would choose that career path if I could.

 

[blueiris]

Damien Cupido
Jarrad Brennan
Des Headland
Patrick Karnezis
Josh Green
Wow Brisbane Lions have had quiet a few early picks that didn't turn out so great

 

[jdisc]

Morabito