Players that didnt live up to their hype?

[Andyy]

Random one that comes to mind, Dean Polo was a first round draft pick, debuted in his first season, gets 27 and kicks 3 in a BOG dreamtime performance.

Basically never kicked on, ended up moving to the Saints, and had an overall nothing career.

Polo is a good example, although the hype was purely based off his debut.

Sydney Stack is probably my pick though, an enormous talent, first year highlights real is brilliant

Can basically do anything on the field, but it all falls apart for him.

Stack same as above, even more of a fairytale given he was a long shot from the get go.

Going back years, Troy Simmonds could have been a lot more but just never put it all together consistently.

Disagree here. I thought Simmonds was a very good player, personally. Maybe even ahead of his time. Imagine a player of that talent now in your forward line/relieving ruck?

 

[Andyy]

Yes.

Rohan won 67% of his games, played 26 finals and was a walk up start for top 4 teams for a decade. He wasn't a start but he was a good player.

Personally I thought Rohan was a role player. His ceiling was huge but I never really rated him based on his lack of consistency.

Just to pick one Jack Newnes played 207 games. He never played in a team that made finals and was basically a fringe player through his entire career.

No way was Newnes a better player than Rohan.

Hmmm. Honestly... maybe not better but I sure don't think he was any worse than Rohan.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Ohhh so for non-Essendon players with 4+ its because people without club allegiance vote for them.

But for the Essendon player it's because Essendon fans voted for them.

Got it, right, perfectly reasonable take.

What is a perfectly reasonable take unless you seriously think that McGrath is on same level as any of those other players who have always been widely and highly regarded, in comparison to a sideways kicking back pocket.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Yes.

Rohan won 67% of his games, played 26 finals and was a walk up start for top 4 teams for a decade. He wasn't a start but he was a good player.

Just to pick one Jack Newnes played 207 games. He never played in a team that made finals and was basically a fringe player through his entire career.

No way was Newnes a better player than Rohan.

I remember the name, but I can’t even remember who he played for.

 

[DangerSloane]

When a player gets a nickname THE FUTURE

You would expect that has a lot of expectation but Johnny Butcher clearly did not deliver on that nickname

Didnt say where he was going to be the future.

He probably dominates the Barossa league or wherever he spuds about these days.

 

[boncer34]

What is a perfectly reasonable take unless you seriously think that McGrath is on same level as any of those other players who have always been widely and highly regarded, in comparison to a sideways kicking back pocket.

That its a combination.

He was rated highly by opposition fans AND he got a boost due to Essendons fan base.

If it was just opposition fans maybe he gets in maybe he doesn't. McGraths first 4 years were better than average for players his age, but he hasn't improved beyond his base as he's aged where those around him have.

If it was just Essendon's fanbase then how come the only 2 players with 3+ for Essendon are McGrath and Zerrett? If your theory was correct then we'd have a lot more in the side then what we've had.

 

[TruRoo]

So ****ing many but a few of our great north players from the past 10-15

Ayden Kennedy
Kieran Harper

Kieran Harper

Age

33

Ht

187cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.9

2star

K

5.6

2star

HB

3.3

3star

M

2.0

2star

T

3.4

5star

G

0.9

4star

No current season stats available

D

8.2

2star

K

5.2

2star

HB

3.0

3star

M

2.2

3star

T

3.2

5star

G

0.8

4star

(injury related)
Taylor Garner

6

Taylor Garner

Age

32

Ht

187cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.2

3star

K

6.8

3star

HB

6.4

4star

M

3.5

4star

T

3.2

5star

G

0.7

4star

No current season stats available

D

9.6

3star

K

4.4

2star

HB

5.2

4star

M

1.6

2star

T

2.6

4star

G

0.4

3star

Lachie Hansen
Cam Richardson

 

[Jim Prideaux]

they still stand the test of time

Sure, their popularity has. But they weren’t anything special as a band compared to many of their contemporaries.

McGrath is a solid back pocket, but for such a high pick, that’s a bit disappointing - not a failure, but not a success.

 

[Grrr]

Stephen Hill looked like he was going to be a star in his first 2 seasons. Then clubs clamped down on him and he went into his shell. Ross came in and turned him into a more consistent, reliable player but he never really showed all his gifts consistently IMO. Dennis Cometti summed him up in commentary once - 'He's a wonderful talent, he just doesn't know how good he could be'

Ross took away his flair, could have been anything. Maybe something was missing in him that stopped him becoming what he should have.

 

[Grrr]

Stack same as above, even more of a fairytale given he was a long shot from the get go.

Stack was the most talented kid I have ever seen at Richmond. Literally had everything needed to be a star. Along came Covid and isolation and he did not have the makeup to deal with it. One of the grea waste of talent.

 

[Partridge]

Yes.

Rohan won 67% of his games, played 26 finals and was a walk up start for top 4 teams for a decade. He wasn't a start but he was a good player.

Just to pick one Jack Newnes played 207 games. He never played in a team that made finals and was basically a fringe player through his entire career.

No way was Newnes a better player than Rohan.

Rohan didn't "win" any games. He played for good teams who won them. Whether he was a walk up start is debatable. He was a serial and chronic underperformer who was even worse in finals. Aside from literally one moment - the mark and goal against Collingwood in 2022 - it's hard to remember him contributing in any Geelong final he played. And people have short memories. After his devastating 1 possession Prelim final in 2021 plenty of Geelong fans on here never wanted to see him again. If he didn't have two things - pace, and being an early draft pick - there's no way either Sydney or Geelong would have persisted so long. His output didn't come close to justifying it. As an experiment take a pick 60 who gets 10 touches, 1 goal, and 2 tackles a game, and see how long they last. It won't be 200 games.

He may not have been the truly worst 200 game player, but it would be hard to find a luckier one.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

That its a combination.

He was rated highly by opposition fans AND he got a boost due to Essendons fan base.

If it was just opposition fans maybe he gets in maybe he doesn't. McGraths first 4 years were better than average for players his age, but he hasn't improved beyond his base as he's aged where those around him have.

If it was just Essendon's fanbase then how come the only 2 players with 3+ for Essendon are McGrath and Zerrett? If your theory was correct then we'd have a lot more in the side then what we've had.

A more fair assumption is that he got a boost for being a Pick 1, by plenty of supporters of other clubs and Essendon supporters voted for him in high number.

Regardless, fan-voted teams have little if any credibility which was the point.

 

[TheUnicorn]

• Pick 8 — Nik Cox
• Pick 9 — Archie Perkins
• Pick 13 — Ben Hobbs

 

[bungalow_bill]

they still stand the test of time

Gen Y n Z love them as much as us Gen X and boomers. As David Gilmore once said The Beatles were not just a band... they were a miracle.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

A more fair assumption is that he got a boost for being a Pick 1, by plenty of supporters of other clubs and Essendon supporters voted for him in high number.

Regardless, fan-voted teams have little if any credibility which was the point.

He also won the rising star did he not? I imagine that coloured a few opinions early

 

[Footy Smarts]

I remember the name, but I can’t even remember who he played for.

Mainly Stkilda in the 2010s when Jack Steven was winning a bunch of B&Fs then Carlton for a few years at the end. Never played a final and was never more than a role player in any of those teams.

Rohan got 89 coaches votes in 204 games.
Newnes got 29 coaches votes in 207 games.
Rohan over 3x as many.

 

[Robertio]

Mainly Stkilda in the 2010s when Jack Steven was winning a bunch of B&Fs then Carlton for a few years at the end. Never played a final and was never more than a role player in any of those teams.

Rohan got 89 coaches votes in 204 games.
Newnes got 29 coaches votes in 207 games.
Rohan over 3x as many.

Jack Steven never went to Carlton mate, i think it was Geelong.

 

[Footy Smarts]

Jack Steven never went to Carlton mate, i think it was Geelong.

I was talking about Jack Newnes. He as a regular at Stkilda when they were struggling and Jack Steven was easily their best player. Then Newnes went to Carlton for a few years.

Good on him for having such a long career and I don't think there are any bad 200 gamers. But he's about as close as you get.

 

[Robertio]

I was talking about Jack Newnes. He as a regular at Stkilda when they were struggling and Jack Steven was easily their best player. Then Newnes went to Carlton for a few years.

Good on him for having such a long career and I don't think there are any bad 200 gamers. But he's about as close as you get.

I'll never forget Newnes goal after the siren from 50 on the boundry to sink Freo.

 

[Footy Smarts]

I'll never forget Newnes goal after the siren from 50 on the boundry to sink Freo.

That was unreal. Genuinely the only moment I can remember from his career.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

I'll never forget Newnes goal after the siren from 50 on the boundry to sink Freo.

Was it Murphy who sunk them at the death again a year later?

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

I lol'd. Because I knew before the game it was going to do down the same way. At least I thought As such.

 

[Robertio]

Was it Murphy who sunk them at the death again a year later?

I can't remember mate i think it was and geez the Freo fans were dirty. Blues haven't had many highlights this century but there's two right there.

 

[Daniel6]

From an Adelaide Crows POV

Scott Hodges: 153 goals in 1989 for Port Adelaide, but didn’t fire with the crows. 671 goals for Port Adelaide magpies. Kicked 100 in 31 games for the crows.

Adam Saliba: was touted as the next Andrew Jarman but hated training and walked away from an AFL career.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

From an Adelaide Crows POV

Scott Hodges: 153 goals in 1989 for Port Adelaide, but didn’t fire with the crows. 671 goals for Port Adelaide magpies. Kicked 100 in 31 games for the crows.

Adam Saliba: was touted as the next Andrew Jarman but hated training and walked away from an AFL career.

I remember Hodges booted 11 goals vs Geelong in 1992 lol. You guys smacked them by about 91 points. You showed signs of being a good side that year. Beating Hawks at Waverley by a point, Saints and Cats at home and lost narrowly to us twice by 5 points I believe. Also Modra had some good games showing signs of what was to come. Bags against us x 2, West Coast and Fitzroy.

Good old Scorry Hodges.