5 best players 1980 - 2009

[Donakebab]

1. Peter Somerville
2. Ricky Dyson
3. Brett Stanton
4.Mark Bolton
5. illa Gryic

oops there the worst the best

Hird
Madden
Flecter
Watson
GOD .. Gary ODonnell

The worst? Do you actually watch the football or did you just pick names at random? Somerville and Bolton were both spuds, and Gryic was an even bigger mistake, but all 5 are no where near the worst players that have worn the red and black.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

1. James Hird - top 3 players of any club i've seen in my lifetime.
2. Simon Madden - best ruckman i've seen.
3. Tim Watson - awesome ruck rover.
4. Matthew Lloyd - goal kicking machine approaching 1000 goals. has to be in.
5. Dustin Fletcher - superb defender for close to 20 years! club legend.

honourable mentions to:

Paul Salmon - move to Hawthorn cost him a spot
Gavin Wanganeen - move to Port cost him a spot
Terry Daniher - almost ousted Fletcher but Dustin's longevity held him out.
Michael Long
Leon Baker - didn't play anywhere near enough football to warrant selection but was a gun in his time.
Mark Harvey

Daniher played 294 games for Essendon, best case scenario, Fletcher edges him by 35 games by the end of his career (obviously only counting TD's games with the Bombers).

I saw this subject and immediately thought "Hird, Madden, Watson, Daniher, Lloyd..." like that would be the only possible answer. Obviously there's a few that could fit in just as well (there's only a couple who've gone for the same five as me). But I think TD is being seriously underestimated. Two time premiership captain, 6 AA, League MVP, two times leading goalkicker (admittedly, one was in '79).

 

[table tennis]

The worst? Do you actually watch the football or did you just pick names at random? Somerville and Bolton were both spuds, and Gryic was an even bigger mistake, but all 5 are no where near the worst players that have worn the red and black.

Somerville was by no means a champ, but he was better than a spud.

Had a pretty good year in 93 when we won the flag.

 

[Crimsons]

Hird, Madden, Watson, Daniher, Lloyd

 

[Donakebab]

Somerville was by no means a champ, but he was better than a spud.

Had a pretty good year in 93 when we won the flag.

Okay maybe not a spud, but average. If Alessio had another development year in him Somerville would have struggled to get a game. Same thing if we had another FF option.

 

[caboose]

James Hird
Tim Watson
Michael Long
Simon Madden
Dustin Fletcher


Hirdy is clearly number one but, jeez, it's so hard to choose between so many others. As someone else said, this has been an incredible era in which to follow the Bombers. So many greats; so many great memories.

 

[hirdy13]

WOW - very hard to do this when you think about it.

#1 is undoubtably James Hird
#2 Tim Watson
#3 Matthew Lloyd
#4 Simon Madden
#5 Paul Salmon

In saying that, I could name another 20 quite comfortably that should have claims to being on this list

 

[hirdy13]

1. Peter Somerville
2. Ricky Dyson
3. Brett Stanton
4.Mark Bolton
5. illa Gryic

oops there the worst the best

Hird
Madden
Flecter
Watson
GOD .. Gary ODonnell

Kepler Bradley has to replace Somerville in your list!!!!!!!

 

[ghostdog]

1. James Hird
2. Tim Watson
3. Dustin Fletcher
4. Simon Madden
5. Matthew Lloyd

Tough call.
Apologies to:
Bomber Thompson - Tough as nails Captain who earned the nickname 'Bomber'.
Michael Long - I cringed during the 2000 GF when he took out __________(?) I don't remember who it was
Terry Daniher - Captain of two consecutive premierships.
Gavin Wanganeen - Loyalty is important. See Simon Madden.
Paul Salmon - Goal upon goal, but how could I go past Lloyd (Mr 900) ?

 

[hirdy13]

1. James Hird
2. Tim Watson
3. Dustin Fletcher
4. Simon Madden
5. Matthew Lloyd

Tough call.
Apologies to:
Bomber Thompson - Tough as nails Captain who earned the nickname 'Bomber'.
Michael Long - I cringed during the 2000 GF when he took out __________(?) I don't remember who it was
Terry Daniher - Captain of two consecutive premierships.
Gavin Wanganeen - Loyalty is important. See Simon Madden.
Paul Salmon - Goal upon goal, but how could I go past Lloyd (Mr 900) ?

FYI, Michael Long took out Troy Simmonds who went on to play for Richmond & Freo I think

 

[citizen-erased]

top 4 are locks

Hird
Lloyd
Watson
Madden

spot 5 is hard
TD, Fletcher, Mercuri, Long, Wanganeen, Salmon, JJ...

i think id have to go fletcher, considering the way he entered the game and the fact he is still going.

 

[DapperDon]

1. Sir James Hird
2. Dustin Fletcher
3. Simon Maddin
4. Matthew Lloyd
5. Tim Watson

apologies to
Mecuri, Long, Wanganeen, T Daniher, Salmon, and Lucas.

 

[Slattery_20]

(J) Hird
(T) Watson
(D) Fletcher
(S) Madden

are locks

5th would be line ball: M Lloyd, T Daniher, Wanganeen, Thompson, Lucas, maybe Mark Harvey?

Best thing is how many of the above names have had fathers, brothers, or sons also represent the club.

 

[nonchalance]

1. James Hird
2. Tim Watson
3. Simon Madden
4. Dustin Fletcher
5. Matthew Lloyd

This.
Terry Daniher the most unlucky to miss out.

 

[Shane Hird]

Mercuri was better than Lloydy and TD.


Can't believe so many leave him out of these type of 'best EFC players' threads.

 

[WindyHillWinners]

James Hird
Matthew Lloyd
Dustin Fletcher
Tim Watson
Simon Madden

 

[FBDonkey]

Hird
Watson
Madden
Lloyd
Fletcher

in that order. If Lloyd hadnt got injured, he may have been able to move up to no.2

 

[dons_fan185]

Top 5 is evidently easy...well top 6 because theres some you can't split

The consensus seems to be Hird, Daniher, Fletcher, Lloyd, Madden, Watson

7 - 15 probably a bit harder:

Barker, Bewick, Duckworth, Harvey, Long, Lucas, Mercuri, O'Donnell, Salmon, Thompson, Wangerneen...all seem to be common appologies. Are they rankable or is it an 11-way tie for position 7?

I know theres more but I never watched too much footy prior to about 1993 (yes, as a three year old I could name the side: My dad taught me well)

 

[monty1104]

1. James Hird
2. Terry Daniher
3. Matty Lloyd
4. Simon Madden
5. Tim Watson.

No apologies. Apologies occur when you make a mistake. These are the top 5 in my opinion, therefore I haven't made a mistake.

 

[windyhill]

Mercuri was better than Lloydy and TD.


Can't believe so many leave him out of these type of 'best EFC players' threads.

Can`t agree. Loved Mercs but the other two were clearly better and more consistent

 

[Smyth94]

Mercuri was better than Lloydy and TD.


Can't believe so many leave him out of these type of 'best EFC players' threads.

Nope.

If you're measuring pure talent alone then yes, Mercuri is possibly the best Essendon player of the past twenty years, Hird included.

Lloyd has way more runs on the board than Mercs, way more consistent than Mercs.

 

[Shane Hird]

Nope.

If you're measuring pure talent alone then yes, Mercuri is possibly the best Essendon player of the past twenty years, Hird included.

Lloyd has way more runs on the board than Mercs, way more consistent than Mercs.

Yes I know what you're saying, but the thread does ask who is the best, not the most consistent Essendon player.


If I was hawforn supporter I'd be saying the same thing comparing the Chief against John Platten...both champions but the Rat had more strings in his bow and was 'better'.

 

[Bombers Fan]

What about Joe Misiti????

1. James Hird
2. Simon Madden
3. Tim Watson
4. Terry Daniher
5. Too hard to pick (Lloyd, Fletcher, Salmon, Foulds, Van der Haar, Baker etc..)


Worst player? Daniel McAlister

 

[Coldacre]

1. James Hird
2. Simon Madden
3. Tim Watson
4. Matthew Lloyd
5. Terry Daniher


players like Mercuri, Long, Wanganeen might have had more talent than Terry Daniher. but he captained us to to B2B flags. and during those lean years 86-90 where we were very mediocre, he single handedly carried the team. we would have had a lot more losses and been a very s*** team if it wasn't for his 3 or 4 goals at centrehalf forward, or him saving the day playing at centrehalf back. it's easy to star when the teams going well, but when the chips are down...... TD was always the last man standing. he was James Hird's hero and that says alot about the man.

 

[Ram-Man]

Not a Bombers fan but have watched many bomber games throughout the years as my best mate is a bombers fan, and I respect the club a great deal ...

1. James Hird
2. Simon Madden
3. Leon Baker
4. Tim Watson
5. Terry Daniher