Opinion Ablett v Carey v Matthews finals debate

[Bobby_]

These three players have always been a much debated subject among footy worshipers.
Unfortunately for some (including myself), we never got to see Leigh Matthews at the pinnacle of his career.
Some may have even missed Ablett in the late 80's when he was a physical specimen to behold.
For some, all we can go by are the statistics, which in itself, can be incredibly misleading given these players were capable of kicking multiple goals in the space of minutes.

Going through every final played, you can see all three consistently stood up time and time again but how did Ablett go you reckon?
I have all of his finals on film and without bias, from a score of 1-10, I'd rate each of his finals as followers:

1989
week one - 7
week two - 10
week three - 10
week four - 10
1991
week one - 1
1992
week one - 7
week two - 5
week three - 7
week four - 5
1994
week one - 7
week two - 10
week three - 2
week four - 1
1995
week three - 5
week four - 1
1996
week one - 1


Carey

1993
week one - 1
1994
week one - 10
week two - 10
1995
week one - 9
week two - 2
week three - 1
1996
week one - 8
week three - 10
week four - 7
1997
week one - 10
week two - 2
week three - 5
1998
week one - 10
week two - 4
week three - 4
1999
week one - 10
week two - 6
week three - 3
2000
week one - 1
week two - 5
week three - 2
2003
week one - 6
week two - 1


Ablett = 5.2 rating per final
Carey = 5.5 rating per final
Matthews = ?


How would fellow Cat followers rate Ablett's finals performances?
More so, anyone care to take a go at rating Carey's performances and if you have time, those who saw Matthews play, and going by his statistics, did he outperform these guys?

 

[Seeds]

Can't really rank them on finals performances alone. Ablett played most of his finals in his thirties and whilst he had good seasons he couldn't run by finals time in either 94 or 95. Was reduced to solely wrestling in those finals as a result and lost his advantage of speed. Carey played most of his finals in his twenties if not all of them.

 

[dazbroncos]

If you post it.... they will come...

I give this about ------------------------- long till it turns into a _____________ fight.

I hope you all prove me very very wrong and infact, would luv to say I was wrong on this one.

Opposition posters debate this all you want, but remember where you are.

Go Catters

 

[FredLeDeux]

Opposition posters debate this all you want, but remember where you are.

Go Catters

In other words, you are free to argue about 2nd and 3rd places.

 

[Spazz Cat]

Was too young to see Mathews play. Some people say he was the greatest to play the game while some say he was an overrated thug. He's stats are awesome though. I think he 20/2'd more than any other player.
Gazzas 89 final series was by far the best played by any player.
Apart from 89 though I don't remember him being that great in any of the grannies.
Carey was good in finals but I don't remember him being brilliant in any PF's or GF's.
Andrew McLeod stands out to me as really good finals player out of all the players I can remember

 

[vinum coupe]

Really, there's a bunch of other players you could have picked.
Ablett had one good (awesome) finals series.
Other than that, forget him.


I only saw about 3 finals series from Matthews. My god he was good. But it's a long time ago.
Carey has Ablett covered by a mile.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

Abletts 89 series was better than anything we have seen before it or since.
So he wins.

 

[juzcat]

They were all amazing match winners in their own right and interestingly also had some events off and on the field - 2 clear as day and one alot in innuendo.
If we just talking plain football ability and who u would put in your side today to me it's a toss up between Carey and Albert with Albert winning in position flexibility

Sent from my SM-G900FD using Tapatalk

 

[PhatBoy]

In 2 of the 3 later grand finals we were just smashed from pillar to post and there was no way known any full forward was going to thrive in those games. You might see FFs play lone hands in badly beaten sides from time to time, but usually against far worse defences than what the West Coast fielded in 94 (Mcintosh, McKenna, Worsfold, Jakovich and David Hart were all superstars and Brennan was a WA state of origin player in the 80s) and Carlton in 95 (Silvagni, Sexton, Christou, Mackay were all AA, Peter Dean played nearly 250 games and the 'weak link' in Matthew Hogg was still a 170-gamer).

It is amazing that Brownless managed 4 in one of those games, really.

So I don't really hold those matches against GA Sr. Some of his other finals matches were a bit underwhelming all things considered but you could take any block of matches from his entire career pretty much, and there would be some pretty inconsistent patterns, if there is such a thing.

 

[Sttew]

Abletts 89 series was better than anything we have seen before it or since.
So he wins.

I agree, Ablett's 1989 final series was sublime, and his record of 9 goals in the GF may never be beaten. But he never replicated that form in other finals series.

Whether rightly or not, I reckon Carey is regarded more favourably than Ablett because he played in 2 premiership teams.

For me, you can't go past Leigh Matthews. He had it all - 4 time premiership player, 8 B&F's, Coleman medallist, etc.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Opposition posters debate this all you want, but remember where you are.

Go Catters

I'm still shaking my head as to why an opposition supporter would even bother perusing anything but their own board.

I'm also still at a loss as to why people still insist on comparing anybody to Ablett.

 

[Bobby_]

I'm still shaking my head as to why an opposition supporter would even bother perusing anything but their own board.

I'm also still at a loss as to why people still insist on comparing anybody to Ablett.

guess it's not the right time for this thread dazbroncos, was hoping to get more insight into other people's opinions on these three footballers.

It will forever be a topic of conversation. Funnily enough, Ablett Junior should nearly be close to entering such discussion considering some of his finals performances.
At the same time, a shame we likely won't ever get to see anymore of him on the big stage given where the Suns are heading this year.

 

[dazbroncos]

I have not lived thru some of the Golden ages of Footy, but what GAS did in 89 was just simply on another level.

It was not if he does something this week, it was just a case of when.

Had the entire series by the throat and damn near made it his own with the medal to prove it ( Premiership not NS)

As such, those that judge by medals will not approve of it. Those that judge by sheer volume of acts, will.

Go Catters

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

guess it's not the right time for this thread dazbroncos, was hoping to get more insight into other people's opinions on these three footballers.

It will forever be a topic of conversation. Funnily enough, Ablett Junior should nearly be close to entering such discussion considering some of his finals performances.
At the same time, a shame we likely won't ever get to see anymore of him on the big stage given where the Suns are heading this year.

Ok, insight.

Ablett









Carey

Matthews

It's that simple.

 

[dazbroncos]

guess it's not the right time for this thread dazbroncos, was hoping to get more insight into other people's opinions on these three footballers.

It will forever be a topic of conversation. Funnily enough, Ablett Junior should nearly be close to entering such discussion considering some of his finals performances.
At the same time, a shame we likely won't ever get to see anymore of him on the big stage given where the Suns are heading this year.

Not all all Rob - its a great topic for debate - as long as those in it debate it and dont allow it to "Bay up" as we say.

As for my 2 cents, see above.

GO Catters

 

[Bobby_]

I have not lived thru some of the Golden ages of Footy, but what GAS did in 89 was just simply on another level.

It was not if he does something this week, it was just a case of when.

Had the entire series by the throat and damn near made it his own with the medal to prove it ( Premiership not NS)

As such, those that judge by medals will not approve of it. Those that judge by sheer volume of acts, will.

Go Catters

Carey's 1994 finals series was absolutely epic as well. Similar level to Ablett's I reckon.
He also turned it on in another game a few years later where he played with an injured leg and booted 7 goals in an awesome display.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

as long as those in it debate it and dont allow it to "Bay up" as we say.

Oh you suck. Was just searching for the Matthews flop/squib gif. Found a 90 sec compilation of him diving instead

In any case too young to have seen any in their pomp so I'll just vote for God

 

[vinum coupe]

Ok, insight.

Ablett









Carey

Matthews

It's that simple.

You're not old enough to answer that.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

You're not old enough to answer that.

Lol.

 

[vinum coupe]

Lol.

Lol.


See I can do that too.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Lol.


See I can do that too.

If only you were correct originally it would have saved both our stomach muscles the strain.

 

[vinum coupe]

If only you were correct originally it would have saved both our stomach muscles the strain.

You never even saw Matthews live.

Nevermind recalling finals. Which even I can't do.

 

[vinum coupe]

David the cat, rabbi, vdubs needed for this one.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

You never even saw Matthews live.

Nevermind recalling finals. Which even I can't do.

Wrong again. I was sitting on the wing when he coat hangered Neville Bruns from behind.

In fact I only ever missed watching Ablett Snr play live for Geelong twice, both interstate.

 

[vinum coupe]

Wrong again. I was sitting on the wing when he coat hangered Neville Bruns from behind.

In fact I only ever missed watching Ablett Snr play live for Geelong twice, both interstate.

Did you spit the pacifier?