Ben Cousins vs Dane Swan

[Natho]

Cousins by a little bit.

 

[doppleganger]

Cousins, all day, every day, I doubt Swan could carry an entire team and state on his back as a 20 year old kid

What a laugh, Cuz was 20 in 1998...he carried his team despite

Worsfold was still captain, and guys like McKenna, Matera, Kemp, Jakovich, Heady, McIntosh were still around.

Cousins had about 7 years of elite football 2000-2006, he won 4 BnFs in that time, and a Brownlow.

Swan has had 5 years of elite football, 2007-2011, he has won 3 BnFs and a brownlow, he looks as though he is on track for his 6th consecutive year of elite footy....and depending on how Pendles recovers he could push on to another BnF with a strong second half of the season.

Tis fecking close, and Swan has played some amazing footy in big finals.

 

[Quinz]

You can add 1998 and 1999 as elite seasons for Cousins. All-Australian (x2), top 10 in the Brownlow (x2) and 2nd (2 votes behind the winner) and 3rd (1 vote behind the winner) in our B&F.

Swan has got a way to go. But he'll be playing for a few years yet.

 

[The_Reaper]

I went with Swanny, maybe it's bias I dunno.

Swanny has Cousins gut running ability (not quite at Cousins level, but close) but is more of a goal kicker and a much better mark.

.

Cousins kicked 205 goals in 238 games for West Coast.
Swan has kicked 143 goals in 184 games for Collingwood.

Not sure why you think Swan is more of a goal kicker.

 

[Slattery_20]

Wouldn't be much difference at all at the peak of their careers, which is the poll question

It's not "on average".
Cousins started as a forward - 34 goals in his first year. Swan diddled about a back flank for his first year or three, he didn't do much at all. Irrelevant.

At his peak, Cousins in 05 kicked 24 goals.
At his peak - 2011 (IMHO, some will say 2010) - Swan kicked 32.

 

[Wacky Tiger]

Cuz for me. Just loved watching him play. Remember watching a final in Adelaide where he was running so hard he spent a few minutes throwing up on the ground. The epitome of Gut Runner.

Was stoked he became a Tiger for a couple of years.

 

[robertg22]

Cuz for me. Just loved watching him play. Remember watching a final in Adelaide where he was running so hard he spent a few minutes throwing up on the ground. The epitome of Gut Runner.

Was stoked he became a Tiger for a couple of years.

Hmmm, other conclusions could be drawn.

 

[DTRAIN87]

Hmmm, other conclusions could be drawn.

Ironic considering Swan's antics in 11.

 

[Wacky Tiger]

Hmmm, other conclusions could be drawn.

Yeah they could be but think its been well documented that he never took drugs leading upto games and id be surprised especially if it was before an elimination final.

 

[the distributer]

If you took ice before a game you would play beyond bad, probably end up having a cardiac arrest as well, meth certainly isn't performance enhancing, uless you're having sex.

 

[entourage]

If you took ice before a game you would play beyond bad, probably end up having a cardiac arrest as well, meth certainly isn't performance enhancing, uless you're having sex.

Dunno about that, energy + lowered inhibitions and massive confidence boost could certainly help, depending on how much he does of course. Anyway, moot point. At this stage Cousins but if we see a couple more elite years from Swan it could be a very close argument.

 

[Collingwoodity]

Ironic considering Swan's antics in 11.

Brownlow antics?

 

[Jack_the_Ninja]

Swan if he didn't have all those tatts, but seriously here Cousins erased a fair bit of his greatness with the silly crap he did but it seems to go part and parcel with top end players...Carey, Ablett Senior and to a lesser extent Fevola.

If players could be like Pendleberry and stay out of trouble it goes a long way to remembering them for their greatness, Cousins playing days will always be tainted with the drugs and police even thought he was probably our greatest footballer.

 

[TBoyleSuperstar]

Geez, this is really a tough poll to vote on. Cuz was one of my favorite non-hawthorn players for years. I really don't know who I'd take. Both outstanding runners, cuz probably shades Swan in skill, Swan in terms of kicking goals but overall, they are both guns.