Best Current Player To Never Play AFL

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Jul 13, 2012
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David Rhys Jones was tough. Doesnt mean he was more than an above average player.

I have always loved the way SAussies talk about State of Origin like it means something. Look at the teams Victoria sent over the years. Top players were always rested because coaches didnt want to risk them for a nothing event. SAussie teams on the other hand... full of "SAussie stars" who wanted to prove themselves in front of SAussie only crowds, because they games were pretty much only ever played in South Australia.

Oh wait, I looked at the wiki. Oh dear.

"Former North Adelaide and Norwood player Andrew Jarman cited McIntosh as his toughest SANFL opponent."

Also, Andrew Jarman was the very inferior of the 2 Jarmans.

He meant toughest to play on, most difficult. Not toughest as in rough/hard.
If you read the actual context instead of wikipedia you might know that...

Back then SOO did mean something.
Yes some of our best came over to play in the VFL (and some of them dominated btw), but many of them stayed.
Just because someone didnt play VFL doesnt mean they werent a great player. Players like Barrie Robran and McIntosh would've destroyed in the VFL the same as they did in the SANFL

Top players were rested for SOO.....bahahah oh god. Such a silly and incorrect statement.
Yeah those top guys, Ablett, Dunstall etc would never have played...wait

Funnily enough its normally Victorians that bring up SOO.
 
Jul 13, 2015
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He meant toughest to play on, most difficult. Not toughest as in rough/hard.
If you read the actual context instead of wikipedia you might know that...

Back then SOO did mean something.
Yes some of our best came over to play in the VFL (and some of them dominated btw), but many of them stayed.
Just because someone didnt play VFL doesnt mean they werent a great player. Players like Barrie Robran and McIntosh would've destroyed in the VFL the same as they did in the SANFL

Top players were rested for SOO.....bahahah oh god. Such a silly and incorrect statement.
Yeah those top guys, Ablett, Dunstall etc would never have played...wait

Funnily enough its normally Victorians that bring up SOO.

State of Origin has meant nothing since the 1970s. And even then it didnt mean much.

Care to link to any games at the MCG where all the top Victorian players were available?

Robran and McIntosh took the easy option. Plenty of other SAussies proved themselves in the VFL.

And the context is, Jarman said McIntosh was the toughest SANFL player he played on. I would assume had he meant toughest player ever, he would have said that. Or is he a really stupid guy?
 

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Jul 13, 2012
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State of Origin has meant nothing since the 1970s. And even then it didnt mean much.

Care to link to any games at the MCG where all the top Victorian players were available?

Robran and McIntosh took the easy option. Plenty of other SAussies proved themselves in the VFL.

And the context is, Jarman said McIntosh was the toughest SANFL player he played on. I would assume had he meant toughest player ever, he would have said that. Or is he a really stupid guy?

'The easy option'
No they took the option that was best for them.
Probably due to family factors and other things.

No literally Jarman said he was his most difficult opponent.
Just because you dont know the guy doesnt mean he's wrong. The guy almost won 4 magarey medals which would put him tied with Russel Ebert (another one who would've destroyed your beloved VFL).

Maybe ask someone about the time McIntosh gave Greg Williams an absolute bath? (Even though Williams took one of his teeth out).

In relation to SOO why dont you tell me a time when almost all the best players DIDNT play SOO.
 
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Jul 13, 2015
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'The easy option'
No they took the option that was best for them.
Probably due to family factors and other things.

No literally Jarman said he was his most difficult opponent.
Just because you dont know the guy doesnt mean he's wrong. The guy almost won 4 magarey medals which would put him tied with Russel Ebert (another one who would've destroyed your beloved VFL).

Maybe ask someone about the time McIntosh gave Greg Williams an absolute bath? (Even though Williams took one of his teeth out).

In relation to SOO why dont you tell me a time when almost all the best players DIDNT play SOO.

Back in the 1970s most players played SOO. Certainly once the 80s came around the number of rested players started to increase. By the 90s the top players were pretty much all out, which is why the AFL stopped bothering. Their only option would have been forcing the clubs to make players available.
 
Jul 13, 2012
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Back in the 1970s most players played SOO. Certainly once the 80s came around the number of rested players started to increase. By the 90s the top players were pretty much all out, which is why the AFL stopped bothering. Their only option would have been forcing the clubs to make players available.

Sorry but if you look at the brownlow medallists from the early 90s. They all played SOO.

Then you look at guys like Ablett, Dunstall etc who did too.
Along with guys for SA like Kernahan, Bradley, D Jarman

All the guys on this list played SOO. Except Paul Kelly but he was from NSW so not surprising.
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Jan 27, 2008
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Don't follow the VFL much. Watched the Grand Final last year. Commentators were pumping up Toby Pinwill in the pre-game and saying Port would need a BIG game from him to stand a chance against Richmond. Then they interviewed Pinwill in the rooms and he was calm but steely and vowed wtte "I'm gonna lead us to a win".

Cynical me watching thought "Doesn't look/sound like a player to me. We'll see if he can match his/their big talk".

He played like a REAL player and did lead his team to victory. Had every facet of the game down pat. Very impressive.

Anyone know the back story of why he didn't play AFL?
 

Jack Bradley

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Jul 14, 2013
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In the NT, a lot of people consider Cameron Ilett to be one of the better players in the country that never played at AFL level. At one stage, he went down to the SANFL and played but never got onto an AFL list. He's gone on to be probably the best player in NEAFL history and at the age of 32 will likely win his second Nichols Medal for best and fairest in the NTFL, after a very high profile move to Nightcliff. He has 6 best and fairests for NT Thunder and that award is now named the Ilett Medal after him and his brother.

Just wondering which players from the other major state leagues currently playing are also considered too good to have never played AFL.
What about old mate to plays for NT Thunder who has kicked a bazillion goals?

Ewing i think it is.
 
Indigenous player from WA was it Michael or Stephen Aish? The wraps on that guy was he was the greatest player from WA never to come across and play VFL at the time.
 

Ishmael_

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Brad Smith who was listed by West Coast but never played an AFL game, due to injury.

Either side of his listing he kicked multiple tonnes for Subiaco. Incredibly frustrating from a WC perspective, given our lack of a key forward at the time.

Edit: Not current, but I still think about it.
 

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raymond35

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Yeah ok.
Back then your VFL + West Coast wasnt actually any better than the SANFL.
Keep up your fantasies.

92-93-94 we won SOO each year.

Andrew Jarman played in your expanded VFL and still listed McIntosh as his toughest opponent.

Jesus, do South Australians still actually believe this.
 
Yeah ok.
Back then your VFL + West Coast wasnt actually any better than the SANFL.
Keep up your fantasies.
LOL!!! Back then VFL was >>>>>>>>>>> SANFL. Apart from SOO what makes you think otherwise?
 

Established1870

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Jun 28, 2016
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Tim Ginever and George Fiacchi were before my time but the common thought around Alberton is they would've been top AFL players if they left Port. I know you said current but these guys were 90's based so at least it's recent. Currently? Steve Summerton would've gotten a gig in any AFL side. Could've been Barlow 2.0 but stayed at the Maggies.

Indigenous player from WA was it Michael or Stephen Aish? The wraps on that guy was he was the greatest player from WA never to come across and play VFL at the time.

Michael Aish is a Norwood legend and considered one of the best SA players not to go over.
 
Tim Ginever and George Fiacchi were before my time but the common thought around Alberton is they would've been top AFL players if they left Port. I know you said current but these guys were 90's based so at least it's recent. Currently? Steve Summerton would've gotten a gig in any AFL side. Could've been Barlow 2.0 but stayed at the Maggies.



Michael Aish is a Norwood legend and considered one of the best SA players not to go over.

Thank you for that. I kinda got it right


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

35Daicos

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Tim Ginever and George Fiacchi were before my time but the common thought around Alberton is they would've been top AFL players if they left Port. I know you said current but these guys were 90's based so at least it's recent. Currently? Steve Summerton would've gotten a gig in any AFL side. Could've been Barlow 2.0 but stayed at the Maggies.

Michael Aish is a Norwood legend and considered one of the best SA players not to go over.
As an old-time Port Adelaide (SANFL) supporter I saw plenty of Tim Ginever and George Fiacchi at their best. They were wonderful SANFL players; their record shows this. I doubt either of them would have attracted a lot of attention from AFL recruiters over the years, so if someone has given you the impression they could have been top AFL players they were either kidding/wrong!! Those two never played SoO for SA, they managed one game each in (non-SoO) State games. They were just really good SANFL players!

Stephen Michael was the WA (indigenous) great who never played VFL/AFL, BTW.
 
In recent times in the VFL it'd be Michael Gibbons, Willie Wheeler, Toby Pinwill, Lucas Cook, etc.
Great shout on Pinwill. Cook not as much.
Anthony Anastasio who used to play for Williamstown but now is at Port Melbourne.

I don't know all that much about the 2nd tier leagues around Australia but this guy stands out to me.
Red? Nowhere near it.
Matt Hanson
Haha no. Hanson is a good state league player but would never had made it in the big time due to his speed and atrocious kicking.
Is he better than Nick Rippon?
Nope.

As far as the VFL's concerned Chris Cain and Toby Pinwill are the top of the list of the generation just gone, along with Myles Sewell. As for the younger ones, Gibbons is one that keeps on surprising. Until his poor season last year I would have had Ozgar Uysal up there too but he's playing EDFL this year I think. Rippon is another that deserves to be mentioned. Khan Haretuku probably deserved a longer stint at St. Kilda too.
 
Sep 22, 2011
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I think you’d just have to look at the best VFL players around. It’s clearly the second best league - no not because I’m Victorian, simply because of the number of AFL listed players now running around in it every week. The reserves players from 10 of the AFL clubs are playing in it each weekend. The top non-AFL players there would be the best around.

Re the OP, I’m not so sure about NEAFL but the standard in the NTFL simply doesn’t match up. I’d wager there’s players in top suburban and country leagues with similar records, and that’s the standard that the NTFL is.
 

raymond35

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I think you’d just have to look at the best VFL players around. It’s clearly the second best league - no not because I’m Victorian, simply because of the number of AFL listed players now running around in it every week. The reserves players from 10 of the AFL clubs are playing in it each weekend. The top non-AFL players there would be the best around.

Re the OP, I’m not so sure about NEAFL but the standard in the NTFL simply doesn’t match up. I’d wager there’s players in top suburban and country leagues with similar records, and that’s the standard that the NTFL is.

Yeah, even i played with guys who were ntfl players in the off season, and though they were good suburban players they were miles off AFL
 

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