Opinion Best of the decade...

[Partridge]

So being voted as the premier player in the league by the coaches doesn't count and All Australians don't count either

lol

I actually put either the AFLPA or AFLCA MVP ahead of a lot of things. Particularly if they've won more than one or are up there in contention year after year.

 

[BlueandGoldforever]

It was this decade, so the last 10 years. I don't think Dean Cox can be included as he was more in the 2001 to 2010 time period.

Dean Cox retired in 2014.

 

[Jugada]

So being voted as the premier player in the league by the coaches doesn't count and All Australians don't count either

lol

Goldsteins 2015 was just as good as Gawns 2018 and he has been a top 3 ruck in the comp for every year bar probably one since 2011. Gawn has only been a factor since 2016 and only the last 3 years consistently.

Very happy to have the larger body of work from Goldstein on top for the decade

 

[00Stinger]

I actually put either the AFLPA or AFLCA MVP ahead of a lot of things. Particularly if they've won more than one or are up there in contention year after year.

Yeah true. The awards voted on by the coaches and players seem to hold the most value to me

 

[00Stinger]

Goldsteins 2015 was just as good as Gawns 2018 and he has been a top 3 ruck in the comp for every year bar probably one since 2011. Gawn has only been a factor since 2016 and only the last 3 years consistently.

Very happy to have the larger body of work from Goldstein on top for the decade

So his 2015 was as good as Gawns 2018 despite not being voted the player of the year by the coaches and having some 25 less votes

Goldstein has ben good but isn't near the top ruckmen in the league and only had 1 top year in 2015

But hey we can agree to disagree

 

[Jugada]

So his 2015 was as good as Gawns 2018 despite not being voted the player of the year by the coaches and having some 25 less votes

Goldstein has ben good but isn't near the top ruckmen in the league and only had 1 top year in 2015

But hey we can agree to disagree

Lol yeah because the coaches award is the metric we measure all these things on

 

[Yojimbo]

Hit Outs 2011-2020:

Todd Goldstein

17

Todd Goldstein

Age

35

Ht

201cm

Wt

101kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.2

3star

K

5.7

2star

HB

7.5

5star

CL

3.1

5star

HO

32.5

5star

D

16.7

4star

K

9.3

4star

HB

7.4

4star

CL

7.0

5star

HO

32.9

5star

D

5.2

2star

K

2.6

1star

HB

2.6

3star

HO

10.0

5star

- 7,492
Brodie Grundy

4

Brodie Grundy

Age

30

Ht

202cm

Wt

105kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.5

4star

K

8.0

3star

HB

9.6

5star

CL

4.1

5star

HO

32.0

5star

D

16.4

4star

K

6.8

3star

HB

9.6

5star

CL

4.0

5star

HO

34.6

5star

D

13.8

4star

K

5.2

2star

HB

8.6

5star

CL

2.6

5star

HO

20.6

5star

- 4,804
Max Gawn

11

Max Gawn

Age

32

Ht

209cm

Wt

110kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.1

4star

K

7.4

3star

HB

6.7

4star

CL

2.8

4star

HO

35.3

5star

D

18.5

4star

K

11.5

4star

HB

7.0

4star

CL

3.5

4star

HO

29.2

5star

D

8.4

3star

K

3.6

2star

HB

4.8

4star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

15.6

5star

- 4,725
Ben McEvoy

7

Ben Mcevoy

Age

34

Ht

200cm

Wt

101kg

Pos.

F/R

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.6

3star

K

4.7

2star

HB

6.9

4star

M

4.2

4star

T

3.0

5star

G

0.4

3star

D

8.5

2star

K

3.9

1star

HB

4.6

3star

M

2.8

3star

T

1.8

3star

G

0.4

3star

D

6.0

2star

K

3.0

1star

HB

3.0

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.2

3star

G

0.0

1star

- 4,428
Nic Naitanui- 4,115

 

[RUNVS]

Dean Cox retired in 2014.

Yes but he was hardly at his peak in the 2011 to 2014 years.

 

[yyou]

Forwards Buddy
Mids Ablett
Rucks Goldstein
Defenders Rance
Overall Fyfe

On SM-G960F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Noidnadroj]

Its a valid question. It's worth remembering that Geelong went from frustrating under-achievers to dominant, the moment Ablett went into the midfield.

While I am not for a second trying to say that he is as good a player as Martin, I would draw your attention to a player like Tom Hawkins.

For nigh on a decade, he has been by far the most important player in our team. Not the best. At various stages of that period you could make an argument that any of Johnson, Enright, Selwood, Dangerfield and even for a time, Harry Taylor were our best player. And more and more during that period, if he plays well, we win. Simple as that.

Martin IS Richmond's best player - MAYBE briefly usurped for that crown by Rance but largely for 5 years he has been the best. He is also their most important.

What makes a player THAT important? Well obviously their skill level and their general overall ability is naturally going to make someone important but it largely comes back to where they fit in their team's structure.

Geelong and Hawthorn in the periods you mentioned were relatively high scoring teams. They were also teams who were especially strong, and reliant, in the areas that Ablett and Franklin played. Take Franklin out of the forward line at Hawthorn and what were you left with? Roughead, Breust, Gunston, even the likes of David Hale could go down there and take a mark. Take Ablett out of the Cats midfield and you're left with Selwood, Ling, Kelly, Bartel, Johnson, Joel Corey.

Take Martin out of the Tigers forward line and you're still blessed with two gun forwards but in his role as a midfielder who goes forward, remove him and what is there? Not near as much cover as what the other two had. yes there are a couple of genuine stars in the Tigers side but the feature of their play is that they are even almost across the board. Martin is their focal point and he is good enough to carry that weight and responsibility and deliver on it. His teammates produce a similar level of output almost every time they take to the field. It is a good level. It ensures that if Martin has a good game (and remember the Tigers are not a team who scores huge so often games are lower scoring in general) his 2-3-4 goals and an assist or two have a huge impact on the result.

Agree ... Richmond identified Martin as their match winner and have fashioned a game plan accordingly, realising if he plays well, Richmond win - I can count on one hand since the start of 2017 where Martin has played well and Richmond have lost.

So our game plan is largely built around doing everything possible to ensure he plays well. It sounds silly but I wouldn’t even be surprised if he’s told not to chase (when is the last time you saw him chase someone with genuine intent?) and don’t involve yourself with defensive structures ... the other players handle all that, you save all your energy on offensive play. It’s why he’s often forward of a contest and 50m on his own. He does whatever he wants in respect to going fwd, into the centre bounce etc ...and the rest of the team know what’s happening.

It’s excellent coaching really as opposition can’t plan for set structures and it makes him nigh on impossible to tag as you can’t rely on normal defensive zones. Richmond know he’s the best attacking player in the game, so why not use him in a 100% attacking role? Martin also must be a very good reader of the play and have a feel for the game and where he’s needed.

I firmly believe Danger should be given the same freedom. The way he was left getting cold in the forward line in the 3rd quarter of the GF ... then later that quarter on the bench was poor coaching. C . Scott said he discussed with Danger at HT where he should play and they agreed up forward. It shouldn’t be like that with the stars like him - it should have been to start up forward but then inject yourself into the game if you’re not getting involved. He should have been on-ball 6-7 minutes into the 3rd, the writing was in the wall by then given Richmond had the last 7-8 Inside 50’s of the second.






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[Catsnlakers]

Forward- Buddy.

Mid- Ablett

Back- Rance

Ruck - Gawn

Best overall- Dusty, only because we're only including half of Ablett's prime, which split two decades. Some of Dusty's best work has been as a forward, so I'll still put Ablett as best mid. Ablett missed a lot of games from 2014 onwards too, whereas Dusty was able to show his wares in finals.

Since Dusty was entering the league at the beginning of the decade, he's obviously got an advantage in a "decade" team. But it says a lot that Ablett would probably be the best midfielder of both the last 2 decades.

Completely agree, it’s the same debate that was had years ago between Carey & Ablett Snr as the best player of the 90’s.....It was heavily weighted toward Carey because of when he started, whereas Ablett Snr’s peak 10 years was from 1985-1995.....I maintain Ablett Jnr as the best player/midfielder, with Dusty second because his finals performances put him above Danger & Fyfe.....I would have Goldy as the ruckman as he’s been better for longer than Gawn & Grundy, though I accept that I might be in the minority with that view, especially as Nic Nat is now back to the 2012 version....Buddy & Rance as the best forward & defender is pretty self evident I would of thought.

 

[Catsnlakers]

Hawkins deserves to be in the conversation as well, along with Tex

May not have the resume of the others but still worth mentioning imo

Hawkins yes, Tex no....Lack of Coleman, B&F and AA selections make him not in the same category as Hawkins, Riewoldt, Buddy & Kennedy.....I personally see Buddy as a tier above anyone else & the other 3 guys very close together as the next best.

 

[maddog37]

Hodge would be the best defender.

Buddy obvious.

Fyfe best mid for impact on matches.

Overall Dusty due to impact on the game on and off field.

 

[AjsGuns]

Back: Rance (better player than Hodge, but you would pick Hodge if selecting a team from scratch, outstanding leader)
Midfielder: Ablett jr
Ruck: Gawn
Forward: Buddy

Overall: Ablett jr

 

[Leeda]

Hodge would be the best defender.

Buddy obvious.

Fyfe best mid for impact on matches.

Overall Dusty due to impact on the game on and off field.

champ you weapon and you you use it...