Best player of the modern era?

[freddy mercury]

Juddy
Ablett
Bartel
Franklin

Cant put them in order.

 

[Tarkyn_24]

Franklin for sure, bloke is going to kick 1000 goals. In this day that is an amazing achievement.

Top 5 in my opinion are

1. Franklin
2. Gary Junior
3. Adam Goodes
4. Chris Judd
5. Voss

Franklin for sure, bloke is going to kick 1000 goals. In this day that is an amazing achievement.

Top 5 in my opinion are

1. Franklin
2. Gary Junior
3. Adam Goodes
4. Chris Judd
5. Voss

This, except your overrating Goode’s and underrating Hird and Buckley.

First two are clear cut and then I’d have Voss, Buckley, Hird, Cousins and Judd all about the same level.

 

[Tarkyn_24]

Voss, Akermanis, Hird, Buckley, Black are all absolutely elite, but much of their peak was played in the late 90s instead of solely in the 00s.
.

Black debuted in 1998. All of his best work was done in the 2000’s. Absolutely terrific player and not out of place in this conversation. I definitely remember his influence a lot more than Voss.

 

[Tarkyn_24]

For much of the first decade Ablett was unstoppable just about every week. Unbelievable player

Very revisionist. Up until 2007 he was an average forward pocket type that spent the occasional stint in the midfield. Wasn’t very much of the first decade he spent dominating at all, especially when compared to contemparies like Judd, Cousins and Black who did it for a much longer period in that decade.

 

[Balony_pony16]

Very revisionist. Up until 2007 he was an average forward pocket type that spent the occasional stint in the midfield. Wasn’t very much of the first decade he spent dominating at all, especially when compared to contemparies like Judd, Cousins and Black who did it for a much longer period in that decade.

I stand corrected... thought he got going earlier. Main point is that in the modern era he has been a real standout. Was just unstopppable nearly every week for a long time

 

[Topkent]

Voted Luke Hodge.

Think GAJ was the better player, although Hodge was always underrated big time.

Convinced having Hodge in your team increases your chance of winning more than any of the others.

Couldn't agree more. Like the old Brereton argument about Lockett Ablett and Dunstall
Who you would pay to watch in a single game - Ablett
Best over a season- Lockett
To win you a GF- Dunstall


Same here
For a single game - Bud
Season- Ablett
GF- Hodge


If I had the choice of any player at their peak to build a side around I'm picking Luke Hodge, that guy is a winner an a terrific on field leader. Whoever said leadership isn't important is joking themselves. Hawks and Swans lost games because of our how dominant a figure Bud was, hawks never lost because of Hodge

 

[Captain_Bender]

Vickery > daylight > the rest

 

[Man0gwaR74]

Franklin for sure, bloke is going to kick 1000 goals. In this day that is an amazing achievement

In an era where a forward can grab hold of a defender's jumper and push him in the back but the defender can't do the same? Gimme a break! <_<

 

[Tarkyn_24]

In an era where a forward can grab hold of a defender's jumper and push him in the back but the defender can't do the same? Gimme a break! <_<

Five players have achieved the feat all time (three of which played in the 80’s/90’s era of high scores and open game plans) yet you’re sitting here trying to diminish Franklin’s achievements?

If it were as easy as you’re insinuating we’d have a lot more players nearing his goal tally.

 

[Topkent]

Five players have achieved the feat all time (three of which played in the 80’s/90’s era of high scores and open game plans) yet you’re sitting here trying to diminish Franklin’s achievements?

If it were as easy as you’re insinuating we’d have a lot more players nearing his goal tally.

Yeah there's no way he isn't the conversation, you only have to compare him to his contemparies and you see his greatness

 

[Macpotata]

This, except your overrating Goode’s and underrating Hird and Buckley.

First two are clear cut and then I’d have Voss, Buckley, Hird, Cousins and Judd all about the same level.

Big call Tarkyn. Goodes won two Brownlow's.

 

[Topkent]

Big call Tarkyn. Goodes won two Brownlow's.

Yeah I think Goodes is a bit of a knob but that shouldn't tske away from his footy ability, at his peak he was unreal. Size of a ruck who played in the midfield. He was Kouta but for way longer

 

[kid_a]

Has to be Gaz, the ultimate all round footballer.
He won a Brownlow whilst dragging along the Suns for christs sake.

 

[Tarkyn_24]

Big call Tarkyn. Goodes won two Brownlow's.

If he polls one fewer vote in 2003 and say Cousins polls one more then their ultimate reward for effort in terms of Brownlows is swapped.

I just don’t think he was as damaging as the others I mentioned. Have him below more conventional CHF types in Brown, Pavlich and Riewoldt to be honest.

 

[Topkent]

Brownlows are such a piss poor metric for judging player ability. It's literally the opinion of the umpires, 3 blokes who run around staring at the midfield for most of the day and then have to give votes. 3 umpires who aren't allowed to look at stats.

Brownlows won Ablett, Carey, Lockett, Dunstall, Mathews, Franklin, Silvagni = 1

Brownlows won Cooney, Woewodin, Cotchin, Priddis, T.Mitchell = 5

All of those guys had very good seasons, but it's laughable that group has 5x as many medals as the first group

 

[kid_a]

Brownlows are such a piss poor metric for judging player ability.

agreed. Just as flags are also, I mean we could have the greatest player of all time drafted by a bottom club and never get a real crack at the premiership.

 

[Topkent]

agreed. Just as flags are also, I mean we could have the greatest player of all time drafted by a bottom club and never get a real crack at the premiership.

Yup, Cam Mooney has 3 more premierships than Nick Riewoldt. No one at all thinks he was half the player

 

[Tarkyn_24]

Brownlows are such a piss poor metric for judging player ability. It's literally the opinion of the umpires, 3 blokes who run around staring at the midfield for most of the day and then have to give votes. 3 umpires who aren't allowed to look at stats.

Brownlows won Ablett, Carey, Lockett, Dunstall, Mathews, Franklin, Silvagni = 1

Brownlows won Cooney, Woewodin, Cotchin, Priddis, T.Mitchell = 5

All of those guys had very good seasons, but it's laughable that group has 5x as many medals as the first group

I didn’t make the point quite as eloquently as I should have, but in short this was basically what I was getting at, although admittedly I was probably arguing more from the perspective of how even the tiniest bit of luck/unluckiness can dramatically change results and therefore the esteem players are remembered in.

I do enjoy going through old leaderboards and spotting the names that had a season out of the box to finish top ten.

 

[Tarkyn_24]

I stand corrected... thought he got going earlier. Main point is that in the modern era he has been a real standout. Was just unstopppable nearly every week for a long time

To be fair I was nitpicking. Giving Buckley’s injuries he probably only really had five good injury free years in that same time frame anyway. Imagine Hird and Voss are similar.

 

[Drewie11]

This, except your overrating Goode’s and underrating Hird and Buckley.

First two are clear cut and then I’d have Voss, Buckley, Hird, Cousins and Judd all about the same level.

If you have Buckley and Hird at the same level then Rucciuto is right there with them.

I seriously think you are underrating Goodes. He was such a dominant player when he was going. I think people forget how good this guy was because he is a bit of a w***er

 

[Goldust]

1. Ablett
2. Judd
3. Black
4. Goodes
5. Cousins

 

[Tarkyn_24]

If you have Buckley and Hird at the same level then Rucciuto is right there with them.

I seriously think you are underrating Goodes. He was such a dominant player when he was going. I think people forget how good this guy was because he is a bit of a w***er

Can only remember him getting hold of us once in his entire career. Not someone I was ever too concerned about coming up against.

Franklin and Riewoldt on the other hand absolutely decimated us more than once. Pavlich tended to have a pretty good record against us too. I find it astounding so many have Goodes elevated quite clearly above those three and Brown, let alone the number of mids that I would also have had as a class above.

Edit: Could be my memories warped, looks like he was good for a goal or two and about 20 a game against us. Just never really felt like he did that much damage aside from that game in 2013.

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

Peak Judd (almost from debut until he wrecked his groin in 2007) was the best player I have ever seen, but Ablett did it for longer. Judd did somehow drag Carlton into the finals though. That has to count for something.

The big Pavlova is horribly underrated. Not even an option?

 

[kid_a]

Peak Judd (almost from debut until he wrecked his groin in 2007) was the best player I have ever seen, but Ablett did it for longer. Judd did somehow drag Carlton into the finals though. That has to count for something.

Yeah Juddy in those games when he went beserk was untouchable, but as you said Gaz at his best was only like an inch behind judds absolute best and Gaz was at his best more often and for longer.

 

[Macpotata]

Won his Brownlows late 90's but was still effective in the 2000's. Robert Harvey was as good as any. The guy was a champion.

Destroyed Adelaide in Adelaide week 1 of the finals in 2005 where the Crows went into the game after topping the ladder. Adelaide had just beaten WCE in Perth to pip the Eagles for top spot in the final home and away game of the season. Harvey finished with 31 disposals and 3 goals out of the Saints 10 as they won by 8 points putting the Sainters into a Preliminary final. Shook up the make up of the finals.