Best Wingman in AFL

[The Final Word]

I know we get a few 'Best' columns in here, but would like to hear your opinions on who is the best genuine wingman in the game.

Do they even exist?

Or is the wing a place for on-ball rotation players to have a rest while on the field?

Are the days of the great wingment over e.g. Dipper and Mainwaring?

FYI here are the recent All-Australian Wingmen:
2007 Chad & Kane Cornes
2006 The Goodies: Goodwin and Goodes
2005 Hayes and Del Santo
2004 Judd and Lappin
2003 Hayes and Paul Williams

 

[DanA]

I know we get a few 'Best' columns in here, but would like to hear your opinions on who is the best genuine wingman in the game.

Do they even exist?

Or is the wing a place for on-ball rotation players to have a rest while on the field?

Are the days of the great wingment over e.g. Dipper and Mainwaring?

FYI here are the recent All-Australian Wingmen:
2007 Chad & Kane Cornes
2006 The Goodies: Goodwin and Goodes
2005 Hayes and Del Santo
2004 Judd and Lappin
2003 Hayes and Paul Williams

I'd say Dal Santo & Goodes can be considered wingmen and are two of the best.

Montagna, Giansiracusa, Crawford, Enright and Wells are all good wingers.

 

[Sir Robert]

I know we get a few 'Best' columns in here, but would like to hear your opinions on who is the best genuine wingman in the game.

I have seen Andrew McQalter in action. That kid will pick up with anything. If I ever needed a wingman I'd hope it was him

 

[bunsen burner]

Braun.

All of those players mentioned are better players but Braun is the best traditional wingman. He's been crucial to The Eagle's structure in recent years.

 

[AC for PM]

*insert your teams wingman here*

Pointless thread unless people are going to be objective posters.
Agree with Braun and Enright.

 

[MarkT]

Do they even exist?

Good question.

FYI here are the recent All-Australian Wingmen:
2007 Chad & Kane Cornes
2006 The Goodies: Goodwin and Goodes
2005 Hayes and Del Santo
2004 Judd and Lappin
2003 Hayes and Paul Williams

Well maybe I can answer with another question. How many of these AA wingmen actually played on the wing? Probably only Lappin.

If wingmen exist then the best is Nigel Lappin and probably by a long way.

 

[MarkT]

Braun.

All of those players mentioned are better players but Braun is the best traditional wingman. He's been crucial to The Eagle's structure in recent years.

Embly?

 

[The Final Word]

Good question. Well maybe I can answer with another question. How many of these AA wingmen actually played on the wing? Probably only Lappin.

If wingmen exist then the best is Nigel Lappin and probably by a long way.

I guess that's the point of the thread. AA is annual d*ck measuring contest and the wing is given absolutely no respect. If you're a Ruck Rover and want to be All-Australian, you should be picked there.

The Wing and interchange are currently for the on-ballers who aren't good enough for the #1 spot that season.

 

[Carlton Kid]

Kade Simpson plays on the wing. Just trying to boost up my own team

 

[thegrach]

I thought Motagna did a good job as Steve Milne's wingman. Just got a bit ugly in the morning!

 

[andypie]

I know we get a few 'Best' columns in here, but would like to hear your opinions on who is the best genuine wingman in the game.

Do they even exist?

Or is the wing a place for on-ball rotation players to have a rest while on the field?

Are the days of the great wingment over e.g. Dipper and Mainwaring?

FYI here are the recent All-Australian Wingmen:
2007 Chad & Kane Cornes
2006 The Goodies: Goodwin and Goodes
2005 Hayes and Del Santo
2004 Judd and Lappin
2003 Hayes and Paul Williams

Wingman are more h/b flankers now so i would say guys like dane swan and heath shaw from the pies are todays version. guys that virtually just constantly go up and down the ground. The game is poorer though without the great one on one wingman duels. When i was growing up, watching guys like dipper, Hawkins, ricky barham, darren millane and co was fantastic.

 

[OldStyle2007]

I always picture a wingman as someone like Peter Riccardi, Adam Yze or Travis Johnstone

Wingman don't need to push too far deep into defence or attack

They should provide the link from the centre half backline to the full forward line. Gary Ablett was probably the perfect wingman (before he bulked up to go to full forward, of course). His best game would have been his 14 goals v Tigers from the wing, and his 150th game vs West Coast Eagles in Perth

With up to 8 players rotating through the midfield and all doing much the same thing the well defined role of a wingman is sadly gone

For what it is worth, I support a cap on interchange, as I would like to see more match-ups go the full match distance and positional play being brought back into the game

 

[Sir Robert]

I thought Motagna did a good job as Steve Milne's wingman. Just got a bit ugly in the morning!

Sydney Bulldogs board

Spewin to see this come up again tho

 

[Neville Bartos]

I'm not saying he's in the elite, but Clinton Young is 100% wingman. He murdered the dockers on Saturday because they pushed his opponent down back to help cover Franklin.

Dal Santo would be the best in the league though

 

[worthy]

1. Darrin Pritchard
2. Peter Matera
3. Clint Young

 

[Chasing the Dream]

If wingmen exist then the best is Nigel Lappin and probably by a long way.

Very good point.

Our game seems to now be played by 12 midfielders, 3 key forwars and 3 key backmen.

110 rotations a game and everyone seems to play on the ball.

 

[lusheslewis]

Bump.

Long gone are the days of Matera and Mainwaring on the wings at Subi.

Who is the best now?

Dale Thomas?

 

[jonbe54]

Bump.

Long gone are the days of Matera and Mainwaring on the wings at Subi.

Who is the best now?

Dale Thomas?

Hard to say who are wings/halfs/on ballers with pies at any one time. Lots of multi position footballers, typical of MM. Not only rotate off the bench but also through the forward line.

 

[AG]

Too hard to split all the traditional positions on the field in the current era. It's really just midfielders and key position players. Plus 1 or 2 small/medium forwards and defenders

Simpson and Hill are the two that stand out in regards to their playing style imo.

 

[Silvagnis]

Traditional wing is gone.

Thomas and Wellingham might be the closest to at Collingwood.

Inside and outside players like Simpson who can win clearances and carry the ball.

Hanna/Camporeale and Koutoufides are the best I can remember playing for Carlton in my time. Creamed sides in 1995 with Hanna and Koutoufides too big and quick for their opponents. Hanna usually played on Schwass in games against North and beat him that year.

I'd love to see Bradley play today with his huge motor, pace and long kicking.

Would tear it up on today's grounds.

 

[ballanFYNE]

Stephen Hill gives every coach a heart attack from the postition of a traditional wingman. It's far from gone.

 

[Sin City]

Kade Simpson and Dale Thomas. Always thought Jarred Brennan would be a fantastic Richo type wingman if he got to spend enough time there but I reckon Gold Coast might need him forward.

 

[Quivorir]

I think someone like Ling would be a good wingman, Ugly as ass but famous so girls come to him then he can pass em off to me.

 

[AG]

I forgot Jetta, he plays like a true wingman.

 

[Pykie]

I forgot Jetta, he plays like a true wingman.

Whilst he isn't associated with the classical wingman style, tall and rangy, Brent Harvey plays an outside role, is named 90% of the time on the wing, and lines up on a wing 90% of the time at centre bounces.