Biggest AFL improvers

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John Who

John Who

Norm Smith Medallist
Veteran
Apr 16, 2017
8,744
7,114
AFL Club
Adelaide
This topic is about AFL players who have risen from the ranks of “average/mediocre” to “elite or thereabouts” throughout their AFL career. For the sake of a genuine discussion, let’s say an “AFL career” is a period of 5 or more years.

Who, in your eyes, was plain average in their first few years, and then surprised you when in their latter years, they ain’t so s**t after all!

I might need some time to ponder through, but a player that springs to mind was Cameron Ling. Thought he was initially quite average, something like a C+ to B- midfielder. Then when he ended as a 3-time premiership player, and premiership Captain in 2011, my views had changed. Good on him for getting the best out of his potential!
 
David Mundy. Started as a serviceable but unremarkable half back with good foot skills. Could possibly end this season as the Dockers all time games record after playing the majority of the last decade as an inside mid. A beautiful footballer to watch. Has nerves of steel (ask any Richmond supporter... twice) and seems to still be getting better with age.
Criminally underrated outside of WA for most of his career even though he’s a Victorian.
 
Cameron Guthrie......Serviceable player for a long time for us, now he’s a genuine A grader who’s been an AA & won a club B&F.
 

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Liam Picken was a good average player that turned into a star. One of the few players I’ve seen who genuinely improved every year.
 
Dancing Dougy said:
Liam Picken was a good average player that turned into a star. One of the few players I’ve seen who genuinely improved every year.
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Not sure about this choice, as I’ve never seen him being “below average”. Seems to be a handy player for what little I’ve seen of him.
 
Not sure it counts but I would go with Charlie Cameron. There was nothing early in his career at Adelaide to indicate that he would become anything more than a reasonably servicable small forward. He has become a lot more than that now.
 
Ben Reid went from a spud forward who couldn't kick to an elite AA intercept premiership defender almost overnight
 
John Who said:
Not sure about this choice, as I’ve never seen him being “below average”. Seems to be a handy player for what little I’ve seen of him.
Click to expand...

I suppose it helps when you’ve watched his entire caterer. Pickens progression really kicked into gear when he started getting time in the middle which wasn’t until the 2nd half of his career.
 
Stan_Darsh72 said:
Ablett jr went from a good yet inconsistent Foward/Mid to being the best player in the last 20 years
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Yep, one season he was a good but not elite forward then the next he was an elite midfielder and won the MVP. Interestingly his old man went from playing 5 games for Hawthorn at 21 (didn’t play the year he turned 22) to winning Geelongs B&F playing only 15 games when he was 23, the same age Jnr won the MVP.
 

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RUNVS said:
Not sure it counts but I would go with Charlie Cameron. There was nothing early in his career at Adelaide to indicate that he would become anything more than a reasonably servicable small forward. He has become a lot more than that now.
Click to expand...
That's gotta be one of the best ones named yet. Cameron was below average at best in his early days, building slowly over the years, until he absolutely exploded in his 6th season. Now most would rate him a top 3 small forward, if not the best
 
Jeremy Howe who was 25 years old struggling to get a game as a forward to being an elite intercept defender pretty much overnight.
 
Jay Schulz went from 7 years of spuddery and elite drink driving at Richmond to a pretty decent career at Port.
 
Dane Rampe went from genuine VFL battler to AA and B & F winner through sheer determination, persistence and rat cunning.
 
RUNVS said:
Not sure it counts but I would go with Charlie Cameron. There was nothing early in his career at Adelaide to indicate that he would become anything more than a reasonably servicable small forward. He has become a lot more than that now.
Click to expand...
I think that prelim against Geelong should have been a hint that he's better than just serviceable.
 
As much as it gauls me to admit, Kane Lambert was a VFL Carlton player in a terrible era to Richmond premiership player. The one of many that got away.
 
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