Boomer saying he'll be the last to play 400 games

[Guardian Hawk]

I am no fan of Harvey but at least he made it there playing a full game each week.

Actually, Boomer started when players on the interchange spent large chunks of the game (sometimes nearly all of it) on the bench. He had 1 handball on debut. I doubt he was out there for a "full game". In fact, Boomer had 5 touches or less in a third of his games across his first two years. I would suggest he spent pretty large chunks of that time on the bench.

He also was subbed out during the red/green vest era.

Does it "tarnish his legacy"? Of course not - that's ridiculous. Just as it is for Burgoyne who has been sub 3 times in 20 years.

 

[MightyHawks]

I think there will now be no question as to which club would win the premiership if you were only allowed to have 400 game players on the field.

 

[Guardian Hawk]

And the history books remember that game as being of equal value to the ones before where he didn't just have to play four quarters but back up that for three months at a time.

Would the AFL recognise if a club who had a player on 99 games, retired a while ago was listed by the club again in the rookie draft then stepped onto the field for 30 seconds at the end of a game to push him up to 100 and qualify his sons for the Father Son system?

Why would that 100th game achievement be discounted when 400 will be celebrated, rightfully for the 350 before it, not the 50 seeking a milestone.

On the flip side, should we take the 400 game milestone off Dustin Fletcher because he got injured in the first few minutes of a game in 2006 (and only had 2 touches)??

or because he got subbed off in game 399 and game 400?

How much of the game do you need to play before it should count? Fletcher didn't play 50% of the game at least 6 times (and TOG was only measured for the last bit of his career).

 

[Pessimistic]

That was true of someone like Sam Newman getting to 300, but not these days. Fletcher and Silk both carried to their 400th game, the other 3 got there under their own steam.

Burgoyne's barely touched it for 2 years.

It’s a historical record is it not?

 

[Pessimistic]

A couple of years back Burgoyne led the AFL for games per season over a 4-5 year stretch so go on you haters, nit pick away

 

[Guardian Hawk]

It’s a historical record is it not?

Don't worry, Herne Hill Hammer (who usually is a good poster) IMO has made a blue here based on a false premise.

He's seen that Burgoyne averaged 16 possessions in 2019 which then dropped to 11 in 2020 and 11 in 2021 so "he's barely touching it" and "fallen off a cliff".

Never mind that Burgoyne was a defender in 2019 and switched forward in 2020, which is why his goal average more than doubled while his possession average declined a little. Also, never mind that games were 20% shorter in 2020 so disposal averages fell away similarly across the board (and Hawthorn dropped off massively which means less opportunity, especially for forwards). (Burgoyne got more Brownlow votes and coaches votes in 2020 than 2019!)

Then, in 2021, he has counted Burgoyne's 3 sub games (including one he didn't play at all) in his average and used that too make conclusions about his inability to get the ball these days. HIs disposal average in full games this year is similar to what it has always been.

Burgoyne has always been a high impact per possession player anyway, even at his peak (averaged under 20 disposals through most of his career).

He is still offering something now and provides experience to players who are prone to lose their head a little under pressure (Howe, Frost, CJ, etc).

 

[Tulip]

Burgoyne is a legend. He was meant to be cooked a decade ago with that knee. So what if he has a few sub games at the end?

Great to see the woe is me, 'well then Hawthorn could have listed Dean Anderson and played him as sub to be eligible for Noah' type hysteria is alive and well though.

 

[Chuckie357]

I am no fan of Harvey but at least he made it there playing a full game each week.

Hanging outside of packs and not going in at all while waiting for cheapies will allow that

 

[Engimal v3]

Hanging outside of packs and not going in at all while waiting for cheapies will allow that

This is such a weird assessment of Boomer that you may as well have wrote, "playing in the ruck all game will allow that".

For the flaws that he did have, one thing you could always count on was Boomer winning his own ball and being North's best playmaker. He wasn't always a two-way runner, but he spent the majority of his career on-ball and winning plenty of it. Only really spent the start and end of his career in the f50 and getting it fed to him

 

[Brad Goodman]

I thought Pendlebury was in the 'one year too long' category on bigfooty

That’s because Bigfooty is representative of the general population, ie chock -full of morons.

That said I don’t think he’ll play beyond 2023.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

and Gary Rohan last year played a similar position and averaged less of the ball (8 touches), fewer tackles, fewer goal assists and only 0.3 of a goal more despite playing in a Grand Final team compared to a bottom 4 team. Rohan is over 30 too.

Yet, Rohan got more games than Burgoyne did (and don't get me started on Dahlhaus).

The point being, all sides have role players that offer something to the benefit of the team as a whole, even if they are in the bottom 6-8 bracket.

Edit: Not to mention, in your average for this year you have included his 3 sub games, including one where he never took the field. Take those 3 out and his disposal numbers are in the mid teens (whilst his career average is 17.7). This puts him ahead of other Hawthorn players (and Geelong players) getting regular games. He is nowhere near as bad as you are making out.

Yeah, he is going as bad as I'm making him out to be.

 

[Xtreme]

I'm saying nursing a player to 400 off a quarter played here and there is fraudulent and in this case cheapens the legacy of a player who is a star.

Yeah, he is going as bad as I'm making him out to be.

 

[76woodenspooners]

Current players over 300 games ...

Burgoyne 399
Mundy 346
Betts 343
Pendlebury 330
Selwood 324
Franklin 310
Jones 302

 

[ioppolo]

Current players over 300 games ...

Burgoyne 399
Mundy 346
Betts 343
Pendlebury 330
Selwood 324
Franklin 310
Jones 302

Had no idea Betts was that high!

 

[Kram]

I think the obvious ones are Pendles and Mundy. Wouldn’t surprise me if Pendles is the games record holder when it’s all said and done.

I also reckon Buddy is a sleeper to get to 400 games. He’s still clearly got it when you watch him on the weekend. Just park him on the goal square and he’ll kick 60 goals a year as a 35 year old.

Buddy will fall off a cliff when he goes and it will be soon.

 

[WowWeee]

Yeah you’d think Pendlebury gets there pretty comfortably. He’s also prime for the later career switch to a half back flank due to his skill set, which could give him a year or two more.

Harvey must be at or past 500 senior games now? 43 going on 25

View attachment 1166083

Still annoys me knowing B.Scott pushed Boomer out. I think he could've played 450 games.
Boomer earnt the right to call time on his career.

 

[Mr north man]

Hanging outside of packs and not going in at all while waiting for cheapies will allow that

After Hearing a stupid comment like that Tony Cochrane was right about your club no history no culture 1 flag in 130 years.

 

[Liam Boy]

Still annoys me knowing B.Scott pushed Boomer out. I think he could've played 450 games.
Boomer earnt the right to call time on his career.

He could've played 500. At the very least, he could've set a record no other player could touch for the rest of time. As it is, I give it maybe 20 years before some freak comes along and beats it

 

[Mr north man]

Still annoys me knowing B.Scott pushed Boomer out. I think he could've played 450 games.
Boomer earnt the right to call time on his career.

Correct of all the players BS Brad got rid of Harvey would have got to 450 maybe even more.

 

[FlyHigh18]

Guarantee Shaun Atley will smash through boomer’s record… it’s the most North thing that can happen.

 

[FlyHigh18]

Correct of all the players BS Brad got rid of Harvey would have got to 450 maybe even more.

True, but I think he’s more useful coaching his replacements.

 

[hawkman]

I am no fan of Harvey but at least he made it there playing a full game each week.

Was sub twice in 2015. One of them was game 398

 

[Yianni]

wow.

That's up to him but he miss a chance to win a flag.

He won a flag in 1999


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[eastfreo75]

He won a flag in 1999


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

wot?

 

[Bunk Moreland]

How many did Boomer miss? From Fletcher’s debut to retirement Essendon played 530 games, so he missed 130 through injury and suspension.