Brent Harvey- 427 games

[Shane Hird]

He played nearly 200 games and kicked 45+ goals in five different seasons. A great example of longevity if anything, as a small forward.

Roger that.

 

[Forever North]

Gee there's some bitter and twisted loser types on here wanting to belittle and downgrade Harvey's record. He is still playing good football is well worth his spot in the side and will probably go again next year. Unlike most other 350+ players he hasn't been gifted games and limped to the line. Sure there's been more so called talented and skillful players than Harvey but I'd take a super consistent 427 game career anytime.

 

[Engimal v2]

Did you miss the past few days fall out from the mentioned topic.
Harvey's words yesterday " that in hindsight it shouldn't be in the book "and apology?
Based on that most would call it a mistake.

Oh, yeah. I thought you meant that he was lying. Yeah, clearly regrets it but he wasn't to know that such a loved and well respected *cough* publication such as the Herald Sun would try and drum up some negativity.

 

[hawks787]

Thank you for explaining that better than I could.

And hawks787, you asked where Harvey was for the first 8 years. Just because he wasn't carrying the club doesn't mean he wasn't great. However through his early career, North still had parts of our fantastic 90s team so he didn't have to 'carry' anyone. However they dropped out and North hit a period of mediocrity in the 2000s consequently where Harvey, as our best player, routinely dragged North over the line.

Arguably a heap of players could be considered better than Harvey in that time frame of mediocrity for north.

 

[hawks787]

Oh, yeah. I thought you meant that he was lying. Yeah, clearly regrets it but he wasn't to know that such a loved and well respected *cough* publication such as the Herald Sun would try and drum up some negativity.

Well given how long he's been around the football industry I'm sure he'd be well aware of what they'd use to get most attention on the paper and his book.

 

[Engimal v2]

Arguably a heap of players could be considered better than Harvey in that time frame of mediocrity for north.

I'm sorry, but who? We may disagree on many things regarding Harvey, but I'd have thought that'd Harvey being the best North player of the 2000s would be the one thing we'd agree on.

 

[philreich]

I'm fairly sure that Julia Gillard will become Miss Universe before somebody overtakes Harvey's games record - phenomenal effort!!!

 

[hilly]

Arguably a heap of players could be considered better than Harvey in that time frame of mediocrity for north.

Who would they be?

 

[hawks787]

I'm sorry, but who? We may disagree on many things regarding Harvey, but I'd have thought that'd Harvey being the best North player of the 2000s would be the one thing we'd agree on.

Archer, wells, stevens could all have a case made for them. I'm sure there's others if I went back in the records.
Listen I've stated numerous times Harvey good player but I don't have to view him through kanga glasses or join the love of 427. Imo he's to be congratulated on longevity more than anything else.

 

[Engimal v2]

Archer, wells, stevens could all have a case made for them. I'm sure there's others if I went back in the records.
Listen I've stated numerous times Harvey good player but I don't have to view him through kanga glasses or join the love of 427. Imo he's to be congratulated on longevity more than anything else.

Archer and Stevens were great players, but they were both drafted in the 80s. Boomer didn't start until the mid 90s and was a much superior player to them in the 2000s. Wells is a very skilled player, but he's no Brent Harvey.

Put it this way, the three players you mentioned have 4 B&Fs between them. Harvey has 5.
Now that's not to say that they weren't great, but two of them were stars of the 90s while one has struggled to get onto the park for a while now. Very bizarre to argue that those three were better players than Harvey during the 2000s, to say the least.

 

[DapperDon]

I saw plenty of Mercuri and I have seen plenty of Harvey and to suggest there is any gulf between their skills is laughable.

10 years ago Harvey ran second in the Brownlow.....so there weren't many calls for him to retire at the time.

Aren't you the bloke that whispered sweet words to Dodoro about Atley being better than Heppell?

 

[hawks787]

Archer and Stevens were great players, but they were both drafted in the 80s. Boomer didn't start until the mid 90s and was a much superior player to them in the 2000s. Wells is a very skilled player, but he's no Brent Harvey.

Put it this way, the three players you mentioned have 4 B&Fs between them. Harvey has 5.
Now that's not to say that they weren't great, but two of them were stars of the 90s while one has struggled to get onto the park for a while now. Very bizarre to argue that those three were better players than Harvey during the 2000s, to say the least.

I suggest your time frames are a little of 80's... archer 1992-2007 is one example

 

[Engimal v2]

I suggest your time frames are a little of 80's... archer 1992-2007 is one example

Whoops, thought he was drafted in 89. Still Stevens was drafted in 89 and Archer in 92. They were stars of the 90s, and Archer definitely had a lot more courage than he did 'skill' (with all due respect to him).

 

[Thewlis Dish]

Arguably a heap of players could be considered better than Harvey in that time frame of mediocrity for north.

From 2001-2010, Harvey won 5/10 B&Fs. Good luck with arguing there were better North players than him in that decade.

 

[Heaps of fun]

Aren't you the bloke that whispered sweet words to Dodoro about Atley being better than Heppell?

Heppell hasn't done s**t all year. Get your hand off it.

 

[DapperDon]

From 2001-2010, Harvey won 5/10 B&Fs. Good luck with arguing there were better North players than him in that decade.

Who's arguing that?

He was pretty much the only player from that decade.

 

[Thewlis Dish]

Who's arguing that?

He was pretty much the only player from that decade.

Post 306.

 

[DapperDon]

Post 306.

Yeah stupid post.

I'll happily call him selfish, but the bloke is a champion player.

 

[ArjenTheGreat]

Stats. They're not what defines a player completely.

Mercuri was more skilful than Harvey.
Mercs was one of the best contested marks for a small you'll ever see.

If Harvey retired 10 years ago he'd just be remembered as a very good small forward/mid along side many others.

But because he plays 400 plus games it's expected by some that everyone has to praise his greatness and call him a champion of the game.

Not for me he ain't.

And fair enough too.

I reckon Darren Bewick was better than both of them.

I also think Winston Abraham was twice as good as all of them including Michael Long but that's just me.

 

[Runk]

Gee there's some bitter and twisted loser types on here wanting to belittle and downgrade Harvey's record. He is still playing good football is well worth his spot in the side and will probably go again next year. Unlike most other 350+ players he hasn't been gifted games and limped to the line. Sure there's been more so called talented and skillful players than Harvey but I'd take a super consistent 427 game career anytime.

I think it's probably because no one likes him. Can't argue his record, it's amazing, but he will whether right or wrong, be known in footy circles outside of North as a knob.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Craig Bradley 473 games of league football. Why is it not recognised?
98 games for Port Adelaide 1981-1985 when the SANFL was as big as any league. 375 with Carlton.

Is there any other players who have done this?

Firstly - well done Boomer Harvey. What a great player especially to only be 177cms and survive 20 years of bash and crash footy even if you are a "fast little s**t" who has destroyed my team many times over that period. Its incredible to think he has kept much of his pace in a body contact sport. Sure track sprinters with or without their chemical assistant can keep good pace up into their mid to late 30's but they don't go crashing and bashing into their opponents. Watching Boomer take off and go on one of his searing runs with a few bounces and then get the goals in sight has been a marvelous thing to watch over the years - especially when he isn't playing my side, as he has done it so many time.

Secondly - does anyone have handy a copy of the 2016 AFL Record Season Guide? If so can they look up the Games played section and find out how many Preseason/Night series games Boomer has played so we can compare apples to apples.

Boomer's total after this game will 439 senior games 427 +including 2 for Victoria and 10 international games. But the Preseason/Night series games probably will take him to 470.

The SANFL in the 1960's started adding Preseason/Night series games to players totals and that is one reason why so many SANFL players are in the top 10 and top 20. There was the Coca Cola Cup, Escort cup, Foundation Cup those 1970's NFL night series games etc and plaers could play 5, 6, 7 or 8 games in some years, eventhough 2 to 4 was the norm added to SANFL players yearly total games played outside the premiership season. The SANFL players below with night series games are only those they played when playing in the V/AFL.

So when comparing across leagues these are the numbers. When someone provides the Boomer Preseason/Night series games I will make an amendment. Boomer also suffers from State Games being cut back so much. He probably would have racked up 30-40 of those if you had the number of annual state of origin games like the 1980's or carnivals every 4 years before state of origin

This hasn't been updated for awhile but you get the idea of where players sit.

http://www.oocities.org/jsmooth_00001/Footyfacts.html
MOST SENIOR GAMES

528 by Craig Bradley (1986-2002). Port Adelaide (98), Carlton (375 premiership & 27 night Series), South Australia (15 State of Origin & 4 state league) & Australia International Rules (9).

500* by Harry Coventry (1898-1927). Coventry played the majority of his games with Latrobe. Coventry also played with Mersey(1911-12) and Launceston (1910). It was estimated that Coventry played in excess of 500 games (Atkinson 1989), but this record tionable as Latrobe did not become a senior club until 1910. Recent research by Ross Smith (2006) estimated thatCoventry’s total is below 200 games.

470 by Barry Round (1970-91). Footscray (135), South Melbourne/Sydney (193), Williamstown (110), Victoria (8) & VFA (3).Also played 21 VFL night series matches.

467 by Peter Carey (1971-1988). Glenelg (448) & South Australia (19).

466 by Michael Tuck (1972-1991). Hawthorn (426 premiership & 29 n/s) and Victoria (11).

455 by Greg Phillips (1976-1993). Port Adelaide (343), Collingwood (84 premiership & 8 n/s) & South Australia (20).

452 by Russell Ebert (1968-1985). Port Adelaide (391), North Melbourne (25 premiership & 1 n/s) & South Australia (35).

450* by H.K. ‘Joe’ Littler (1897-1932). Littler played for 36 years with South Melbourne, Launceston, City and Wynyard. It is estimated that his games total was 450.

448 by Kevin Murray (1955-1976). Fitzroy (333 premiership & 17 night series), East Perth (44), Sandringham (24), Victoria(24) & Western Australia (6)

448 by David ‘Dolly’ Christie (1885-1911). Ballarat (102), Melbourne (110), Fremantle (11), Imperials (9), East Fremantle(196) & Interstate (20).

435 by Kevin Bartlett (1965-1983). Richmond (403 premiership & 12 n/s) and Victoria (20).

433 by Darrel Baldock (1955-74). East Davenport (71), Latrobe (184), New Norfolk (4), St Kilda (123 premiership & 6 n/s),Tasmania (15), Victoria (10). Baldock also played 20 intrastate matches in Tasmania.

431 by Chris McDermott (1981-1997). Glenelg (276), Adelaide (119 premiership & 12 n/s), North Adelaide (10) & South Australia (11 state of origin, 3 state league).

423 by Simon Madden (1974-1992). Essendon (378 premiership & 26 n/s), Victoria (17) & Australia International Rules (2)

423 by Robert Harvey (1988-2008). St Kilda (383). Victoria (8), Australia international rules (2). Harvey also played 30 night/preson cup matches

422 by Stephen Kernahan (1981-1997). Glenelg (136), Carlton (251 premiership & 19 n/s), South Australia (13) & Australia International Rules (3).

419 by John Platten (1981-1998). Central District (113), Hawthorn (258 premiership & 25 n/s), South Australia (15 state of origin & 2 state league) & Australia International Rules (6)

418 by Grantley Fielke (1979-1997). West Adelaide (364), Collingwood (16 premiership 2 n/s), Adelaide (24 premiership & 3 n/s) & South Australia (9).

407 by Darren Jarman (1985-2001). North Adelaide (144), Hawthorn (109), Adelaide (121) & South Australia (9 State of origin & 2 state league). Also played 22 AFL night series games.

406 by John Blakey (1985-2002). Fitzroy (135), North Melbourne/Kangaroos (224), Victoria (1) & Australia International Rules (1). Blakey also played 45 night series matches.

405 by Barry Cable (1962-1979). Perth (255), North Melbourne (116), East Perth (43), Western Australia (20) and Victoria(1).

403 by Brian Peake (1972-1990). East Fremantle (304), Geelong (66 premiership & 1 n/s), Perth (10) & Western Australia(22).

403 by Paul Roos (1982-1998). Fitzroy (269), Sydney (87), Victoria (14) & Australia International Rules (6). Roos also played 27 VFL/AFL night series matches.

400* by Peter Burns (1882-1902). Ballarat Imperials (56), South Melbourne (142), Geelong (160) & VFA/VFL (15). It is estimated that Burns played 30 games on tour with Geelong and South Melbourne.

400* by H.V. ‘Vic’ Cumberland (1892-1920). Melbourne (50), St Kilda (120), Sturt (103). It is estimated that Cumberlandplayed 19 games in WA, 103 in Tasmania, 32 in New Zealand and 27 Representative.

400* by Harry Free (1947-1963). Newtown & New South Wales (19). Free is estimated to have played in excess of 380 games for the Newtown club.

400* by Gary McIntosh (1982-2000). Norwood (371), South Australia (12), Australia (5). Also played with North Launceston(2000-01) and Payneham Norwood Union.

* Approximate or questionable record
http://www.oocities.org/jsmooth_00001/Footyfacts.html

Boomer is 38 and Fletcher played until he was 40. Can Boomer go to 40, maybe to 43? Below is a link to the story in the Age last year when Fletcher turned 40 about the great Vic Cumberland who played his last game at 43 and is listed as the oldest ever to play a game of V/AFL footy. He played everywhere, took the game to NZ and is rightly in the Hall of fame.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/vic-cu...ved-theres-life-after-40-20150506-ggvcyt.html
....On his own 40th birthday – July 4, 1917 – Harry Vivien Cumberland (known as Hugh, Harry and Cumby, but mostly Vic) was back on the front line in France, having convalesced in England on three occasions after suffering shrapnel wounds to the knee and wrist and a bout of trench fever. Like his World War I service record, his football history was already vast.

Cumberland would return home in 1919 and in the following season add 10 more games to a career that had begun at Melbourne in 1898, with the last five of these games after his 43rd birthday. Holmesby writes in Heroes With Haloes that 29 of the 36 players on the field in his first game back after the war were not born when he made his VFL debut. They had little idea of the legend in their midst.
.....
Cumberland was constantly in search of the next challenge, with football the constant thread of his full life. Even while serving, he turned out in games in Germany, Scotland, Belgium, England and France.

In all it is claimed he played 113 games in Tasmania, 271 in Victoria and South Australia, 27 interstate and carnival games and 63 in New Zealand for a total of 474. Holmesby reckons the figures are "a bit rubbery", but perhaps "Cumby" has "Fletch" covered there, too.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/vic-cu...ved-theres-life-after-40-20150506-ggvcyt.html

 

[Tyler Hodges]

What if i told you Tuck and Boomer were just decent, extremely durable footballers who's greatest attribute by a bombthreat was longevity? Nothing against them but I'd rather get 200 games out of a Judd or Ablett any day of the week, no offense intended.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

What if i told you Tuck and Boomer were just decent, extremely durable footballers who's greatest attribute by a bombthreat was longevity? Nothing against them but I'd rather get 200 games out of a Judd or Ablett any day of the week, no offense intended.

No one is saying he is the greatest player are they?

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

What if i told you Tuck and Boomer were just decent, extremely durable footballers who's greatest attribute by a bombthreat was longevity? Nothing against them but I'd rather get 200 games out of a Judd or Ablett any day of the week, no offense intended.

Nah boomer has blistering speed. That's an asset a s**t load better than longevity.

 

[Handsome.B.Wonderful]

What if i told you Tuck and Boomer were just decent, extremely durable footballers who's greatest attribute by a bombthreat was longevity? Nothing against them but I'd rather get 200 games out of a Judd or Ablett any day of the week, no offense intended.

Yeah, opposition coaches have been tagging Harvey because of longevity and durability all this time.