- Sep 15, 2011
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Agree with many of these disagree with some. The most egregious for mine is the Hird analysis. I don’t know whether it’s his coaching failures damaging his legacy but he was widely acknowledged at the time as the best in the game alongside Carey. He was a gun that I’d have well ahead of Martin for overall career.McLeod's home and away record is actually not that good. You're forgetting the fact that he wasn't really considered one of the best players of the game besides a few years in the late 90s and early 2000s. He also played a lot of matches on the wing which IMO isn't as valuable as playing midfield and forward.
Harvey, he has a storied history but his possessions weren't as damaging. He has won two brownlows but I don't see him in the same company as many listed there.
Dangerfield lacks the kicking skills Martin has shown both in home and away and in finals. He plays well in Geelong where the team knows how to play the ground well.
Hird's record, injuries or not is patchy and inconsistent, compared to Martin's record of output which is more consistent.
Swan got a lot of the ball, but his kicking let him down. Arguing for him is merely arguing for stats.
Cousins? I dealt with this before. Less consistent than Martin in home and away and finals. Runs a lot but I think Martin had more influence on the game. Judd was better.
Voss and Buckley, again not the heights. Voss known more for his courage and leadership. I never considered him one of the greatest of midfielders when he played. Found the Voss, Hird and Buckley argument odd.
Ricciuto? I remember when people used to compare Martin to him. IMO Martin does what he did, just better. Able to play the forward and midfield game whereas Ricciuto couldn't do both. Lowkey not actually that damaging inside and only averaged less than 8 contested possessions in an era where many averaged more.
Selwood has been off the boil for a while and the last time I considered him one of the best in the game was around 2012-2014.
Pendlebury has been a really good consistent player but I don't think his career has ever hit the heights in terms of home and away or finals form that Martin has. One of those "15 is worth 30 of another player" types, well so is Martin, except Martin kicks goals as well.
Ablett jnr and Judd I can accept.
I rate Martin ahead of many as there aren't that many who average around 25 touches, 5 clearances, 5 inside 50s, 1 goal and 10 contested possessions per game. He passes the stats test and the eye test, as those stats also materialise as a player who has a well-rounded game of quantity and quality. A lot of the players you listed above don't have that. They're good midfielders, great even, but they lack the ability to balance midfield craft with forward craft. Martin's ability to kick goals from the midfield and score as a forward is invaluable.
I also think that while say Ablett jnr is a hard man to catch, many of the likes are either well and truly surpassed by Martin, or, at a stretch, if they're not, they will soon. Martin is fairly durable and I can see him playing at a fairly elite level for another five years.
I also think that no backman I've ever seen would be better than Martin. KPD is a reactive position where your role is clearly defined and you don't create as much as other positions. And I don't rate half back flankers that much. It's an easier role where you're purely negating, as opposed to the midfield and forwardline where you have to create. Key forwards? Been over this before, but I think the only ones who compare in the 25 years I've been watching are Carey, Lockett, Ablett and Franklin. IMO Franklin and Martin are on the same tier. Dunstall's peak was before my time.