News Col Hutchinson's top 50 Geelong players

[Jhye Clark 13]

If you're going to discount GAJ because he didn't play that many great years, Stoneham shouldn't have made the list at all.

Stoneham played a couple of good seasons then broke his leg and that was basically it. If GAJ had broken his leg and never played again, he'd be higher up the list.

How Harry Taylor isn't on the list if Scarlett is top 5 is beyond me.

I suppose there will always be debates about these things.

Taylor and Scarlett are miles apart in terms of performance and ability.

Scarlett's arguably the greatest defender the entire game has seen.

 

[SJ]

Taylor and Scarlett are miles apart in terms of performance and ability.

Scarlett's arguably the greatest defender the entire game has seen.

Not miles, but yes Scarlett is the best defender spanning over a decade.

Arguably he is our greatest player from the the 2000-2011 'rebuild to success' era.

 

[Saint]

Taylor and Scarlett are miles apart in terms of performance and ability.

Scarlett's arguably the greatest defender the entire game has seen.

I'm not saying Scarlett isn't great, but you have to recognise that his greatness was assisted by gun CHBs in Taylor and Egan (3xAA between them) and Lonergan on the big guys.

If Scarlett is that good, then surely Taylor makes at least the top 50. He's been better longer than Stoneham.

 

[Partridge]

Not miles, but yes Scarlett is the best defender spanning over a decade.

Arguably he is our greatest player from the the 2000-2011 'rebuild to success' era.

Yep I'd agree with that. Only player I'd put equal to him was Ablett, and obviously that's predominantly from 2007 onwards.

 

[Hamingja]

I'm not saying Scarlett isn't great, but you have to recognise that his greatness was assisted by gun CHBs in Taylor and Egan (3xAA between them) and Lonergan on the big guys.

If Scarlett is that good, then surely Taylor makes at least the top 50. He's been better longer than Stoneham.

Honestly I reckon Scarlett almost played his best footy before the premiership era hit. Back when Geelong were rebuilding and Harley was the CHB. Taylor and Lonergan have only been a factor from 08 onwards and Scarlett retired in 2012.

Taylor would have some claim to be in the top 50. A more likely reference point might be Darren Milburn with Milburn at this point in time having longevitity in his favour.

 

[Partridge]

If you're going to discount GAJ because he didn't play that many great years, Stoneham shouldn't have made the list at all.

Stoneham played a couple of good seasons then broke his leg and that was basically it. If GAJ had broken his leg and never played again, he'd be higher up the list.

Stoneham was very good from 1989-1993. He missed a lot of 1994 with a calf injury even before he broke his leg. Not unlike other players from that era, his reputation has grown more than it probably should have since.

 

[SJ]

Honestly I reckon Scarlett almost played his best footy before the premiership era hit. Back when Geelong were rebuilding and Harley was the CHB. Taylor and Lonergan have only been a factor from 08 onwards and Scarlett retired in 2012.

Taylor would have some claim to be in the top 50. A more likely reference point might be Darren Milburn with Milburn at this point in time having longevitity in his favour.

Yep, how many players make the All-Australian full back position in a team that finished 12th?

The only thing on Lonergan is that he actually didn't really feature at all in the backline until 2010 (not 2008).

 

[Partridge]

Yep, how many players make the All-Australian full back position in a team that finished 12th?

The only thing on Lonergan is that he actually didn't really feature at all in the backline until 2010 (not 2008).

Exactly. Even that was 12 months too late. He was just as good there in 2002, but the selectors decided they couldn't live without Pavlich getting in as full back (even though he rarely if ever played there).

Taylor was a fixture from 2008 onwards, and Lonergan got games as a defender in 2009 (that scared all of us), but well and truly settled from 2010 onwards.

 

[Saint]

Honestly I reckon Scarlett almost played his best footy before the premiership era hit. Back when Geelong were rebuilding and Harley was the CHB. Taylor and Lonergan have only been a factor from 08 onwards and Scarlett retired in 2012.

Taylor would have some claim to be in the top 50. A more likely reference point might be Darren Milburn with Milburn at this point in time having longevitity in his favour.

I think the Taylor/Henderson-Lonergan combination is as good as Egan/Harley-Scarlett. Geelong's key position defenders certainly haven't been the problem since Scarlett retired, they're still probably the best operating area of the team and have been since Scarlett started.

Lots of full backs have won AA spots from bad teams over the last 20 years. Rance and Lake in particular.

Scarlett's role changed to more offense when Lonergan and Taylor were playing, taking on the negating roles.

 

[FredLeDeux]

I think the Taylor/Henderson-Lonergan combination is as good as Egan/Harley-Scarlett. Geelong's key position defenders certainly haven't been the problem since Scarlett retired, they're still probably the best operating area of the team and have been since Scarlett started.

Lots of full backs have won AA spots from bad teams over the last 20 years. Rance and Lake in particular.

Scarlett's role changed to more offense when Lonergan and Taylor were playing, taking on the negating roles.

Both of Lake's 2 AA selections were from top teams, 2 out of Rance's 3 selections were from top 8 teams.

 

[Lana]

It's not uncommon for one of the KPDs named in the all Australian team to be from a team out of the 8.

2016 Rance AA FB Richmond 13th
2015 Hurley AA CHB Essendon 15th
2014 Talia AA FB Adelaide 10th
2013 S.Thompson AA FB North Melbourne 10th
2010 Frawley AA BP Melbourne 12th
2009 Craig Bolton CHB Sydney 12th

 

[winty]

Yep, how many players make the All-Australian full back position in a team that finished 12th?

The only thing on Lonergan is that he actually didn't really feature at all in the backline until 2010 (not 2008).

On a similar note to the bolded, how many full backs get Brownlow votes in a side who lost by 12 goals? Scarlo managed to poll 2 votes in 2001 or 2002 in a game against Port Adelaide where we were smashed.

 

[Ricky Vaughn]

It's not uncommon for one of the KPDs named in the all Australian team to be from a team out of the 8.

2016 Rance AA FB Richmond 13th
2015 Hurley AA CHB Essendon 15th
2014 Talia AA FB Adelaide 10th
2013 S.Thompson AA FB North Melbourne 10th
2010 Frawley AA BP Melbourne 12th
2009 Craig Bolton CHB Sydney 12th

Some outstanding seasons there, except one.
That Bolton selection was absolutely terrible.

 

[Seeds]

I'm not saying Scarlett isn't great, but you have to recognise that his greatness was assisted by gun CHBs in Taylor and Egan (3xAA between them) and Lonergan on the big guys.

If Scarlett is that good, then surely Taylor makes at least the top 50. He's been better longer than Stoneham.

Scarlett was a gun long before Egan and Taylor came along. Taylor was an excellent player from 2009 to 2012. Hasn't been at that level since and it took bigfooty and the media a couple of years to realise this.

 

[Seeds]

I think the Taylor/Henderson-Lonergan combination is as good as Egan/Harley-Scarlett. Geelong's key position defenders certainly haven't been the problem since Scarlett retired, they're still probably the best operating area of the team and have been since Scarlett started.

Lots of full backs have won AA spots from bad teams over the last 20 years. Rance and Lake in particular.

Scarlett's role changed to more offense when Lonergan and Taylor were playing, taking on the negating roles.

Geelongs tall defence has been underrated in recent years. But Scarlett, Harley and Egan was better because it was a lot more flexible. Scarlett was an attacking defender and both Harley and Scarlett could play small as well as tall. Can't say that about any of lonergan, Taylor or henderson.

 

[Seeds]

Stoneham was very good from 1989-1993. He missed a lot of 1994 with a calf injury even before he broke his leg. Not unlike other players from that era, his reputation has grown more than it probably should have since.

I think it's the other way. His talents has been forgotten because of all those average years after the broken leg. However even before he broke his leg he was inconsistent, partly because he played with injuries and his performance didn't match his talent. But when he was on he was sensational. There is a reason why Gerard Healy once labelled him the best player in the entire competition.

 

[Sttew]

I'm not saying Scarlett isn't great, but you have to recognise that his greatness was assisted by gun CHBs in Taylor and Egan (3xAA between them) and Lonergan on the big guys.

If Scarlett is that good, then surely Taylor makes at least the top 50. He's been better longer than Stoneham.

FMD, Egan had one, maybe two good seasons. Don't you think his game was enhanced by having a general like Scarlet directing play?

Show me any player in the competition whose greatness was not assisted by teammates. It is a team sport

 

[Frappe]

FMD, Egan had one, maybe two good seasons. Don't you think his game was enhanced by having a general like Scarlet directing play?

Show me any player in the competition whose greatness was not assisted by teammates. It is a team sport

It is a team sport but Egan came in and had to hold his own from the start.

By 2007 was playing on the opposition's best forward if Scarlett wasn't (i.e J Brown).

 

[Partridge]

I think it's the other way. His talents has been forgotten because of all those average years after the broken leg. However even before he broke his leg he was inconsistent, partly because he played with injuries and his performance didn't match his talent. But when he was on he was sensational. There is a reason why Gerard Healy once labelled him the best player in the entire competition.

Perhaps. But no more 'on' than Brownless, whose best was even better.

I'd beg to disagree with Healy. Unless it was the first half of 1991, he wasn't even the player at his club.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Scarlett was a gun long before Egan and Taylor came along. Taylor was an excellent player from 2009 to 2012. Hasn't been at that level since and it took bigfooty and the media a couple of years to realise this.

I still think signing the longer contract has contributed.

 

[barmy44]

SJ had too many brain farts that negated many of his acts of brilliance. A great player and incredibly important to us but not higher than Chapman. Can anyone nominate three Chapman on field errors? Two? Even one? I'm not talking about biffing someone but occasions where he read the play incorrectly and/or failed to execute a skill correctly. I'm not able to do so.

well, he kicked 196 points in his career, so there are 196 'failures to execute a skill'.

 

[Sticksman]

well, he kicked 196 points in his career, so there are 196 'failures to execute a skill'.

Seriously?
FFS

 

[Sttew]

well, he kicked 196 points in his career, so there are 196 'failures to execute a skill'.

An interesting topic for discussion....one day. Is a behind always a 'failures to execute a skill', just sometimes?

 

[barmy44]

Seriously?
FFS

was intended as a tongue in cheek response... just think chapman probably made at least one on field error at some point in his career. wasnt sure if you were going for hyperbole or not by challenging people to name a single instance.

An interesting topic for discussion....one day. Is a behind always a 'failures to execute a skill', just sometimes?

i was only being half serious... cant think of many instances where kicking a point was the intent. anyway, i didnt make the comment intending to stand behind it, was meant to be a little silly :s

 

[Stan The Caddy]

Interesting to see that Joel Corey is still being criminally under rated even in retirement it seems.

He should be much higher.