Could NAS be the best indigenous player ever?

[My Tilly]

Versatility is overrated. Franklin, mcleod and p.matera were better.

You just named three footballer's who played multiple positions and were brilliant in each of those positions.

And if it wasn't for their versatility, I highly doubt the likes of Matthews, Ablett, Carey, Hird would rank as highly as they did.
Likewise Jeremy Cameron of today.
He's brilliant because he's versatile and can play half forward, full forward and on the wing.

 

[masai tu]

No, but it sets him apart. His CV alone is remarkable:

• VFL Premiership player: (1963)
• 5× WANFL premiership player: (1956, 1958, 1959, 1969, 1971)
• 3× Sandover Medal: (1956, 1957, 1960)
• 2× Carji Greeves Medal: (1963, 1964)
• 7× East Perth Best and Fairest: (1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961)
• West Perth Best and Fairest: (1969)
• 2× Simpson Medal (grand final): (1959, 1969)
• Geelong captain: (1965–1967)
• Geelong Team of the Century
• West Perth Team of the Century
• East Perth Post War Team of the Century
• Tassie Medal: (1956)
• National Football Carnival Championship: 1961
• 3× All-Australian team: (1956, 1958, 1961)
• 2× Simpson Medal (interstate): (1956, 1961)
• Australian Football Hall of Fame – Legend Status (inaugural)
• AFL Team of the Century
• Western Australian Team of the Century – vice-captain
• Indigenous Team of the Century – captain

He didn't in a Brownlow but came second in 63 behind Bobby Skilton.

And yes he wasn't a great coach probably because he had a weak list of players and was more interested in punting (and I'm not talking about kicking a football)

I'm sure Polly captain / coached the Garlic Munchers ( West Perth ) to the 1971 premiership, and set up East Perths 1978 premiership (set the team up in 77 ).

So all in all, not a dud coach, but maybe struggled with the demands at Geelong.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

As I said before, being ahead of your time or revolutionising an aspect doesn't mean youre the greatest of all time.

Its said that Polly struggled as a Coach, which is something you find in many of the super professionals of the game throughout history, Voss, Buckley etc. because they expect that from every player, which doesn't happen.

It seems Polly's professionalism and ability to be ahead of the pack is why he shone then, but from say 2000 onwards he'd be just another above average player, and as was also pointed out, at 6'3", wouldn't even get a game as 1st ruck.

I doubt he'd see which way Goodes went.

I'm sorry but many a knowledgeable football person have stated Farmer was the greatest no.5 in my clubs history. And that number also has Ablett Sr.

There is little doubt he is one of the leading candidates for the title of this thread.

And you can't compare players heights from eras past to today, it will almost always favour those of today. Advancements in health, hygiene, medicine and nutrition has seen the human population grow on average by 10cms over the last 100 years. Don Bradman was only '5"7. Farmer's fellow ruck in the VFL/AFL Team of the Century was John Nicholls who was shorter at 189cm.

 

[Titch3Votes0MooreAA]

I very much wasn't alive then. But my father still believes the best, or at least naturally talented, footballer (overall, not just Indigenous) he has ever seen was Maurice Rioli Sr. There are probably about a dozen Indigenous players history remembers as being better or greater than Maurice nowadays.

So Nasiah, despite his ability to impact a game arguably being the best in the game and importance to St Kilda, still has a very far way to go.