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Actually think that is the best mark ever. Lucky bastard to see it live. Only saw Jezza on tv in his last couple of years when he was well past 30.
I know his 1970 grand final one is more famous but even Jezza himself did not rate it with his best ones.
He was a freak.
Probably our best mature age recruit ever.
Here is my candidates for players that we got from 21 years or older in last 50 odd years.
Before my time
1965 Ron Barassi 29 to become captain-coach and set up a new culture that would expand thee decades of 8 more premierships after a drought from 1947 to 1968.
1967 Alex Jesaulenko 21 years of age from ACT. Most talented player ever with Gary Ablett senior his only peer for such a title.
Ended up being captain-coach after club was on it's knees in early 1978 season. Won premiership next year but as a player kicked freakish goals and marks. Only wish I saw him live in his prime.
1969 Syd Jackson 24 years old from WA. The pre-cursor to Eddie Betts in the 2000's
1975 Mike Fitzpatrick from WA
Quality ruckman that could snag a goal or two up forward and two time premiership captain in back to back flags of 1981 and 82. Went over to England to study but came back a few years later to be part of those premiership teams.
In my own time of watching
1979 Wayne Johnston 21 from Prahran in VFA.
Went on to be 4 time premiership player and probably best big game player ever!!!
1979 Robert Klomp 23 from SA
Good player and part of premiership team.
1980 Greg Wells from Melbourne at 30 years of age.
Ended up being part of our midfield premiership 1981 team.
Hopefully Deledio at GWS experiences same success.
1980 Val Perovic 26
Excellent centre half back from St.Kilda and part of our champion backline in 81 and 82 flags.
Also the original "Woof" from the crowd in 1980's before Ang Christou inherited it the next decade.
1980 Phil Maylin 23 from SA.
Classy wingman and part of 81 and 82 premiership team midfield.
1981 Frank Marchesani 21 from Fitzroy
Was the rising young star of the league in 1980 but turned into a good player rather than a champion.
Played a bit like Kouta before Kouta but not the same inside ability or marking power.
1981 Ken Hunter 23 from WA.
One of the best half back flankers ever and could play up forward too as he did in 1987 premiership team.
1981 Peter Bosustow 23 from WA.
Like Steve Johnson he had tricks galore and supreme entertainer as a character and player.
1982 Ross Ditchburn 25 from WA
Leading goal kicker and full forward in 1982 premiership team.
1982 Paul Meldrum 21 year old local that famously walked in off the street to eventually become a premiership player.
1984 Wayne Blackwell 23 from WA
Skillful winger
1984 Warren Ralph 25 from WA
Great kick for goal as a full forward. Kicked 9 in his first game against North.
1984 Fraser Murphy 21 from Geelong West in VFA
Midget forward pocket that part of 1987 premiership team.
1985 David Rhys-Jones 22 from Sydney Swans
Firey but talented versatile player.
Could play wing, forward and even centre half back in 1987 grand final destroying Dermie in his prime.
1986 Craig Bradley 21 from SA
Champion midfielder that ran all day and outrun his opponents. Relentless full game performer.
1986 Stephen Kernahan 22 from SA
Champion centre half forward. Brilliant pack mark.
2 time premiership player and premiership captain.
1986 Bernie Evans 28 from Sydney Swans
Clever rover/forward pocket type in twilight years of his career.
1986 Jon Dorotich 26 from WA.
Useful key position player. Mainly centre half back but was strangely part of premiership forward line in 1987 grand final win.
1986 Peter Motley 21 from SA
Super talent but tragically career cut short due to horrific car accident in early 1987 after training one night.
Amazingly he eventually came out of a coma and lived but he would never be able to play the game again he was so gifted at. People at the time that saw him as a youngster say he probably would have been better than Kernahan and Bradley from same era. Braddles was close mates with him and gave him his premiership medallion after the 1987 grand final in the rooms.
1987 Mark Naley 26 from SA
Classy goal kicking rover and also part of 87 premiership team.
1987 Peter Sartori 22 from WA
Handy key forward for a few years.
1992 Greg Williams 28 from Sydney Swans.
After being rejected from Carlton in early 1980s he returned home in controversial trade that saw him de-registered by AFL for several months at start of 1992. Ended up winning another Brownlow and 5 goals in the 1995 grand final.
Could well be the most talented inside player ever.
1992 Stephen Oliver 21 from Bendigo region.
One of the last recruits from old zone systems.
He was talented key forward but ultimately he just did not like living in the city region and went back to Bendigo.
1992 Earl Spalding 27 from Melbourne in a trade for draft picks.
Wonderful aggressive roaming tall that teamed perfectly in 1995 premiership forward line.
Sent Guy McKenna into orbit in epic late season 1995 game at Subi.
1993 Andrew McKay 23 from SA.
One of our first draft success in draft era at pick 13 in draft.
Went on to be All Australian half back flanker and part of 1995 premiership team.
1994 Dean Rice 26 from St.Kilda
Done his knee in first game for club.
Came back in 1995 to be part of famous 16 game winning streak premiership team up forward.
1994 Brad Pearce 22 from Queensland. Was originally on Bears list.
Plucked out of nowhere seemingly and in 1995 was excellent goal kicker in premiership team.
1994 Barry Mitchell 28 from Sydney Swans. Talented rover and father of Tom.
But was injury plagued in his twilight years and missed the 1995 team success as a result.
1995 Matt Clape 25 from WA and used to be on Eagles list at some time.
Fitted in perfectly as half forward in 1995 premiership team.
1996 Adrian Hickmott 24 from Geelong
Played against us in 1995 grand final but he became a seriously good versatile player for us for many years.
How Geelong let him go , I shake my head at. I loved the way this guy played when some of champs of the 95 heroes were retiring.
1999 Matthew Lappin 23 from St.Kilda.
Just pure class skinny forward. Saints should have never let him go.
2004 Nick Stevens 24 originally from Port Power but they could not arrange a trade in trade period and we ended up getting him in pre-season draft.
Quality midfielder for a few years but his off field life after his career suggest as a person, the less said the better.
2004 Heath Scotland 24 from Collingwood
Became a long serving player in our darkest period after losing so many draft picks a few years earlier.
Tasted a little finals success in his last few years against sides like Richmond in Elimination Final.
2008 Chris Judd 24 from West Coast Eagles.
One of best midfielders in last twenty years and two time Brownlow Medal winner.
After injuries reduced a little of his outside game in his mid twenties he turned himself into a serious talented inside player too. One of biggest trades ever in recent times to rate up there with Barassi leaving Melbourne over four decades earlier.
Probably on a par with the Greg Williams trade in terms of impact after he arrived.
Helped turn us into a team that started to make a few finals and win a few.
2011 Nick Duigan 26 from SA.
Incredibly played as a forward in 2013 Elimination Final winning team over hapless Tigers after they lead by over 5 goals.
Was not with us long and retired soon after with injuries in pre-season.
2016 Plowman, Sumner and Phillips from GWS in one trade. All over 21 and careers yet to play out.
Jezza for mine but Barassi, Wayne Johnston, Judd, Diesel, Braddles and Sticks give him a run for his money.
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