Discussion Each clubs greatest player of all time

[Royal Flash]

Adelaide- McLeod
Brisbane-Voss
Carlton-Nicholls
Collingwood-Buckley
Essendon-Coleman
Fitzroy-Bunton
Geelong-G Ablett Snr
Gold Coast- G-Ablett Jnr (duh)
GWS-Shaw
Hawthorn-Matthews
Melbourne-Flower
North-Carey
Port-Treadrea
Richmond-Bartlett
St Kilda-Lockett
Sydney/South-Skilton
West Coast-Judd
Western Bulldogs/Footscray-Dempsey

 

[jakefooty23]

Wasn't around very early so ill do from early 90's onwards.
Adelaide- Andrew Mcleod
Brisbane- Michael Voss
Carlton-Stephen Silvagni
Collingwood- Nathan Buckley
Essendon- James Hird
Fitzroy- Paul Roos
Geelong- Gary Ablett snr
Fremantle- Matthew Pavlich
Gold Coast- Gary Ablett Jnr
GWS- Jeremy Cameron
Hawthorn- Lance Franklin
Melbourne- Jim Stynes
North Melbourne- Wayne Carey
Port Adelaide- Warren Tredrea
Richmond- Matthew Richardson
St Kilda- Nick Riewoldt

 

[The_Eagles]

1987 - 2016
__________

Adelaide - Ricciuto, tough centreman who could kick 55 and take a mark and lay a bump at critical moments. Ridiculous amount of All Australians (7 or 8)
Brisbane - Voss, similar to Ricciuto, fit and hard and rarely made clangers
Carlton - Greg Williams, similar to Sam Mitchell today in that he made the right decision seemingly instantaneously, famous handballer like Simon Black
Collingwood - Buckley, could lace out all day 50m punts. The 'floodbuster' (press, web, zone)
Essendon - Hird, best flanker you'll find. Could mark it, banana it, get the contested possession, goalsense
Fitzroy - Roos, could take great pack marks at CHB and had composure
Geelong - Gary Ablett, can't believe he was at Hawthorn as an aside. Why all the best players at Hawks.
Fremantle - I need a controversial one so gonna say Fyfe. He's the primary reason for 5 finals series in 7 years for mine. Alternates from Steamtrain to Harrier Jump jet
Gold Coast - Gary Ablett
Greater Western Sydney - Jeremy Cameron, rangy, wily, strong farmboy looking goalscorer
Hawthorn - Jason Dunstall, the Chief, bullocking deadeye and unselfish
Melbourne - Garry Lyon, cupboards a bit bare at Melbourne for mine. 3x All Australian I think
North Melbourne - King Carey, clutch 60 metre bombs after a devastating shadows-of-3-quarter-time pack mark made him the Greatest
Port Adelaide - Warren Tredrea, he was consistently good at marking, dishing off and kicking straight for half a decade
Richmond - Matthew Richardson, scored goals and could run with height. Loved ponytail era Richo
St Kilda - Nicholas Riewoldt, best player in the game in 2009, leader, high-flying, gut runner
West Coast - Christopher Judd, pips Matera and Ben for mine. Norm Smith, Brownlow, Premiership Captain, MVP, BnF and All Australian. The gamut.
Western - I'll go Chris Grant over Brad Johnson and Scott West. Bontempelli will catch him by 25.

 

[SgtSchulz]

Buckley and Bunton both played at Port.

Both played in Grand Finals for the club, Buckley winning (1992) and Bunton (1945) losing.

 

[simmo_bc]

Feel free to butt in and give your own opinion, you'd know your own club far better than I do.
Adelaide- Andrew Mcleod
Brisbane Lions and Bears-Micheal Voss
Carlton- Bruce Doull (not sure how popular that decision will be)
Collingwood- Bob Rose
Essendon- Dick Reynolds
Fitzroy- Kevin Murray
Fremantle- Matthew Pavlich
Geelong- Gary Ablett Sr.
Gold Coast- Gary Ablett Jr.
GWS- Callan Ward
Hawthorn- Leigh Matthews
Melbourne- Ron Barassi Jr.
North Melbourne- Wayne Carey
Port Adelaide- Gavin Wanganeen
Richmond- Jack Dyer
St Kilda- Robert Harvey
South Melbourne/Sydney Swans- Bob Skilton
West Coast- Peter Matera
Western Bulldogs- Edward James "Ted" Whitten

If we are talking pre AFL as you highlight above then Russell Ebert is Port Adelaides greatest player easily, will be an AFL legend in the HOF at some point.

 

[simmo_bc]

Cannot think any more deserving players of title.
Dareen Jarman was pretty good for Crows but a lot less game for them than McLeod.
Dangerfield best might even top both of them but McLeod is the more popular choice among Crow fans themselves as he was a one club player.



Have not seen a better defender in football. Was a truly amazing player. However I will still think Alex Jesaulenko the greatest player in our clubs history. His skills were amazing in his prime and came to the game late. I think only Gary Ablett Senior can rival him for allround skill in all the players or video footage I seen of footballers in history on film of game.

However Jezza over his career played midfield, forward and back. He was a champion in every area. Think he took best mark I ever seen on video against Richmond. (50 to 51 second mark above)
The goals I seen him kick on highlights from before my time on grainy black and white television look incredible for his balance and skill. Cyril Rioli of now has similar cat like balance on his feet. 10 goals in state match against South Australia on Adelaide Oval against other greats in their prime of Leigh Matthews, Gary Dempsey, Malcolm Blight, Phil Carman, Barrie Robran and company that spoken about as all time greats too highlights to me just how damn good he was. I wish I born a decade earlier to see it all myself. Still love seeing some of his freak goals in 1970 and 72 grand finals on grand final eve marathon shows. Those that went to games in his prime were lucky bastards.
I did actually see his last two years when he played as a captain-coach around age 32 to 34. Well past his best then but still took a bit of a speccy for St.Kilda in early 1980s at age 34.
John Nicholls must have been great but this guy looked the allround champion of skill and application.



Of the other clubs I reckon Scott Pendlebury best Collingwood player I seen in my time. Got no idea how good Bob Rose was. Better I guess for his name to be famous in their clubs history.

Essendon, Dick Reynolds. Yep.
Fitzroy. Gary Wilson was very special rover. Can only assume Kevin Murray must have been even better.
For mine though Haydn Bunton Snr sounds like he is numero uno for Fitzroy.

Geelong - GOD. Yep.
Gold Coast - Son of him. Yep
GWS - Dylan Shiel I think will surpass him for this first phase of their club history.
Hawks- Matthews - Yep.
Melbourne - Barassi the most famous name but hard to imagine he was better than Robert Flower. Flower was poetry and silky skill in one.
Either one of them very worthy I feel.
North- Carey, Blight or Keith Grieg. Take your pick.
Port - Wanganeen. Robbie Gray could catch him if 2 or 3 more seasons of elite standards achieved.
Richmond - Kevin Bartlett without question. One of best rovers, turned forward pockets to play the game.
St. Kilda - Winmar, Lockett and Harvey of more recent decades. Baldock and Stewart were apparently brilliant from 1960s and early 70's.
Lockett for mine. Best full forward I seen.
South/Swans - Laurie Nash, Bob Skilton, Paul Kelly or Adam Goodes
My guess is Skilton was an all time great rover of the game. Nash sadly never see any footage but if stories are true would not surprise he was better than Royce Hart and Carey as a key position player.
West Coast - Matera probably, Judd next. Take your pick really.
Bulldogs - Whitten or Doug Hawkins. The Bont will give it a fair shake by end of his career.

Jezza was great but Robran was the greatest. There is footage of Jezza actually applauding Robran in a state game.

 

[footyfan1978]

Jezza was great but Robran was the greatest. There is footage of Jezza actually applauding Robran in a state game.

You can be generous to the plebs on the day when you just bagged 10 goals against them.
Jezza always had that nice effect beyond the brilliance of his wizardry.

 

[35Daicos]

Jezza was great but Robran was the greatest. There is footage of Jezza actually applauding Robran in a state game.

I'm pretty sure that incident took place in a Champions of Australia game, not a state game. Robran was a marvellous talent, but I've known a few supporters over the years (North Adelaide people especially) who like to think that particular incident somehow proves that he was a greater player than Jesaulenko, which it obviously doesn't!

 

[simmo_bc]

I'm pretty sure that incident took place in a Champions of Australia game, not a state game. Robran was a marvellous talent, but I've known a few supporters over the years (North Adelaide people especially) who like to think that particular incident somehow proves that he was a greater player than Jesaulenko, which it obviously doesn't!

they were both exceptional talents that would dominate in today's era.

It is a bit hard to compare players from that era because there wasn't a national competition and not all of the best players played in the VFL.

 

[mud guts 69]

Barry Davis is a hugely significant figure in Essendon history without any doubt, but you could not have him ahead of any of T. Watson, T. Daniher, Madden, Hird, and likely Lloyd or Fletcher too, even if you were drawing the line at the last fifty years.

Maybe not the first 4, but better than flog Lloyd

 

[Doss]

Yeah that was definitely worth a two year bump.

 

[Todman]

I think your underselling Barry Davis a bit - he was a sensational player ( would be perfect for today with his skills and athleticism ) - on a hbf - he was a quicker and more skilfull version of Bluey McKenna - about 40% better than McKenna . Dual premiership player at Essendon in the 60s - then went to Nth Melb as captain - he would have been over 30 - played as a ruck rover and he was superb . That prelim final out at Waverley against Richmond ( which i went to ) he was easily best on the ground

Barry Davis walked into Essendon as a seventeen year old in January 1961 wanting a tryout with the U/19s. Club weren't as strict back then, you could turn up and train with the club and as long as you didn't behave like a tool you were welcome . Things started to get serious in March and the guests were told to go away in the nicest possible term.
Barry stayed and played in the early interclub practice matches, impressed with his form, the club picked him in the reserves for the opening game of 1961. He played well and made his senior debut in round 2. He never played in the U/19s.

 

[The Speaker]

Hardest thing about this is what to do with great players that only spent a few seasons at one club - only thing stopping me from putting Haydn Bunton Sr for Subiaco, who I think is the greatest Australian footballer.

Claremont: Graham Moss/Denis Marshall
East Fremantle: George Doig/Jack Sheedy
East Perth: Graham Farmer
Perth: Barry Cable/Merv McIntosh
South Fremantle: Steve Marsh
Subiaco: Johnny Leonard
Swan Districts: Bill Walker
West Perth: Stan Heal

 

[Voyages]

It's very hard work to compare current players with players from even 30 years ago let alone 100 years ago. I suppose you really need to take lots of things into perspective.