Favourite Swan of all time

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RW

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#29
You know, I don't think I've ever thought about who my favourite player is... I've enjoyed reading this thread and why various posters have nominated different players as their favourite.

Over the years, my favourites have been Maxfield (for the way he led the team from 2003-05 and his role in the 2005 premiership), Schneider (kicked 3 goals and set the SCG alight in the very first game I went to in 2003), Craig Bolton (always tended to go for the underrated player who got the job done week in week out), Ted Richards (similar reasons to Craig, also admired him for resurrecting his career), and Brett Kirk (for getting the most out of himself and his part in the Bloods culture).

If you had to make me pick a single one I'd say Adam Goodes because I've had the privilege of following his career from start to finish and because he is such a unique talent and so versatile. One of the first full games of AFL I ever watched on TV was the Kangaroos one early in 1999 where he was thrown into the ruck against McKernan when Stafford went down injured, and we came back from 8 goals down to win, you just don't forget games like that. I've been frustrated watching him at times throughout his career, but only because I know what he is capable of. It's hard to imagine a Swans team without him, it felt very strange watching this year when he was out injured. What he did in the grand final was special and will never be forgotten.
 

Bloodz2005

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#35
Kelly, Micky O, Rod Carter,Andrew Dunkley, JPK, Goodsey, K.Jack, Plugger, Stevie Wright, Mark Bayes, Steve Hoffman, Jude Bolton, Stewart Gull, Merv Neagle ( rip)
The grand dad of all:- Bobby Skilton......say no more...
 

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PaulRoos

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#38
In no particular order -

Kells - Roos - Kirk - Goodes - Plugger (because of his goal kicking record that'll NEVER be beaten)

Pebbles, Jude & LRT are also high on my list as are Joey K, Kieren J, Lewis the Jet, Ted ... bugga, not splitting hairs, they're all CHAMPS in my book.
 

Sydney Bloods

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#42
Kurt Tippett :p

Edit: damn it beaten by AG so I'll be serious Paul Kelly have a signed game ball from him absolute legend sure others are great but I worshipped Kelly as a kid.
 

disgruntled goat

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#44
I've been thinking about this since the GF ... Plugger and Goodesy came close but I never thought I'd find a champion Swan to match my regard for Paul Kelly, who I still think never got from the wider football community the credit he deserved as an elite player (not just for his courage, spirit, etc). But I have to now declare LRT is THE man ... I've always rated him, going back to his early days and that wonderful 05 GF performance ... now he's a dual premiership hero and has stuck it up all those (on this board and beyond) who slagged him off year after year (and still do).
 

baja

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#45
But I have to now declare LRT is THE man ... I've always rated him, going back to his early days and that wonderful 05 GF performance ... now he's a dual premiership hero and has stuck it up all those (on this board and beyond) who slagged him off year after year (and still do).
BigBez 's very first thread on bigfooty early in 05 was titled "Bring back LRT".. It was one of the reasons he signed up. For some reason I cant find it but if I remember right it was funny.. Be a great bump.
 
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Moderator #50
I love how people are just listing a heap of players. And I completely agree. Wayyyy too hard to list just one IMO. That's the best thing about our club, no one "Superstar" (apart from the Capper & Plugger eras of our great club maybe) and always a great team effort.

It completely depends on what you're basing it on I suppose.

The very first player that comes to mind when you say favourite swan is Kirk. That man epitomises our club. To use an often overused phrase, he was our heart and soul and bled for the club like no other player our club has ever seen IMO. In fact I feel very much the same about Bolton. The two have to be the 2 most loyal clubmen we've had over the last decade or so for sure. However, I have not cried so much about a player over the journey than Kirky... The first time I saw him after the siren in '05 I balled. The first time I saw him after the siren in '06 I balled. When he announced his retirement I balled. When we couldn't go all the way for him in his final game I balled. When he was chaired off I balled. His last on field interview after the loss I balled. When he said he was going to Freo I balled. etc.

When I was a young'un I loved Kel, Dunkley and Plugger mostly. I wrote to the team for a school assignment and Kels & Plugger personally wrote back and sent me a signed 1997 team poster. Unfortunately the teacher thought it was awesome so decided to PIN it up where needless to say every other non-swans supporting kid (being every other kid in the school being a victorian school) would rip it down as they walked past. I asked to have it back but the teacher held out till the end of the year to give it back. Still have it, bit tattered in the corners but rolled up in the original Aust Post tube it came in safely stored away for framing in my future office.

Then of course, as my name suggests, Goodesy is up there. He will go down in history as (along with Skilton) our all time greatest talent and most well known Swan. Deservidly so IMO. The man is a freak and noone can match him for sheer outright amazing talent, skill and ability. His best is the best I have ever seen compared to any other Swan. On his day you can put him anywhere on the field playing any role and he can tear his opponents to shreads.

So I suppose it's Kirky, Kel, Bolts and of course Goodesy overall for me. Like most people there are a heap of other players. You have a particular "favourite" for a particular attribute. E.g. Clubman = Kirky. Skill = Goodesy. Courage = Kel/Hanners/Bolton. Irishness = Kennelly. Etc.

Out of our crop atm (leaving out Goodesy & Bolts). I love Hanners' courage and Jacks skill. They are our future co-captains for sure. I was at the Freo game this year for LRTs 150th (when he got his face smashed in) and he showed tremendous courage to get back otu there and play out the game with a fractured face. Not only did he just come out and play with it, he played bloody hard, I recall a couple of minutes to go and saw him in amongst the hard & heavy of it. One of our most underratted (by everyone including us), loyal and unwittingly courageous players IMO. I've always been a big Teddy fan too. If you're ever at the footy and you hear some (probably drunk) bloke yell out something like" "Teddy you beast!" or "You're a beast of a man Teddy" or "Tear 'em up Super Ted!!" Etc... That'll be me.


Okay okay..... I have to stop now. This is getting ridiculous. I LOVE THEM ALL!!!!

GO YOU MIGHTY BLOODS!!!!
 
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