First time ever a team has the two best players in the league?

[Bald]

Bont and Butters 2027.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Grundy had a great game but he wasn't playing against a top ruck and now someone draws a conclusion he's in the top 2 players in the game? Really?

Shaun Mannagh and Bailey Smith

 

[Lunchtime]

Most overrated ever.

Not that he wasn't handy, but he was never better than handy.

Not sure why the folklore about him arose over time? Presumably the 93 GF - but even then, how Kernahan didn't win the norm Smith for kicking 7 in a losing GF always astounded me.

From all reports a very good man that has done great things post football - but incredibly over rated as a footballer.

This is Long's career:

190 games
143 goals
2x Premiership player (1993 & 2000)
1x Norm Smith Medal (1993)
2x All Australian (1988 & 1995)
4th in Brownlow Medal (1995)
Brownlow Votes - 58
Australian Football Hall of Fame (2007)

Good player no doubt but probably on the handy side up to a "good level"....not a Great.

However, his work with Aboriginal activism is very good but as a footballer he was only ever a "good player".

 

[bungalow_bill]

In Heeney and Grundy the Swans have arguably the two most dominant players in the comp, has that ever happened before? and how can anyone compete? It is like Man U with Rooney and Ronaldo or the lakers with Shaq and Kobe

Or the 1984 US Davis cup team which had McEnroe (#1) & Connors (#2). Got beaten by the Swedes.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

This is Long's career:

190 games
143 goals
2x Premiership player (1993 & 2000)
1x Norm Smith Medal (1993)
2x All Australian (1988 & 1995)
4th in Brownlow Medal (1995)
Brownlow Votes - 58
Australian Football Hall of Fame (2007)

Good player no doubt but probably on the handy side up to a "good level"....not a Great.

However, his work with Aboriginal activism is very good but as a footballer he was only ever a "good player".

Some context on the 1988 All Australian, it was selected as part of the interstate carnival and wasn't the same as the modern era All Australian team, or even the 1995 team that Long made. It's certainly a lofty achievement, but Long wasn't even playing for Essendon at the time.

 

[FisherHawk]

First time ever? I'll take Matthews and Hudson.

 

[RUNVS]

I don't feel like Heeney and Grundy are the two best players in the league, but I do feel like when Gulden is back we could have 4 of the top 20 in the league (Heeney, Grundy, Blakey and Gulden) which is pretty good in my opinion.

 

[Freomaniac]

We had Nat Fyfe and Keplar Bradley in one team...

Add Zac Dawson on that list too. Well that is settled

 

[JHF1870]

In Heeney and Grundy the Swans have arguably the two most dominant players in the comp, has that ever happened before? and how can anyone compete? It is like Man U with Rooney and Ronaldo or the lakers with Shaq and Kobe

HAHA, you obviously didn't watch footy in the mid 2000s.

Cousins, Judd, Kerr, Embley, Cox

Can't beat that.

 

[Chism]

That's BigFooty for you

The main board is like Dwaynes world on SEN from 12pm every weekday! Just nuffies wanting a say.

Big Footy does not even need Bay 13 anymore.

 

[marcmurphy3]

Judd and Cousins in 05/06
Voss and Black in 2002
Ablett and Bartel 2007

Probably the closest examples since 2000, but none are clear cut. Its pretty rare to have a clear cut no.1 let alone a clear cut top 2.

 

[RCAB]

In Heeney and Grundy the Swans have arguably the two most dominant players in the comp, has that ever happened before? and how can anyone compete? It is like Man U with Rooney and Ronaldo or the lakers with Shaq and Kobe

I thought this thread was going to be about Pickett and Gawn, or a confirmation that Butters was joining the Bulldogs. It wasn't that long ago that Cameron and Dangerfield were on the same team. Also, weren't Petracca and Gawn on the same team once as well?

 

[Mop]

You know what’s refreshing?

This thread isn’t just a oneupping of each poster’s own team.

Ablett was streets ahead in the late 00s, Bartel was right with him.

Judd was there five years earlier with Cousins alongside.

could it be Rowell and Anderson next if they really go and kick on?

The Ashcroft brothers maybe?

Bont and Butters if it happens maybe, but it’ll be a short window - the Bont isn’t getting any younger.

 

[jakefooty23]

No, not for mine, maybe wait until they win before making massive calls like that. The two of them are a combined 0/5 in Grand Finals, a couple of them being absolute blow-outs.
Both are great players, In the top 3 or 4 in their positions. But the best of the best win when it matters.
Maybe this year will be different, only time will tell.

 

[shaqsuns]

The suns had Ablett and Seb Tape at the same. What a time to be alive

 

[Oliver09]

Most overrated ever.

Not that he wasn't handy, but he was never better than handy.

Not sure why the folklore about him arose over time? Presumably the 93 GF - but even then, how Kernahan didn't win the norm Smith for kicking 7 in a losing GF always astounded me.

From all reports a very good man that has done great things post football - but incredibly over rated as a footballer.

Longs 93 finals series was one of the best ever by any individual. He had taken his game to the next level and was still only 23yo. Unfortunately he did his knee in the following pre season and while his 95 season was his best ever knee injuries in 96 and 97 pretty finished him as an elite player. Definitely a case of what could have been or more like what should have been.

As for Kernahan and his 7 goals all bar one of them came when Essendon had got 8 goals up. He had plenty of opportunities early in the game as well. Fletcher beat him early but once the game was over as a contest Kernahan got on top of him. They were junk time goals though.

 

[Orange crush]

If only we could get Toby and Sic on the same time ....

 

[WN123]

This is Long's career:

190 games
143 goals
2x Premiership player (1993 & 2000)
1x Norm Smith Medal (1993)
2x All Australian (1988 & 1995)
4th in Brownlow Medal (1995)
Brownlow Votes - 58
Australian Football Hall of Fame (2007)

Good player no doubt but probably on the handy side up to a "good level"....not a Great.

However, his work with Aboriginal activism is very good but as a footballer he was only ever a "good player".

A bit more context.
Longs 1993 finals series was insane. Up till then he had been a handy player who could do the mercurial but rarely took the game on.
In that finals series it was like he realised no one could catch him and started running away from blokes. He was insanely quick and agile.
Then at the start of 1994 he did his knee. He came back and was great again in 95 but not as quick or as agile. Still made All Australian and I think was runner up in the Brownlow.
Then in 96 he did his knee again. There was at least one more after that. After that he battled and became a bit of a fringe player.

 

[WilloTree]

Warne/McGrath

Judd/Cousins

Couch/Ablett ('89)

 

[two blue tiger]

Martin/Rance 2017/2018

 

[Lunchtime]

A bit more context.
Longs 1993 finals series was insane. Up till then he had been a handy player who could do the mercurial but rarely took the game on.
In that finals series it was like he realised no one could catch him and started running away from blokes. He was insanely quick and agile.
Then at the start of 1994 he did his knee. He came back and was great again in 95 but not as quick or as agile. Still made All Australian and I think was runner up in the Brownlow.
Then in 96 he did his knee again. There was at least one more after that. After that he battled and became a bit of a fringe player.

Thats fine in terms of 1993 Finals series but overall in terms of his career I think he is somewhat overrated as a player.

 

[1990crow]

Bontempelli and Butters

 

[MadMaxx]

First time ever? I'll take Matthews and Hudson.

Add Peter Knights for the treble

 

[Del233519]

In Heeney and Grundy the Swans have arguably the two most dominant players in the comp, has that ever happened before? and how can anyone compete? It is like Man U with Rooney and Ronaldo or the lakers with Shaq and Kobe

Are you drunk? Grundy a top 2 player lol.

Hes not even the best ruckman.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Not that he wasn't handy, but he was never better than handy.

However, his work with Aboriginal activism is very good but as a footballer he was only ever a "good player".

ROFL have a listen to this shit.

He cut up the 93 finals series and was a huge part of Essendon winning the flag. Do we win it without him…? Quite possibly not. He played a big part in lifting us from a 7 goal deficit in the prelim.

Misses 94 with a knee

Returns in 95 and immediately finishes top 5 in the Brownlow and in the All Australian team.

Then two more knees which largely finished him.

I’ve never heard anybody claim he was an all time great etc, but he was a superstar cut down by injury. It was only for a short time because of the injuries, but he was one of the best players in the comp for that short period. Injuries cost him the chance to be rated any higher which is fair enough. But…

Never better than handy… Only ever ‘good’

What ignorant garbage.