Opinion Gary Ablett senior , Wayne Carey, Tony Lockett who's the best?

[Usayed Givashe]

10.6 and 7.6

Sorry I am not old enough to remember that.
All I remember from that period is the awesome games we played in 1994 prelim and the next year at Pricess Park which was just as good.
IMO football was never better than Geelong v North during this period. Absolutely breathless from start to go.

I’m biased as Carey was 21/22 andin his prime and Ablett was cooked, doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate his greatness - I do, I have him rated as the 3rd or 4th best player in history.

 

[WCE_phil]

Sorry I am not old enough to remember that.
All I remember from that period is the awesome games we played in 1994 prelim and the next year at Pricess Park which was just as good.
IMO football was never better than Geelong v North during this period. Absolutely breathless from start to go.

I’m biased as Carey was 21/22 andin his prime and Ablett was cooked, doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate his greatness - I do, I have him rated as the 3rd or 4th best player in history.

I'm going to be honest here. At what time is a player in their prime at 21? Almost every player going around is better (bar career ending injuries) at 33 than 21.

 

[Usayed Givashe]

I'm going to be honest here. At what time is a player in their prime at 21? Almost every player going around is better (bar career ending injuries) at 33 than 21.

Wayne Carey IMO was at his best 1993-1994. Ie 21/22.

He suffered from OP/3 shoulders and was banged up by 1997. Sure he reinvented himself, but never took another overhead mark and for mine, lost a yard.

 

[MinerBoy]

Carey - Lockett (Dunstall) - Ablett

 

[beema limapep]

Lockett was arguably more damaging at his peak, and with a poorer team around him.

Carey and Ablett were more rounded footballers though.

 

[PhatBoy]

To be the best of the best you first have to be the clear best of your player type.

It’s not even unequivocal that Ablett was better or more valuable to his team than Lockett or Dunstall.

It’s abundantly clear that Carey was better than any other CHF to play the game. It doesn’t matter who you put up — Brown, Tredrea, Loewe, Riewoldt, Brereton, Pavlich… nobody, not a single person, would argue any of them were better than Carey.

What an utterly stupid comment.

That’s like saying John Lennon wasn’t the best songwriter in his own band so how could he be better than Rob Thomas from Matchbox 20

 

[Usayed Givashe]

What an utterly stupid comment.

That’s like saying John Lennon wasn’t the best songwriter in his own band so how could he be better than Rob Thomas from Matchbox 20

Was Ablett that much more talented than Winston Abraham?

Pound for pound, there ain’t much in it talent-wise. I honestly think Winston could do everything Ablett could do.

Unfortunately we’ll never know because James Turd ruined/ended his career at 27. Maybe he would have gone forward and kicked 60 or 70 a year in his mid 30s.

 

[PhatBoy]

Was Ablett that much more talented than Winston Abraham?

Pound for pound, there ain’t much in it talent-wise. I honestly think Winston could do everything Ablett could do.

Unfortunately we’ll never know because James Turd ruined/ended his career at 27. Maybe he would have gone forward and kicked 60 or 70 a year in his mid 30s.

Yes he was. He was that much more talented.

 

[Usayed Givashe]

Yes he was. He was that much more talented.

Dunno. I reckon he was a better footballer obviously, but pure talent-wise Ablett is seen as having the most talent of any player in history (rightfully) but to my eye, there ain’t much in it.

 

[Slippery Pete]

What an utterly stupid comment.

That’s like saying John Lennon wasn’t the best songwriter in his own band so how could he be better than Rob Thomas from Matchbox 20

It’s not like saying that at all.

It’s like saying John Lennon wasn’t the best songwriter in his own band so how could he be the best songwriter of all time?

 

[PhatBoy]

It’s not like saying that at all.

It’s like saying John Lennon wasn’t the best songwriter in his own band so how could he be the best songwriter of all time?

Not when the comparison is between 3 players, which is what I thought the thread was about.

If there were two ruckman who were an 11/10 as players and then there is a full forward who is a 9/10 but the only decent one in the league, he doesn’t become a better player than the ruckmen because he’s ranked #1 in his position

 

[My Tilly]

Was Ablett that much more talented than Winston Abraham?

I don't believe so.
Abraham was as gifted of a footballer as I ever saw.
He was not as powerful as Ablett but he had as much athleticism as anyone in the games history.
His skills were simply audacious. Seemingly glided around the ground. One of those very special talents who never got the most out of themselves.

 

[Osho]

Was Carey a FF?
Odd he is included.
Lockett was terrifying. I was out at Moorabbin the day he humiliated and terrorised a head bowed and shaky Danny Hughes. The Saints members flank supporters were brutal. That day could have damaged Danny permanently, I think he came through okay.

Ablett was a great comedian - he did outrageous and unbelievable things. One laughs loudly and shakes the head. Ridiculous.

So, it's like do you fancy horror films or comedies.

 

[Aristotle Pickett]

Was Carey a FF?
Odd he is included.
Lockett was terrifying. I was out at Moorabbin the day he humiliated and terrorised a head bowed and shaky Danny Hughes. The Saints members flank supporters were brutal. That day could have damaged Danny permanently, I think he came through okay.

Ablett was a great comedian - he did outrageous and unbelievable things. One laughs loudly and shakes the head. Ridiculous.

So, it's like do you fancy horror films or comedies.

The thread is not about full forwords, just ranking them.
Lockett's skill was underated I reckon.
Carey played CHF all of his career, Ablett could have played any position.

 

[Osho]

The thread is not about full forwords, just ranking them.
Lockett's skill was underated I reckon.
Carey played CHF all of his career, Ablett could have played any position.

Yeah, sure. Just oranges versus lemons, both citrus, but you know. It's like Hudson versus Hart, no?
Whereas Carey, Hart, Kernahan makes more sense even across eras.

What abt the battle axe missus versus Nadia the nymphette next door? I mean, Nadia can't cook, but she can shop.

 

[Hojuman]

I don't believe so.
Abraham was as gifted of a footballer as I ever saw.
He was not as powerful as Ablett but he had as much athleticism as anyone in the games history.
His skills were simply audacious. Seemingly glided around the ground. One of those very special talents who never got the most out of themselves.

Winnie suffered a nasty injury to his knee l think early 2001. Surgery could not repair the damage and career ended that season. Was only 26 l think.

 

[Seeds]

I'm going to be honest here. At what time is a player in their prime at 21? Almost every player going around is better (bar career ending injuries) at 33 than 21.

Wayne carey wasnt 21 in 94. He was 23. At 21 he wasnt a star. And back in those days virtually no one made it to 33 let alone play well at that level. Carey was cooked at 33 and retired at that age. He should of retired the year before. Locket was retired at 32. Ablett was a freak to still be playing well at the age. But he wasnt the spectacular player he was in his twenties and couldnt make it all the way through the season.

 

[Baird]

Leigh Matthews says Carey is the best player he has seen, for what it's worth. He said that no player did more for his team than Carey

 

[Seeds]

Leigh Matthews says Carey is the best player he has seen, for what it's worth. He said that no player did more for his team than Carey

And plenty of other ex players say other players were the best they have ever seen.

 

[Slippery Pete]

Wayne carey wasnt 21 in 94. He was 23. At 21 he wasnt a star.

He was 21 for the first part of 1993, and he was a star.

 

[Slippery Pete]

Leigh Matthews says Carey is the best player he has seen, for what it's worth. He said that no player did more for his team than Carey

You’d have to be insane to pick Matthews before Carey.

A 5’9 rover versus a 6’4 CHF who marks everything and kicks goals from 50, playing the hardest spot on the ground.

That’s not to say that Matthews wasn’t a champion, but Carey’s type comes along once in a generation, if you are lucky.

 

[Seeds]

I don't believe so.
Abraham was as gifted of a footballer as I ever saw.
He was not as powerful as Ablett but he had as much athleticism as anyone in the games history.
His skills were simply audacious. Seemingly glided around the ground. One of those very special talents who never got the most out of themselves.

You views on abraham appear odd to me. I wouldnt put him in the top 15 most freakish indiginous players let alone all time players. Was there a particular game that stood out?

he played 110 afl games. Not once got over 22 dispisals and only kicked 5 goals or more twice. I dont get it? i saw more freakish talent in the likes of liam jurrah, daniel menzel, steve and dan motlop and harley bennell to be honest and they arent even near the top of my list either.

 

[The 747]

Leigh Matthews says Carey is the best player he has seen, for what it's worth. He said that no player did more for his team than Carey

I agree with Leigh.

 

[Seeds]

You’d have to be insane to pick Matthews before Carey.

A 5’9 rover versus a 6’4 CHF who marks everything and kicks goals from 50, playing the hardest spot on the ground.

That’s not to say that Matthews wasn’t a champion, but Carey’s type comes along once in a generation, if you are lucky.

the best of all time is the best in 100 years player. Not best in a generation. And given carey, ablett and locketts careers crossed over there is a very strong argument that carey was not even once in a generation.

 

[Seeds]

He was 21 for the first part of 1993, and he was a star.

Like 4 weeks of it. He became a household name probably about midway through that year as a 22 year old. And we were talking about 94 in any case.