GF Zero to Heroes thread

[Mr_Moogle]

It's quite a common theme in footy to see a player have a great season and go missing in finals but Tom Boyd's retirement has me thinking he's a bit of an oddity. It's not that often you have players who were mostly out of form for the whole season and then suddenly dominate in a GF. I was wondering if people could list any other players from their clubs that might fall into that category? They don't have to be complete spuds, just players who went by relatively unnoticed then suddenly smashed it in the Grand Final.

The closest at the Crows would probably be Shane Ellen. He only played 10 games in 1997, played as a defender and wasn't exactly setting the world on fire either. Blight moved him foward and he kicked 5 goals in the GF against St Kilda. He hadn't kicked any goals that season and had only kicked 3 goals in his 38 game career up until that point.

https://www.afc.com.au/video/2017-06-07/blight-bites-shane-ellen

 

[iameviljez]

Tom Hawkins picked the right moment to come good... about halfway through the third quarter of the 2011 GF.

 

[DaveEgoat]

On behalf of all Carlton supporters...

TED HOPKINS - 1970

 

[The 747]

I recall Lewis Roberts-Thomson played a ripper GF.

Josh Fraser too in a smashing (although he was not a low profile player).

The Hawks three-peat probs had a stack of them.

 

[sprockets]

On behalf of all Carlton supporters...

TED HOPKINS - 1970

Was about to mention Hopkins. Boyd will be remembered in the same vein.

 

[Cleavy]

Clark Keating from the Brisbane Lions

 

[Forward Press]

Dom Sheed played a lot of 2018 in the WAFL, was on the verge of being dropped until Gaff got suspended, you campaigners know what happened next.

 

[The 747]

Clark Keating from the Brisbane Lions

He was a beast of a ruckman but only good for about 10 games a year. Brisbane got those 10 games out of him when it mattered in 2001-2003.

 

[Fourthawn]

Mitch Morton in 2012 .... #$!&^^%$@

 

[cottoneyeYeo]

nathan vardy

 

[boncer34]

Mitch Morton

 

[Alphonse_]

Lewis Roberts-Thomson played a pretty big role in the Swans 21st Century grand final wins, despite being bit of a scrubber of a player.

 

[blue harvest]

 

[The Chad and I]

View attachment 675069

to be fair to Wil, he was in ripping form in the second half of that season, which culminated in a super performance in the Grand Final.
Sadly, he was never able to recapture that form but he had a tremendous couple of months.

He's about the only one I can remember during our reign.
Not too many sleepers were carried because of the abundance of talent.

 

[TJASTA]

Jack Graham

 

[Anja_Nees]

Toby Thurstans bobbing up for three while Tredrea kind of struggled was fun to watch.

 

[HTT]

Jack Graham and Jacob Townsend come to mind.

 

[4THAWN]

Schofield last year, played a ripper game

 

[LawrenceJameson]

Angry Anderson 1991.


On iPad using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Wojcinski]

Stewart ******* Dew

 

[Spirit Level]

Tom Hawkins in 2011 springs to mind

 

[Generalissimo]

Max Rooke was an absolute beast in the 2009 GF, particularly the last quarter.

 

[Mr_Moogle]

Stewart ******* Dew

He had many years of playing very good footy at Port so I don't see how he could be viewed as a zero.

 

[Wojcinski]

He had many years of playing very good footy at Port so I don't see how he could be viewed as a zero.

He was rubbish at Hawthorn until the finals series and that fat little campaigner exploded

 

[Luv_our_club]

Helen D'Amico