Greg Williams vs James Hird

[HyperAgressiveDonk]

Really close one in my opinion and couldn't seperate them. Not that it counts for much, but I know Mike Sheehan rated Williams the 10th and Hird the 20th best player of all time. Very, very close and two champions of the game. Who do you think was the better player?

 

[TeamHurley]

Obstain from voting. Never saw williams play.

 

[jonoman89]

Williams made the AFL team of the century in the most contested part of the the team: the midfield.

I think i'll leave my opinion at that.

 

[Power King]

Williams made the AFL team of the century in the most contested part of the the team: the midfield.

I think i'll leave my opinion at that.

To counter your argument, the AFL team of the century is the subjective opinion of a few people and you are also a Carlton supporter. Stating the obvious of course.

I never saw Williams play.

 

[Simmonds2Hislop]

Williams made the AFL team of the century in the most contested part of the the team: the midfield.

I think i'll leave my opinion at that.

He was named on the Bench. Hird was never going to be selected in his 5th season, when Carey missed out in his 7th.

 

[jonoman89]

I didn't see much of it at the time either, but i think it'd pretty stupid of me to say Hird is better when he receives around half of the accolades.

 

[bluepride]

Ill say this, Hird was the best player since 2000 by the length of the Flemington straight he was that good ... however Williams was something else.

The Larry Bird equivilant of the AFL, completed dominating a game of football by reading the play and knowing what his few strengths were and making them unbelievable.

He couldnt run, but he managed to d manoeuvre his way past oppotents.

He couldnt jump, but he managed to outbody his opponents and mark it.

The best reader of the play I have ever seen.

Hird was great, but his is just outside the bracket of where the legends are.

 

[Gone Critical]

Both great players so a good comparison

Hird was a little more complete and versatile. Also shone a little more in the big moments. Hird was also more selfless and team oriented. Williams wasnt much of a leader while Hird excelled in that area

Close but Hird gets my vote

 

[The Bomb]

Both had 1 thing in common, hated umpires!
Hird only slags them, Williams pushes them.
What about when Wanganeen beat Williams in the brownlow medal count,
Williams was so angry, He wanted to stand Wanganeen in the GF.
Worked out well for him.
To warried about the brownlow and forgot to turn up in the 93 GF.

 

[Monkey King]

Have to laugh at BF polls sometimes ... Diesel was the better player; and by some way too. Hird is better suited to Buckley/Voss comparisons and Sheehan got this one right on having at least 10 players between them, as the gap is fairly significant.

Watching Diesel play at the Swans was just awesome and I was ecstatic when he came to the Blues; 10 fold when compared to Judd's arrival, he was just that good. Out and out the best mid I've seen.

 

[HyperAgressiveDonk]

Have to laugh at BF polls sometimes ... Diesel was the better player; and by some way too. Hird is better suited to Buckley/Voss comparisons and Sheehan got this one right on having at least 10 players between them, as the gap is fairly significant.

Watching Diesel play at the Swans was just awesome and I was ecstatic when he came to the Blues; 10 fold when compared to Judd's arrival, he was just that good. Out and out the best mid I've seen.

On second thoughts just looking back over the stats, I think Greg Williams is ahead as well. Just looking at career stats alone, Williams averaged 6 more touches a game, more goals and more contested possessions. Greg Williams was probably the greatest clearance player ever as well. The guy was an absolute machine.

I think a lot of people perhaps voted for Hird, because they never saw Williams play. I would have thought the poll would have been closer, with Williams winning.

 

[schimma2snake]

Strange comparison.

 

[TBoyleSuperstar]

Williams for me, though a strange comparison seeing as Hird was more of an all-round player where as Diesel was purely a midfielder (till very late in his career).

Diesel was one of the greatest midfielders ever. For a bloke that had that treacle like pace, he was still able to rack up more of the ball then just about any midfielder in history. People Rave about Swan now, but Diesel racked up similar (and larger) numbers to Swan regularly. He just knew how to get the ball, where to go to get it, and was outstanding in packs when firing out handballs.

Hird, was one of the most versatile players the game has seen, and a true champion of our game. Fantastic in big games, and when needed most.

Both stars, but Williams just for me.

 

[Slattery_20]

On second thoughts just looking back over the stats, I think Greg Williams is ahead as well. Just looking at career stats alone, Williams averaged 6 more touches a game, more goals and more contested possessions. Greg Williams was probably the greatest clearance player ever as well. The guy was an absolute machine.

Can I see your working?
Both played 250 or so. Hird 340 goals. Williams 215.

Hird was a better footballer IMHO. Gun forward, capable back, gun in the middle vs slightly better in the middle.
To win a clearance you'd take Williams but any other situation simply no comparison.

I only really remember Williams at Carlton though.

 

[HyperAgressiveDonk]

Can I see your working?
Both played 250 or so. Hird 340 goals. Williams 215.

Hird was a better footballer IMHO. Gun forward, capable back, gun in the middle vs slightly better in the middle.
To win a clearance you'd take Williams but any other situation simply no comparison.

I only really remember Williams at Carlton though.

Oops just looking over the stats I must be having a dyslexic day You're right about the goals. The rest of the stats I quoted are correct though.

I think Williams was a better footballer, for him to win two Brownlow medals ( 8 years apart ) and two MVPS ( nine years apart ), as well as a Norm Smith and be named in the Team Of The Century proves that imo.

 

[Jezza U Beauty]

Diesel. Comfortably.

 

[Jesse Custer]

I'll go Hird. Obviously because im an Essendon supporter. How you can compare these two completely different players is beyond me.

 

[Palmer Stoat]

Tough call. They're such different players. Maybe Hird?

 

[Monkey King]

On second thoughts just looking back over the stats, I think Greg Williams is ahead as well. Just looking at career stats alone, Williams averaged 6 more touches a game, more goals and more contested possessions. Greg Williams was probably the greatest clearance player ever as well. The guy was an absolute machine.

I think a lot of people perhaps voted for Hird, because they never saw Williams play. I would have thought the poll would have been closer, with Williams winning.

I put Diesel up there just behind Carey and Ablett in his era. A downright freak. A clear rung above Hird, whose legend has grown 10 fold since retirement. I would have loved Kouta to have had Diesel's brain.

Williams was the most genius of a footballer I've seen in the non-physical sense. The phrase "orchestrated a goal" has never been more apt than for him. He used to marshal the players and direct them like pawns into positions and just create. My favourite player to just watch when the ball wasn't near him.

Racked up the touches and clearances, but it was what he did with them that would drop my jaw. Those Sunday Sydney games in the 80's were a highlight at the time. Renowned for his handball skills, but he was a terrific field kick as well which IMO tends to be forgotten; he could drop a ball's trajectory into space, which is today's congested game would be one hell of a valuable and more noticeable skill.

Call me bias, but I'm gobsmacked that anyone who saw the entire career's of these players would rate Hird higher, which makes me think there's a few who voted that didn't.

No dis on Hirdy though either, who I rate as better than Voss and Buckley.

 

[Chism]

Diesel is the best player i have ever seen pull on the Carlton jumper in my time and i am 34 and been going to the footy since i was 5. I rate him that highly. Hird was also a champion and like others have said it is a weird comparison due to their different roles on the field.

I voted Diesel though.

 

[DarwinRoo]

Diesel.

 

[BrownPearHookers]

These players are so far diferent it is not funny.

Williams was as good as you could get as a smart inside midfielder.
Hird was as good as you could get as a utility and captain, just could turn games on their head off of his own boot, always led his men from the front.

Both Teams would be delighted with these two absolute champions of the game.

Now what I am about to say kills me, But Williams was the better player overall, Hird missed 97,98,99 the 3 most important years of his career, straight after his 96 brownlow medal, which in my opinion puts him slightly behind.

 

[MinerBoy]

Have to laugh at BF polls sometimes ... Diesel was the better player; and by some way too. Hird is better suited to Buckley/Voss comparisons and Sheehan got this one right on having at least 10 players between them, as the gap is fairly significant.

Watching Diesel play at the Swans was just awesome and I was ecstatic when he came to the Blues; 10 fold when compared to Judd's arrival, he was just that good. Out and out the best mid I've seen.

Agree 100%

The 2 minute noodle era has Hird ranked far too highly in the overall scheme of things.

Williams was comfortably a better player than Hird....and Judd etc.

 

[windyhill]

Williams way better skills both sides of the body. Hird had no left side. Both put up with extreme attention from the opposistion. Hird could handle it, rise above it, Williams struggled with it, you could almost put him in the thug category. Hird more team orientated, Williams was all about Williams. Hird more versatile, could plonk him anywhere, Williams one dimensional.
Dead heat.

 

[Dan26]

Williams way better skills both sides of the body. Hird had no left side. Both put up with extreme attention from the opposistion. Hird could handle it, rise above it, Williams struggled with it, you could almost put him in the thug category. Hird more team orientated, Williams was all about Williams. Hird more versatile, could plonk him anywhere, Williams one dimensional.
Dead heat.

I don't agree that Hird was more team oriented. Hird was team oriented of course, but more than Williams?

Williams might have been a pure professional who was not particularly loyal, but his on-field game consisted of bringing his teammates into the game. He had a sixth sense and wouldn't hesistate to choose the best option. It's what his whole game was built around.

In some ways I rate Diesel as the ultimate team player because he made his teamates better players through his superb vision and handballing. Not that Hird didn't, but it defined G.Williams as a player. It's what his on-field game was known for.

Whether he had any real love for any of the teams he played for, I agree is questionable.