Universal Love Imported Players - who has been your favourite in the modern era?

[Howard Moon]

Anthony Daniher? Terry Daniher?

I thought we were on the 30 year rule as above

 

[Doss]

I thought we were on the 30 year rule as above

It was an admittedly arbitrary measure I used.

I suppose in general I think of Terry's South days as a weird little episode before he became the Essendon legend we all know. 294 of 313 games were with us.

Anthony on the other hand, well he split it almost exactly even; 115 with them, 118 with us.

I also can't think of Salmon as an import per se. Just can't. I suppose technically he is, but the majority of his career was still with Essendon. Barnes is different different because he appeared far more with Geelong.

It's all just quirky perception though, admittedly.

 

[Howard Moon]

Hawthorne team of the century - weird one that

 

[eth-dog]

I thought we were on the 30 year rule as above

Ah, I was including players who had played fro 87 onwards. Scott Camporeale should be in there ahead of several others too

 

[Howard Moon]

lots have forgotten about barry young - was decent enough

 

[Jade]

BJ. Easy.

Though think premiership player Barnard was worthy of a mention.

Our list of exports is so much more impressive. That's upsetting.

Scott Gumbleton.

Greatest player in the history of everything.

 

[TheBrightSide]

Kickett. Loved him. Just a magnificent player in full flight.

Same, surprised there's not more love for Kickett. Could do some amazing things, loved watching him play.

Goal from the '90 GF (one of the few highlights from that day)

 

[Howard Moon]

Plenty of highlights.... Especially TDs right hook

 

[Whispering_Jack]

Does Syd Barker qualify?

 

[Dave]

Wellman for mine, Rock solid after being a bit of a meh player at the cows. BJ bloody close.

 

[Doss]

I agonised over this a little - and in the end, chose Kelly.

I don't mean that as any sort of mitigation of the efforts of premiership stars like Wellman, or the way Goddard has carried himself without complaint and played great football and been a real leader for us despite the absolute cluster* he walked into. I do feel particularly guilty in some ways for overlooking BJ, because what he has done for Essendon cannot be understated.

But there is something about the Kelly story that really warms the heart for me.


At Geelong, he was a great player who'd been under-appreciated by all but his own fans, who'd played a key role in three flags but had been overshadowed by more glamorous team mates, he'd nonetheless been more or less told by that same club that was he done. He felt a bit peeved about this, but nonetheless accepted the umpire's (Geelong's) decision and retired. He could have taken his cushy job with the AFL, enjoyed the retirement beers, and still been a really well regarded figure in footy in years to come.

But no, he answered the call when we were at the single lowest ebb in our history. In that sense he was no different from the other nine top-ups, but his standing in the game was well above any of the others. He had nothing to prove whatsoever.

Yet he came to Essendon. At first I wasn't that excited about it really. I had a look back at the Kelly player thread and my first comment was "Welcome James. Not 100% sure how I feel about this, but it will be good to have some experience nonetheless". Good one Doss, you pillock. The perception was that he had been slipping a bit in his last Geelong year; probably unfairly on reflection, given he had a busted gonad! But nonetheless, I was more excited about Crowley for example. I think a lot of us were.

Then I actually saw him play in the red and black and almost overnight I felt immensely guilty for how much I had underrated him. At how I hadn't been absolutely thrilled that he'd come to us to help in our time of need. He is a sensational footballer - hard, smart, never gives anything less than 110%, and just one of those players, I think, who makes everyone around him walk taller. You'd love to have Pops next to you on the field as a team mate, I reckon. As a fan I know I immediately feel reassured whenever Pops has the ball, or even when Pops is competing in a one-on-one against someone.

His 40 games for Essendon have been nearly all at a very high standard. In a couple of them he was probably best on ground - yaco55 described him against Collingwood in Round 16 this year as "men against boys" and he was absolutely spot on; I was in awe of him that day honestly. He patrolled the backline like a marshal dispatching the troops on far-flung offensives, all the while dealing with any attacks that actually threatened like a giant swatting away an annoying fly. As yaco said, he bullied the Collingwood half-forwards. Made them look silly.

His on-field exploits for us have been one thing, but the way he has also taken the kids under his wing will probably have an even bigger impact on Essendon in years to come. You have never, ever got the impression that he was doing it for the money or just for himself. Quite to the contrary, you really get the impression that he took it on as a challenge to help lift a club (that just happened to be the one he supported as a kid) on its knees back up.

He's no mercenary, unlike so many other players who go to another club in the twilight of their career. The circumstances of him coming to Essendon immediately mark him as different to most others. No, he's embraced the challenge and has given every drop of himself to the club. Our club is immensely lucky to have had him; I wish it could be for even longer really, but all good things must come to an end. But our players have been lucky to have played with him, and we are lucky to have had him to watch as fans. His all too brief yet so notable Essendon story just really strikes all the right chords with me.

He's a true professional, a prankster apparently with few rivals, a gun footballer, and I suspect a great coach in the making. While history will always rightly mostly remember him as a Geelong triple premiership champion, as far as I'm concerned he's an Essendon person too.

 

[Killer_Mike]

I agonised over this a little - and in the end, chose Kelly.

I don't mean that as any sort of mitigation of the efforts of premiership stars like Wellman, or the way Goddard has carried himself without complaint and played great football and been a real leader for us despite the absolute cluster**** he walked into. I do feel particularly guilty in some ways for overlooking BJ, because what he has done for Essendon cannot be understated.

But there is something about the Kelly story that really warms the heart for me.


At Geelong, he was a great player who'd been under-appreciated by all but his own fans, who'd played a key role in three flags but had been overshadowed by more glamorous team mates, he'd nonetheless been more or less told by that same club that was he done. He felt a bit peeved about this, but nonetheless accepted the umpire's (Geelong's) decision and retired. He could have taken his cushy job with the AFL, enjoyed the retirement beers, and still been a really well regarded figure in footy in years to come.

But no, he answered the call when we were at the single lowest ebb in our history. In that sense he was no different from the other nine top-ups, but his standing in the game was well above any of the others. He had nothing to prove whatsoever.

Yet he came to Essendon. At first I wasn't that excited about it really. I had a look back at the Kelly player thread and my first comment was "Welcome James. Not 100% sure how I feel about this, but it will be good to have some experience nonetheless". Good one Doss, you pillock. The perception was that he had been slipping a bit in his last Geelong year; probably unfairly on reflection, given he had a busted gonad! But nonetheless, I was more excited about Crowley for example. I think a lot of us were.

Then I actually saw him play in the red and black and almost overnight I felt immensely guilty for how much I had underrated him. At how I hadn't been absolutely thrilled that he'd come to us to help in our time of need. He is a sensational footballer - hard, smart, never gives anything less than 110%, and just one of those players, I think, who makes everyone around him walk taller. You'd love to have Pops next to you on the field as a team mate, I reckon. As a fan I know I immediately feel reassured whenever Pops has the ball, or even when Pops is competing in a one-on-one against someone.

His 40 games for Essendon have been nearly all at a very high standard. In a couple of them he was probably best on ground - yaco55 described him against Collingwood in Round 16 this year as "men against boys" and he was absolutely spot on; I was in awe of him that day honestly. He patrolled the backline like a marshal dispatching the troops on far-flung offensives, all the while dealing with any attacks that actually threatened like a giant swatting away an annoying fly.

His on-field exploits for us have been one thing, but the way he has also taken the kids under his wing will probably have an even bigger impact on Essendon in years to come. You never have, ever got the impression that he was doing it for the money or just for himself. Quite to the contrary, you really get the impression that he took it on as a challenge to help lift a club (that just happened to be the one he supported as a kid) on its knees back up.

He's no mercenary, unlike so many other players who go to another club in the twilight of their career. The circumstances of him coming to Essendon immediately mark him as different to most others No, he's embraced the challenge and has given every drop of himself to the club. Our club is immensely lucky to have had him; I wish it could be for even longer really, but all good things must come to an end. But our players have been lucky to have played with him, and we are lucky to have had him to watch as fans. His all too brief yet so notable Essendon story just really strikes all the right chords with me.

He's a true professional, a prankster apparently with few rivals, a gun footballer, and I suspect a great coach in the making. While history will always rightly mostly remember him as a Geelong triple premiership champion, as far as I'm concerned he's an Essendon person too.

I think the fact that he came from an Essendon family makes it that much more romantic.

I picked Goddard but I could just as easily picked Kelly.

Hopefully we can win at least one final to send off our retiring legends.

 

[blitzer]

I think it has to be Goddard. The way he has stuck up for the club off-field through a very dark time and has just put in years of quality play for us has been great. Its a shame we had so many issues because I think he could have done some great things if we had played consistent finals during the 2013-2015 range.

I was tempted to pick Anthony Daniher just because of how much I love Joe but its a bit insulting to the other players.

Kelly has been great for the 2 years he spent at the club but I wouldn't pick him due to length of service. I do think he's left a lasting impact though and I hope we can convince him to hang around as an assistant coach for a few years but I suspect he'll get a lot of offers.

Barnard was one that certainly made a big impact for the short time he was at the club.

James Stewart - is the one I'm most excited about for the future. He could be a 150 gamer for us. I think he has a lot of potential as well. This is his first season being a regular at AFL level despite his mature body. I've stopped worrying about getting a key forward to partner with Daniher now. At the start of the season I thought it was going to be one of our biggest priorities but now with Hooker and Stewart I'm back to "midfielder, midfielder, midfielder".

 

[Doss]

Barnard was one that certainly made a big impact for the short time he was at the club.

Wasn't that short - eight years.

 

[Eleven 38]

Mark Fraser is another one. Does having a father that was a champion of the club cancel out the fact that he played for Collingwood and umpired?

 

[blitzer]

Wasn't that short - eight years.

Guess that shows how much attention i used to pay to footy back then.

 

[fishardansin]

Anthony Daniher for the great work at FB, being part of a wonderful family story and now Joe. Gee we had a pretty ugly side back then. Anthony Daniher, Kieran Sporn and Michael Long all on the same park.

 

[Lord Nicholson]

Barnsey