Is this the golden age of small forwards?

[Callipygian]

You often hear talk about the golden age of key forwards and how back in the 80s & 90s they were always kicking bags and people would flock to the footy to see the likes of Dunstall, Ablett, Plugger etc etc. Back then 10 goals was considered a bag and good KPFs would kick 100 goals a season. These days 5 goals is considered a bag and the goals are fewer and spread among more players.

Well, my question is: is this the time of the small forward? There are so many good ones currently: Tom Papley

11

Tom Papley

Age

27

Ht

177cm

Wt

77kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.1

4star

K

9.1

4star

HB

5.0

4star

M

3.7

4star

T

3.2

5star

G

1.5

5star

D

12.3

3star

K

8.9

4star

HB

3.4

2star

M

4.5

4star

T

1.5

2star

G

2.4

5star

D

13.4

4star

K

8.0

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

3.4

4star

T

3.4

5star

G

1.6

5star

, Charlie Cameron

23

Charlie Cameron

Age

29

Ht

180cm

Wt

76kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.1

3star

K

8.4

3star

HB

3.7

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

3.2

5star

G

1.5

5star

D

9.6

2star

K

7.9

3star

HB

1.7

1star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.7

3star

G

1.9

5star

D

9.6

3star

K

5.4

2star

HB

4.2

4star

M

1.4

2star

T

3.4

5star

G

1.2

4star

, Toby Greene

4

Toby Greene

Age

30

Ht

182cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

22.7

5star

K

12.5

5star

HB

10.2

5star

M

4.8

5star

T

3.0

5star

G

1.2

4star

D

17.5

4star

K

9.5

4star

HB

8.0

4star

M

4.8

4star

T

1.0

2star

G

2.3

5star

D

26.6

5star

K

12.4

5star

HB

14.2

5star

M

4.8

5star

T

3.6

5star

G

0.0

1star

, Kysaiah Pickett

36

Kysaiah Pickett

Age

22

Ht

171cm

Wt

73kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.0

2star

K

4.7

2star

HB

3.3

3star

M

0.7

1star

T

2.6

4star

G

0.6

4star

D

8.0

2star

K

4.7

2star

HB

3.3

2star

M

0.7

1star

T

2.6

4star

G

0.6

4star

D

8.0

2star

K

4.8

2star

HB

3.2

3star

M

0.8

1star

T

2.4

4star

G

0.8

4star

, Josh Rachele, Isaak Rankine, Cody Weightman

3

Cody Weightman

Age

23

Ht

179cm

Wt

75kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

6.5

2star

K

4.0

2star

HB

2.5

2star

M

2.0

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

1.0

4star

D

6.5

1star

K

4.0

1star

HB

2.5

2star

M

2.0

2star

T

1.0

2star

G

1.0

4star

D

6.5

2star

K

4.0

2star

HB

2.5

3star

M

2.0

3star

T

1.0

3star

G

1.0

4star

etc etc. They are also electric and exciting to watch. Are they bringing people in the gates? Are small forwards the new key forwards?

My memory doesn't go back far enough to offer a really compelling answer but I can't remember a time small forwards were flying so high.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Depends exactly on how strictly you define small forwards it but in terms of goals, there was a time not long ago when Betts (640 goals), Milne (574 goals), Mick O'Loughlin (520 goals) Boomer Harvey (518 goals), Steve Johnson (516 goals), prime Luke Bruest (489 goals), Jeff Farmer

Jeff Farmer

Age

46

Ht

175cm

Wt

78kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.6

3star

K

8.0

3star

HB

3.6

3star

M

2.9

3star

T

1.6

4star

G

1.9

5star

No current season stats available

D

6.0

2star

K

4.4

2star

HB

1.6

2star

M

1.8

2star

T

0.6

3star

G

0.2

3star

(483 goals), Ablett Jr (445 goals), Akermanis (421 goals) and Phil Matera (389 goals) were running around.

Were they all small forwards? I dunno. Certainly none were key forwards, some played as kinda mid-sized a bit like Greene. Obviously a couple were midfielders, but to kick the goals they did, they spent signifcant time forward (Ablett did at the start of his career).

 

[Shane Heard]

Aka: The Darren Bewick thread.

 

[Freomaniac]

Aka: The Darren Bewick thread.

Darren Bewick was a small forward?

I thought he was a midfielder

 

[Shane Heard]

Depends exactly on how strictly you define small forwards it but in terms of goals, there was a time not long ago when Betts (640 goals), Milne (574 goals), Mick O'Loughlin (520 goals) Boomer Harvey (518 goals), Steve Johnson (516 goals), prime Luke Bruest (489 goals), Jeff Farmer (483 goals), Ablett Jr (445 goals), Akermanis (421 goals) and Phil Matera (389 goals) were running around.

Were they all small forwards? I dunno. Certainly none were key forwards, some played as kinda mid-sized a bit like Greene. Obviously a couple were midfielders, but to kick the goals they did, they spent signifcant time forward (Ablett did at the start of his career).

Stevie J was definitely a medium rigid truck..not a small

 

[footyfan1978]

Golden age for small forwards was when Leigh Matthews and Kevin Bartlett were veteran small forwards in late 70's and early 80's.
Hate to think how many matches they turned for their teams as small forwards.

 

[Shane Heard]

Darren Bewick was a small forward?

I thought he was a midfielder

He was always near the goals or having a ping from 55

Predominantly forward

 

[footyfan1978]

Micky Conlan. There was a small forward that was awesome to watch.
Overshadowed by playing in similar time to Matthews and Bartlett.
Then Daicos later in the decade.

 

[Sherrinator]

Stevie J was definitely a medium rigid truck..not a small

Played small by scabbing Joe the goose goals though

 

[mehow2g]

Well since mids have been coached to play safe and not bang from 50 who else is going to pick up that slack?

Watching Nick Daicos reminds me of how good mids used to play, can't tell me that he's the only one with the ability to run off the mark and goal.

 

[The 747]

Perhaps the bronze age?

 

[Shane Heard]

Played small by scabbing Joe the goose goals though

I think we’ve all kick a few Joe the goosey goals at some point or another in our lives.

Johnson had immense talent. In the top 5% goat. As talented around goals as Lethal, KB, D.Jarman and Damien Cupido.

A genuine star.

 

[Kim Hagdorn]

Great call there been a heap of rippers in recent times.

 

[peetoo]

Depends exactly on how strictly you define small forwards it but in terms of goals, there was a time not long ago when Betts (640 goals), Milne (574 goals), Mick O'Loughlin (520 goals) Boomer Harvey (518 goals), Steve Johnson (516 goals), prime Luke Bruest (489 goals), Jeff Farmer (483 goals), Ablett Jr (445 goals), Akermanis (421 goals) and Phil Matera (389 goals) were running around.

Were they all small forwards? I dunno. Certainly none were key forwards, some played as kinda mid-sized a bit like Greene. Obviously a couple were midfielders, but to kick the goals they did, they spent signifcant time forward (Ablett did at the start of his career).

Needs more Cyril. Throw in some decent eagles and the 10s seems to be a golden age.

Hell the AA comitee even named 3 smalls a couple of times, instead of some also ran ruckman and mids

 

[peetoo]

Well since mids have been coached to play safe and not bang from 50 who else is going to pick up that slack?

Watching Nick Daicos reminds me of how good mids used to play, can't tell me that he's the only one with the ability to run off the mark and goal.

That amazes me that in an indoor stadium, they don’t take more long range shots

 

[#23 Hill]

Elliott, Ginnivan, Hill. Certainly the Golden Age of small forwards at Collingwood.

 

[bradydaw91]

I think we’ve all kick a few Joe the goosey goals at some point or another in our lives.

Johnson had immense talent. In the top 5% goat. As talented around goals as Lethal, KB, D.Jarman and Damien Cupido.

A genuine star.

That would be the Josh Jenkins thread.

 

[Lingsface]

Will be interesting to see there is a good mix of small forwards around at the moment.
2006-2012 seemed to be a pretty good time for them seemed to have a fair few good ones around.
Mark Le Cras was a gun that hasn’t been mentioned.

 

[L_W_P]

I think we’ve all kick a few Joe the goosey goals at some point or another in our lives.

Johnson had immense talent. In the top 5% goat. As talented around goals as Lethal, KB, D.Jarman and Damien Cupido.

A genuine star.

Yep.
Yep.
Yep.
Wat?

 

[raskolnikov]

Yep.
Yep.
Yep.
Wat?

Cupido was talented. Just extremely lazy and disinterested.

 

[Linda Lovelace]

Depends exactly on how strictly you define small forwards it but in terms of goals, there was a time not long ago when Betts (640 goals), Milne (574 goals), Mick O'Loughlin (520 goals) Boomer Harvey (518 goals), Steve Johnson (516 goals), prime Luke Bruest (489 goals), Jeff Farmer (483 goals), Ablett Jr (445 goals), Akermanis (421 goals) and Phil Matera (389 goals) were running around.

Were they all small forwards? I dunno. Certainly none were key forwards, some played as kinda mid-sized a bit like Greene. Obviously a couple were midfielders, but to kick the goals they did, they spent signifcant time forward (Ablett did at the start of his career).

Whatever ones definition of a small forward, Mick O'Loughlin sure as sh*t isn't in it. May as well label Aaron Sandilands as a small forward if we are being that loose with it.

O'Loughlin was taller than Dunstall, Ablett and Modra for reference and just like them was absolutely used as a key forward.

 

[My Tilly]

Might be a golden age of small forwards if you were born in 2008.

 

[juss]

You often hear talk about the golden age of key forwards and how back in the 80s & 90s they were always kicking bags and people would flock to the footy to see the likes of Dunstall, Ablett, Plugger etc etc. Back then 10 goals was considered a bag and good KPFs would kick 100 goals a season. These days 5 goals is considered a bag and the goals are fewer and spread among more players.

Well, my question is: is this the time of the small forward? There are so many good ones currently: Tom Papley, Charlie Cameron, Toby Greene, Kysaiah Pickett, Josh Rachele, Isaak Rankine, Cody Weightman etc etc. They are also electric and exciting to watch. Are they bringing people in the gates? Are small forwards the new key forwards?

My memory doesn't go back far enough to offer a really compelling answer but I can't remember a time small forwards were flying so high.

Agree there's a lot of great talent playing in the small forward role. Could add in guys like Jack Higgins, Shai Bolton (2022) and one I think will really become known over the next 18 months in Noah Cumberland from the Tiges.

But to answer your last question, no they aren't the new key forwards. Key forwards are still the dominant force. While there's a few smalls in the top goal kickers so far this year, the top 3 are still the big key forward types (Cameron, Curnow, Oscar Allen). I'd still bet my house that this year, like every year, the Coleman will also be won by a key/tall forward.

 

[Dirty Bird]

Depends exactly on how strictly you define small forwards it but in terms of goals, there was a time not long ago when Betts (640 goals), Milne (574 goals), Mick O'Loughlin (520 goals) Boomer Harvey (518 goals), Steve Johnson (516 goals), prime Luke Bruest (489 goals), Jeff Farmer (483 goals), Ablett Jr (445 goals), Akermanis (421 goals) and Phil Matera (389 goals) were running around.

Were they all small forwards? I dunno. Certainly none were key forwards, some played as kinda mid-sized a bit like Greene. Obviously a couple were midfielders, but to kick the goals they did, they spent signifcant time forward (Ablett did at the start of his career).

What was O'Laughlin classified as?

I always thought of him as Sydney's 2nd key forward (behind hall)

But I just checked, only 189cm. What does that make him? idk.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

What was O'Laughlin classified as?

I always thought of him as Sydney's 2nd key forward (behind hall)

But I just checked, only 189cm. What does that make him? idk.

I never thought of him as a key
forward. I just threw him in the discussion, I guess it depends on your definition, if you include anybody who’s now a “key forward”. Maybe medium is another category.

Whatever ones definition of a small forward, Mick O'Loughlin sure as sh*t isn't in it. May as well label Aaron Sandilands as a small forward if we are being that loose with it.

O'Loughlin was taller than Dunstall, Ablett and Modra for reference and just like them was absolutely used as a key forward.

Yes, terribly relevant, those names from the 80s and 90s.

He’s probably talked than John Nicholls too, let’s classify him as a ruckman.