Is Toby Greene the best small forward of the century?

[Lingsface]

With his 400th goal on the board and another 100 easily in sight.
Is he the best since 2000?

Averaging 20 possesions and 1.6 goals a game with the last 5 seasons averaging 2.3 goals a game.

A constant game winner a great captain and 3 time All Australian.

Add this years likely accolades and he is in my mind pushing for the throne of small forwards this century.

I would put Brad Johnson

Brad Johnson

Age

49

Ht

182cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.7

5star

K

14.1

5star

HB

5.6

4star

M

5.9

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

1.5

5star

No current season stats available

D

12.8

4star

K

10.2

4star

HB

2.6

3star

M

2.2

3star

T

1.2

3star

G

0.6

3star

ahead of him slightly because of years played in the 90's, but add 2-3 more years of good footy and its a tough call.
Steve Johnson would be the other contender with his success in premierships and norm smith maybe giving him the edge.

Averaged 19 possessions and 1.8 goals a year. Unbelievable really for 516 goals.

 

[Colonial]

Yes

 

[Mr Meow]

With his 400th goal on the board and another 100 easily in sight.
Is he the best since 2000?

Averaging 20 possesions and 1.6 goals a game with the last 5 seasons averaging 2.3 goals a game.

A constant game winner a great captain and 3 time All Australian.

Add this years likely accolades and he is in my mind pushing for the throne of small forwards this century.

I would put Brad Johnson ahead of him slightly because of years played in the 90's, but add 2-3 more years of good footy and its a tough call.
Steve Johnson would be the other contender with his success in premierships and norm smith maybe giving him the edge.

Averaged 19 possessions and 1.8 goals a year. Unbelievable really for 516 goals.

I agree that he's on the same tier as the Johnson brothers. Betts was electric too, but his talents felt less versatile and he didn't rotate through the midfield.

 

[Lingsface]

I agree that he's on the same tier as the Johnson brothers. Betts was electric too, but his talents felt less versatile and he didn't rotate through the midfield.

Wow factor undeniable, don't think he had the same impact as the others. Cyril's best was probably as good as any and Mark Le Cras, Breust, Milne were all weapons as well. Hard argument but Toby can do the miraculous, brave and dominant performances given the situation.

 

[Hobbes]

Surely Eddie Betts.

 

[Cyclops]

Not top 3. Milne, Boomer Harvey, Eddie Betts all miles better.

Really Greene plays more like a medium hybrid marking/small, where Gunston, Elliot, Stevie J have him covered, he's more on par with a JDG who is brought down to Greene's level by injury.

Massively improved from being an arse with potential to being a very good player.

Not a great captain either.

Suffers from being an AFL media unit project. The flog tepeatedly kicking opponents on the face was spun as him being unpredictable. Now he cheats less it's "redemption arc" and when he doesn't lose games through brainfarts its "great captain".

Is it fair to say that late in the day he finally has a coach to unlock his potential? A lot of Giants in this boat, buckets of talent but fI r a long time let down by less developed support.

Maybe the AFL spent all the money on the media unit and Sheedy when th ey needed a football dept and good coaches.

 

[Chief]

Is it fair to say that late in the day he finally has a coach to unlock his potential? A lot of Giants in this boat, buckets of talent but fI r a long time let down by less developed support.

Maybe maturity over time?

 

[MF]

Really Greene plays more like a medium hybrid marking/small, where Gunston, Elliot, Stevie J have him covered, he's more on par with a JDG who is brought down to Greene's level by injury.

Possibly one of the worst takes I've ever read on bigfooty and I've been reading bullshit on here for 20 years.

 

[GastevsBeard]

just a freak & could have torn up the comp as a permanent mid too

my fav player to watch outside my club

 

[RAPPA]

Not top 3. Milne, Boomer Harvey, Eddie Betts all miles better.

Really Greene plays more like a medium hybrid marking/small, where Gunston, Elliot, Stevie J have him covered, he's more on par with a JDG who is brought down to Greene's level by injury.

Massively improved from being an arse with potential to being a very good player.

Not a great captain either.

Suffers from being an AFL media unit project. The flog tepeatedly kicking opponents on the face was spun as him being unpredictable. Now he cheats less it's "redemption arc" and when he doesn't lose games through brainfarts its "great captain".

Is it fair to say that late in the day he finally has a coach to unlock his potential? A lot of Giants in this boat, buckets of talent but fI r a long time let down by less developed support.

Maybe the AFL spent all the money on the media unit and Sheedy when th ey needed a football dept and good coaches.

Lol on par with JDG. That campaigner has achieved sweet FA on an individual perspective compared to Toby Greene.

 

[WillHayward]

He's not very small.
Surely he's a medium.

 

[Mr Meow]

He's not very small.
Surely he's a medium.

I was thinking more medium rare.

 

[Orange crush]

I was thinking more medium rare.

Raw

 

[Mr Meow]

Raw

Well done.

 

[faible]

Excellent player, not sure I’d classify him as a small forward though.

 

[SSSSSS]

Breust keeps flying under the radar in these discussions but he's kicked 550 goals and was the definition of consistency (especially for a position which can be quite flaky in terms of performances) for a better part of 12 seasons. Excellent defensively as well.

 

[tenderwarrior]

Define a small forward

If you were constructing a team from the last 25 years, what would your forward line look like? Six on the ground and one in the bench?

Greene would be in the conversation for sure!

 

[Tista7000]

Yes, I personally have him as the best small forward since 2000 followed by Robbie Gray

9

Robbie Gray

Age

37

Ht

183cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.9

5star

K

9.8

4star

HB

10.1

5star

M

3.5

4star

T

3.2

5star

G

1.4

5star

D

13.3

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

7.3

4star

M

2.4

3star

T

2.6

4star

G

0.6

4star

D

10.4

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.8

3star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.4

4star

G

1.4

5star

and Milne. Greene is clutch, elite marking ability, can kick on both sides, great leadership and can play midfield (not that it's important judging small forward craft alone).

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Surely Eddie Betts.

Luke Breust and Eddie Betts have very comparable stats.

Luke Breust
Games - 305
Touches - 13.34
Marks - 3.13
Tackles - 3.47
* Tackles inside F50 - 1.21

Goals - 1.81
Behinds - 0.83

Goals Assists - 0.79
* Score Involvements - 5.86
** Inside 50's - 2.58

Eddie Betts
Games - 350
Touches - 12.01
Marks - 2.83
Tackles - 3.00
* Tackles inside F50 - 1.50

Goals - 1.83
Behinds - 0.98

Goals Assists - 0.74
* Score Involvements - 6.24
** Inside 50's - 1.52

* stat only logged from 2015 onwards. Average calculated over the relevant period.

** from 2007 onwards.

 

[Cyclops]

Maybe maturity over time?

Didn't happen to me

Possibly one of the worst takes I've ever read on bigfooty and I've been reading bullshit on here for 20 years.

Good for you, and keep on with the reading.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Yes, I personally have him as the best small forward since 2000 followed by Robbie Gray and Milne. Greene is clutch, elite marking ability, can kick on both sides, great leadership and can play midfield (not that it's important judging small forward craft alone).

Robbie Gray was GAJ lite, which is an elite forward and an elite midfielder. What a player he was. So good to watch.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

Hard to imagine anyone passing Betts and Cyril for me. The skill they possessed was almost hard to believe at times watching live.

 

[pico]

Nobody compares to Cyril Rioli.

 

[AndyD]

With his 400th goal on the board and another 100 easily in sight.
Is he the best since 2000?

Averaging 20 possesions and 1.6 goals a game with the last 5 seasons averaging 2.3 goals a game.

A constant game winner a great captain and 3 time All Australian.

Add this years likely accolades and he is in my mind pushing for the throne of small forwards this century.

I would put Brad Johnson ahead of him slightly because of years played in the 90's, but add 2-3 more years of good footy and its a tough call.
Steve Johnson would be the other contender with his success in premierships and norm smith maybe giving him the edge.

Averaged 19 possessions and 1.8 goals a year. Unbelievable really for 516 goals.

Funnily enough Brad Johnson & Stevie J are the first two that came to mind reading the title. I think Brad Johnson’s 2006 is as good a year by any small forward ever, especially with how decimated our tall stocks were that year.

 

[Giant Pete]

Without question. Does it all. Does it consistently.