Jason Dunstall vs Tony Lockett

[The Passenger]

dickster you need to fix your quoting but your probably right in that it's the media scrutiny that would get to a guy like Lockett.

The game has changed as does athletes physicality but great players change with the game.

If Lockett and Dunstall where 21yo now they'd still be two of the greats of the game but fairly different players to what we saw. They'd likely be an inch or so taller, a little bit leaner, kick less goals due to lower team scores and significantly lower individual goal scoring... But they'd still consistently be taking up the top 3 spots in the goal kicking ladder... They'd chase and harrass and be found outside of the forward 50 a lot more in their hey day. Lockett would need to curve his temper or he'd find himself on the sidelines too often. They'd also be earning close to a million bucks per season.

Similarly if Buddy was playing in the 80's and 90's he'd not be as fit as he is now (not as much access to training) but he'd be more of the bollocking style that was the nature of the day and how full forwards were trained to play. Given the game had more of a focal point up front in tactics, he'd also likely kick more 100 goal seasons than he has in his actual career, but probably not quite as many as Dunstall or Lockett did.

 

[Ricmel]

As a pure footballer, Lockett was a better player. But Dunstall was more versatile. Lockett's asthma severely restricted his ability to run and he had next to no tank.

In terms of their career goals you need to compare like for like. Dunstall did not come to the AFL until in his 21st year after kicking bags of goals as a senior player in Queensland. Lockett's first game was as a schoolboy aged 17, 3 months. He had played 2 senior games before his first VFL game. If you take out Lockett's years games from age 17 to 19, he averages close to 5.6 goals per game from the age of 20.

 

[Crankyhawk]

dickster you need to fix your quoting but your probably right in that it's the media scrutiny that would get to a guy like Lockett.

The game has changed as does athletes physicality but great players change with the game.

If Lockett and Dunstall where 21yo now they'd still be two of the greats of the game but fairly different players to what we saw. They'd likely be an inch or so taller, a little bit leaner, kick less goals due to lower team scores and significantly lower individual goal scoring... But they'd still consistently be taking up the top 3 spots in the goal kicking ladder... They'd chase and harrass and be found outside of the forward 50 a lot more in their hey day. Lockett would need to curve his temper or he'd find himself on the sidelines too often. They'd also be earning close to a million bucks per season.

Similarly if Buddy was playing in the 80's and 90's he'd not be as fit as he is now (not as much access to training) but he'd be more of the bollocking style that was the nature of the day and how full forwards were trained to play. Given the game had more of a focal point up front in tactics, he'd also likely kick more 100 goal seasons than he has in his actual career, but probably not quite as many as Dunstall or Lockett did.

Buddy would also have to deal with defenders holding him off the ball and interference in the contest.

Oh wait on....

 

[Brad Goodman]

Take Plugger out of St Kilda and Dunstall out of Hawthorn and swap them, and well, none of us would have any ****ing clue how they would've gone.

This is a genuine flip of the coin and you can't definitively say one is clearly better than the other.

 

[STFU Donnie]

I'm happy the Hawks had Dunstall and Saints fans are happy they had Lockett. However, I'd have been happy to have Lockett and I'm certain Saints fans would have been happy to have Dunstall.

 

[#gosaintas]

I'm happy the Hawks had Dunstall and Saints fans are happy they had Lockett. However, I'd have been happy to have Lockett and I'm certain Saints fans would have been happy to have Dunstall.

There is no way a saints fan would swap Lockett for Dunstall. Never ever

 

[bombersfan4000]

Take Plugger out of St Kilda and Dunstall out of Hawthorn and swap them, and well, none of us would have any ******* clue how they would've gone.

This is a genuine flip of the coin and you can't definitively say one is clearly better than the other.

Yes we would! Locketts record would be even more impressive
If he played for the Hawks, more ball supply, far more often and of better quality. Lace out on the chest like dunstall had it

 

[barmy44]

Dunstall would win you Premierships. Lockett would win you games.

JD>Lockett.

i think its more accurate to say 'playing for hawthorn in the 80s would win you premierships, playing for st kilda in the 80s would win you the occasional game'.

don't think its quite true saying that dunstall was the player you wanted to win premierships, simply because he played in a side that won them.

swap the teams they played for in the 80s, and i doubt st Kilda would have flags while hawthorn got no flags.

 

[Matt Slade]

I'm happy the Hawks had Dunstall and Saints fans are happy they had Lockett. However, I'd have been happy to have Lockett and I'm certain Saints fans would have been happy to have Dunstall.

 

[Power Raid]

If you take out ability to get suspended or injured - it's close. Lockett was the superior player on the field - but he wasn't always there.

yep

who was the better player? Lockett
who would you want in your side? dunstall

Dunstall was reliable which was an important consideration back then and even more so now.

how many flags did Lockett win vs Dunstall? I think that says a lot about the clubs ethos they played at. One wanted a star who could pull crowds, the other wanted success.



but my favourite is still Lockett

 

[MinerBoy]

There is no way a saints fan would swap Lockett for Dunstall. Never ever

That's not what his post said.

 

[MF]

So general consensus is that Lockett was the better player but Dunstall was the better team man?

 

[MinerBoy]

So general consensus is that Lockett was the better player but Dunstall was the better team man?

I'm willing to say Lockett was the better player (just....) but they are both so close to the absolute all time cream of the crop that it makes SFA difference.

 

[MF]

I'm willing to say Lockett was the better player (just....) but they are both so close to the absolute all time cream of the crop that it makes SFA difference.

Agreed, I consider myself pretty lucky to have witnessed the golden era of forwards in the AFL. It's funny to think even freaks like Capper and Modra were overshaddowed by the likes of Ablett, Dunstall & Lockett.

 

[Roddy]

It's funny, we seem to lose alot of these comparisons. In general, people prefer Lockett over Dunstall, Judd over Hodge, Kernahan over Brereton etc etc. And yet we've won more flags than all of those players' teams put together in the times they were playing. Go figure.....

 

[MinerBoy]

It's funny, we seem to lose alot of these comparisons. In general, people prefer Lockett over Dunstall, Judd over Hodge, Kernahan over Brereton etc etc. And yet we've won more flags than all of those players' teams put together in the times they were playing. Go figure.....

I'd concede 2 of 3 of those comparisons but not Brereton over Kernahan....although once again, both greats regardless.

 

[MarcusP2]

If you have the 2nd-best player in the comp at every position you're going to win a lot of premierships. That point doesn't really mean anything.

 

[Roddy]

I'd concede 2 of 3 of those comparisons but not Brereton over Kernahan....although once again, both greats regardless.

I'm pretty sure I've seen comparisons that have had Kernahan ahead.

 

[MinerBoy]

I'm pretty sure I've seen comparisons that have had Kernahan ahead.

I'm sure there are. As I said they're both greats so Kernahan getting the nod at times would hardly surprise.

That one is Brereton for me though.

 

[Plugger35]

It's funny, we seem to lose alot of these comparisons. In general, people prefer Lockett over Dunstall, Judd over Hodge, Kernahan over Brereton etc etc. And yet we've won more flags than all of those players' teams put together in the times they were playing. Go figure.....

Winning flags isn't an individual achievement though, it's a team achievement, and the Hawthorn team of the 1980s and the last couple of years is better than any teams that Lockett, Judd or Kernahan played for. Dunstall, Hodge and Brereton have all been great players but they also had a better spread of quality teammates to help them to more premiership success.

 

[Roddy]

Winning flags isn't an individual achievement though, it's a team achievement, and the Hawthorn team of the 1980s and the last couple of years is better than any teams that Lockett, Judd or Kernahan played for. Dunstall, Hodge and Brereton have all been great players but they also had a better spread of quality teammates to help them to more premiership success.

Yep, that's the whole point.

 

[Furn2]

I think what we can take away from this is fat guys kick alot of goals.

 

[Roddy]

I think what we can take away from this is fat guys kick alot of goals.

They did in the 80s and 90s anyway. Not that many goalkicking porkers around now...

 

[Plugger35]

They did in the 80s and 90s anyway. Not that many goalkicking porkers around now...

Hawkins?

Not that Lockett, Dunstall or Hawkins were or are truly fat, they're more just big boned.

 

[Roddy]

Hawkins?

Not that Lockett, Dunstall or Hawkins were or are truly fat, they're more just big boned.

Actually yeah, you're right. Forgot about Tummy Porkins, I take that back.