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Opinion Paul Couch

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Son_Of_God29

Son_Of_God29

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Was just thinking as to the reasons why Paul Couch has never been elected to Hall of Fame, I would have thought that his Career might have warranted entry to HOF. I asked this question on the main board and a few people have compared his career to that of Tony Liberatore and that he shouldn't get until Libba is elected.

There Careers were similar though I think Couchy had the better overall career...is the reason he is not in that the selection panel just dont rate him

Paul Couch : 259 games
203 goals
Brownlow Medal 1989.
Played in 4 Grand Finals
Represented Victoria five times,
All-Australian 1991, 1992
Won three Carji Greeves awards 1986, 1989, 1995,
Geelong's Team of the Century.

What do my fellow Cats fans think?
 
Didn't realise he hadn't been, to be honest. What I don't get is why there is such a massive rush to elect players as soon as they become eligible. Last year was a bit of a unique situation with four players becoming eligible at the same time and being so distinctly linked throughout their careers. I can understand that they all deserved to be recognised at the same time. It's fair enough that Harvey was elected as soon as he became eligible. But guys like Archer, when Garry Lyon, Kelvin Templeton, Paul Couch, Wayne Johnston and Terry Wallace haven't been put in? I don't think so.

I think it would be better to elect a maximum of one player who has been retired for three years. If that means Hird, Ricciuto, Buckley and Voss have to wait a little bit longer so they all go in together, so be it. But concentrate on clearing the backlog, rather than honouring players before we've even been given a chance to miss them.
 
Doesn't bother me. And Libba probably did have a better career. Really surprised Couch was in our team of the century.

Anyhoo, who else from the geelong side of that era is already in?
Gaz Snr
...
 

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vinum coupe said:
Doesn't bother me. And Libba probably did have a better career. Really surprised Couch was in our team of the century.

Anyhoo, who else from the geelong side of that era is already in?
Gaz Snr
...
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Buddha was inducted in 2008. Couch has a pretty impressive CV...who'd be ahead of him for the Team of the Century?
 
Son_Of_God29 said:
Was just thinking as to the reasons why Paul Couch has never been elected to Hall of Fame, I would have thought that his Career might have warranted entry to HOF. I asked this question on the main board and a few people have compared his career to that of Tony Liberatore and that he shouldn't get until Libba is elected.

What do my fellow Cats fans think?
Click to expand...

Not bothered to be honest. The Hall of Fame is much like All-Australian nominations, all very nice and everything, but really just a big dick-measuring contest for supporters to argue over. Doesn't really mean anything.
 
MC Extra Dollop said:
Buddha was inducted in 2008. Couch has a pretty impressive CV...who'd be ahead of him for the Team of the Century?
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I don't know. Just surprised that his best was good enough to make it into a midfield that covers 100 years of footy.

Strange things though the team of the century teams. I reckon they sounded like a great idea when clubs started doing them.
But what's the new starting point for the next team?

Because surely (taking into account our last 5 years) if you picked the best 22 to have ever played for Geelong it would be nothing like the team of the century team.
 
Partridge said:
Not bothered to be honest. The Hall of Fame is much like All-Australian nominations, all very nice and everything, but really just a big dick-measuring contest for supporters to argue over. Doesn't really mean anything.
Click to expand...

Oh, it's a bit of romance and brings a warm-heart to all who played or loved the game.

Does it mean anything? Not really. But then what does anything mean? Everyone is here just by a fluke and soon to be dust. It's a nuthouse built of shit. At least when God and Buddha are near the end they can look back and think 'I'm a Hall of Fame footy-friggin' legend.' Something Mohamed, Allah, Krishna and the rest have yet to achieve, btw.
 
Partridge said:
You mean Geelong's or the league's?
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Given a player like Kevin Bartlett didn't get a gig in the AFL TOC and a clearly superior centreman in Greg Williams just made it on the bench, I wouldn't be silly enough to suggest Couch was in that company. But I think most would say that of the perennial bridesmaids era of the late 80s-mid 90s, Couch, Hocking and Ablett were the best players in the Geelong team, by a fair margin.
 
vinum coupe said:
I don't know. Just surprised that his best was good enough to make it into a midfield that covers 100 years of footy.

Strange things though the team of the century teams. I reckon they sounded like a great idea when clubs started doing them.
But what's the new starting point for the next team?

Because surely (taking into account our last 5 years) if you picked the best 22 to have ever played for Geelong it would be nothing like the team of the century team.
Click to expand...

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...current-day-cats/story-e6frexx0-1226321097981
 

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I know no one will agree with me but I still reckon Mark Bairstow was a better footy player than Paul Couch. His best was even better then Hocking's in my view. Definitely had more impact on results than Couch who in my view was a very good footballer but a bit of a front runner, flat track bully or downhill skier. Whatever you want to call it.
 
Scarlett Fever said:
I know no one will agree with me but I still reckon Mark Bairstow was a better footy player than Paul Couch. His best was even better then Hocking's in my view. Definitely had more impact on results than Couch who in my view was a very good footballer but a bit of a front runner, flat track bully or downhill skier. Whatever you want to call it.
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Some may agree with you, but I don't.
Couch had impeccable disposal, Bairstow didn't.
Buddha had the best attributes of both those, along with a dose of mongrel that was often tarnished by white line fever.
And Bairstow in 92 GF does not leave a good lasting memory.
But what a bunch of mids we had. Those, along with Bews, Bruns, Scott, Denham, Malakellis's, Pickering, Kilpatrick, Riccardi, over the late 80's into the 90's, pretty hard to beat that dozen for depth, skill and class.
 
VEEDUBS said:
Some may agree with you, but I don't.
Couch had impeccable disposal, Bairstow didn't.
Buddha had the best attributes of both those, along with a dose of mongrel that was often tarnished by white line fever.
And Bairstow in 92 GF does not leave a good lasting memory.
But what a bunch of mids we had. Those, along with Bews, Bruns, Scott, Denham, Malakellis's, Pickering, Kilpatrick, Riccardi, over the late 80's into the 90's, pretty hard to beat that dozen for depth, skill and class.
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Not as badly as Bairstow in the 1994 GF. And unfortunately four teams did find it pretty easy to beat them when it mattered.

Fact is, he was a gun early on, he had his best ever season in 1991, but had his nose broken by Craig Kelly at Geelong in Round 22, and was never the same player. Developed a distinct fear of putting his head over the ball. I'd agree his best was more destructive than Hocking or Couch, but Hocking had him for consistency easily. Plus Hocking could kick brilliantly on either foot, neither Bairstow or Couch could match that.

The best and fairest tally reflects the order correctly for me - Hocking 4, Couch 3, Bairstow nil.

For an all-time Geelong team, I might find room for Hocking. No room for the other two though. Especially when you consider we've now got Ablett (who's easily better than any of them), Bartel, Corey and Selwood to add to consideration. Corey's won two B&F's and Selwood one. As premiership players they've already passed Bairstow both individually and from a team perspective.
 
Scarlett Fever said:
I know no one will agree with me but I still reckon Mark Bairstow was a better footy player than Paul Couch. His best was even better then Hocking's in my view. Definitely had more impact on results than Couch who in my view was a very good footballer but a bit of a front runner, flat track bully or downhill skier. Whatever you want to call it.
Click to expand...

The only downhill skier out of that trio was Bairstow, especially after 1991.
 
Scarlett Fever said:
I know no one will agree with me but I still reckon Mark Bairstow was a better footy player than Paul Couch. His best was even better then Hocking's in my view. Definitely had more impact on results than Couch who in my view was a very good footballer but a bit of a front runner, flat track bully or downhill skier. Whatever you want to call it.
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In what universe was Couch a downhill skier and flat track bully.......the guy won the Brownlow in side that contained Ablett Hocking Bews etc...think you might be selling Couchy a little short in ability's to get his own footy - Outside of Greg Williams couch was the best pure Centreman in the game in the late 80's throught to mid 90's
 

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VEEDUBS said:
But what a bunch of mids we had. Those, along with Bews, Bruns, Scott, Denham, Malakellis's, Pickering, Kilpatrick, Riccardi, over the late 80's into the 90's, pretty hard to beat that dozen for depth, skill and class.
Click to expand...

As you have mentioned Denham I'd add in Adrian Fletcher as well!
 
I have spent months and months editing video after video through the 90's etc and I am pretty surprised Couch has not been inducted already. Was a truly exceptional midfielder and a player who stood tall in finals.
 
Is Polly in? Would be an absolute disgrace if he hasn't been inducted
 
footscore said:
I have spent months and months editing video after video through the 90's etc and I am pretty surprised Couch has not been inducted already. Was a truly exceptional midfielder and a player who stood tall in finals.
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Horrary Someone who agree's with me
 
Son_Of_God29 said:
Horrary Someone who agree's with me
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not sure where the myth of him being a poor finalist comes from?

I got everyone of those finals and watched them all and he was quite brilliant over his career. Even looking at the stats you can see his 89 finals series was excellent, little quiet on grand final day but still had a big influence in the 2nd half.
1991 he was one of the best in the two losing matches, 1992 he was again one of our best, 1994 was decent but thought he had his best performance in 1995.
His last ever final performance he gathered 32 disposals and was basically the only shining light in a terrible loss which unfortunately sums up some of our past champions who performed but the team around them were constantly defeated when it mattered most.
 

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