Opinion Peak Judd was the best from any midfielder this century

[Power Raid]

OP is correct. Peak Judd… 2004, 2006… possibly (probably?) the best midfielder the game has seen.

From 07 onwards injury got him and he was just normal “great” level Thats all some people saw or remember of him. But those first five years at WC… holy sh*t.

a great assessment

I love players like Judd, who capture the imagination of opposition supporters as well as their own supporter base. It is a joy to watch greats be it GAJ, Hird, Voss, Aker, Dusty etc.

 

[Roobs321]

Peak GAJ for me. Judd was a brilliant champion at the Eagles, but GAJ was more extraordinary in a year like 2008

 

[g_TRAIN]

Up there at WCE but he was never the same player at Carlton.

He used to kick goals at WCE and really explode from the stoppage.

Still probably think peak GAJ and Dusty are better

 

[btdg]

Judd was amazing at WC and his performances at Carlton are underrated imo. Go back and look at some of the finals he played - just phenomenal.

I reckon peak Dusty might win though. I thought his ability to be a triple threat set him apart. He could take an opponent inside to the clearances, take them to the wing/flank, or to full forward, and his team allowed him this capacity. No matter how he was being defended he could keep trying things until.eventually he got the right spot.

Judd might be the most unstoppable center clearance player. Ablett fantastic as a well rounded midfielder, but for me Dusty the most unstoppable.

Also not sure whether it.quite counts but a shout-out to 2000-01 Kouta. He also had the combination of inside, outside and forward plus a height/strength wildcard. Didn't do it as long as Dusty but might have been as unstoppable as any midfielder for a but there.

 

[Dazb86]

Feel like Ablett's peak lasted much longer

 

[Bungeye]

Buckley best player I've seen! Inside, outside midfielder and a bullet kick

 

[marcus1232]

West Coast Chris Judd was amazing to watch
That whole midfield was just terrifying
Judd Cousins Kerr Fletcher Braun.

Because they didn't win the premierships of a Brisbane or Geelong it is deemed inferior.
That was the best midfield i have seen it was freakishly good

 

[Tippett2Goal]

Not 100% sure I agree with the OP, but I don't 100% disagree either

Judd in 2005 was phenomenal, however his disposal was never elite.
(Always used to laugh when commentators would seemingly every game say he had an "uncharacteristic bad disposal".)

Ablett 2008 didn't have the burst of Judd but had much better disposal / game awareness.
Maybe flip a coin between the 2 of them, but easily the 2 best individual mids of the last 20 years.

 

[NicW]

Peak GAJ for me. Judd was a brilliant champion at the Eagles, but GAJ was more extraordinary in a year like 2008

So what did he do in the biggest game of the year?

 

[Truckosaurus]

Judd was absolutely untouchable until he did his groin. No one could get even a finger on him.

 

[Delisted]

Hard to disagree. Only player ive seen come close to that strength and break out speed in S. Burgoyne circa Port Adelaid early 2000s. Can’t forget Ablett or More Recently Dusty.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Black/Aker/Mitchell were elite due to their disposal.

Judd's kicking was always no better than average. But what made him so thrilling to watch was his explosive pace especially when clearing the ball out of the pack.

Martin/GAJ/Fyfe guys like that were more consistent and had better games.

You watch this goal and tell me anyone in the AFL could do this today

Daniel Kerr could and did do that, Danger could do it.

 

[PhatBoy]

In a Geelong supporters mind only,
and Dusty only deserved 1 of those medals

What so the other posters who support other teams that are saying the same thing are actually lying about who they support.

 

[PhatBoy]

West Coast Chris Judd was amazing to watch
That whole midfield was just terrifying
Judd Cousins Kerr Fletcher Braun.

Because they didn't win the premierships of a Brisbane or Geelong it is deemed inferior.
That was the best midfield i have seen it was freakishly good

The first three you mentioned are as good as anyone but they didn’t bat as deep as Brisbane or Geelong

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

So what did he do in the biggest game of the year?

Ok, I'll bite.

Most touches on the ground, most clearances on the ground, most contested possessions on the ground and kicked 2 goals, not his fault Cats lost.

Second in voting for the Norm Smith Medal behind Hodge, 15 to 11, next best got 5 votes.

Any other stupid questions?

 

[PhatBoy]

So what did he do in the biggest game of the year?

Is that a serious question?

 

[Bunk Moreland]

So what did he do in the biggest game of the year?

Was BOG by the length of the Flemington straight.

 

[PhatBoy]

Ok, I'll bite.

Most touches on the ground, most clearances on the ground, most contested possessions on the ground and kicked 2 goals, not his fault Cats lost.

Second in voting for the Norm Smith Medal behind Hodge, 15 to 11, next best got 5 votes.

Any other stupid questions?

The question has to be asked what the voting would have been if the result was the other way.

 

[The Devils Advocate]

only Dusty’s 3 NSM’s come close

Houli should have had the first one IMO.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

At his absolute peak. Best I've ever seen.

 

[TP86]

West Coast Judd is the best footballer of the modern era. Judd the bloke, Judd the media figure, Judd the Carlton player, Judd the Carlton board member, Juddchella, have all served to obscure and diminish the pure greatness of the first 130-odd games of his career.

 

[babydoll]

Nah. Ablett Jr., Voss and Hird were better.
Dusty will end better too.

5th ain't bad though. Eagles Judd before all the talks of Victoria came up was an absolute superstar of the game. Best midfielder of the time.

Even as a Bomber fan I'm not sure I agree with you. Juddy was devastating. Without a doubt better than Dusty and at his best, more feared than Gaz, Voss or Hird.

 

[Gratees]

Can disagree

 

[DirtySandman]

Hard to split Ablett jr and judd

but watching Ablett jr play on tv, you kept your eye on him at stoppages, not the ball because he was going to end up with it.

if footy was a computer game, Ablett was a hacker.

 

[Quinz]

I'm biased but I've never watched a better midfielder than Judd at his peak. 06 to his groin injury in 07 I haven't seen any other midfielder match that level for a stretch like that.

Ignoring West Coast prime Ablett has the highest peak of a mid I've seen.