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Rank Them

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James_

James_

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Let’s start a bit of discussion.

One poster lists three players, and then we rank them 1, 2, 3 and why. I’ll start.

Lockett, Ablett, Dunstall.

Rank them.
 
James_ said:
Let’s start a bit of discussion.

One poster lists three players, and then we rank them 1, 2, 3 and why. I’ll start.

Lockett, Ablett, Dunstall.

Rank them.
Click to expand...
1. Ablett
2. Dunstall
3. Lockett

Ablett Sr was a force of nature, powerful and probably the most difficult matchup in any era.

I’d have Dunstall a whisker in front of Lockett, he was an excellent full forward, leader of men and uncharacteristically unselfish for a FF in that era.

I missed Lockett in the 80s when he was arguably at his best but he was also a terrific player, probably the best pure full forward I’ve seen.

I’m lucky to have seen all 3 play.
 

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Johnny Karate said:
1. Ablett
2. Dunstall
3. Lockett

Ablett Sr was a force of nature, powerful and probably the most difficult matchup in any era.

I’d have Dunstall a whisker in front of Lockett, he was an excellent full forward, leader of men and uncharacteristically unselfish for a FF in that era.

I missed Lockett in the 80s when he was arguably at his best but he was also a terrific player, probably the best pure full forward I’ve seen.

I’m lucky to have seen all 3 play.
Click to expand...

Lockett doesn’t move above Dunstall due to his record? To be fair, probably agree with that list.
 
In terms of pure ability based on the physical standards (height and fitness) of the modern game

1) Ablett - brilliant, great lead and leap and versatile making up for his lack of height
2) Lockett - strong, tall enough for the modern game
3) dunstall - brilliant but his lack of height would worry me in 2023

Add mental discipline, consistency and team oriented approach as required today and I’d go

1) dunstall
2) lockett
3) Ablett
 
James_ said:
Let’s start a bit of discussion.

One poster lists three players, and then we rank them 1, 2, 3 and why. I’ll start.

Lockett, Ablett, Dunstall.

Rank them.
Click to expand...
lockett - the greatest talent of them all. did it at two lowly clubs and would've kicked another hundred or two if playing at a successful club with more finals. record speaks for itself.
ablett - if you prefer the ability to play almost anywhere you could have him number one. a freak.
dunstall - a lesser, more team orientated lockett. not the same talent but fortunate enough to be playing in one of the greatest teams over a long period.
 
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James_ said:
Got another one then.

Dusty, Judd, Ablett Jnr.
Click to expand...
Ablett Junior - was an elite mid for longer than the other three
Dusty
Judd
 
James_ said:
Got another one then.

Dusty, Judd, Ablett Jnr.
Click to expand...
1. Judd - playing favourites here but his form particularly at the Eagles was something else. At Carlton he was a bit banged up but still a top 5 in the comp player for the most part.

2. Ablett - superstar who was somewhat unfairly maligned. Handball Jr calls were peak BF stupidity and wgaf about his personal life/faith? His prolonged form between 07-14 was also unreal. Skilful and deadly around the sticks.

3. Martin - a wonderful player who stood up in the biggest games when his club needed him. I have him a smidge below the other two because their peak years and form were over a longer period. Doesn’t mean I think his anything but a champion though.
 
underthestars said:
lockett - the greatest talent of them all. did it at two lowly clubs and would've kicked another hundred or two if playing at a successful club with more finals. record speaks for itself.
ablett - if you prefer the ability to play almost anywhere you could have him number one. a freak.
dunstall - a lesser, more team orientated lockett. not the same talent but fortunate enough to be playing in one of the greatest teams over a long period.
Click to expand...
Disagree about the talent part regarding Dunstall. Lockett had the advantage of being a massive unit. Once he got out in front it was all over you weren't stopping him from getting the ball. Chief was an incredibly powerful unit for his size. His 1 on 1 ability was better than Lockett IMO because he was a bit smaller and had to work harder to win the contest. Sure he played in an incredible team the first part of his career but he still had others around him to contend with who were stars in their own right. Lockett had Loewe and that's it. The ton Chief kicked in 1996 is arguably his best one of his career. He literally carried us on his back the 2nd half of the year and into the finals. Kicked 30 goals his last 3 matches before finals. Not sure Plugger as great as he was dragged his team into finals purely from his goalkicking feats and leadership.
 

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1. Dunstall
2. Lockett
3. Ablett

Dunstall was an out and out superstar of Australian rules football. Somehow that gets lost in these eternal comparisons with Lockett and Ablett. People try to downgrade his talent, which is just laughable. He kicked 1,254 goals. He would've broken Coventry's record and owned the record for the most goals ever if he didn't rupture his ACL twice and fracture his skull

He kicked 100 goals in a season 6 times (same as Lockett). Not always for a top team. He did it twice when the Hawks were an average, mid-table team in the mid 90's. He once kicked 17 goals in a game which was better than Lockett and Ablett ever did. He was still kicking big bags of goals in his final season when he was a cripple on one leg and the Hawks were shithouse. He was that good.

Ablett and Lockett were 2 of the most talented players ever, both superstars... but they were both individualists. Flawed geniuses who were undisciplined and erratic. Not great team players. Everything revolved around them. Their teammates got out of their way, stood back and watched. Dunstall worked better with his teammates. He gave away a lot of goals. He literally changed the way key forwards played with his dedication and his disciplined, unflappable, unselfish, team-oriented approach.

It's no surprise that Hawthorn won 4 flags with the team-oriented Dunstall as their best player



Premierships

Dunstall... 4
Lockett.... 0
Ablett...... 0


Best and Fairests

Dunstall.... 4
Lockett..... 3
Ablett....... 1


Brownlow votes

Dunstall... 129.... (avg 0.52)
Lockett.... 128.... (avg 0.47)
Ablett...... 100.... (avg 0.43)


Free kicks against

Dunstall... 224.... (avg 0.83)
Lockett.... 559.... (avg 2.00) avg 2.27 for St Kilda
Ablett...... 567.... (avg 2.29)
 
Last edited:
Back One Out said:
1. Dunstall
2. Lockett
3. Ablett

Dunstall was an out and out superstar of Australian rules football. Somehow that gets lost in these eternal comparisons with Lockett and Ablett. People try to downgrade his talent, which is just laughable. He kicked 1,254 goals. He would've broken Coventry's record and owned the record for the most goals ever if he didn't rupture his ACL twice and fracture his skull

He kicked 100 goals in a season 6 times (same as Lockett). Not always for a top team. He did it twice when the Hawks were an average, mid-table team in the mid 90's. He once kicked 17 goals in a game which was better than Lockett and Ablett ever did. He was still kicking big bags of goals in his final season when he was a cripple on one leg and the Hawks were shithouse. He was that good.

Ablett and Lockett were 2 of the most talented players ever, both superstars... but they were both individualists. Flawed geniuses who were undisciplined and erratic. Not great team players. Everything revolved around them. Their teammates got out of their way, stood back and watched. Dunstall worked better with his teammates. He gave away a lot of goals. He literally changed the way key forwards played with his dedication and his disciplined, unflappable, unselfish, team-oriented approach.

It's no surprise that Hawthorn won 4 flags with the team-oriented Dunstall as their best player



Premierships

Dunstall... 4
Lockett.... 0
Ablett...... 0


Best and Fairests

Dunstall.... 4
Lockett..... 3
Ablett....... 1


Brownlow votes

Dunstall... 129.... (avg 0.52)
Lockett.... 128.... (avg 0.47)
Ablett...... 100.... (avg 0.43)


Free kicks against

Dunstall... 224.... (avg 0.83)
Lockett.... 559.... (avg 2.00) avg 2.27 for St Kilda
Ablett...... 567.... (avg 2.29)
Click to expand...
I didn't see all players careers in their entirety, and so cannot comment with any authority, but you make a very compelling case.

My gut instinct would have the same ranking as you though.

Dunstall was a great team player in an all time great team. I respect Dunstall more than almost any other footy commentator. He has a calm unbiased veiw of the game, and calls it fairly. Was super important in the Hawks turnaround in the 2000's, and getting in Clarkson.

Lockett was brilliant, and has the brownlow and goals record.

Ablett Snr. was a freak and so much fun when I first started watching the game as a kid. He was all flash and excitement, but ultimately his record is probably tarnished by a few things. Some of that may be fair, and some not.
 

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James_ said:
Got another one then.

Dusty, Judd, Ablett Jnr.
Click to expand...
1: Ablett Jnr. Probably the best player I have seen. I grew up with his old man in the early to mid 90's, and he was a freak, but Jnr was just as good, if not as flashy, but more consistent. I remember watching his debut, and feeling sorry for him; thinking he was on a hiding to nothing. How could he follow in his old mans wake? By the end, it felt like blasphemy to think perhaps he was even better. What he did at the Gold Coast was underrated. He took his game to another level. He was a poor Captain though.

2: Dusty. I'm biased, but a brownlow and 3 Norm Smiths is a great record. Would you trade a Norm Smith for another Brownlow? Probably not. In 2017 Richmond were perceived as only good because of Dusty. A one man band with a team of nobodies. Now obviously that wasn't true, but he was immense in that side, and the belief that followed that lead to more flags in '19 and '20. Has some good goal hauls in finals as well.

3: Judd. A fantastic player at 2 clubs and won a Brownlow at both. I loved the West Coast Juddy at lot more than the Carlton version. He was insane in the 04-05 period before injuries got him. My favourite Judd memory is him kicking 5 goals in the first half against a stacked Brisbane Lions side during their glory years. Was a great player at Carlton in a tougher role, and carried that side. His career ended a bit limply from memory, but he went out on his terms.
 
Back One Out said:
It's no surprise that Hawthorn won 4 flags with the team-oriented Dunstall as their best player
Click to expand...

Hawthorn were playing in and winning grand finals only one season before Dunstall made his debut. It was a generational list.
Some argue the greatest team in VFL/AFL history.

I mean come on, you take a good look at every team in the 80's and compare their top end to Hawthorn's. Don't stop there, look at the difference in talent from the 8th best right down to the 20th player picked.
Only the likes of Curran (200 goals), Lester-Smith, Wittman, Madigan and Abbott were suspect.

If Ablett stayed at Hawthorn, you would have won another couple of flags, particularly in the early 90's.
 
Power Raid said:
In terms of pure ability based on the physical standards (height and fitness) of the modern game

1) Ablett - brilliant, great lead and leap and versatile making up for his lack of height
2) Lockett - strong, tall enough for the modern game
3) dunstall - brilliant but his lack of height would worry me in 2023

Add mental discipline, consistency and team oriented approach as required today and I’d go

1) dunstall
2) lockett
3) Ablett
Click to expand...
They are not playing in 2023 though!

I remember someone saying…
If you needed a player for a whole season, you take Dunstall. For one game you take Lockett. And for a quarter you take Ablett.
 
Walshawk said:
They are not playing in 2023 though!

I remember someone saying…
If you needed a player for a whole season, you take Dunstall. For one game you take Lockett. And for a quarter you take Ablett.
Click to expand...

Believe that was Dermie.
 

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