Robbie Gray is the best Port Adelaide player of all time

[jakey]

Robbie's 2014 is the most outrageous season of football I have seen from a guy in a Port jumper.

 

[Schulzenfest]

Tredrea is criminally underrated by the Victorian media mafia.

Robbie was a close second in the Port AFL era.

So is Robbie. They talk about him over there like he's Luke Breust, not a generational talent (no offence meant to Luke Breust).

 

[DSL64]

Robbie's 2014 is the most outrageous season of football I have seen from a guy in a Port jumper.

Tredrea's 2004 season says hold my beer...

 

[JimmyBC]

Of our top three in the AFL era Tredders, Wanganeen, R. Gray I think it's only Wanganeen that gets lauded over the border because they think Sheedy invented him.

 

[HugeJohnson]

Tredders was amazing don't get me wrong but Robbie was next level. Lack of team success shouldn't count against him as he literally carried us across the line in some finals (semi final v Freo one of the best individual performances you'll ever see, hawks in the prelim he was just as good but easily forgotten when you lose) (As much as I love him, did Tredders ever truly break open a final?) and the ones we lost you can't blame on him. Tredders often gets ranked below Pavlich, Riewoldt, Brown rightly or wrongly and in his prime for sure was the best player in the comp but Robbie just did things that no one else could do. We were so lucky to have him.

 

[Us against the rest]

It's very difficult to call, if you look at Wines he has a fantastic year and wins a Brownlow but since some would argue he's been a good average player.

It all depends on what criteria we want to use. Boak consistent and loyal but was never a highly skilled game breaker.

If we isolate a certain period or season we could make an argument for Picket, James or Primus.

As Leader you can't go past Tredrea and Primus, as a highly skilled footballer you can't go past Wanganeen and Gray.

Imo 2004 we had a dynamic mix of toughness and skill, we had such a good mix, similar to the Brisbane team today.

 

[1954]

Tredders was amazing don't get me wrong but Robbie was next level. Lack of team success shouldn't count against him as he literally carried us across the line in some finals (semi final v Freo one of the best individual performances you'll ever see, hawks in the prelim he was just as good but easily forgotten when you lose) (As much as I love him, did Tredders ever truly break open a final?) and the ones we lost you can't blame on him. Tredders often gets ranked below Pavlich, Riewoldt, Brown rightly or wrongly and in his prime for sure was the best player in the comp but Robbie just did things that no one else could do. We were so lucky to have him.

Re Pavlich being ranked above Tredrea, I can't recall the exact years he played chb for the dockers but he was quite successful in that role until he stood Tredders, who absolutely destroyed him.

 

[Mr39]

Re Pavlich being ranked above Tredrea, I can't recall the exact years he played chb for the dockers but he was quite successful in that role until he stood Tredders, who absolutely destroyed him.

2005, round 22. Pavlich played chb against Warren Tredrea who gave him a bath, only for the AA selectors to pick Pav as AA CHF. Debacle.

 

[Andre]

Tredders was amazing don't get me wrong but Robbie was next level. Lack of team success shouldn't count against him as he literally carried us across the line in some finals (semi final v Freo one of the best individual performances you'll ever see, hawks in the prelim he was just as good but easily forgotten when you lose) (As much as I love him, did Tredders ever truly break open a final?) and the ones we lost you can't blame on him. Tredders often gets ranked below Pavlich, Riewoldt, Brown rightly or wrongly and in his prime for sure was the best player in the comp but Robbie just did things that no one else could do. We were so lucky to have him.

Short term memories. Tredrea not only broke open a final against Essendon (when they could win some), he did it when he’d been chucking up pre-game and should have been home in bed due to flu. Tredrea took the CHF/FF hybrid Carey was and turned it into the first KPF to roam up and back like modern forwards. Except he did that and still kicked a lot of goals and commanded the forward line.

Robbie was great and likely got us an extra contract or two of Hinkley, but by dint of position he couldn’t drag a team with him like Tredrea could and did.

If I had 2004 Tredrea and 2014 Robbie to pick for our list next year it’s Tredrea. Same if I was building a list from scratch.

 

[tribey]

So is Robbie. They talk about him over there like he's Luke Breust, not a generational talent (no offence meant to Luke Breust).

Yeah, I’ve also seen him unfavourably compared to Shane Edwards.

No offence to Shane Edwards, but come on now.

 

[Powerage]

Tredders was amazing don't get me wrong but Robbie was next level. Lack of team success shouldn't count against him…

Absolutely agree with this. Should Gary Ablett Senior and Robert Harvey be thought of as lesser players because they never won a premiership.?

As much as I love him, did Tredders ever truly break open a final?

In 2004 Tredrea was used as a decoy in both the Geelong final and the grand final. It’s hard to break a game open by doing that but it was a successful tactic

It’s Tredrea for mine but then I love watching a key forward taking a big grab and be able to kick long with either foot.

Robbie can’t be far behind though winning a ball one on one he is the best I have ever seen. He was a magician.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

It's very difficult to call, if you look at Wines he has a fantastic year and wins a Brownlow but since some would argue he's been a good average player.

Brownlows don't count. Stupid umpires vote for them. The greatest players didn't win them - Matthews, Carey, Dunstall, Lockett, Ablett Sr, etc .

 

[JimmyBC]

Brownlows don't count. Stupid umpires vote for them. The greatest players didn't win them - Matthews, Carey, Dunstall, Lockett, Ablett Sr, etc .

Lockett did.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Lockett did.

You are right, shared it with Platten but he had bigger seasons than 1987 and got less votes. I was about to type Ablett then thought, I have to have Lockett after Dunstall.

 

[Donuts_]

Love Robbie and he is an AFL-era club great.

But there is no way I could consider someone who couldn't lead us to a grand final, let alone a premiership, the all time greatest player of our club.

Ultimately the Class of 2004 conquered their demons and those in Hinkley era never did.

We heaped a lot of shit on Hinkley and deservedly so. But let's not allow romanticism cloud the fact that the players of that era, of which Gray was a prime part of, did not have the composure to match their rivals, let alone come near the composure shown by Port legends of the past. Among the missed chances, two very winnable prelims lost by a kick are particularly damning.

As such, I will always consider the likes of Boak and Gray at least one step below our absolute best.

After all, our great club exists to win premierships.

 

[Enviable Tradition]

Love Robbie and he is an AFL-era club great.

But there is no way I could consider someone who couldn't lead us to a grand final, let alone a premiership, the all time greatest player of our club.

Ultimately the Class of 2004 conquered their demons and those in Hinkley era never did.

We heaped a lot of shit on Hinkley and deservedly so. But let's not allow romanticism cloud the fact that the players of that era, of which Gray was a prime part of, did not have the composure to match their rivals, let alone come near the composure shown by Port legends of the past. Among the missed chances, two very winnable prelims lost by a kick are particularly damning.

As such, I will always consider the likes of Boak and Gray at least one step below our absolute best.

After all, our great club exists to win premierships.

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