Salmon vs Lloyd

[Harvey Leadpipe]

Couple of questions here people.

I had a chat/argument with a couple of Essendon supporters at the golf club last night over who you'd have in your side over Paul Salmon and Matty Lloyd (not necessarily as simply a full forward). The younger Dons supporter (he's 21) stated his case for Lloyd, whereas the older chap (40) was adamant he'd take Salmon. I sided with the Salmon theory, saying not only did I think he had it over Lloyd as a FF, but was more than a handy ruckman. Feel free to discuss amongst youselves.

The other question is, I am pretty sure I was at Paul Salmons debut VFL match. I think it was against Hawthorn at Waverley in 83-84 (?), after he kicked a couple of bags in the reserves, and had massive wraps on him. Can someone confirm whether this was his first senior appearance?

I also noted to the lads last night that Salmon would be a handy pick-up for a commentator or special comments guy for Channel 7/10, as he used to have a bit of personality when he hosted the Grand Final Marathon for a couple of grand final eve's. Certainly be better than listening to Sandy Roberts.

 

[nonchalance]

I'd take Lloyd as a full-forward. He's a bit more versatile, much better when the ball hits the ground.

That said, Salmon was a very good FF and a very good ruckman, and I don't know of many that were good in both spots.

Definitely like him as a commentator too - he's smarter than he looks. Plus it's funny watching him sit next to the other guys in the box. Makes them look like dwarfs.

 

[Philzsay]

I'd would pick Lloyd. Champion Full Forwards are very hard to come by.

I am 29 so inbetween your 21 and 40 yr old friends. I have seen both of them play through most of their careers. I was very much a Salmon fan, and used to hate it when other Essendon Supporters would sometimes bag him. Was sad when he left the club, but very happy we got Wellman and Barnards careers as a result.

 

[Koala]

I'm interviewing both Fish and Lloydy in the next couple of months for BomberBlitz, so I'll put the question to them and see what their responses are!

 

[Nuts4Bolts]

I'd take both.

 

[8485]

Lloyd as FF by a street! Fish as ruck! End of thread - absolute no brainer!

 

[Stargazer]

Salmon started off as a world beater at FF. Then in middle of 1984 he did his
knee against Collingwood. He was never the same after that - still capable of kicking big scores on his day, but that X factor, that "unbeatable" quality he had was gone.
I always felt Salmon lacked a bit of devil in his game - as emphasized in a game V the Kangaroos at the MCG when he allowed Mick Martyn to belt him,****** him in any number of illegal ways, and generally worry the Fish off his game. All Salmon could do was plead with the umpire for free kicks, when a man of his size should have dealt with Martyn then and there.
The same thing happened when the Flea from Richmond punched him in the face and the Big Man needed stitches, but no standing up for himself, no show of strength. I'm sure that's why Sheedy - a former Tiger toughie himself - preferred Somerville in the ruck to the gentle giant.
Lloyd,on the other hand was born a FF - and played there right through out his junior footy days. He was grabbed by Essendon when he was only 16, and came to the club at 17 with super star written all over him. He's the best FF we've had at Windy Hill since the great John Coleman.
Salmon had better players feeding him the ball than does Lloyd, but Lloyd is a far better kpp forward than Salmon.

 

[MrAaron]

I'd put Salmon in the ruck and Lloydie at Full Forward obviously. Salmon wanted to be a full time ruckman later on in his career anyway. He was wasted at FF. I would have had Roger Merrett there instead to be honest

 

[Don Envy]

I'd put Salmon in the ruck and Lloydie at Full Forward obviously. Salmon wanted to be a full time ruckman later on in his career anyway. He was wasted at FF. I would have had Roger Merrett there instead to be honest

Without doubt Lloyd - he's already the club record holder and still capable of kicking another 400-500 before he retires. I'm looking at this in the context of FF only as this is where Lloyd plays 99% of the time and fish played there probably 90% of his time at Essendon

 

[go team]

just to balance things up a little.. i'd take salmon over lloydy in the ruck anyday.

 

[Darealrath]

just to balance things up a little.. i'd take salmon over lloydy in the ruck anyday.

Lloyd will go down as the better player but Salmon had to sacrifice his best position to help out the team, and was still a great player. Beat Silvagni in a GF. One of those "if we only had 2" players. Can't believe he was on the end of abuse from our fans.

 

[nonchalance]

just to balance things up a little.. i'd take salmon over lloydy in the ruck anyday.

Hell yeah.

Also as a commentator.

 

[MrAaron]

Lloyd will go down as the better player but Salmon had to sacrifice his best position to help out the team, and was still a great player. Beat Silvagni in a GF. One of those "if we only had 2" players. Can't believe he was on the end of abuse from our fans.

I'd like to put Lloydie at CHF when the roof is shut at Telstra Dome and out in the West when it isn't raining as he can boot it bout 60m on his good days and play Hille there and just keep him there. Obviously Lucas @ CHB and FLetch at FB. Pretty good spine with Mark Johnson in the middle.

 

[blumfieldisback]

as a kid I had umber 3 on my back, salmon was my idol. Yeah he wasnt as tough as some of the other players but who cared on his day he was unstoppable. Someone mentioned that sheedy prefered somerville in the ruck because he was tougher, well to be honest here i dont ever recall somerville being a tough nut either, the reason he preferred somerville in the ruck is because we had no one else who could kick goals, salmons last year with essendon was Lloyds first.

The reason imo that salmon got injured so much was because blokes of 6ft 10 stature are not designed for the full forward position, salmon sacrificed himself for the bettrement of the team, when you have blokes kicking the ball 2 metres in front of your shins the impact of a 6ft10 blokes lunging at full pace its only a matter of time before he develops an injury, such as a hamstring or impact injury.

If we had Lloyd and Salmon in the same side both at their peaks then you would have salmon in the ruck and Loyd at full forward, when you wanted to rest salmon youd place him at fulll forward and push lloyd to CHF, but in the end its only hypothetical and both were/are champions.

 

[MrAaron]

as a kid I had umber 3 on my back, salmon was my idol. Yeah he wasnt as tough as some of the other players but who cared on his day he was unstoppable. Someone mentioned that sheedy prefered somerville in the ruck because he was tougher, well to be honest here i dont ever recall somerville being a tough nut either, the reason he preferred somerville in the ruck is because we had no one else who could kick goals, salmons last year with essendon was Lloyds first.

The reason imo that salmon got injured so much was because blokes of 6ft 10 stature are not designed for the full forward position, salmon sacrificed himself for the bettrement of the team, when you have blokes kicking the ball 2 metres in front of your shins the impact of a 6ft10 blokes lunging at full pace its only a matter of time before he develops an injury, such as a hamstring or impact injury.

If we had Lloyd and Salmon in the same side both at their peaks then you would have salmon in the ruck and Loyd at full forward, when you wanted to rest salmon youd place him at fulll forward and push lloyd to CHF, but in the end its only hypothetical and both were/are champions.

The 1 think well 2 things I remember of Salmon the most is when he had a big day out when we played geelong at the G. he booted 10+ goals and ablett 12+ goals and we still won.

Also at Waverley park I think it was against Hawthorn, he was dragged near half time when kicking something like 1 goal 6 to his name, he was dragged off the field to a chorus of boo's from the bomber fans, yes I was 1 of them. remember those 2 times ?

 

[blumfieldisback]

The 1 think well 2 things I remember of Salmon the most is when he had a big day out when we played geelong at the G. he booted 10+ goals and ablett 12+ goals and we still won.

Also at Waverley park I think it was against Hawthorn, he was dragged near half time when kicking something like 1 goal 6 to his name, he was dragged off the field to a chorus of boo's from the bomber fans, yes I was 1 of them. remember those 2 times ?

um well i remember the first game i was there and he gunned it all day with ablett, a heartstopping match in which salmon did his hamstring late in the match, which forced steven alessio onto the field who took 2 telling grabs in front of goals.

the second match im not so sure about i mean i was there when we played west coast in a final at west coast and he was booed and jeered off the ground by his fellow supporters, whilst i think he deserved to be dragged because he just couldnt hold a mark to save himself I was ONE who didn't disgracefully jeer him off, anyone who jeers there champions of the club they support shouldn't follow football.

Anyway what was your point????

 

[Toasta]

he's smarter than he looks.

And thats not to say he looks bad, although the black and red where always much more complimentry than the brown and gold.

 

[windyhill]

Couple of questions here people.

I had a chat/argument with a couple of Essendon supporters at the golf club last night over who you'd have in your side over Paul Salmon and Matty Lloyd (not necessarily as simply a full forward). The younger Dons supporter (he's 21) stated his case for Lloyd, whereas the older chap (40) was adamant he'd take Salmon. I sided with the Salmon theory, saying not only did I think he had it over Lloyd as a FF, but was more than a handy ruckman. Feel free to discuss amongst youselves.

The other question is, I am pretty sure I was at Paul Salmons debut VFL match. I think it was against Hawthorn at Waverley in 83-84 (?), after he kicked a couple of bags in the reserves, and had massive wraps on him. Can someone confirm whether this was his first senior appearance?

He debuted v Sydney in Sydney. I can`t split them. Both have carried us.

 

[Dan26]

Get off the fence, John!

I'd take Salmon, based on the fact he was an adequate full-forward, but also a top ruckman. I also thought he was a fantastic big-game player.

Lloydy isn't quite as versatile.

Not much in it though.

 

[Stargazer]

So Blummers doesn't remember Somer as being a tough cookie ? He was always belting blokes, getting reported. He didn't have anything like the Fish's skill, but he but he was the preferred option in the ruck. Somer couldn't play elsewhere - Salmon could.
There's no doubt Salmon should have succeeded the great Simon Madden, but
ruckman have to know how to protect themselves, to give as good as they get,etc.

 

[Lovett-Murray]

Too young to remember Salmon at his best (I'm only 15) but I'll never forget in his comeback season with us in 2002, when he got a flukish goal (his first for the season) while pulling a hamstring as he kicked it then going off for a good 20 minutes