Short blokes who could jump

[PerthBoy86]

Watching Liam 'Flyin'' Ryan last night, his jumping and marking capabilities are impressive as ever. Which got me thinking of all the shorter players known for their high leaping and marking abilities, past ans present. Ryan and Puopolo probably stand out out of the current mob. Heck Caleb Daniel isn't too bad. No doubt I've missed a few. By short I mean short by AFL standards, like under 185cm. Jimmy Bartel wasn't too bad in that department either.

 

[PieLebo87]

This guy goes alright.

 

[treegreen]

The Aaron Edwards who played for North had a great leap and pack mark.

Was only 184cm.

 

[LoungeLizard]

Gary Ablett snr

 

[PerthBoy86]

Gary Ablett snr

Wasn't he like 189cm or so?

 

[Gralin]

 

[LoungeLizard]

Wasn't he like 189cm or so?

185

 

[PerthBoy86]

185

Oh he seemed taller. Kinda like how Malcolm Blight was only like 182 or something, I always thought of him as being like 190.

 

[PerthBoy86]

View attachment 672151

Oh yeah Moorcroft was like sub 180 I think.

 

[PerthBoy86]

Easton Wood is only 186cm? Seems taller.

 

[SellarStardom]

Trent Ormond Allen, went in and played ruck at one point under Blighty for the Crows.

He was 180cm but had a leap on him, rucked against Everett when we lost Rehn back in about 97 and we won and he had his own.

Classic Blighty.

 

[kingswood71]

Ross Gibbs was a bloody good leap for someone who was only 175cm...

 

[HairyO]

View attachment 672151

Greatest mark of all time.

 

[Gralin]

Greatest mark of all time.

Came in expecting to see it already posted

 

[PerthBoy86]

Came in expecting to see it already posted

Yeah amazing to think the bloke who took arguably the best mark of all time was around my height!

 

[Struggle]

Matty Robbins. That grab against Brisbane is one of the greats

 

[Scotland]

Krakouerrrrrrr!

 

[digrar]

Oh yeah Moorcroft was like sub 180 I think.

A good 3 inches shorter, 173cm.

 

[aflfootyfanatic]

Caleb Daniel 167cm jeez he can jump not as high as our flyin' Ryan though

 

[Damon_3388]

Is there something that says shorter blokes shouldn't be able to jump?

Marking (or dunking a basketball) is as much about timing and coordination as it is about vertical leaping ability.

6'0" (183cm) isn't necessarily "short", either, given that average height for adult males is 5'9"-5'10" (175-178cm).

#killjoy

 

[Ishikawa]

Not that I ever saw him, but John Coleman was revered for his leap.

 

[PerthBoy86]

Is there something that says shorter blokes shouldn't be able to jump?

Marking (or dunking a basketball) is as much about timing and coordination as it is about vertical leaping ability.

6'0" (183cm) isn't necessarily "short", either, given that average height for adult males is 5'9"-5'10" (175-178cm).

#killjoy

Taller humans can, on average, jump higher. Longer legs, more leverage. Simple physics. But height isn't the only factor of course.

We're talking footy players though.

 

[HairyO]

Came in expecting to see it already posted

I was going to post it if someone else hadnt.

 

[Damon_3388]

Taller humans can, on average, jump higher. Longer legs, more leverage. Simple physics. But height isn't the only factor of course.

We're talking footy players though.

It's more about ability to generate explosive power and get your bodyweight off the ground, not leverage or length of the levers. It looks like taller players jump higher, because they're probably reaching a higher point due to their length and reach combined with the leap, but it's not really the case.

Generally (for example) among players vertical leap tested at the NBA Draft Camp, it's not the tallest players that test out on top. If we were grouping AFL players into tall (6'3"/191cm+ groups) and not tall (sub-6'3"/191cm), I would expect the not tall group to test just as well if not better in vertical leap.

 

[PerthBoy86]

It's more about ability to generate explosive power and get your bodyweight off the ground, not leverage or length of the levers. It looks like taller players jump higher, because they're probably reaching a higher point due to their length and reach combined with the leap, but it's not really the case.

Generally (for example) among players vertical leap tested at the NBA Draft Camp, it's not the tallest players that test out on top. If we were grouping AFL players into tall (6'3"/191cm+ groups) and not tall (sub-6'3"/191cm), I would expect the not tall group to test just as well if not better in vertical leap.

Maybe being TOO tall can be a disadvantage in some ways, but in terms of maximum jump height + reach, height is obviously an advantage, as a greater reach allows you to get high for marks and spoils.