SOS - great player or jumper holder?

[Blues2001]

With his 300th game approaching and his testimonial just gone I thought I'd do this poll on SOS, after a recent mini debate with Roos fans about the status of Stephen Silvagni in AFL history.

I get the feeling that quite a few AFL fans don't respect SOS as a footballer and think that he has 'cheated' his way to 300 games (touch wood) by holding onto opponents jumpers.Obviously I disagree.

Do you think he was a great player and you respect him as a footballer, or just a jumper holder?? Are these people just jealous of his ability or are they correct in calling him a 'cheat'?

What do you think?

 

[Shinboners]

Okay, being one of those on the Roos forum who was happily taking the mickey out of Silvagni, I will say that any player who makes 300 games has to be very good at what they do (even Stewart Leowe.....hey Strength Through Loyalty??? ).

To me, Silvagni is a notorious jumper puller.....and if he gets away with it, fair and good. Hell, every player and every club stetches the rules to try and get some sort of advantage. The beauty of what SOS does though (and this says something about his vision and awareness) is that he almost always does it to the blindside of the umpire. All credit to him for getting away with it for so long.

Okay, we'll compromise here....Steve Silvagni is the AFL's champion jumper puller.....how's that?

 

[Rooboy 96]

Yeah have to agree Shinners...

Greatest Jumper Tugger To Ever Play The Game Award... goes the Son of Serge... this is how he will be remembered by those that watched the game...

 

[Rooboy 96]

Originally posted by Blues2001
jumper holder

is that like a coat rack... or a towel rail???

 

[Blues2001]

Originally posted by Rooboy 96


is that like a coat rack... or a towel rail???

LOL - yeah I didn't know what to call him - I didn't want to call him a shirt puller and I wasn't sure about jumper tugger so I went with what sounds like a household item instead!

I just think that to many football fans, SOS is more remembered for two things:

1)holding players jumpers
2) Wrongly being voted full back of the century

The first one,like Shinners said is bending the rules like many players try to do. In this regard Matt Lloyd unfortunately (not to the same extent as SOS though) may be remebered for diving for free kicks.
2) I reckon he's copped a lot more crap for this than praise. Its not his fault he was voted in - and lets face it, there haven't been many champion full backs anyway. You can mount a case for Dench, Southby and Regan (is that his name?) but not many others. Sure he was lucky but its not his fault - he admitted he was a little embarrassed.

 

[Rooboy 96]

and so he should have been embarrassed.....

 

[meg]

Silvagni definitely deserves his Full Back of the Century.

I can guarantee you that any other team would want them in his team... who wouldn't!? Even if he DOES pull jumpers... MOST of the time he gets away with it, resulting in a positive, so who wouldn't want him? Geez... he's a champ and can't wait for his 300th game, he thoroughly deserves it.

GO SOS!!!!!

 

[Darky]

300 game octopus

Yeah... what Shinners said!

P.S. - When was the last time he went near the ball without falling over?

 

[windyhill]

for such a "champion" he is also a shocking kick.

 

[GOALden Hawk]

I actually quite like SOS, but I think I'm biased, been an old Marcellin boy!

There's no doubt he's a jumper puller, and no doubt he shouldn't have been full back of the century (Jack Regan deserved that honour) but he is still a true champion.

You don't get to 300 games without been a great player.

 

[StrengthThroughLoyalty]

Originally posted by Shinboners
Okay, being one of those on the Roos forum who was happily taking the mickey out of Silvagni, I will say that any player who makes 300 games has to be very good at what they do (even Stewart Leowe.....hey Strength Through Loyalty??? ).

shinners,

your concession to the ability of 300 gamers has been noted but in this instance is completely unnecessary. stewie will be remembered for his marking prowess whereas steven silvagni is an over rated, shirt lifting, cheat who will be remembered for having a famous dad.

can't wait for a slice of that humble pie, is it really as bitter as everyone says.

 

[WCE2000]

he is a good player, although he is overrated in my opinion.

I would also say he has gotten away with a lot more than most fullbacks have over the years, but he is still a top player.

 

[Mr Ripper]

Yeah I reckon SOS is a jumper scragger, but only because 10 or 15 years of gutless rule non-enforcement by the maggots have allowed him (and every other player btw) to get away with it.

Having said that, I still reckon SOS is a champion and would have been able to adapt if the umpys had properly applied the laws of the game.

 

[Chicago1]

SOS is a champion. No worries. He's also great for the image of footy.

 

[AlfAndrews]

Silvagni is undoubtedly a champion, and one of the finest players I've ever seen.

He is also a brilliant jumper holder. Anyone who can get away with jumper holding for so long under the 3 umpire system has gotta be a class act.

As for Full-Back of the Century ... I dunno.

I really think the whole concept of a Team-of-the-Century is just plain daft. You will never get everyone to agree. Silvagni is probably as strong a candidate as anyone else ... but then he has also played full-forward with great distinction. Pretty meaningless, I reckon.

As for anyone who doesn't think Silvagni is a champion ... if you don't barrack for Carlton, you're in denial ... and if you do barrack for Carlton, you're a bloody idiot.

Mighty footballer ... and a credit to the Game.

 

[Damp Squarie]

David Dench

SOS IS A PULLER....I wouldnt go as far as calling him a Jumper Puller

David Dench is fullback of the Century...or at least that was my choice

And er...Go Crows

 

[Blues2001]

Originally posted by Rooboy 96
and so he should have been embarrassed.....

Words such as that were the exact point I was making. Lets face it, FB of the century was never going to be a clear cut decision. Silvagni does at least have in his favour having played against the best generation of full forwards the game has ever seen - not to mention Wayne Carey. His record against Dunstall, Carey and Ablett was sensational - and pretty good against Modra too. He often had trouble against Lockett earlier in his FB career but he became a lot better against him later on. I'm not saying he necessarily should have been voted in, but more stupid things have occured than that.

Thanks for your kind words Strenghtthroughloyalty - I can at least confidently say that SOS was a better player than your Stewie.

 

[Bee]

Stephen Silvagni is a champion. He is also one the most unassuming and unpretentious people you will ever meet. A couple of traits that other so called "champions" could take note of!
He is 100% commitment and heart and one of the most respected players to ever play the game.
But he is a jumper holder - oh no!
He doesn't scratch, bite, thump, kick or even vilify his opponents. Nope, he just grabs hold of their jumper. Oh diddums. How low can he sink?
Stephen Silvagni is credit to the game and the type of image the AFL needs to promote. He is a champion on and off the field!
I agree with Alf anyone who says he isn't is either in denial or a bloody idiot.

 

[Bee]

Originally posted by Blues2001


Thanks for your kind words Strenghtthroughloyalty - I can at least confidently say that SOS was a better player than your Stewie.

Don't worry about STL, Blues2001. He is a St Kilda supporter, so he doesn't understand what the word champion means. On the other hand the word overrated would be very familiar to him.

 

[Rooboy 96]

Originally posted by Blues2001

His record against Dunstall, Carey and Ablett was sensational - and pretty good against Modra too. He often had trouble against Lockett earlier in his FB career but he became a lot better against him later on.

That would be when he finally developed his jumper tugging technique... to where it is today...
SOS... Truely the Greatest Jumper Tugger to Ever Play the Game...

 

[Blues2001]

Originally posted by Rooboy 96


That would be when he finally developed his jumper tugging technique... to where it is today...
SOS... Truely the Greatest Jumper Tugger to Ever Play the Game...

I think Kanga fans hate SOS more than most because he has embarrassed Carey numerous times on the footy field. 99' GF and 95 PF come to mind instantly, but most other duels SOS also had the better of. If he can constitently do so well against the best player of the last ten years then he can't be to bad a player.

 

[Rooboy 96]

So if SOS is a champion... and beat (in your opinion) the greatest footballer ever in the 1999 Grand Final... why did the Blues not win... was it because the King kicked the Kangaroos first and last goals of the game and then dominated in the middle when moved there... where was SOS when all this happened...

and I think the polls prove that if SOS did haappen to beat the King then he was probably cheating to do so... SOS Just a Jumper Tugger in my Memory...

 

[Shermanator]

SOS Just a Jumper Tugger in my Memory... [/B]

I've just spoken to Warner Brothers Studio's, apparently they want to sign SOS as a baddie in the new Batman movie, guess who he will be playing?................DR OCTOPUS!!!

He doesn't even need a screen test, they have already seen footage of him playing full back over the past ten years and he's exactly what they are looking for!

Good effort on 300 games though.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Bad luck

I agree with Bee on this. Sos is a true gentleman on the field and as such a great advertisement for this game. Not in the classic full back mould, he has showed incredible agility in contests against the greatest full forwards ever.

Opposition fans are always going to notice the negatives as I do when the Blues are losing to someone. You hardly sit back and marvel at the way an opposition player carves you up do you? You stand up and shout "get that f&%$#@* mongrel!!" Most football fans will remember the frustrations and forget the genuine plays.

Can anyone remember the zillions of times Sos has spoiled a full forward on the lead by wrapping himself around them like the proverbial rubber man while at full pace? No jumper pulling there! Can anyone remember how he always gets to the contest and clears the ball with exquisite timing? Can anyone remember the desperate diving marks at great risk to himself that have become his trademark of late? Can anyone remember the high flying of his youth? Can anybody remember his versatility? Can anyone remember the few occasions when Sos came from behind to smother an opponents kick as they strolled in for an easy goal? Quite embarrassing for them! He stopped a sure Cats goal with such desperation in the last quarter of the '95 GF despite the game being well and truly wrapped up. Can anybody remember how SOS completely blanketed Ablett in the '95 GF? How about his miserly performance in the '87 GF? He certainly didn't pack it in when the pressure was on!

Yes, he did pull off a few shockers in his time but he never gives up. He doesn't make excuses. He doesn't abuse his teammates when things go wrong and he has maintained his enthusiasm for his entire career.

I'm not at all surprised at opposition opinions. Just remember your attitudes next time you are arguing for one of your players to be remembered as a champion and then try to justify it. Some of you are less footy fans and more one eyed stirrers.

For the benefit of you folks, Silvagni is considered a champion by the game, the AFL and Blues fans and he IS the full back of the century! LOOK AT THE SCOREBOARD!!!!!!!!! ROTFL

 

[lioness]

Great Player

I reckon SOS is a great player, and 300 games is a brilliant achievement. Legend of the game, no, great player, yes, very much so.