Top 50 Bulldogs Ranked - From Fightback to Current

Mattie2016

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Keeping with the 1989 Footscray Fightback, I have ranked my TOP 50 Bulldogs since then, including 1989.

Players must have played during that period to be eligible, however, credit for their career prior to that period if they played within it, is counted. Eg: Simon Beasley played in 1989 (had a stinker of a year with injuries) and then retired, but makes the list on the back of his 1982-1988 magic!

Who did I overrate? Did I miss any of your favourites, such as Clay Smith, Mitch Hahn, Mark Hunter, Tom Boyd, Nigel Kellett, Will Minson or Ryan Hargrave? Is The Bont ranked correctly inside the top 10, is that too premature or has he already leap-frogged those ahead of him?

I recognise this may be controversial, as we all see footy differently, so please feel free to respectfully offer your feedback and thoughts! I hope it stimulates good discussion...

50: R. Osborne
49: J. Akermanis
48: D. DelRe
47: M. McLean
46: B. Hall
45: T. Dickson
44: P. Hudson
43: S. Kretiuk
42: J. Stringer
41: D. Southern
40: L. Dahlhaus
39: S. Atkins
38. C. Daniel
37: L. Hunter
36. N. Eagleton
35: N. Brown
34: Tom Liberatore
33: S. Macpherson
32. D. Cross
31. D. Giansiracusa
30. J. Romero
29. T. Wallace
28. S. Kolyniuk
27. R. Kennedy
26. L. Gilbee
25: T. McGuinness
24: J. Macrae
23: L. Picken
22: R. Griffen
21: J. Johannisen
20: A. Cooney
19: E. Wood
18. L. Darcy
17: M. Boyd
16: L. Cameron
15: P. Foster
14: S. Wallis
13: B. Lake
12: D. Morris
11: R. Smith
10: Tony. Liberatore
9. S. Wynd
8. R. Murphy
7. S. Beasley
6. B. Royal
5. M. Bontempelli
4. S. West
3. C. Grant
2. D. Hawkins
1. B. Johnson
 

Yojimbo

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Must have played 100 games in the period to be considered otherwise a fairly loose interpretation of
what constitutes a "Bulldog" player.

Brad Johnson smiled too much to be numero uno. Replacing Andrew Hooper in the prelim that year
was the dumbest call I have seen at selection 5% fit tops.
 

Mattie2016

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Must have played 100 games in the period to be considered otherwise a fairly loose interpretation of
what constitutes a "Bulldog" player.

Brad Johnson smiled too much to be numero uno. Replacing Andrew Hooper in the prelim that year
was the dumbest call I have seen at selection 5% fit tops.
All Bulldog players are eligible. Many of our premiership players wouldn't be 'Bulldogs' otherwise!
 

Yojimbo

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All Bulldog players are eligible. Many of our premiership players wouldn't be 'Bulldogs' otherwise!
A lot of our premiership players were not even born in 1989, Tony McGuiness left in 1990 for Adelaide
for memory. You have blokes in your team who have not played 100 games for the club. From
fightback to current at least put a games played quota in there, actually makes it easier.
 

DelRe

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A lot of our premiership players were not even born in 1989, Tony McGuiness left in 1990 for Adelaide
for memory. You have blokes in your team who have not played 100 games for the club. From
fightback to current at least put a games played quota in there, actually makes it easier.
OP privilege to set the rules of the thread. I agree though if I was looking at it I would have based it only on games played post fightback and set a minimum number, 100 might be a bit high given that takes at least 5 years. I’d be inclined maybe to 50. Biggest impact would be to eliminate Beasley and dent Hawkins. I’d have Grant 1 on those criteria. Biggest influencer of those listed on a game with Bont chasing him hard for second.
 

Yojimbo

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50: R. Osborne 51 Games (Not Eligible)
49: J. Akermanis 77 Games (Not Eligible)
48: D. DelRe 62 Games (Not Eligible)
47: M. McLean 12 Games (Not Eligible)
46: B. Hall 39 Games (Not Eligible)
45: T. Dickson 107 Games
44: P. Hudson 108 Games
43: S. Kretiuk 171 Games
42: J. Stringer 89 Games (Not Eligible)
41: D. Southern 103 Games
40: L. Dahlhaus 154 Games
39: S. Atkins 124 Games
38. C. Daniel 88 Games (Not Eligible)
37: L. Hunter 120 Games
36. N. Eagleton 221 Games
35: N. Brown 137 Games
34: Tom Liberatore 129 Games
33: S. Macpherson 82 Games (Not Eligible)
32. D. Cross 210 Games
31. D. Giansiracusa 265 Games
30. J. Romero 122 Games
29. T. Wallace 48 Games (Not Eligible)
28. S. Kolyniuk 169 Games
27. R. Kennedy 30 Games (Not Eligible)
26. L. Gilbee 206 Games
25: T. McGuinness 44 Games (Not Eligible)
24: J. Macrae 133 Games
23: L. Picken 198 Games
22: R. Griffen 202 Games
21: J. Johannisen 118 Games
20: A. Cooney 219 Games
19: E. Wood 152 Games
18. L. Darcy 226 Games
17: M. Boyd 292 Games
16: L. Cameron 172 Games
15: P. Foster 83 Games (Not Eligible)
14: S. Wallis 135 Games
13: B. Lake 197 Games
12: D. Morris 252 Games
11: R. Smith 300 Games
10: Tony. Liberatore 266 Games
9. S. Wynd 236 Games
8. R. Murphy 312 Games
7. S. Beasley 6 Games (Not Eligible)
6. B. Royal 67 Games (Not Eligible)
5. M. Bontempelli 119 Games
4. S. West 324 Games
3. C. Grant 341 Games
2. D. Hawkins 127 Games
1. B. Johnson 364 Games
 
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DelRe

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You lose a lot of goals with a 100 games limit there - Osborne, DelRe, Hall, Akermanis, Beasley, Royal. Really emphasises how poor the forward lines have been over the period relative to the quality in other positions.
 
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Beasley didn’t play after the Fightback and only played 6 games in 89. Not sure he counts for this list. Are we talking careers or time after the Fightback? Hawk was still very good from 1990 but past his prime compared to others in top 5.

It’s nitpicking and this week’s commemoration confuses the issue but the Fightback was after the 89 Season not during it so for me should only count players from 90 onwards. But it’s your OP so your choice!


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Yojimbo

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You lose a lot of goals with a 100 games limit there - Osborne, DelRe, Hall, Akermanis, Beasley, Royal. Really emphasises how poor the forward lines have been over the period relative to the quality in other positions.
I agree you do lose a lot of players by imposing a 100 game limit, but 5 seasons of 20 games is not a
bad limit to set to establish servitude. Otherwise it's like having a high jump competition without
a bar to jump over. I also agree with your previous post it's his OP so it's his rules, I was not being
critical at all just coming from a different point of view.
 

AjsGuns

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Good list but I'd have Grant at #1 over Johnno. I'd leave Hawk at #2 and just switch Grant and Johnson.

Also feel Morris and Murphy should be switched. Morris top 10 at least.

No arguments about Bont, he would be a chance to be #1 by the end of his career. although Grant, Hawkins, Johnno and West were ridiculously good - so he has some serious work to do.
 

Yojimbo

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Some 100 plus heroes (who did not make the list)

Todd Curley: 118 Games, 48 Goals.
Matthew Croft: 186 Games, 72 Goals.
Paul Dimattina: 131 Games, 56 Goals.
Craig Ellis: 107 Games, 7 Goals.
Simon Garlick: 137 Games, 114 Goals.
Mitch Hahn: 181 Games, 164 Goals.
Ryan Hargrave: 203 Games, 37 Goals.
Mark Hunter: 116 Games, 10 Goals.
Nigel Kellet: 101 Games, 41 Goals.
Jordan McMahon: 114 Games, 37 Goals.
Will Minson: 191 Games, 81 Goals.
Matthew Robbins: 139 Games, 135 Goals.

May your groin be active and your suns and daughters love the west.
 

Braybrook Son

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Keeping with the 1989 Footscray Fightback, I have ranked my TOP 50 Bulldogs since then, including 1989.

Players must have played during that period to be eligible, however, credit for their career prior to that period if they played within it, is counted. Eg: Simon Beasley played in 1989 (had a stinker of a year with injuries) and then retired, but makes the list on the back of his 1982-1988 magic!

Who did I overrate? Did I miss any of your favourites, such as Clay Smith, Mitch Hahn, Mark Hunter, Tom Boyd, Nigel Kellett, Will Minson or Ryan Hargrave? Is The Bont ranked correctly inside the top 10, is that too premature or has he already leap-frogged those ahead of him?

I recognise this may be controversial, as we all see footy differently, so please feel free to respectfully offer your feedback and thoughts! I hope it stimulates good discussion...

50: R. Osborne
49: J. Akermanis
48: D. DelRe
47: M. McLean
46: B. Hall
45: T. Dickson
44: P. Hudson
43: S. Kretiuk
42: J. Stringer
41: D. Southern
40: L. Dahlhaus
39: S. Atkins
38. C. Daniel
37: L. Hunter
36. N. Eagleton
35: N. Brown
34: Tom Liberatore
33: S. Macpherson
32. D. Cross
31. D. Giansiracusa
30. J. Romero
29. T. Wallace
28. S. Kolyniuk
27. R. Kennedy
26. L. Gilbee
25: T. McGuinness
24: J. Macrae
23: L. Picken
22: R. Griffen
21: J. Johannisen
20: A. Cooney
19: E. Wood
18. L. Darcy
17: M. Boyd
16: L. Cameron
15: P. Foster
14: S. Wallis
13: B. Lake
12: D. Morris
11: R. Smith
10: Tony. Liberatore
9. S. Wynd
8. R. Murphy
7. S. Beasley
6. B. Royal
5. M. Bontempelli
4. S. West
3. C. Grant
2. D. Hawkins
1. B. Johnson
Tory Dickson behind Eagleton and Giansiracusa? Yeah I don’t think so
 

Braybrook Son

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Some 100 plus heroes (who did not make the list)

Todd Curley: 118 Games, 48 Goals.
Matthew Croft: 186 Games, 72 Goals.
Paul Dimattina: 131 Games, 56 Goals.
Craig Ellis: 107 Games, 7 Goals.
Simon Garlick: 137 Games, 114 Goals.
Mitch Hahn: 181 Games, 164 Goals.
Ryan Hargrave: 203 Games, 37 Goals.
Mark Hunter: 116 Games, 10 Goals.
Nigel Kellet: 101 Games, 41 Goals.
Jordan McMahon: 114 Games, 37 Goals.
Will Minson: 191 Games, 81 Goals.
Matthew Robbins: 139 Games, 135 Goals.

May your groin be active and your suns and daughters love the west.
Jordan McMahon a hero? Ha ha ha ha he should be on the list of worst ever Bulldog players. Surely you’re taking the pi55
 

DelRe

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Some 100 plus heroes (who did not make the list)

Todd Curley: 118 Games, 48 Goals.
Matthew Croft: 186 Games, 72 Goals.
Paul Dimattina: 131 Games, 56 Goals.
Craig Ellis: 107 Games, 7 Goals.
Simon Garlick: 137 Games, 114 Goals.
Mitch Hahn: 181 Games, 164 Goals.
Ryan Hargrave: 203 Games, 37 Goals.
Mark Hunter: 116 Games, 10 Goals.
Nigel Kellet: 101 Games, 41 Goals.
Jordan McMahon: 114 Games, 37 Goals.
Will Minson: 191 Games, 81 Goals.
Matthew Robbins: 139 Games, 135 Goals.

May your groin be active and your suns and daughters love the west.
Minson stiff to miss from that list (I also have a soft spot for Croft). Not many Dogs make the All Australian side so you’d think that’d make you a good chance for the top 50.
 

SirBont

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Will Minson stiff Aull Australian Shane Biggs hahaha also Joel Hamling a little stiff his impact was unreal
 

Yojimbo

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Jordan McMahon a hero? Ha ha ha ha he should be on the list of worst ever Bulldog players. Surely you’re taking the pi55
Those players met my criteria of having played 100 games or more after and including 1989, I was not
saying they all deserve to be in the top fifty just giving the options. You would have to agree they had
a bigger impact than players who managed 6 and 12 in the said period. Maybe I should have said 100
game players, but HUNDRED GAME HEROES gave it impact like the old Batman series Pow, Biff, Bam.
 
Jordan Mc

Jordan McMahon a hero? Ha ha ha ha he should be on the list of worst ever Bulldog players. Surely you’re taking the pi55
Wouldn't have played that many games if he was one of our worst ever
 

Yojimbo

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Just got to fifty who played 100 games between 1989 and now, not as exciting as the list in the OP, but
they all played 100 games in the period.

1: Chris Grant
to
50: Craig Ellis

Not an epic journey of convenience.
 
We gifted a lot of games to hacks over the last 30 years, I can make about 3 full teams!
There were a helluva lot worse than him so he was hardly one of our worst. Many only got a few games. I would think like most of our players he did his best for the club so deserves a bit of respect.

As I was saying in the 'Days Since...' thread, in the pivotal game where we beat Sydney on their ground in 2015, the team included whipping boys Jong, the Rat, Webby and Honey.......
 
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There were a helluva lot worse than him so he was hardly one of our worst. Many only got a few games. I would think like most of our players he did his best for the club so deserves a bit of respect.

As I was saying in the 'Days Since...' thread, in the pivotal game where we beat Sydney on their ground in 2015, the team included whipping boys Jong, the Rat, Webby and Honey.......

In his last three seasons with us, he played 60 out of a possible 68 in a team that was building towards a successful by our standards era, averaging 19 disposals and 5 marks as a running back man. Yeah he would throw in some terrible turnovers, not unlike our team today, and wasn’t the bravest at all times but he was a decent player, not top 50 but decent, for a lot of his time at the club. Yes he finished up as a whipping boy with I’m sure plenty of detractors present on this board but he was not one of our worst over the last 30 years.


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