Top utilities / swing men in the AFL

[Bomber32]

1. Matthew Pavlich
2. Luke Hodge
3. Adam Goodes

 

[Yoshi2Toad]

Petrie seriously underrated in this thread.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

No. None whatsoever. The guy can barely ruck let alone do anything else.

Perfect summation.

 

[Dave The Man]

DTM, do you believe opposition supporters would understand who 'JA' is?

For those that are wandering. John Anthony. He was drafted as a defender, and his achievements in the forward line in 2008 are well documented, with 24goals in the last 12 games. Only kicked like 2-3 behinds too. Dead-eye dick.

With Rocca, Reid and Rusling back from injury, he'll go back to his normal position in the backline, but there are talks that Malthouse wants to use him as a forward/swing man.

He'll be special, but not next year. Needs another 12 or so months to really become a household AFL name.

Yes I did but thanks for Explaining it to the One who might not know

 

[Gabbatoir]

I expect Mitch Clark and Jared Brennan to become prominent in this thread in '09.

Brennan probably should be now, but hey, needs time I guess.

 

[power09]

1.pav (but usually just forward)
2.c.cornes
3.goodes

these three are the only real dominating utilities petrie may soon join them but not yet

hodge is just a midfeilder(great midfielder) with a strong mark, not the same

 

[Johnson#26]

Hunter for mine has the track record.

Pavlich has to be up there, too.

Gavin Brown, over the duration of his career, played on the wing, at full forward, and halfback, and, IIRC, won a B&F in each position (roughly). That's swingman material.

Nick Maxwell's another, IMO.

 

[Tarkyn_24]

Chad Cornes, Adam Goodes and Matthew Pavlich are the three elite 'utilities' in the AFL.

From my team, that has done a very good job over the years is Tarkyn Lockyer. He has shut down Milne in the backline, rebounded across HBF, he has tagged in the midfield as well as attacked in the midfield, played on the wing, and more recently been a link player across HFF, as well as stints deep inside the forward line. Don't think you can call someone anymore of a utility than Tarkyn Lockyer.

Absolutely spot on.

Also saw Andy Welsh mentioned in this thread, his name is interchangable with Pielebo's analogy of Lockyer, as they both are grossly underrated by many of their teams "supporters", yet can do just about anything out on the field consistently.

 

[CrazyQ]

Petrie kills guys at CHB/Floating KPD, kills it as a ruck who runs around the ground and goes up forward and kicks goals. He is definitely in front of Goddard as a versitile player, make no mistake about that.

Has kicked 6 goals (in one quarter) agaisnt Lake and others, had 20 possies 10 marks 20+ hit outs and 3 goals agaisnt the Pies rucking and had 25+ possies 10+ marks playing on Ottens/Mooney in defence. That's only off the top of the head.

 

[stmookeyj]

Rob Murphy's as close to a swingman we have had in the past (HBF to HFF and undersized CHF), but Griffen I feel will be the one for us in a year or 2.

 

[ndot]

pavlich only looks good in different positions because of the hacks he plays with.

 

[TassieSaint]

Don't think you can call someone anymore of a utility than Tarkyn Lockyer.

'give it to' Jason Blake

Lockyer can't play ruck or Key Position, Jason Blake can play literally every conceivable position on the football field. Unfortunately he can't play them particularly well, which is why neither him nor Lockyer are relevant in this thread.

 

[Salopek31]

In no particular order...

Goodes - won a Brownlow as a ruckman, won a Brownlow as a genuine midfielder, can play CHB, can play CHF (I think he kicked 8 goals or something when thrown forward one time this year).

Chad - AA CHB, AA midfielder, decent second/third key forward.

Petrie - underrated in this thread. Good CHF, good ruckman, outstanding CHB.