Opinion VERSUS - Steve Johnson vs. Paul Chapman

[Beanstalk]

Now I know what you're thinking... O-Oh, Another Paul Chapman thread. But alas - this one is (hopefully) going to be different!

I came across a terrific thread on the Essendon board, which compares players - past and present, past and past, present and present with one another to discuss who had the better career.

Now as both players are now well and truly into the twilight of their careers, what better way to kick off our very own version of 'versus' than with two of our favorite triple-premiership winning sons? This ought to be interesting...

STEVE JOHNSON VS. PAUL CHAPMAN

D.O.B; H/W
Steve Johnson: 4/07/1983 (31y.o), 189cm, 95kg
Paul Chapman: 5/11/1981 (33y.o) 179cm, 87kg

Drafted:
Steve Johnson: #24, 2001 ND
Paul Chapman: #31, 1999 ND

Debut
Steve Johnson: Rd 6, 2002
Paul Chapman: Rd 12, 2000

Games /W-D-L
Steve Johnson: 239 (171-2-66)
Paul Chapman: 275 (179-3-93)

Goals /behinds
Steve Johnson: 427.304
Paul Chapman: 362.193

Brownlow votes /avg
Steve Johnson: 106 (0.49)
Paul Chapman: 86 (0.34)

Career achievements:
Johnson: 3x Premiership, 3x All-Aust. ('07, '08, '10), Norm Smith '07, 2x leading goalkicker ('08, '10)
Chapman: 3x Premiership, 2x All-Aust ('09, '10), North Smith '09, Carji-Greeves '06

Career averages:
Johnson: 19.5 disposals, 1.8 goals, 5.4 marks, 3 tackles, 3.9 inside fifties, 2 clearances, 1 goal assist
Chapman: 19.8 disposals, 1.3 goals, 4.8 marks, 3.5 tackles, 4 inside fifties, 2.4 clearances, 0.7 assists

--

Early years;

Steve Johnson played junior football with Wangarratta, before moving to the Murray Bushrangers in the TAC Cup. His first few years with the club were plagued with inconsistency, injury and off field problems. After being drafted in 2001, Johnson had 13 disposals and a goal on debut against the Lions in Round 6, 2002 - going on to play 12 games in his debut season.

Paul Chapman played with North Coburg FC, which merged with Fawkner Park FC to become the Northern Saints Football Club in the EDFL. Chapman then went on to play for the Calder Canons in the TAC cup. After being drafted in 1999, Chapman made his debut in Round 12, 2000, and had a total of 21 disposals and 1 goal in the four games he played in his debut season.

Emergence;

Steve Johnson was suspended for the first 5 matches of 2007 after he was arrested for public drunkenness in Wangarratta. He returned in round 6 against Richmond, with 21 disposals and 2 goals in the 157-point 'line in the sand' victory. 2007 was the first time Johnson played more than 15 games in a season (20), after playing 12, 15, 13, 12, and 15 from 2002-2006. Johnson booted 49 goals that year, after never kicking more than 30 in years previous. Johnson also had 30 goal assists in '07, after just 7 in '06.

Paul Chapman secured a spot in the best 22 in 2002, playing 16 games, and kicking 16 goals. 2004 was the year he really started to turn heads, playing a career-best 25 games and kicking a career-best 38 goals.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

If I had to pick a player without thinking about it. So first thoughts essentially.

I'd say Johnson but it's a good comparison because it's bloody close!

Anyway good idea OP. Hope it does end differently but we'll see.

 

[RightorKhan]

Where's the Jack Watts option?

 

[manboob]

SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no SJ no Chapman no

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Interestingly like Bartel, SJ isn't a B&F winner. Probably has never been the best player in a given season but has been consistently close to it for a few years now.

 

[Beanstalk]

Interestingly like Bartel, SJ isn't a B&F winner. Probably has never been the best player in a given season but has been consistently close to it for a few years now.

SJ's rise (and fall, some would argue) runs almost perfectly parallel with that of Geelong.

Had he made his debut the same year Chapman did, you'd imagine he would have won it back when he didn't have GAJ and Selwood to contend with. Bartel too, I guess.

 

[Moggy]

I'm not sure I could make this choice.
Both incredibly influential players for us in the biggest games. Both fierce competitors. Both absolute legends of the "era".

I'm sitting on the fence!

 

[Moggy]

PS: They sure have both played in a lot of draws!

 

[Beanstalk]

PS: They sure have both played in a lot of draws!

Moggy pls

*Fixed

 

[Moggy]

Moggy pls

*Fixed

Please stop being such a pedant, or please make a choice?

I'll do both SJ

 

[Goggin Our Best]

Chapman easily - just a better all round footballer - Chapman was a beautiful kick - Johnson isnt - Chapman was a sure ball handler - Johnson isnt - sometimes SJ has to 2 grab his marks

Chapman for mine was a better half forward than SJ - and a better centreman - that game against the Eagles a few years back at Subiaco - Chapman went into the centre after half time and was outstanding - even though Geelong lost

So its Chapman for mine - and by the way - when the Cats finished him up - i thought it was a good decision by the club - Corey Gregson with pick 47 - things are looking allright at the Cattery

 

[Beanstalk]

Chapman easily - just a better all round footballer - Chapman was a beautiful kick - Johnson isnt - Chapman was a sure ball handler - Johnson isnt - sometimes SJ has to 2 grab his marks

In my eyes Chapman was/is the better 'percentage play' footballer, while Steve Johnson was/is the better 'all or nothing' footballer.

A Stevie J pass has a higher 'ceiling', ie. - the ability to kick a 35m lookaway daisy cutter onto the chest of a teammate who is suddenly in acres of space, while the opposition defenders are flat footed still waiting for the set shot.

 

[manboob]

SJ is the Italian car - Chappy is the German one.

 

[00VicWard001]

SJ is the Italian car - Chappy is the German one.

We were f*cking lucky to have both in the garage at same time. As well as the bentley (ablett jr), the g63 (scarlett) and the two range rovers (bartel and enright).

 

[manboob]

I would have maybe had Scarlett as a Pontiac....

 

[Moggy]

Next thread - Geelong players as biscuits...

 

[Strangled Cat]

SJ is the Italian car - Chappy is the German one.

SJ:

CHAPPY:

 

[bulletproof]

Chapman comfortably for me.

 

[Whit3y]

gysenn is the man that asks the tough questions
thats why he gets payed the big money

id pick chapman, the man that never missed a snap at goal
he is the peter riccardi of this generation, alllllll class

 

[iameviljez]

Chapman... just. Because he's a stronger body, better overhead and a far better kick. He was probably also slightly better evasively in traffic than SJ. SJ is outstanding with ball in hand, and probably finds more of it... but at the end of the day, I think Chapman's a harder matchup.

 

[FredLeDeux]

Johnson has clearly had a significantly better career as a forward.
Chapman has had a better and longer career as an on-baller, even though he never reached the heights of Johnson's last 2 seasons in that role.

 

[Seeds]

Johnson has clearly had a significantly better career as a forward.
Chapman has had a better and longer career as an on-baller, even though he never reached the heights of Johnson's last 2 seasons in that role.

Johnsons 2013 was better than anything Chapman put up as a midfielder (if he didnt miss 5 games he would of won the Brownlow). must remove the term better and just keep the longer one.

 

[Seeds]

i cant split these two. its impossible. both are stars.

 

[SJ]

Depends what you're rating it on:
- Total aggregate output for Geelong
- Best run of output over a given period (say six weeks or a season)
- Peak football ability
- Level at which player consistency exceeds

 

[FredLeDeux]

Johnsons 2013 was better than anything Chapman put up as a midfielder (if he didnt miss 5 games he would of won the Brownlow). must remove the term better and just keep the longer one.

That's why I added the qualification about the last 2 seasons.