Sports What the greatest prize in sport for an Australian

[JuddsABlue]

Inspired by Vossy stating that the biggest prize of Australian sport is an AFL contract, I wondered what actually is the biggest prize of sport for an Australian

I think two catagories are required here...
Catagory 1
The biggest individual achievement for an Australian in sport
The best achievement a sportsmen can be apart of, either individually or in a team sport
Example: Winning the F1 Drivers Championship
AFL Premiership Captain
Australian Cricket Test Team Captain
Winning the NBA Championship
Playing in a Champions League/EPL Title/Other big soccer title
Olympic Gold Medal insert sport

Catagory 2
The best sport to succeed in
Just the single sport that as an Australian, is the greatest sport to be a contributer in at the highest level


You can take in to account all factors, including money, fame, success, post career success, best sport to play, countries to be based in etc

No poll as this is more of a discussion topic than a black and white choice

 

[Barry_Badrinath]

Inspired by Vossy stating that the biggest prize of Australian sport is an AFL contract, I wondered what actually is the biggest prize of sport for an Australian

Relton Roberts got one. AFL contract isn't even in the debate.

 

[Gough]

I would have thought football in Europe for a top club would be hard to beat, the World Cup reminds us every four years how huge the sport is.

 

[kanye_best]

+1 for playing in a top European football league.

Close second would be playing in an NBA championship. Lotta love for Patty Mills.

 

[Hipster Doofus]

Famous Olympian surely?

 

[Demonalke]

My favourite sport is AFL but I would rather have a nice Green Jacket. Walk around all day on golf courses, do not carry any clubs, the women the money and come back to australia, barely anyone would recognise you so you could properly party. Long career and worst injury is a sore back... ahh the easy life.

 

[Roobs321]

Winning the Yellow Jersey (general classification at the Tour de France) is up there as far as annual sporting events. Tennis Year-end World No.1 as well (as long as it isn't slam-less)

 

[Vic Vinegar]

Winning the Yellow Jersey (general classification at the Tour de France) is up there as far as annual sporting events. Tennis Year-end World No.1 as well (as long as it isn't slam-less)

Wondered when someone would mention either of these two. Tour de France is incredibly tough to win, as is winning a two week, seven match Grand Slam.

Would have said a BrownlowMedal, then remembered that Shane Woewodin won one......

 

[little graham]

Captaining the Australian test cricket team.

/end thread , award me 1 million trophy points.

 

[Gough]

Captaining the Australian test cricket team.

/end thread , award me 1 million trophy points.

Bollocks, there's no bigger honour in Australian sport than the Division 3 (Sturt zone) Lightning Carnival Premeirship. #peakedat11

 

[Scotland]

Simply playing soccer in Europe is good, but not a crowning glory. Mile Jedinak is captain of a premier league team. Plenty wouldn't recognise him in the street. Mark Bosnich and Robbie Slater won EPL medals. Both were bit part players at their respective clubs.

Ways to be a legend to the Australian sporting public:

• Successful test cricket captain
• Dominant Ashes Series performance
  
• World Cup winning rugby union captain
• Olympic gold medalist in swimming or athletics
• Be Tim Cahill
• Grand Slam singles title winner
• F1 World Drivers Champion
• Be Wally Lewis or Andrew Johns in Qld/NSW

Cadel Evans should get a lot more kudos in Oz than he does. Winning Le Tour is an incredible achievement.

 

[little graham]

Bollocks, there's no bigger honour in Australian sport than the Division 3 (Sturt zone) Lightning Carnival Premeirship. #peakedat11

Don't disagree, but thread title clearly states prize

 

[Roobs321]

Watching the Tour was a big event in my household growing up, since about 1997/98. Those years that Cadel got close to winning in 2007, 08 & finally winning in 2011 were bedlam in my house. Whole family up all July kind of thing. 2003 was the first tour I reeeally got in to, night to night, still remember Ulrich falling on the last time trial, alas. And the exciting finish to the green jersey for Australians.

I think the recent yellow jersey controversies have dampened the grandeur at times unfortunately. If you look at 1996-2010 as an era, Sastre is the only winner (at the time) who never really tested positive to something or other at one time. Even guys like Zabel in the green jersey, and typically a number of the king of the mountains winners.

But give the Tour 5-10 years to put a lot of that recent history behind it, and it will be back as the greatest annual sporting event. Cadel-Wiggins-Froome has been a good recent era for the sport, and I still like Contador.

 

[coach31]

Watching the Tour was a big event in my household growing up, since about 1997/98. Those years that Cadel got close to winning in 2007, 08 & finally winning in 2011 were bedlam in my house. Whole family up all July kind of thing. 2003 was the first tour I reeeally got in to, night to night, still remember Ulrich falling on the last time trial, alas. And the exciting finish to the green jersey for Australians.

I think the recent yellow jersey controversies have dampened the grandeur at times unfortunately. If you look at 1996-2010 as an era, Sastre is the only winner (at the time) who never really tested positive to something or other at one time. Even guys like Zabel in the green jersey, and typically a number of the king of the mountains winners.

But give the Tour 5-10 years to put a lot of that recent history behind it, and it will be back as the greatest annual sporting event. Cadel-Wiggins-Froome has been a good recent era for the sport, and I still like Contador.

They're all doping. While I accept this and accept that it is and always has been a part of the sport, and in my opinion is completely necessary, the general Australian sporting public wouldn't accept this of for example an Aussie tour winner was caught one day.

 

[BEEG]

Olympic gold in the 100 meter sprint

 

[Hamingja]

Simply playing soccer in Europe is good, but not a crowning glory. Mile Jedinak is captain of a premier league team. Plenty wouldn't recognise him in the street. Mark Bosnich and Robbie Slater won EPL medals. Both were bit part players at their respective clubs.

Ways to be a legend to the Australian sporting public:

• Successful test cricket captain
• Dominant Ashes Series performance
• World Cup winning rugby union captain
• Olympic gold medalist in swimming or athletics
• Be Tim Cahill
• Grand Slam singles title winner
• F1 World Drivers Champion
• Be Wally Lewis or Andrew Johns in Qld/NSW

Cadel Evans should get a lot more kudos in Oz than he does. Winning Le Tour is an incredible achievement.

Cricket would still have the best pull on a national basis.

Then the olympic winners in the "sexy" sports.

Then probably tennis and golf from a worldwide prestige and financial sense.

 

[Plugger35]

The Bermagui Bronze

 

[Demonalke]

The Bermagui Bronze

Come third, like a real australian athlete.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

I'd say winning the Champions League - as a key, starting member of the team, not the third string goalkeeper or something.

Harry Kewell is staggeringly underrated by Australians IMO. What could have been if not for injury... he was right up there.

 

[Stan_Darsh72]

Soccer - Winning the Ballon D'or.
AFL - Becoming a legend in the hall of fame
Cricket - Being Captain/being great.

 

[Starburns_]

Olympic gold in the 100 meter sprint

^^This. Fastest person on earth, and you only get the chance to prove it in such a way once every 4 years, as opposed to the annual events.

 

[BEEG]

^^This. Fastest person on earth, and you only get the chance to prove it in such a way once every 4 years, as opposed to the annual events.

Would be the biggest athlete in the world

 

[Plugger35]

John Eales holding up the Rugby World Cup in 1999.

That flies under the radar in terms of Aussie sporting achievements but that was massive.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Coolest life would be playing soccer probably. The money doesn't matter, but the lifestyle does. No other sport comes with a passport to live and play in any country in the world. You travel all the time, there's attention, it's a good sport, you can party... I look at guys like Craig Johnston and Mark Bosnich – what a life. Playing in some of the best sides of all time for the biggest clubs in the world, Bozza partying like it's going out of style, and the knowledge that you can go and live in Germany or Spain or New York if you're that bored.

I'm not a massive basketball man but I'd nominate someone like Luc Longley. It was before I was really conscious or aware of these things, but to play with one of the greatest sportsman and biggest names ever, in arguably the most famous and fashionable sports teams, winning things... you'd be pretty proud of being a working class Fremantle boy and flying the flag like that.

 

[Silent Alarm]

I'd say winning the Champions League - as a key, starting member of the team, not the third string goalkeeper or something.

Harry Kewell is staggeringly underrated by Australians IMO. What could have been if not for injury... he was right up there.

People forget he was quite literally inferior to no other winger in the world for a bit. And not only that, but he was only 21, 22, 23 at the time. I think Liverpool being more fashionable and successful 20 or 30 years earlier halted his stature, but Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Arsenal... they all really wanted him. But the one that could've made him absolutely massive was Manchester United. Huge club still in the Becks and treble afterglow, winning things, and some bogan from western Sydney's on the team sheet every weekend. It's cool he chose the club he always supported, though. But it's a pity he's such a boring, dumb, uninteresting and banal and fffffffffick person and un-ambassador of the game.