Which Ablett is/was better - Gary Ablett Snr or Jnr?

[WCE_phil]

Seniors best football is up there if not the best football of all time.

Ablett's best football for a long time was very consistent and top 2 in the league but his peak performance and impact on games probably isn't the best of all players during his career. Judd 04-06 was on another level and Franklin's peak I think also shades Jnr. Junior will go down as one of the all time greats and one of the all time greatest mids.

His father however made his peers look stupid and had one of the most Amazing stats of all time. He averaged more disposals and more goals away from home than at his home ground. This is a guy who for periods made Lockett and Dunstall look nowhere near him and played on and destroyed some of the games greatest ever defenders. He did it from a wing, HFF and as an undersized FF. He was only 3cm taller than Jnr at 185cm regularly giving up 10cm or close to it against his direct opponent.

 

[Captivating]

Phhht. Say that when they've won more premierships than the Silvagnis.

Not within cooee. An insult to suggest they are.

The question was who is the best player, not who played in the best (or most successful) team. Premierships are irrelevant for this discussion. If they were, then Brent Renouf was a better player than Jim Stynes.

 

[R Chee Manning]

Seniors best football is up there if not the best football of all time.

This is a guy who for periods made Lockett and Dunstall look nowhere near him and played on and destroyed some of the games greatest ever defenders. He did it from a wing, HFF and as an undersized FF. He was only 3cm taller than Jnr at 185cm regularly giving up 10cm or close to it against his direct opponent.

I remember going to the SCG in 1996 to see Plugger v Ablett (Snr).


I'd never seen Ablett play before.

I left wondering what all the hype was about.

Never understood why a 'one-handed drop' was celebrated as a great mark... as seen at the end of this channel 7 promo...

 

[Dr Awkward]

It's crazy that you could make a reasonable argument that the two greatest players of all time are father and son. Or at least 2 of the top 10

 

[Black Stripe]

It's crazy that you could make a reasonable argument that the two greatest players of all time are father and son. Or at least 2 of the top 10

Not only being father and son but sharing the same name too.

 

[My Tilly]

Seniors best football is up there if not the best football of all time.

Ablett's best football for a long time was very consistent and top 2 in the league but his peak performance and impact on games probably isn't the best of all players during his career. Judd 04-06 was on another level and Franklin's peak I think also shades Jnr. Junior will go down as one of the all time greats and one of the all time greatest mids.

His father however made his peers look stupid and had one of the most Amazing stats of all time. He averaged more disposals and more goals away from home than at his home ground. This is a guy who for periods made Lockett and Dunstall look nowhere near him and played on and destroyed some of the games greatest ever defenders. He did it from a wing, HFF and as an undersized FF. He was only 3cm taller than Jnr at 185cm regularly giving up 10cm or close to it against his direct opponent.

I still believe Lockett is somewhat underrated when talking footy.
At his physical peak (1985-1994), one could make a genuine argument he was arguably the best contested mark of the modern era.
I think we tend to remember him at the end of his St Kilda days and then onto Sydney.

Jnr and Snr are wonderful for the brand. Both will be talked about long after we are gone.
Has there ever been a better father/son combination in any sport ever?

 

[Captain_Bender]

I remember going to the SCG in 1996 to see Plugger v Ablett (Snr).


I'd never seen Ablett play before.

I left wondering what all the hype was about.

Never understood why a 'one-handed drop' was celebrated as a great mark... as seen at the end of this channel 7 promo...

a spectacular leap but he didn't take the mark

 

[jackenny]

I remember going to the SCG in 1996 to see Plugger v Ablett (Snr).


I'd never seen Ablett play before.

I left wondering what all the hype was about.

Bit harsh. 1996 was Ablett's last year. It's like watching Adam Goodes in the twilight of his career and wondering how he managed to win multiple brownlows. Mind you, I'd never saw Ablett live so I can't really say how good he was. The best I've ever seen live is Tony Modra. I was pretty young, though. But I have yet to see a player amaze me as much as him.

 

[Wallaby]

I still believe Lockett is somewhat underrated when talking footy.
At his physical peak (1985-1994), one could make a genuine argument he was arguably the best contested mark of the modern era.
I think we tend to remember him at the end of his St Kilda days and then onto Sydney.

Jnr and Snr are wonderful for the brand. Both will be talked about long after we are gone.
Has there ever been a better father/son combination in any sport ever?

I have Snr #1 and Lockett #2. After that - ehhh, take your pick as to which mid you like best (there's a few in the mix).

Ablett Snr was the most skillfull, fastest, strongest, most agile and atletic player I've ever seen. He was a level above anyone else.

Plugger at Full-forward was possibly the best single-position player I have seen. He was a better full-forward than Snr (just). Snr was also in the best Half-forwards of all time, the best ruck-rovers of all time, probably in the conversation for the best winger and half-back of all time.

For other father-sons, Keke and Nico Rosberg were both World Champions in their sports, Cesare and Paolo Maldini captained their sides to win European cups, there have been lots of families win medals at Olympic Fencing (check out Nedo Nadi and his brood). To be honest, the small, niche, wealthy olympic sports (eg equestrian, sailing) have quite a few family generations of medal winners.

want.

 

[PhatBoy]

I have Snr #1 and Lockett #2. After that - ehhh, take your pick as to which mid you like best (there's a few in the mix).

Ablett Snr was the most skillfull, fastest, strongest, most agile and atletic player I've ever seen. He was a level above anyone else.

Plugger at Full-forward was possibly the best single-position player I have seen. He was a better full-forward than Snr (just). Snr was also in the best Half-forwards of all time, the best ruck-rovers of all time, probably in the conversation for the best winger and half-back of all time.

For other father-sons, Keke and Nico Rosberg were both World Champions in their sports, Cesare and Paolo Maldini captained their sides to win European cups, there have been lots of families win medals at Olympic Fencing (check out Nedo Nadi and his brood). To be honest, the small, niche, wealthy olympic sports (eg equestrian, sailing) have quite a few family generations of medal winners.

want.

If it weren’t for apartheid the Pollocks would have a decent claim at it. Peter looked set to become one of the best. He was limited to 28 tests, took nearly 120 wickets at 24 and was only 28 when he played his last match. Shaun was unquestionably one of the best bowling all rounders in cricket history.

Lot of pedigree there. (Admittedly it’s not quite the same as having a father and son within the top 10 players of an entire sport but it’s also a much more global game)

 

[hoianbulldog]

If they were being drafted snr would go before jnr. Great footballer but a dime a dozen in modern days.

 

[SUNS]

I would take Jnr. Nothing against Gaz Senior, but he is 57 years old. Highly unlikely to be be as good as he once was.

 

[jc12]

Seniors best football is up there if not the best football of all time.

Ablett's best football for a long time was very consistent and top 2 in the league but his peak performance and impact on games probably isn't the best of all players during his career. Judd 04-06 was on another level and Franklin's peak I think also shades Jnr. Junior will go down as one of the all time greats and one of the all time greatest mids.

His father however made his peers look stupid and had one of the most Amazing stats of all time. He averaged more disposals and more goals away from home than at his home ground. This is a guy who for periods made Lockett and Dunstall look nowhere near him and played on and destroyed some of the games greatest ever defenders. He did it from a wing, HFF and as an undersized FF. He was only 3cm taller than Jnr at 185cm regularly giving up 10cm or close to it against his direct opponent.

lost you here "but his peak performance and impact on games probably isn't the best of all players during his career. " he is definitely the best player of the last 15 years by a mile, from 2007 - 14 you can argue he was the best player in the league. Not many can have that

 

[4THAWN]

Easy question, keep SnR at hawthorn and not let him go to geelong, enjoy the good times and then get Junior as a father son.

 

[JackFlash]

I remember going to the SCG in 1996 to see Plugger v Ablett (Snr).


I'd never seen Ablett play before.

I left wondering what all the hype was about.

Never understood why a 'one-handed drop' was celebrated as a great mark... as seen at the end of this channel 7 promo...

Ablett snr played in an era where all the games he played in the 1980's were not always televised, he started as a wingman and was the most explosive player the game has ever seen, he only moved to permanent full forward in the early 90's at the age of 30! He then kicked a hundred goals a season three years in a row. if you first saw him in 1996 he was 35 yrs old with a dodgy knee! He took at least 20 or 30 marks better than one against Collingwood. I saw him kick 14 one day in 1989 at the MCG, he had 11 to 3QTR time....he was playing on the wing! They only shifted him to FF to beat Doug Wade's club record of 13....Ablett and Lockett are totally different players.

 

[Damon_3388]

I still believe Lockett is somewhat underrated when talking footy.
At his physical peak (1985-1994), one could make a genuine argument he was arguably the best contested mark of the modern era.
I think we tend to remember him at the end of his St Kilda days and then onto Sydney.

Jnr and Snr are wonderful for the brand. Both will be talked about long after we are gone.
Has there ever been a better father/son combination in any sport ever?

Lockett circa 1991 was as close to unstoppable as a player has ever been. Only injury/suspension could hold him back.

 

[Beer n Skittles]

Ablett Snr was maybe the 3rd or 4th best forward of his generation

 

[EDFL follower]

Lockett circa 1991 was as close to unstoppable as a player has ever been. Only injury/suspension could hold him back.

I thought 88 and 89 was his prime from memory. They thought he could kick 200 in a season! Haven’t looked up stats but memory tells me had 60plus goals after about 8 games and then got either injured or suspended in those years

 

[Damon_3388]

I thought 88 and 89 was his prime from memory. They thought he could kick 200 in a season! Haven’t looked up stats but memory tells me had 60plus goals after about 8 games and then got either injured or suspended in those years

Well, in 1991, he averaged 7.47 goals (career high average, works out to 164 goals in a 22 game season), 10.47 scoring shots (only had 12 kicks for the year that weren't scoring shots), and 8.24 marks per game, over 17 games total. That year, he also managed 14 games of 5+ goals, and 16 Brownlow votes from 16 H&A games, and scored 9.5 from 14 kicks and 11 marks in a final.

 

[M Malice]

 

[PhatBoy]

Ablett Snr was maybe the 3rd or 4th best forward of his generation

Doesn’t change the fact that he was a better footballer than all of them

 

[PhatBoy]

i love it how expressing support for an opinion magically means that you dont actually agree with that opinion, and that a clearly pr driven follow up is more believable

jog on, just not too close to any other men or you may need to repent

I love it how apparently all of that translates to hating gays.

Draw a longer bow.

 

[The wily weagle]

I think Ablett seniors absolute best footy was better then Ablett juniors absolute best footy.

That said, I would take Junior, because for me the difference between his best and worst football was far less then that of his old man.

 

[juddymarvelous]

I'd grab em both. Gablet Jnr in the midfield and Gablet Snr in the forward line.

 

[WCE_phil]

WTF happened here. I didn't start this thread I just responded to the first persons post......