Shaun Rehn if not for injuries could have been one of the greats. Did make All Australian a couple of times early on in his career. I feel he would have had a lot more accolades if not for missing all those games.
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Opinion Which players would have been the best if not for injury?
- Thread starter Cleric
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sante
Emu
Nathan Brown. Looked like he was going to tear the league apart before snapping his leg
He was an Avatar character, looked like a different species!
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Most of the key names for this thread have been listed already.
One who hasn't is Tom Mitchell.
In his first year at a new club at just 23 - he smashed the record for most disposals in a season (averaging 36 a game!), won the club B&F by a mile, was selected at rover in the AA team and finished top 3 in the Brownlow. He had a very rounded game as he averaged over 6 clearances a game and 6.5 tackles a game.
In his 2nd year at his new club (at 24), he went to a whole new level altogether - He set a new all time season disposal record, far exceeding his own, and 120+ disposals clear of 2nd. He posted the 2nd highest clearance season in history (miles ahead of anyone else that season), 2nd most contested possessions, top 5 for tackles, etc, etc. He was hot favourite for and comfortably won the Brownlow, easily won the MVP, scooped basically every media award, easily won the B&F and was selected AA. He also managed to drag a very average Hawthorn side into the top 4 and was clearly the best player in the comp that season.
In fact, in that 2 year period, Mitchell had 3 times as many 50+ disposal games as any other player in history has had in their entire career.
As we all know, he broke clean through both his tibia and fibula bones that off season and was really never the same. Lost all his agility and mobility, his kicking was not the same, etc. He still found a way to be a meaningful contributor but was a shadow of his former self, where he was the game's best player (and improving every year) prior to injury.
If not for injury, I suspect we would be talking about a multiple Brownlow, multiple MVP winning player with 6-7 AA's to his name and debating his place amongst the great midfielders.
One who hasn't is Tom Mitchell.
In his first year at a new club at just 23 - he smashed the record for most disposals in a season (averaging 36 a game!), won the club B&F by a mile, was selected at rover in the AA team and finished top 3 in the Brownlow. He had a very rounded game as he averaged over 6 clearances a game and 6.5 tackles a game.
In his 2nd year at his new club (at 24), he went to a whole new level altogether - He set a new all time season disposal record, far exceeding his own, and 120+ disposals clear of 2nd. He posted the 2nd highest clearance season in history (miles ahead of anyone else that season), 2nd most contested possessions, top 5 for tackles, etc, etc. He was hot favourite for and comfortably won the Brownlow, easily won the MVP, scooped basically every media award, easily won the B&F and was selected AA. He also managed to drag a very average Hawthorn side into the top 4 and was clearly the best player in the comp that season.
In fact, in that 2 year period, Mitchell had 3 times as many 50+ disposal games as any other player in history has had in their entire career.
As we all know, he broke clean through both his tibia and fibula bones that off season and was really never the same. Lost all his agility and mobility, his kicking was not the same, etc. He still found a way to be a meaningful contributor but was a shadow of his former self, where he was the game's best player (and improving every year) prior to injury.
If not for injury, I suspect we would be talking about a multiple Brownlow, multiple MVP winning player with 6-7 AA's to his name and debating his place amongst the great midfielders.
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might as well say liam Jurrah
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Gumbleton as pick 2 in 2006. Peel thunder in the WAFL.
Anthony Morabito was pick 4 in 2009. Peel thunder in the WAFL.
Harley Bennell, Pick 2 in the 2010 draft. Peel thunder.
All 3 blokes had talent, all were taken early , all were from Peel thunder in the wafl, All 3 were wrecked by injuries.
Piggy Smalls
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Justin Longmuir kicked 102 goals as a forward/ruck between 2001 and 2003 before he eventually retired at 26 years old due to knee issues.
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Matthew Richardson, because you're never the same after an acl is what I'm hearing. Imagine he was the same after '95, he kicks more than 91 goals in '96 easy. So that's 800 goals over his career never being the same after '95.
Caleb Marchbank was on track to become a very good footballer at the Giants before injury.
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Hudson in the 1970s with an ACL came back after pretty much 6 years away and kicked 110 goals in a season and then retired.
Literally could have kicked 2,000 goals if not for injury.
Not to mention all the times shit full backs concussed him or straight up knocked him out.
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Depends how you measure it. He averaged an insane amount of goals, but because of injury he played far fewer games than Lockett, Dunstall, Coventry and Buddy and a dozen others who ended up kicking far more goals over their careers.
But he certainly is top of my list in this thread. Every time he played a full season he kicked at least 100 goals. No-one else has ever done that.
- Sep 22, 2011
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Plenty of great modern examples and though he’s been mentioned, the Coleman story is just amazing.
Debuted in 1949. Kicked 12 in Round 1. 100 for the season.
1950 - kicked 120
1951 - kicked 75 in 16 games
1952 - kicked 103
1953 - kicked 97
1954 - kicked 42 in 6 games. Dislocated his knee, never played again. 25yo.
To illustrate it further - he played in an era which was similar to today in terms of individual goalkickers. Between 1941 and 1967, no player kicked 100 goals in a season - except Coleman, who did it 3 times in his first 5 seasons.
It’s the equivalent of a player kicking 12 on debut in Round 1 next year - in this era of goalkickers - then 100 for the season, and repeating that year after year.
No player comes close in the “what if” stakes. If he played a full career he’d be the undisputed GOAT - as it is, many consider him that anyway.
Debuted in 1949. Kicked 12 in Round 1. 100 for the season.
1950 - kicked 120
1951 - kicked 75 in 16 games
1952 - kicked 103
1953 - kicked 97
1954 - kicked 42 in 6 games. Dislocated his knee, never played again. 25yo.
To illustrate it further - he played in an era which was similar to today in terms of individual goalkickers. Between 1941 and 1967, no player kicked 100 goals in a season - except Coleman, who did it 3 times in his first 5 seasons.
It’s the equivalent of a player kicking 12 on debut in Round 1 next year - in this era of goalkickers - then 100 for the season, and repeating that year after year.
No player comes close in the “what if” stakes. If he played a full career he’d be the undisputed GOAT - as it is, many consider him that anyway.
The clear standout for me from that group was Paul Lynch.
Could never, ever, get on the park for long enough. Did briefly in 1997 and looked an absolute star. Probably the worst hamstrings I've seen for a Geelong player.
As much as Stoneham is mentioned, he broke his leg in 1994 - his 9th season of football. He'd already played for a long time and was well established. While a very good player in his prime, he was as good as he was going to get.
From the hawks:
Nick Holland - would've probably been the best chf of his generation if not for knee injuries
Max Bailey - 3 goals (on debut?) Vs north in 1 quarter, covered the ground better than any ruck I've seen. Then the curse of 36 hit
Left field - Robbie Campbell. Was developing into quite the utility in an era where rucks were a bit of an afterthought. Not saying he'd have been the absolute best, bust certainly would've been remembered as a fantastic ruckman
Nick Holland - would've probably been the best chf of his generation if not for knee injuries
Max Bailey - 3 goals (on debut?) Vs north in 1 quarter, covered the ground better than any ruck I've seen. Then the curse of 36 hit
Left field - Robbie Campbell. Was developing into quite the utility in an era where rucks were a bit of an afterthought. Not saying he'd have been the absolute best, bust certainly would've been remembered as a fantastic ruckman
Piggy Smalls
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Michael Barlow's debut season was incredible until he snapped his leg
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Look at Holland's first 2 seasons. Keeps on that trajectory and he's equal with Carey easily
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Coleman is much like Hudson. A career far too short. Anything could have been possible, but ruined by knee injuries.
Lol ok mate.
He kicked 6 goals in total over his first 2 seasons, averaging about 15 disposals and 7 marks a game. He really didn’t get that injured until later in his career.
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- Sep 22, 2011
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I don’t really consider Hudson cut short. 339 senior games (incl rep and state). 2010 goals!!
He’s the greatest goalkicker that’s ever lived, period.
And then they say “lol, he did it in a small state league. Doesn’t count.”
Except he tried the VFL and kicked 727 in 129 games. So yeah, he would’ve kicked them in any league.
Cogs could have won a Brownlow - was an absolute star
Will add in Tony Free - only 133 games in a ten year career and basically finished at age 25
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Not sure about the best, but Trent Hentschel was looking like a very good key forward til a nasty showdown tackle ended his career.
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