Who has been the best key forward since Carey?

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SouthSwans

Norm Smith Medallist
Mar 29, 2005
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Top 20 since Duck

1 L Franklin
2 M Lloyd

3 N Riewoldt
4 M Richardson
5 W Tredrea
6 B Fevola
7 B Hall
8 M Pavlich

9 J Brown
10 D Neitz
11 D Bradshaw

12 T Walker
13 B Graham
14 F Gehrig
15 J Roughead
16 S Lucas

17 C Cornes
18 A Rocca
19 J Riewoldt
20 T Hawkins
 
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Graham might have had a decent twilight as a forward, but to put him above quality forwards like Lucas, J.Riewoldt, Hawkins, Roughead, etc is just plain stupid.
 

El_Scorcho

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Aug 21, 2007
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06 and before

He only played half the season in 2006 wasn't better than Judd (who at that stage people were talking about in GOAT terms) in any case.

2001-2005 he wasn't even close to the best KPF, with Tredrea, Riewoldt and Pavlich ahead on any measure.

His big years were his AA years, 07 and 09. He might have been around the mark for the best player in the competition in those 2 specific years, but he wasn't better than Ablett.
 
Feb 25, 2013
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He only played half the season in 2006 wasn't better than Judd (who at that stage people were talking about in GOAT terms) in any case.

2001-2005 he wasn't even close to the best KPF, with Tredrea, Riewoldt and Pavlich ahead on any measure.

His big years were his AA years, 07 and 09. He might have been around the mark for the best player in the competition in those 2 specific years, but he wasn't better than Ablett.
I didn't say he was the best KPF before 05, I just answered your question. In 06, up until he got injured, he was the best in the league, he was single handedly winning games for Brisbane, kicking multiple bags of 7-8, and he led the Brownlow at that point.

From 05-10 I would say he was the best KPF in the game over that period. And I would say that the only year in which he clearly got outplayed was 08, by Franklin, Pavlich and possibly Fevola (given the different play style).
 

El_Scorcho

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I didn't say he was the best KPF before 05, I just answered your question. In 06, up until he got injured, he was the best in the league, he was single handedly winning games for Brisbane, kicking multiple bags of 7-8, and he led the Brownlow at that point.

From 05-10 I would say he was the best KPF in the game over that period. And I would say that the only year in which he clearly got outplayed was 08, by Franklin, Pavlich and possibly Fevola (given the different play style).

I'll give him 07 and 09, but he was still well behind Tredrea, Pavlich and Riewoldt in 05 by any measure.

KPF AA guernseys 05-10

4 - Brendan Fevola - 05, 06, 08, 09
4 - Matthew Pavlich - 05, 06, 07, 08
3 - Barry Hall - 05, 06, 10
3 - Nick Reiwoldt - 06, 08, 09
2 - Jonathan Brown - 07, 09
2 - Lance Franklin - 08, 10
1 - Matthew Richardson - 08
1 - Jack Riewoldt - 10

Even if you retrospectively award him a guernsey for 2006 given his pre-injury form, hype >>> output.
 
Feb 25, 2013
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I'll give him 07 and 09, but he was still well behind Tredrea, Pavlich and Riewoldt in 05 by any measure.

KPF AA guernseys 05-10

4 - Brendan Fevola - 05, 06, 08, 09
4 - Matthew Pavlich - 05, 06, 07, 08
3 - Barry Hall - 05, 06, 10
3 - Nick Reiwoldt - 06, 08, 09
2 - Jonathan Brown - 07, 09
2 - Lance Franklin - 08, 10
1 - Matthew Richardson - 08
1 - Jack Riewoldt - 10

Even if you retrospectively award him a guernsey for 2006 given his pre-injury form, hype >>> output.
We all know AA guernseys are dodgy, either way, he was still the premier KPF from 06-10, and the one who other clubs were targeting.

Not many of those other guys have the power and explosiveness to be able to consistently beat double, triple and even at times quadruple teams being thrown their way, Brown is the closest thing we've seen to Carey since, and the best KPF we've seen since, and so in this case hype = output
 

12Chill

Norm Smith Medallist
Jun 13, 2014
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We all know AA guernseys are dodgy, either way, he was still the premier KPF from 06-10, and the one who other clubs were targeting.

Not many of those other guys have the power and explosiveness to be able to consistently beat double, triple and even at times quadruple teams being thrown their way, Brown is the closest thing we've seen to Carey since, and the best KPF we've seen since, and so in this case hype = output

Bigfooty members say every award is dodgy if it doesn't suit their argument, saying that doesn't really help your case...
 

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12Chill

Norm Smith Medallist
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There are head scratchers every year for the AA team

I don't think there was a year where Brown was hard done by. He deserved to be in there in '07 and '09. He kicked over 70 goals in both those seasons.

He also kicked 70 in 2008 and missed out on the AA. That's his next best season where he probably narrowly missed out, but was left out for understandable reasons. Sure, he kicked more goals then Riewoldt but Roo averaged more disposals and led the AFL for marks, tallying over 10 marks a game on 13 occasions, to Brown's 4. Brown was more FF from memory too and Roo was the pure CHF, so he was beaten fairly by Franklin and Fevola who kicked 102 and 99 goals respectively in the regular season, 29 and 31 more then Brown. Just in this case, I don't think we can just hand Brown another guernsey.
 

Zgope1

Norm Smith Medallist
Jul 13, 2012
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Buddy by a mile. Since 2007 he's kicked 60+ every year (only player to do so) and the rest of the comp has played musical chairs trying to get compared to him. Far from a perfect player but easily makes up for what he lacks
 
Feb 25, 2013
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I don't think there was a year where Brown was hard done by. He deserved to be in there in '07 and '09. He kicked over 70 goals in both those seasons.

He also kicked 70 in 2008 and missed out on the AA. That's his next best season where he probably narrowly missed out, but was left out for understandable reasons. Sure, he kicked more goals then Riewoldt but Roo averaged more disposals and led the AFL for marks, tallying over 10 marks a game on 13 occasions, to Brown's 4. Brown was more FF from memory too and Roo was the pure CHF, so he was beaten fairly by Franklin and Fevola who kicked 102 and 99 goals respectively in the regular season, 29 and 31 more then Brown. Just in this case, I don't think we can just hand Brown another guernsey.
You make a good point. As I said earlier, there are different ways of looking at it in terms of CHF vs. FF. Riewoldt is obviously the lead up the ground type, gets a lot of marks up on the wing and even half back in comparison to others.

In the end they are all slightly different players and all play/ed on different teams, so it can be hard to compare greatness, for me it would be between Brown and Riewoldt, but at the end of the day I would still choose Brown
 
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Spitter9

Club Legend
Jul 29, 2012
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Nick riewoldt so far for me. If buddy continues his domination for another 3+ years (which I fully expect him to) then he will take over as number 1 since the king.
 

detox

Premiership Player
Nov 26, 2007
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Top 20 since Duck

1 L Franklin
2 M Lloyd

3 N Riewoldt
4 M Richardson
5 W Tredrea
6 B Fevola
7 B Hall
8 M Pavlich

9 J Brown
10 D Neitz
11 D Bradshaw

12 T Walker
13 B Graham
14 F Gehrig
15 J Roughead
16 S Lucas

17 C Cornes
18 A Rocca
19 J Riewoldt
20 T Hawkins

Swap Roughhead and Walker and you'd be spot on.
 

detox

Premiership Player
Nov 26, 2007
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Hawthorn
Also Riewoldt and Buddy are not hard to split. Buddy has him covered comfortably.

Franklin does his best work in far more damaging spots and wins more matches off his own boot. Also has a superior finals record.
I rate Roo and would have him 3rd, but given the choice of the 2 as kids with the power of hindsight id take Buddy easily.
 

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