SydneyMalakellis
Senior List
Thanks. I'm glad I left such a mark on so many clearly drug affected people.Spiro Malakellis - always seemed to plug many holes
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Thanks. I'm glad I left such a mark on so many clearly drug affected people.Spiro Malakellis - always seemed to plug many holes
Your Parko avatar makes me feel we are talking to a much older poster.From our recent era it's hard to go past Jimmy, probably cost him higher accolades by being a bit of a Mr Fix It at times
Ablett Snr of course but I'm a bit young and only really remember him out of the goal square
You don't rate Ablett's versatility?I dont know if Geelongs really had one
The 2 i can think of from other clubs
(1) Brent Crosswell - he could play FB CHB CHF FF - in the centre - in fact he could basically play every position bar the ruck.
(2) In the modern era - Brad Johnson - i will never forget in a game against Geelong - he was moved everywhere( it was brilliant coaching by Eade) full forward one minute - then he was on the backline - then he went in the centre - and he was playing superbly - that guy is seriously underated
Stoneham could play anywhere and what if he didn't break his leg....who knows?Gary Ablett Snr? Could play wing, HFF, full forward.
Harry Taylor? Can play CHB, HB, and forward
Jimmy Bartel? Can play midfield, HBF, HFF, Can do anything IMO!!
Stevie Johnson? Can play midfield and forward
Brad Ottens? Supposedly recruited by Geelong ad KPF, but will go down as one of our best ruckmen
Mick Turner? Was one of Geelong's greatest wingmen, but finished his days a CHF / HFF
Over to you
Kenny Hinkley was brilliant, played back, wing or forward kind of like Paul Roos did throughout his career.
James Kelly is probably the best I've seen from the modern era. Utility by trade, stints across the back flank and midfield. A much more natural defender than what Bartel was when he played there and just as brilliant in the midfield. Very good near the goals as well, rarely loses his feet and super strong through the core.
did you ever see Denis Marshall play?
As much as I admire Jimmy Bartel and Barry Stoneham, I still think Gary Ablett Senior was THE man. He excelled in a number of positions.
In his first game for Geelong he played on the wing, as I recall, and was BOG.
I recall him playing CHF in a state of origin match against WA in which he kicked 5 or 6 goals and if the football world did not know who he was before that game they did by the end of it.
I recall another game in the mid 80's, I think, when Ablett played in the centre against Richmond. I think Turner was captain and Geelong was getting toweled. Turner said something to Ablett along the lines "do your magic, Gary". Next thing Ablett grabbed the ball out of the middle, bounced the ball once or twice and drove home a long bomb goal.
Of course, Ablett's feats on the HFF and FF are legendary.
In the 89 GF he showed he could ruck too!! Remember he went up in the ruck in the forward pocket, grabbed the ball and dropped it onto his boot for a 6 pointer!!
The only thing Ablett could NOT do was play south of the centre. His defensive skills were non-existent.
Goodes getting 28 touches isn't destroyed I don't think. Max did get 3 votes. Goodes only got 1 vote...Max rooke. Great tagger in his early days remember a game against sydney where he destroyed adam goodes in one game. Max got 3 brownlow votes for it and yet somehow goodes managed to get 2. Goodes won his second brownlow that year I think. Could play off the half back line as well as a half forward.
Other then that jimmy bartel easily would have won another brownlow at least if he wasnt so versatile and had been left in the midfield.
Dasher milburn as well could play anywhere and do it well. Same with cam mooney in his early days.
(To young to have seen Stoneham but from what I have seen could play any position well.)
did you ever see Denis Marshall play?
Dasher milburn as well could play anywhere and do it well.
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One of those 'once in a generation' natural talents. Best player I've ever seen, let alone most versatile.Thanks for reminding me about Ablett's abilities as a defender. I had'nt remembered that. He was just a freak!!
Brilliant aerial shots CC and interesting historical facts, thanks.I never saw him play, waaaay before my time, but I always liked the stories around Les Hardiman.
A 2-time Premiership winner with the Cats, he also won a B&F and was selected to play for Victoria 5 times.
Hardiman could apparently play just about anywhere, had a run in all the key positions and had a special liking for the half forward flank - the greatest testimony to his versatility came from Reg Hickey, who credited Hardiman's efforts in moving from full-forward to centre half-back to quell a dominant Ron Todd as one of the main reasons the Cats were able to overcome a 3-goal quarter time deficit to win the 1937 GF ..
Think you missed a couple of talents there, gymnast and clown.Jacko was pretty versatile... footballer, singer, actor, boxer, writer...
I was at that game it was fantastic, Locket finished with 9 and Billy got 8, fantastic game, the best final I have ever been to and one of the best I have seen (meaning includes TV). Barry was fantastic, he was the Saints nemesis as he would often be switched to CHB on Loewe and that would put Stewie out of the game.Remember he played the last quarter and a half on Lockett in 91 after he'd kicked 8 on Rogers and Spencer in the 91 EF.
So versatile he even ended up playing for another club.God. Tough question.
Colbert maybe.