Opinion Who is your club's best defender of the 21st century?

[Forward Press]

Id say Justin Leppitsch for Brisbane

He developed Rance, Grimes and Astbury and has netted 6 premierships in the process.

Above Scarlett and Rance good old Leppa, great forward too

Completely unsurprising that another Richmond poster turns a good thread into a 'look how great Richmond is' thread.

 

[BronCrow]

No.

He would have won more AAs than Rance and Scarlett had he stayed on the park.

Ahead of Rutten, Talia, Glass, Thompson, Gibson or Lake?

These players were all as good as McPharlin. I would not consider any of them to be as good as Rance or Scarlett.

That is no knock on Luke McPharlin by the way, who was a fine player in his own right.




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[CakeEater]

Ahead of Rutten, Talia, Glass, Thompson, Gibson or Lake?

These players were all as good as McPharlin. I would not consider any of them to be as good as Rance or Scarlett.

That is no knock on Luke McPharlin by the way, who was a fine player in his own right.




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They were all fine players you've listed but Luke Mc was a better player than all of them.

As for Luke Mc- Clarkson won the 13 gf by using Buddy as a decoy on Mcpharlin

However Rance never beat opponents 1 on 1- he was a handy player in Richmonds system.

Before the Richmond fans savage me, consider the following- they won the flag this year with inferior players in their backline. Therefore Richmonds system makes all of their players look better.

As for Scarlett- he was a great player, just think Luke Mc had him covered.

 

[BronCrow]

They were all fine players you've listed but Luke Mc was a better player than all of them.

As for Luke Mc- Clarkson won the 13 gf by using Buddy as a decoy on Mcpharlin

However Rance never beat opponents 1 on 1- he was a handy player in Richmonds system.

Before the Richmond fans savage me, consider the following- they won the flag this year with inferior players in their backline. Therefore Richmonds system makes all of their players look better.

As for Scarlett- he was a great player, just think Luke Mc had him covered.

I would be interested to know if other Freo fans feel the same way.

I think you would find it isn’t just Richmond fans that would savage you.


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[Sttew]

Was the cornerstone of a triple premiership winning defence, moved onto coaching where he developed another triple premiership winning defence - could play forward.

I am entitled to my opinion, im sorry one human doesn't agree that Scarlett is the greatest of all time in the history of everything. Without Leppa, no Rance and arguably no Grimes aswell for Richmond. I rate players not just on their games, on their overall contribution. Richmond's defence doesn't exist with Justin Leppitsch.

You know - that defence that kept Geelong (50), Port (46), St Kilda (49) and Brisbane (69) in the most recent finals series, stopping your side from winning 3 premierships and keeping them to one goal by 3QT in their last H & A meeting.

Thats Justin Leppitsch, very underrated all round.

On your LOL bizarre logic, Tigers are finished with Leppitsch gone.

BTW, Lloyd kicked 5 goals on your man in the 2001 GF

 

[melbournemartin]

Let's rank the top 18 defenders of the 21st Century (so far):

1. Scarlett
2. Rance
3. Fletcher
4. McLeod
5. Lake
6. Gibson
7. Leppitsch
8. McGovern
9. Fisher
10. McPharlin
11. Clement
12. Bolton
13. Davis
14. Tarrant
15. Frawley
16. Wakelin
17. Simpson
18. May

Interesting list. Seems a bit too tall? On the other hand, it's hard to put guys like McLeod in. He's a star player, but is he really a defender? By the same token, where is Luke Hodge?

 

[Forward Press]

Interesting list. Seems a bit too tall? On the other hand, it's hard to put guys like McLeod in. He's a star player, but is he really a defender? By the same token, where is Luke Hodge?

The list is of the top 18 defenders in his opinion, with one from each club. Hence Gibson over Hodge.

 

[kid_a]

Did you consider Jakovich or McIntosh?


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Both were well passed their prime and only have a limited sample size in the 21st century.

If I was considering their entire careers though they'd both be right up there.

 

[windyhill]

Fletch was pretty good. B & F in a dominant premiership year, handy.

 

[Scotland]

Fletch was pretty good. B & F in a dominant premiership year, handy.

Played 1993-2015.

Is he the best Essendon defender of the 90s and the 2000s? He wouldn't be for the 2010s, but for the 21st century definitely.

 

[windyhill]

Played 1993-2015.

Is he the best Essendon defender of the 90s and the 2000s? He wouldn't be for the 2010s, but for the 21st century definitely.

Wanganeen worth a shout, flag and Brownlow in the same year. Solomon underrated.

 

[Richo83]

They were all fine players you've listed but Luke Mc was a better player than all of them.

As for Luke Mc- Clarkson won the 13 gf by using Buddy as a decoy on Mcpharlin

However Rance never beat opponents 1 on 1- he was a handy player in Richmonds system.

Before the Richmond fans savage me, consider the following- they won the flag this year with inferior players in their backline. Therefore Richmonds system makes all of their players look better.

As for Scarlett- he was a great player, just think Luke Mc had him covered.

I'll leave Rance for the neutrals, Scarlett? Really tough to beat one-on-one and was incredibly skillful in getting involved in the play. McPharlin played 256 games, maybe he just wasn't as good as Matthew.

 

[Tzatziki_Man]

They were all fine players you've listed but Luke Mc was a better player than all of them.

As for Luke Mc- Clarkson won the 13 gf by using Buddy as a decoy on Mcpharlin

However Rance never beat opponents 1 on 1- he was a handy player in Richmonds system.

Before the Richmond fans savage me, consider the following- they won the flag this year with inferior players in their backline. Therefore Richmonds system makes all of their players look better.

As for Scarlett- he was a great player, just think Luke Mc had him covered.

Jesus Christ

Is today Australia Day, or April Fools Day. What did I just read

 

[Brick Loosener]

Alex Rance for us

Relton Roberts. Never saw an oppo forward sneak a snag past him.

 

[BronCrow]

Relton Roberts. Never saw an oppo forward sneak a snag past him.

Never got the chocolates over him either I assume


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[Brick Loosener]

Never got the chocolates over him either I assume


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Correct.

 

[juss]

Gibbo or Lake or Hodge or Mitchell. Depending on what role you have in mind for the "defender".

All 4 are outright champions. Each were the best of their time in their role.

Mitchell would not be classed as a defender despite spending some time there. He's a midfielder. Hodge has played enough there to be a defender.

Its probably a Lake/Gibson raffle based on the true defensive KPD games of those two.

 

[HairyO]

Mitchell would not be classed as a defender despite spending some time there. He's a midfielder. Hodge has played enough there to be a defender.

Its probably a Lake/Gibson raffle based on the true defensive KPD games of those two.

Mitchell spent half a dozen years playing off half back.

Lake and Gibbo were an awesome pair. Lake coming in allowed Gibbo to play his best position to perfection. 2 x B and F in Premiership years.

Lake a Norm Smith in his 1st year at Hawthorn.

 

[melbournemartin]

The list is of the top 18 defenders in his opinion, with one from each club. Hence Gibson over Hodge.

Missed the one per club, thanks!

 

[footyfan1978]

We been so s**t in this period, the question has no meaning to me right now.

 

[Tiger_man322]

Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls

Jarrad...

Age

36

Ht

188cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.6

2star

K

5.5

2star

HB

2.1

2star

M

4.7

4star

T

1.2

3star

No current season stats available

D

5.2

2star

K

4.4

2star

HB

0.8

1star

M

3.0

3star

T

0.8

3star

. 13 game superstar

 

[PhatBoy]

Let's rank the top 18 defenders of the 21st Century (so far):

1. Scarlett
2. Rance
3. Fletcher
4. McLeod
5. Lake
6. Gibson
7. Leppitsch
8. McGovern
9. Fisher
10. McPharlin
11. Clement
12. Bolton
13. Davis
14. Tarrant
15. Frawley
16. Wakelin
17. Simpson
18. May

Enright is behind all them?

 

[PhatBoy]

Can only have one defender from each team

Ahhh. Disregard my previous comment

 

[Sttew]

Another take...

The 15 best AFL defenders of the century

We've ranked the best backmen since 2000👇

www.zerohanger.com

 

[aussierulesrules]

Back 6 (can't have more than one for each club):

Johnson Scarlett Fletcher
McLeod Lake Fisher

I have no doubt that Fish could or would have made multiple AA teams had we been able to free him up to play that Enright-type intercepting/rebounding HBF role more often.

As it was we generally needed him to play CHB during his prime, and we also had Goddard and pre-injuries/schoolgirl saga Gilbert, who excelled in that HBF role as well, so we weren't able to free him up into that role he was so dominant in very much.

The best example of which was his 42 disposal, 16 mark final against Collingwood in 2009, which is the 2nd most disposals ever recorded in a final.