Who was better, Silvangi or Southby?

[Grendel]

While i personally think Jack Reagan should have been named for the full back of the century. The arguments always been that Silvangi isnt even Carltons best full back.

So since the board now has some Blues fans, whats the verdict?

For me, Southby was the better pure full back. Silvangi great though he is, wasnt any better than Langford and couldnt create like Southby did.

Thoughts?

 

[The Dutchman!]

Southby - as FB

But Silvagni for flexibility - CHB, FB & FF.

 

[Shinboners]

For my money, Southby for the reasons that Grendel has outlined above.

 

[JUBJUB]

Jo Silvangi is better than Elouise Southby !!!!!!

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"He is a loathsome offensive brute,yet I can't look away".

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

It's all comes down to your memories of each and obviously SOS is more ingrained on my memory than Southby. Silvagni has always had me in awe. He is so unconventional but so effective. He can punch from behind, run around the player, regather and run on half way down the field. His recovery powers once he hits the ground are second to none. How many times has he smothered the ball of the boot coming from behind a player in front of goal? Absolute freak. He offsets this by having some absolute clangers but the freakish outweighs the shocking by far. He can outmark, outbody, outwrestle most players. He's the rubber man, how the hell he can pull off half the spoils he does bending his body around players in full flight, is a mystery to me. Don't forget the great record he has against the likes of Ablett, Dunstall, Carey and Lockett. He has played in an era where there was an abundance of great full forwards and starred.
He shows those same freakish qualities when he goes forward.

I certainly am not casting doubts on the ability of Geoff Southby. He is a Carlton legend. It's just that SOS is one of those players that the fans go to the football just to watch.

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mens sana in corpore sano - a sound mind in a sound body

 

[Grendel]

While not wanting to get into a slanging match (no im not going to bag SOS or your assesment of him as a player) ODN, i do disagree strongly on one thing.

Ive never EVER gone to the footy to watch a full back play!!!

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Grendel

As a CARLTON fan, I go to watch SOS. He is a legend and one of the true nice guys of our game. Of course, he doesn't have to be a fullback. He can utilise all his freakish skills up forward should the need arise.

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mens sana in corpore sano - a sound mind in a sound body

 

[Peter]

Southby gets my vote. Silvagni is a good player, but If he was penalised for illegal moves he would give away 20 free kicks every game. Southby was a better kick, a better mark, a better......................etc.
The team of the Century was a team of the favourite players of the selectors, who played through the 60 and 70's and watched footy after WW2 as kids, and had favourite players at their clubs after they retired. They then picked players they watched or played with and threw in a couple of present players. A true team of the century would have included the best 21 players to have played, and then have them placed in a position. Who can say that if all players were available you would pick as obscure back pocket player(for example) over a truely talented super player.

 

[Aussie_Roo]

This is a difficult question, you can't compare players of different eras but we do. Given that the game is a lot faster and more skillful than it was in the 60s/70s and that SOS has played against the 3 best full forwards of all time in Ablett / Lockett & Dunstall as well as the best CHF of all time in Carey and beaten all of them at times compared with Southby who would have played against Hudson / Wade / McKenna & Hart, all champion players in their own right. It's SOS by a country mile in my books..

 

[Grendel]

AussieRoo, Hudson,Wade,McKenna and Hart (who more than a few tigers will tell you was the greatest CHF of all time btw, though i dont actually subscribe to that!) were in the seventies at least equal to what the others Dunstall,Carey etc were in the nineties.

Southbys record on those blokes was at least the equal to Silvangi. How can you then say SOS by a country mile?

Anyway thanks for the replys, in particular the Blues fans, ive always been curious where they compare the two.

We get arguments over the same sort of thing at the Hawks with Moore vs Langford too!

Im a Langers man btw

 

[goatmaster]

Don't remember Southby enough to call this one but I am a fan of SOS.
The team of the century should not have included current players as their whole career has not been completed. The ageing champ who struggles on past his best does affect our view of players.
I'm with Grendel on Moore v Langford too

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Goatmaster
the prime minister of the principality of Mooball

 

[Aussie_Roo]

Grendal,

It is always difficult to compare players from different eras. The game is a lot quicker and more skillful these days than it was 20 -30 years ago, which was the basis that I believe that SOS is far more the better full back.

On another issue, who was the better full forward - Hudson or Dunstall ??

 

[Grendel]

Aussie_Roo, it wasnt so much you naming SOS the better player, more the statement that he was a 'country mile' ahead that was a bit perplexing. It sort of said, to me at least, that you didnt rate Southby at all.

On the Dunstall,Huddo well i was only 12 when he last played (Huddo that is) in 77. But in discussions with older Hawks fans (and theres been a few, discussions that is) Hudson wins on talent and freakishness, Bung on work ethic and team play.

Im just glad they both played for us!