Who was the greatest player you ever saw live?

[R_Grunter]

Plugger at Moorabin.
Gaz Senior playing anywhere.

 

[R_Grunter]

For another thread Vossy is the most influential I've seen. Different era where it wasn't just the big mullet up forward bagging ten every week. He shifted the focus of the whole game to control of the midfield and he controlled it better than anyone has since. Had some handy mates to help him out also I guess.
Judd in his prime was one of the best individual players and I think he will be remembered that way as he wasn't really the sort to lift an entire side.

 

[Bokonon]

Russell Ebert.

Gave it to Kernahan, probably club bias. Ebert a great of the game no doubt, and I have seen him play. Craig Bradley not far behind from Port. Just poor choice of club from both IMO.

 

[Rusty Brookes]

Probably the Dominator in terms of actually being able to play to win big games.
In pure talent as a player has to be Gary Ablett.
The first time I ever went to a game not involving my club simply motivated to see another player in person,it was Gary Ablett.
Lokett was not far off in that regards but was purely a full forward only.
In this era it is Cyril Rioli that is almost talented enough to drag me through the gate on his own.
When the Dominaor was gone the next big game player I loved watching in terms of winning big games it was Michael Voss. Of the two hat trick flags I seen, those clubs would not have won three in a row without Voss and Rioli. Genuine superstars of this 21st century of football.

If you're talking under-rated footballers Wayne Johnston is up there for mine. His name doesn't come up that often but he'd be one of the first I'd take into a Grand Final. Easily of the best big game performers ever. Along similar lines, Phil Carmen's name hardly gets mentioned these days. Erratic but his best was off the charts. Ditto Brent Crosswell - terrific player.

Although Cyril isn't quite in the greatest club, I doubt I've had more enjoyment from any other player I've seen during my 36 years of going to the football.

I saw Carey, Williams and Ablett Snr but never managed to see of the one of their games where they totally ripped opposition apart. Scratch, that I well might have been there but have subconsciously hidden away the painful memories.

So I will still go with Matthews as the greatest I saw. I might be biased here but I obviously saw more games where he did dominate or single handedly get the team across the line more than any other player. Ablett Snr was the most freakish and produced the best highlights but Lethal was a relentless, machine.

 

[Thats Wright]

I'd hate to imagine Bruce calling Winstons high marking considering how pedestrian he makes Rioli look. I remember him dominanting on a wing in the first quarter of the 98 GF then he got pushed deep forward for the rest of the match & couldn't get near it. Don't what Pagan was thinking that day. Pity about that knee injury when he was trying to crash into Hird, don't know what he was doing.

Cyril would hardly have been noticed in the 90's when the superstars were bigger freaks- Carey, Ablett, Lockett, Dunstall etc. Abraham would stand out like dogs balls in the current Hawks side. Can't recall his performance in the 98 GF, have never seen the replay and spent the day getting ushered from walkways on the top of the 3rd level without a ticket. Can just remember how windy it was and the umpiring looked disgraceful from up there.

 

[Page8383]

Best def: Andrew McKay
Best mid: Voss
Best forward: Carey
Best overall: Carey just


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[ROOTA#6]

Plugger

 

[ItsOver9000]

Wayne Carey, Gary Ablett snr, Jason Dunstall.
In that order. Honorable mention to Tony modra in that one time i saw him live he kicked 11 i think. Incredible talent in his own right

 

[MitchRobinson12]

Anthony Koutoufides

 

[Wooffa]

Jack Dyer

 

[carnthedons]

Snr, Duck and Sir James. Probably in that order but you can't make a wrong call from those

 

[HolyWars]

Carey, Dunstall, Lockett

 

[marty36]

Carey on of his days where 3 players couldn't stop him

D Jarman and A Jarman because they had no athletic ability but as far as pure football ability they could do anything

If they were half fit and not lard arses they would have been best of all time

 

[Jack Gun Cyril Stun]

Lethal
Plugger
Carey
Ablett

These 4 sit above all others.

Ablett the most gifted, spectacular, freakish with the best highlight reel but not consistent til late.

Lethal and Carey for match winning leadership , important plays/ goals, big finals games and getting teams to premierships.

Plugger of all 4 the most devastating and unstoppableI remember Silvagni doing ok on him and still kicked 10 I think? No one had his measure, just too big and powerful and scared everyone. Lacked discipline and leadership of others.

They're hard to separate.

Prob go Carey/ Lethal bc of impact on team success but that's a subjective measure from a distance.

 

[brutus76]

Saw a lot of games live in the 90's and early 2000's where the only reason we won was HIRDY

 

[Arathrawn]

Im a North member so my bias will always be Duck.

But i remember seeing Plugger a few times and holy hell that guy had an aura about him. Talent and fear are a powerful combination.

 

[Mningasimisonda]

Ablett Snr

 

[yyou]

Stephen Michael, no doubt

 

[Royal Flash]

I saw Wayne Carey in the 1994 Prelim play one of the best individual games I've seen.

I saw Tony Lockett kick 16 straight against a hapless Fitzroy in 1995. He was a monster.

But I saw Gary Ablett Snr kick 14.7 vs Essendon in 1993, tear Collingwood apart in the final quarter in 1989 with 4 fantastic goals and was there in 1989 again when he destroyed Essendon in the prelim.

Those are the 3 standouts for me who were just unbeatable when in that form with Ablett the best by virtue of his combination of skill, strength, speed and sheer brilliance.

I was pretty privlidged to view them in their pomp I reckon.

 

[Holden Hillbilly]

Barry Robran
Russell Ebert

 

[Rimmer]

Gary Ablett senior was in a class of his own.

 

[charcoalchicken]

jack watts
Richard Tambling
Liam jones

 

[dave123]

For a one off game

Judd in Brisbane ..2002

I was visiting relatives in Queensland - saw the game advertised ....wow

5 goals in a half ....how was unstoppable and this was against the best of the modern era ...lions

 

[johndemonic]

The Wiz kicking 10 goals in a half of footy

 

[feffs93]

Zizou.

Maradona