Worst player to win a Norm Smith

[pharro]

Get over it and stick to the thread, Buckley was voted best on ground because he was. Stop the Buckley bashing and watch the game properly. Buckley was the dominant player over 4 quarters not just one.

3 1/2 quarters.

 

[pharro]

I think Harmes only had 14 possessions or something and WJ had about 30 and was totally dominant. Harmes completed that amazing bit of play mid way through the last term that resulted in Sheldon kicking a goal, and I think he basically won it because of that.

Dominator totally robbed.

Shannon Grant is another who is not among the absolute elite (well wasn't at the time), although he has made more of a name for himself now. Still not the type of player you'd expect to be B.O.G in the biggest game of the year. Bit like Scotty Cummings winning the Coleman that year. Cummings a Coleman medallist? It happened.

Adelaide people will go ballistic over this but Shagger was probably about as elite as McLeod when he won his first Normie. Remember that Grant was a huge trade week story when he was swapped with Schwass. He was very much expected to be a top player and had played in two losing grand finals going in to that game.

 

[pharro]

Troll.

Says the clown who called Paul Dear a nondescript hack. After confusing him with his brother. Not a red letter day for you Angry Dragon.

 

[pharro]

I'll try a list from worst to best. This is not a list of the worst "performances" on GF day, just the least renowned players to have won one.

1. Paul Dear
2. Colin Robertson
3. Bill Duckworth
4. Shaun Hart
5. Andrew Embley
6. Shannon Grant
7. Byron Pickett
8. Maurice Rioli
9. David Rhys-Jones
10.Wayne Harmes
11.Michael Long
12.Tony Shaw
13.Glenn Archer
14.Dean Kemp
15.Peter Matera
16.Simon Black
17.Andrew McLeod
18.Simon Madden
19.Gary Ayres
20.Bruce Doull
21.Kevin Bartlett
22.Nathan Buckley
23.James Hird
24.Gary Ablett
25.Greg Williams
26.Chris Judd

One thing about that list... what a fantastic group of footballers, and that this thread is incredibly disrespectful.

 

[imright]

And still the massive over-rating continues...
Judd is well behind a number of those footballers, right now, and will finish his career behind a good few of them too.

You must be so relieved then that Hawthorn chose Hodge instead of that "massively overrated" Judd, right?

 

[Dan26]

And still the massive over-rating continues...

Judd is well behind a number of those footballers, right now, and will finish his career behind a good few of them too.

IMO, Robertson is the weakest footballer to have won one, with Duckworth & Dear close behind.

Williams & Ablett can slug it out for the best, with Madden, Hird & Buckley hot on their heels.

It's all a matter of opinion.

I rate Judd unbelievably highy. He has already won everything there is to win:

- Brownlow medal
- rookie of the year
- Norm Smith medal for tbest player in the biggest game.
- Captain of a premiership team.

He is an all-time great right now, in my view. He has already done it all except for the longevity, which (injury permitting) will come.

 

[trunks]

Posted by Dan26

I rate Judd unbelievably highy. He has already won everything there is to win:

- Brownlow medal
- rookie of the year
- Norm Smith medal for tbest player in the biggest game.
- Captain of a premiership team.



I'm not disputing anything you say about how good judd is but he never won rookie of the year if your refering to the NAB rising star

 

[OneEyedHawk]

Paul Dear, whilst an average footballer, deserved it that day in 91.

Was one of those years when the stars were aligned for the Hawks. Steve Lawrence, Paul Hudson, Paul Dear.. How on earth did we win the flag.....

The 91 side was by far the weakest premiership side the Hawks had. IMO the young eagles were overawed on the day, and basically choked.

Don't know so much that they were overawed and/or choked, I think the Hawks were just too seasoned and experienced in finals footy for them. No doubting the Eagles were the best team during the H&A season, we comprehensively had their measure during September though.

Can see why Dear's name has been prominent this thread. Definately a no-name player, however his entire '91 season, not just GF day, was awesome. Same with Steve Lawrence, though neither of them got a kick afterwards.

 

[Dan26]

Posted by Dan26

I rate Judd unbelievably highy. He has already won everything there is to win:

- Brownlow medal
- rookie of the year
- Norm Smith medal for tbest player in the biggest game.
- Captain of a premiership team.



I'm not disputing anything you say about how good judd is but he never won rookie of the year if your refering to the NAB rising star

You're right, I thought he had, but it was only because Riewoldt won it in 2002 in a year when he wasnt even a rookie. Otherwise Judd would have won it given that Judd was, of course, a rookie.

 

[grantyc77]

Adelaide people will go ballistic over this but Shagger was probably about as elite as McLeod when he won his first Normie. Remember that Grant was a huge trade week story when he was swapped with Schwass. He was very much expected to be a top player and had played in two losing grand finals going in to that game.

Well said mate,i agree , his 28 and played 260 games, i believe he is up there as an elite player. At the time he wasnt, but he was an up and comer. Still the only player in history to have a sign on fee for the draft.

 

[TheGhostOfJohnBelushi]

Was it Grant who won it in 1999? Seeing as it takes effort to even remember that, he gets my vote.

 

[goneloco62]

Get over it and stick to the thread, Buckley was voted best on ground because he was. Stop the Buckley bashing and watch the game properly. Buckley was the dominant player over 4 quarters not just one.

actually the medal votes are passed in by the selected jugdes at 3/4 time so it does not matter how well you play in the 4th cuase its too last to impress!

 

[jacko57]

Troll.

Hey, Tony Shaw wasn't the best-looking player out there, but it's a bit rough to call him a troll !

 

[SweetLeftFoot]

Shannon Grant is another who is not among the absolute elite (well wasn't at the time), although he has made more of a name for himself now.

Riiiight ...

 

[SweetLeftFoot]

Adelaide people will go ballistic over this but Shagger was probably about as elite as McLeod when he won his first Normie. Remember that Grant was a huge trade week story when he was swapped with Schwass. He was very much expected to be a top player and had played in two losing grand finals going in to that game.

Exactly. And Shagger is a top 3 draft picks to be a ten year plus player where every year, excepting perhaps his first at Sydney, he's been in the top 20 per cent of the AFL without fail.

Its because he's not a run all day midfielder, or a key forward that the teenage simpletons who dominate this board don't rate him. yet he has, and will again, win games off his own boot.

Its much like music. He may not have sold millions of albums like Justin Timberlake, but he has produced some finely crafted, well known and loved by the cognoscenti, masterpieces on the bespoke label that is Kangaroo Records.

 

[SweetLeftFoot]

Was it Grant who won it in 1999? Seeing as it takes effort to even remember that, he gets my vote.

This is because, jusging by your profile, you were probably only two years old in 1999 and had to go naptimes in the afternoon.

 

[Dan26]

Riiiight ...

You cannot be serious?

Grant is a very good player, but have a look at the other on the Norm Smith list. He has to be towards the lower end of the list simply due to the talent of the other players.

Most of the others are Brownlow medal quality type players (even if they didn't win one) and as good as S.Grant is, he is obviosuly not in that category.

 

[King Kieran]

Shaw for me.

 

[gandaal]

shaun hart....courageous but thats about it

In recent memory

 

[pazza]

Robertson. The only bloke to win a Norm Smith after decking a bloke (watson) and getting away with it.

 

[sarbbo]

One thing about that list... what a fantastic group of footballers, and that this thread is incredibly disrespectful.

Agree 100%. There have been no dud norm smith medallists.

 

[sarbbo]

You're right, I thought he had, but it was only because Riewoldt won it in 2002 in a year when he wasnt even a rookie. Otherwise Judd would have won it given that Judd was, of course, a rookie.

According to your theory Simon Black should be right up there with Judd or even better - he has won everything worth winning. Three premierships, norm smith medallist, brownlow, all australian.

 

[MadMaxx]

actually the medal votes are passed in by the selected jugdes at 3/4 time so it does not matter how well you play in the 4th cuase its too last to impress!

Exactly why Jarman didnt win in 97.

 

[andypie]

I'm not talking about least deserving or "such and such because player X played better and deserved it more".

I'm talking about which player who usually quite ******** won the norm smith? Doesn't matter if he played the game of his life and deserved it (I don't recall ever being shocked at any Norm Smith decisions).

Usually it's only the top line players who BOG in the big one. Who pulled a game out of their arse?

Probably Greg Dear for me.

rhys jones.
did nothing more than beat a half fit dermott brereton. not a dud by any stretch, was a good player but i much rather prefer to see attacking players win it.

 

[danielcan]

This thread and the discussion is very unfair.

The awarding of the Norm Smith medal is based on the opinions of an independent panel of football experts.

If anybody disagrees with a player being awarded the medal, criticism should be directed at that panel of experts.

There is no such thing as a "worst player" as getting to a grand final is already a major achievement... it is far better to express in terms of "which player should not have been awarded a Norm Smith medal".