Your Top Ten Crows Players Of All Time.

[Bovo]

There's a few others with fairly decent AFL records. Craig Bradley and Stephen Kernahan spring quickly to mind.

And lets clarify best SA AFL player, not greatest SA player ever! Not talking about players such as Barry Robran or Peter Carey etc.

 

[Bovo]

Platten would match the Roo as well.

You think? I would not have thought so, but each to their own.

 

[Slippery Pete]

And lets clarify best SA AFL player, not greatest SA player ever! Not talking about players such as Barry Robran or Peter Carey etc.

Of course. But he'd give the other group a nudge too.

The quality of football that Roo played from 03-05 was the highest standard of football that's ever been played at our club. He was truly phenomenal in that period.

 

[afc1991]

Of course. But he'd give the other group a nudge too.

The quality of football that Roo played from 03-05 was the highest standard of football that's ever been played at our club. He was truly phenomenal in that period.

Dont often, but I agree here. Loved his 05 season in particular. So often we'd be on top yet couldnt buy a goal. At some point it was like he said to himself "eff this" jamed it on the boot from a long long way out... drought broken.

He put the side on his back week in week out.

 

[alex_is_on_fire]

You think? I would not have thought so, but each to their own.

Margery Medal, Brownlow Medal, a handful of premierships and All Australian Jumpers. I'd say, yeah he does.

 

[Bovo]

Margery Medal, Brownlow Medal, a handful of premierships and All Australian Jumpers. I'd say, yeah he does.

You may well have a very valid point!!!! Talking about all this makes me miss State of Origin....the only time I ever cheered him on

 

[Slippery Pete]

Margery Medal, Brownlow Medal, a handful of premierships and All Australian Jumpers. I'd say, yeah he does.

Wasn't as influential as Roo on his best day and Roo's worst.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

I liked your interpretation and on thatbasis generally agree with the list. e.g. rocket maynard was huge for us early on... also played the first 50odd games without a miss iirc. Though if you slip Lee in there Id make a case for jammo. Was a focal point early then went back. Was a mr fix it type, very important for us back then.

Jamo lost currency after putting his hand up to play in 1997 GF and claiming that his hammie was 100% then breaking down in the first quarter.

Fair to say that Blight was a little disappointed in him! Barely played another game.

But agree that Jameson was gold in the early days, forward or back.

Actually that holding the ball decision + goal against Fitzroy in 1991 probably indirectly cost us the 1993 flag, given that the umpires were trying to make up for it for the next five years. So I guess he did have a major impact!

 

[Coopers]

Not enough Tony Hall's in here. Im the only one so far. Injury ruined a brilliant footballers career. Was all class.

Well, while we're at it, we may as well put Fitzy on the list.

 

[jenny61_99]

Whoever put Scott Hodges in was taking the urine, surely.

And Spackler, your list was more head scratching than a night in El Paso.

Also - not that he's close to being in the top ten, but I think Robran's contribution in the premiership years is always underrated. He massively straightened us up and faciliated Blight's direct gameplan.

My comment re the "almost" was how I remember Matty. How many times did you hear Dennis Cometti say these words "ROBRAN"... immediately followed by a dejected "almost". My recollection of Robran is that when the going got tough, he found it hard to get going. But he was absolutely brilliant when there was little or no pressure. Top bloke though.

 

[afc1991]

Jamo lost currency after putting his hand up to play in 1997 GF and claiming that his hammie was 100% then breaking down in the first quarter.

Fair to say that Blight was a little disappointed in him! Barely played another game.

But agree that Jameson was gold in the early days, forward or back.

Actually that holding the ball decision + goal against Fitzroy in 1991 probably indirectly cost us the 1993 flag, given that the umpires were trying to make up for it for the next five years. So I guess he did have a major impact!

Probably.

Still the only crow to win a game after the siren, and didnt he go the drop kick in his last game?

 

[VSTone]

D Jarman
M Ruccuito
A Modra
A McLeod
S Rehn
S Goodwin
T Edwards
K Johnson
N Smart
S Thompson...

I'll take these for my lunch time team...

 

[Crow-mo]

using that Criteria

1. McLeod - our greatest, transcendent player who made the entire league swoon.
2. Modra - a man who made us relevant.
3. Jarman - premiership hero
4. Smart - King Canute held back the tide in the first few years. massively underrated
5. Ricciuto - a bull in a china shop. tough player, who helped turn around our repuation
6. Rehn - one of the, if not the great ruckman of the modern era - at his best anyhow.
7. Mcguinness - a guy who came to play every week, in the early years. fighting the good fight back when it was tough
8. Goodwin - an all round great player, but who didn't stamp much personality on the club.
9. Hart - another great player, but a fairly blank slate in this criteria
10. Mark Stevens - the guy who stood up in the Blight/Ayres years, and showed you could transition from an ok player, to one of the best KPP in the league. all heart, and epitomises his era.

 

[Crow-mo]

Matt Robran, first CHF we had that straightened us coming into the forward line should be in contention somewhere.

Robran wasn't a straightening target. the first guy who actually did that, held his ground and fought the true chf was mark stevens

 

[Crow-mo]

Also - not that he's close to being in the top ten, but I think Robran's contribution in the premiership years is always underrated. He massively straightened us up and faciliated Blight's direct gameplan.

Robran was a CHF who ran and ran, but didn't make great position. he'd go up the ground, onto the wings, across the flanks wherever. he had amazing skills, and soft hands - but he wasn't a target man.

unless he was playing on Rohan Smith, and then that's different

 

[Crow-mo]

Not enough Tony Hall's in here. Im the only one so far. Injury ruined a brilliant footballers career. Was all class.

tony hall played 17 games for the club, all of them on one leg.

he was a great player pre-1989 knee injury but he's a trivia question for the crows.

 

[Crow-mo]

You think? I would not have thought so, but each to their own.

Platten arguably exceeds him, its lunacy to suggest he can't compare.

 

[Slippery Pete]

Robran was a CHF who ran and ran, but didn't make great position. he'd go up the ground, onto the wings, across the flanks wherever. he had amazing skills, and soft hands - but he wasn't a target man.

I'll tell you why I think he straightened us up, and it had little to do with being a target man. He possessed something very few of our players before or since have possessed - the ability to kick goals from well outside 50. This meant he didn't have to be close to goal to be a dangerous scoring option, and it also meant he provided the perfect foil for the more dominant forward closer to goal (in 97 it was Modra, in 98 Jarman and co.).

His performance in the 1998 preliminary final was one for the ages.

 

[VSTone]

the stuff dreams are made of

[youtube]SmbBCGm45gs&feature=related[/youtube]

[youtube]_iXNd4EE6_Y&NR=1[/youtube]

 

[Butts_JZZ30]

1. Ricciuto - A superb all round footballer. People always took about his physical toughness and attack on the ball, but he was also an exceptionally skilled player who rarely missed a target and always kicked the goals when they counted. I firmly believe he could of been one of the best FF's in the AFL if he played there permanently. Fast, strong, good straight long kick, and very underated part of his game, a fantastic pair of hands.

2. McLeod - Arguably the best ever aboriginal player and probably the finest midfielder never to win a brownlow. Amazing he was able to play as long as he did considering how gone his knees were. Changed the way the game was played. I used to sit on the wing in awe of his ability. I particularly liked the way the Crows would fumble with the ball spilling out one pressure handball to another player under pressure when suddenly McLeod would get the ball and the situation would change, calmly he would nail a target and the crows would attack again.

3. D.Jarman - Probably the most naturally gifted player and skillful I've seen. He basically provided the xfactor that every Premiership team needs. He stepped up and performed for us in several crucial games, where his clinical finishing proved the difference. Put simply, without bringing him back from Vic we wouldnt have 2 flags.

4. Modra- As a kid, Modra was the man. He was all that was talked about at school, I remember watching Crows games, I basically went to watch Modra. At that age I was more obsessed with his freaky marks and sneaky goals, but he really was the perfect FF. He could take a huge grab and create goals from nothing, but he also had a very accurate if not long kick and was a superb leader and marker.

5. Rehn - Once again growing up I was a huge fan of his (I used to play ruck before everyone caught up with me). He was the best ruckman in an era when the ruckman was dominant. Having a good ruckman and we had one of the best. He was passionate and did well to recover from serious injuries.

6. Hart - Performed at a consistently excellent level for a long period of time, always calm and composed in the back half and rarely beaten. Also a popular figure who never set a foot wrong.

7. S. Goodwin - Provided the young exciting spark to our prem winning teams. A very very good player, long penetrating kick, hard as nails and a big game performer, exactly what we needed. Very well respected within the AFL and for good reason. He was a fantastic player in an era where I feel we certainly could of bottomed out. Along with Roo, McLeod and Edwards ensured we were a regular in the finals.

8. Bickley - A good, tough, inside midfielder. Wouldn't make the list if not for his superb leadership. A fine captain and a perfect choice. Did a fine job and will always be remember as a dual premiership captain.

9. Edwards - A fantastic player who probably has been overshadowed. A very skillful and consistent player, could play forward, back or midfield. A very solid character which all football clubs need. Basically never played a bad game.

10. Smart - A very versatile footballer and underated for his actual ability. A character as well which are always helpful around football clubs at any level. Fast and could take a big grab and a long kicking damaging player.

My dark horse selection.

11. Peter Caven - A very very good CHB. Was a very important acquisition for the crows and one of our finest trade deals. I recall John Reid I think saying that he was the best trade deal the crows have ever made. He was a fantastic addition to the crows and was solid defensively and provided some great defensive rebound. Also did the job on Carey in the 98 GF.

 

[Crow-mo]

I'll tell you why I think he straightened us up, and it had little to do with being a target man. He possessed something very few of our players before or since have possessed - the ability to kick goals from well outside 50. This meant he didn't have to be close to goal to be a dangerous scoring option, and it also meant he provided the perfect foil for the more dominant forward closer to goal (in 97 it was Modra, in 98 Jarman and co.).

His performance in the 1998 preliminary final was one for the ages.

none of that straightens us up.

by all means argue his performances, but no non target man straightens any side up.

actually klug was prob first.

 

[The Sloane Ranger]

1. Ricciuto
2. McLeod
3. Modra
4. D Jarman
5. Smart
6. Hart
7. Thompson
8. Goodwin
9. Edwards
10. Bickley

 

[Slippery Pete]

none of that straightens us up.

by all means argue his performances, but no non target man straightens any side up.

actually klug was prob first.

One of the reasons Carey's influence as a target was quelled so much at the Crows was because of his osteitis and hamstring conditions - he lost most of the ability to bang those 60m trademark goals he did so often at North Melbourne. It was mainly due to this that we used him either as a decoy or a stay at home forward - that was the only way he was going to be a goalkicker. This reduced his effectiveness as a key target quite severely.

A tall forward who can kick a long goal creates a target in the true CHF position as nature intended. A Robran mark 60m out is inifinitely more of a threat than a Mark Stevens mark. That's not to denigrate Stevo who was a wonderful player, but I'd take Robran over him any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

 

[Butts_JZZ30]

I seem to remember Stevens kicking some nice goals from the 50m arc. Do you really want your CHF having long bombs from 60m? Quentin Lynch style?

For what its worth, I'm a big Robran fan, no doubt he was a big part of our side. He played CHF when it was the spot that had to be won. Everyone good side needs a good a CHF. He is a great bloke as well.

 

[swanfan]

In no particular order

Mark Ricciuto
Andrew McLeod
Darren Jarman
Nigel Smart
Ben Hart
Tony Modra
Tyson Edwards
Shaun Rehn
Mark Bickley

going to go out on a limb here, may be personal bias

Matthew Robran