Pre-Game 2021 AFL Rnd 1: Richmond vs Carlton.

[LP]

Yes, leaving aside guys who played 100 years ago, and whose exploits are not easily amenable to scrutiny, Lethal is the best player in history IMO. It's a shame he was also a total thug, and taught thuggery to Dermie, Dippa and all his other proteges. Super super player.

I'm not sure they stood out much from the crowd back then, in terms of thuggery, other than having an extreme propensity to take what they give.

Twas different back in those days!
[img width=450]https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/480xn/p03w4f65.jpg[/img]

[PaulP]

I'm not sure they stood out much from the crowd back then, other than having an extreme propensity to take what they give.

IMO, I think they were bad even by the standards of the day. Brereton stomping on Tallis' head immediately comes to mind.

[LP]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCGi7Yy9p74
CheatsFC fans have tried to re-write history on this, claiming a one metre long section of the point post broke off and hit the boundary umpire after it had been glued on to extend it's length to VFL/AFL regulations. Except it's more than a 2m length that breaks and the end is splintered and it goes nowhere near the umpire who is also collected by Matthews.

If a modern player hit a post like that we'd all stop while they get jeeped off!

[LP]

IMO, I think they were bad even by the standards of the day. Brereton stomping on Tallis' head immediately comes to mind.

Yes, but violence breeds violence, it's hard to measure them relatively.

You're talking about a general era which began with Balme being a Nthmond hero!

In the best Clarke and Dawe fashion, stick that in your pipe and smoke it while watching us battle those slack jawed gobbing ferals next Thursday, with their 500:1 crowd ratio! I think I hate them more than the Filth, perhaps second only to the Cheats. There must be something about the stain of a Sheedy that you can never wash off!

[PaulP]

Yes, but violence breeds violence, it's hard to measure them relatively.

You're talking about a general era which began with Balme being a Nthmond hero!

I'm not sure when it began, but my memory is that the "unsociable" Hawks existed long before Clarkson. 

[capcom]

Greg Williams over all of them.

[PaulP]

At any rate, we have drifted somewhat off topic, so we should probably rein it back in.

[DJC]

At any rate, we have drifted somewhat off topic, so we should probably rein it back in.

Are you angling for a job as a moderator Paul? 

One thing that I have been thinking about when looking at suggested teams for Round 1, is who comes out for Williams?  Is he an automatic inclusion if we win?

Even with injury clouds over several players, there is genuine competition for places in the 22, particularly when you read the review of the performances of AFL listed players in the Reserves match:

https://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/876654...v-st-kilda

Kennedy, Stocker, Betts, Gibbons and Owies all deserve consideration for a Round 1 place.

[PaulP]

Are you angling for a job as a moderator Paul? 

One thing that I have been thinking about when looking at suggested teams for Round 1, is who comes out for Williams?  Is he an automatic inclusion if we win?

Even with injury clouds over several players, there is genuine competition for places in the 22, particularly when you read the review of the performances of AFL listed players in the Reserves match:

https://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/876654...v-st-kilda

Kennedy, Stocker, Betts, Gibbons and Owies all deserve consideration for a Round 1 place.

Lol. I'm not sure I'm mod material. All that power is sure to go to straight to my head. I hear the money's good though................

At any rate, if you believe the headline, Cripps seems to think Dow would be a good replacement for Williams :

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/we-k...579j2.html

[ElwoodBlues1]

Re: Best player seen, for me probably Gary Ablett senior, was the package...6'1 97kg....great mark, kick and had pace. Nothing he couldnt do well and with those dimensions very hard to find a matchup. He damaged opposition players when he hit them and like Dusty had the opposition apprehensive to tackle and stand in his path.
Probably his main weakness was his mental state on the day and how happy he was to be out there.
Dusty has great ability and nous but isnt the quickest, doesnt take the big high marks but mentally is switched on and fantastic in the big moments.
Kouta was the opposite type to Dusty IMO....great athlete, could jump with talls run as fast as the smalls and about the only way to stop him was to injure him. Football wise he wasnt a natural though and I'd mark him down for Dusty type nous or G Ablett natural football  ability. Kouta had to learn to play the game and relied more on his athletic ability than the other candidates IMO..
Voss was terrific, hard, natural inside mid who didnt take prisoners but was a workhorse/distributor rather than a game icer like the others I mentioned.
Greg Williams was better than Voss imo as he could win games as well as provide to others to win games but didnt have the athletic ability of either Kouta or Ablett.
So for me its G Ablett senior, no fan of him as an individual and he is flawed in many aspects but if you separate the football
from his personal life IMO he was the best footballer I have seen play the game.