Top 100 players since 1980

[SouthSwans]

From his first full year in 93 he was an exceptional player. He was the type of player who did something creative with every possession he got. It was only after 2001 that his performance dropped off and he seemed to lose his mojo. That's roughly 9 years as a pivotal player in a team that regularly made finals. And he performed in finals too. When players like Wells and Deledio have a significant impact on finals victories then they could easily be rated similarly for they no doubt have the ability. Those who watch those two players regularly are within their rights to rate them highly but I saw Mercuri regularly and he was, along with Hird, Lloyd, Fletch, and Long, among the most important handful of players in that decade of footy.

I concur, Mercuri was a freakshow, one of the best.

 

[Les Norton]

Personally, I couldn't make a list of 50 or 100 players. Just too difficult, so koudos to those that had a crack.
I'm going to list the best 3 players I've seen at each club.
Been watching footy from start of 80's

Adelaide
1. Riccuito
2. McLeod
3. D Jarman (including him for his Hawthorn exploits as well)

Brisbane
1. Voss
2. Black
3. Akermanis

Carlton
1. Williams
2. Wayne Johnson
3. Steve Silvagni

Collingwood
1. Buckley
2. Daicos
3. Swan - maybe controversial but I've been a big fan of his for years now

Essendon
1. Hird
2. S Madden
3. Long

Freo
1. Pavlich by an absolute mile
2. Bell
3. Sandilands

Geelong
1. Ablett senior
2. Gaz Jnr (I'm including him here for time at the Suns as well)
3. Buddha Hocking

Hawthorn
1. Matthews
2. Dunstall
3. Platten

Melbourne
1. Lyon
2. Stynes
3. Daylight 3rd. Viney

North
1. Carey
2. Blight
3. Archer

Port
1. Chad Cornes
2. Tredrae
3. Wanganeen

Richmond
1. Weightman
2. Knights
3. Richardson

St Kilda
1. Lockett
2. Harvey
3. Riewoldt

Sydney
1. G Healy
2. Kelly
3. Goodes

West Coast
1. Matera
2. Jakovich
3. Judd

Western Bulldogs
1. Brad Johnson - heard West not that long ago calling him Bulldogs best ever player
2. Doug Hawkins
3. Scott West

 

[Donakebab]

Long above both Watson's, T&N.Daniher, Wanganeen, Lloyd and Fletcher? Great player, but he's behind those guys and along side Thompson, Harvey, Baker et al.

 

[SouthSwans]

Sydney
1. G Healy
2. Kelly
3. Goodes

I'd argue that Goodes, Kelly, Lockett, Hall and O'Loughlin were all better players than Healy. O'Keefe, Maxfield, Cresswell, Schwass, McVeigh, Bayes, Barry, Kennelly, Kennedy, Jack, Dunkley, Bolton & Bolton would all be close.

 

[Blind Turn]

Personally, I couldn't make a list of 50 or 100 players. Just too difficult, so koudos to those that had a crack.
I'm going to list the best 3 players I've seen at each club.
Been watching footy from start of 80's

Adelaide
1. Riccuito
2. McLeod
3. D Jarman (including him for his Hawthorn exploits as well)

Brisbane
1. Voss
2. Black
3. Akermanis

Carlton
1. Williams
2. Wayne Johnson
3. Steve Silvagni

Collingwood
1. Buckley
2. Daicos
3. Swan - maybe controversial but I've been a big fan of his for years now

Essendon
1. Hird
2. S Madden
3. Long

Freo
1. Pavlich by an absolute mile
2. Bell
3. Sandilands

Geelong
1. Ablett senior
2. Gaz Jnr (I'm including him here for time at the Suns as well)
3. Buddha Hocking

Hawthorn
1. Matthews
2. Dunstall
3. Platten

Melbourne
1. Lyon
2. Stynes
3. Daylight 3rd. Viney

North
1. Carey
2. Blight
3. Archer

Port
1. Chad Cornes
2. Tredrae
3. Wanganeen

Richmond
1. Weightman
2. Knights
3. Richardson

St Kilda
1. Lockett
2. Harvey
3. Riewoldt

Sydney
1. G Healy
2. Kelly
3. Goodes

West Coast
1. Matera
2. Jakovich
3. Judd

Western Bulldogs
1. Brad Johnson - heard West not that long ago calling him Bulldogs best ever player
2. Doug Hawkins
3. Scott West

Interesting selections. A few of note;

You name players like Blight and Matthews who finished their careers in early to mid eighties but no mention of Flower, who is the only bona fide superstar they've had in that era, and no Bartlett,
who only had to pull on the boots to be rated higher than Knights.

Scott West is obviously blinded by Johnno-man-love because Grant is their best of that era and there was this bloke called Whitten down that way.

Surprised by Healy being your top Swan. He was classy but had few inspiring qualities.

Watson missing is mentioned above but again goes to show how oddly underrated he has become since his retirement.

Is also curious to see Cornes rated so highly too. I thought he was a great player but Tredrea, surely, was a superior player.

Great contribution to the thread though.

 

[Blind Turn]

Oh, and you forgot Fitzroy.

 

[SouthSwans]

Oh, and you forgot Fitzroy.

1 Quinlan, 2 Roos, 3 Conlan.

 

[Damon_3388]

I concur, Mercuri was a freakshow, one of the best.

Sold so much candy.

 

[SouthSwans]

For the sake of it....

My top 5 from each team that I've seen (since 95):

Adelaide: Ricciuto, Jarman, Modra, McLeod, Dangerfield
Brisbane: Voss, Black, Lappin, Brown, Akermanis
Carlton: Silvagni, Williams, Koutofides, Kernahan, Fevola
Collingwood: Buckley, Pendlebury, S.Rocca, Swan, A.Rocca
Essendon: Hird, Lloyd, Wanganeen, Fletcher, Mercuri
Fremantle: Pavlich, Bell, Sandilands, McPharlin, Fyfe
Geelong: Ablett Snr, Ablett Jnr, Selwood, Scarlett, Johnson/Bartel*
Gold Coast: Ablett Jnr, O'Meara, Thompson, Bennell, Harbrow
GWS Giants: Cameron, Ward, Mumford, Davis, Shiel
Hawthorn: Dunstall, Franklin, Crawford, Hodge, Mitchell
Melbourne: Lyon, Stynes, Neitz, Schwartz, Farmer
North Melbourne: Carey, McKernan, Harvey, Archer, Longmire
Port Adelaide: Wanganeen, Tredrea, Cornes, Cornes, Lade/Primus*
Richmond: Richardson, B.Gale, Knights, N.Brown, Cotchin
St Kilda: Lockett, Harvey, Riewoldt, Winmar, Hayes
Sydney: Lockett, Goodes, Kelly, Hall, J.Bolton
West Coast: Judd, Jackovich, Matera, Cox, Glass/Cousins*
Western Bulldogs: Grant, West, Johnson, Griffen, Liberatore/Liberatore*

*couldnt split em

 

[Modified Dog]

6/ Jason Dunstall - most rounded full forward of all. The perfect lead-mark-goal player and had a defensive side.
5/ Tony Lockett - just ahead of JD. Imposing, intimidating, dead-eye and in a perennially crap team.

It's one of the great football myths that Plugger Lockett always played in crap teams and Dunstall always played for a good team.
This would be true of the 1980's, however the bulk of their goals (over 60%) were kicked in the 1990's

• 777 of Dunstall's 1,254 goals (62%)
• 810 of Lockett's 1,360 goals (60%)

Dunstall in the 90's
777 goals @ 4.92 per game
Played in 158 matches for 87.5 wins (55%)

Lockett in the 90's
810 goals @ 4.88 per game
Played in 166 matches for 95.5 wins (58%)

 

[MiloStedman]

Sydney
1. G Healy
2. Kelly
3. Goodes

Goodes better than both of them. Would want Lockett there too.

 

[Bulldog1954]

For the sake of it....

Western Bulldogs: Grant, West, Johnson, Griffen, Liberatore/Liberatore*

Neither Liberatore would be in the top 5, Tony's best football was before you started watching in 1995 and Tom has had the one really good year. Since 1995 my top 5 Dogs players would be Grant, Johnson, West, Lake and Cooney

 

[TJ1996]

Neither Liberatore would be in the top 5, Tony's best football was before you started watching in 1995 and Tom has had the one really good year. Since 1995 my top 5 Dogs players would be Grant, Johnson, West, Lake and Cooney

I'm not a Bulldogs fan and probably have no good evidence to back this up, but surely Boyd or Griffen's gotta be in there over Cooney's one good season. Rohan Smith?

 

[Blind Turn]

I'm not a Bulldogs fan and probably have no good evidence to back this up, but surely Boyd or Griffen's gotta be in there over Cooney's one good season. Rohan Smith?

Boyd

 

[Blind Turn]

It's one of the great football myths that Plugger Lockett always played in crap teams and Dunstall always played for a good team.
This would be true of the 1980's, however the bulk of their goals (over 60%) were kicked in the 1990's

• 777 of Dunstall's 1,254 goals (62%)
• 810 of Lockett's 1,360 goals (60%)

Dunstall in the 90's
777 goals @ 4.92 per game
Played in 158 matches for 87.5 wins (55%)

Lockett in the 90's
810 goals @ 4.88 per game
Played in 166 matches for 95.5 wins (58%)

Whatever way you look at it they're hard to separate and it largely comes down to your taste in footballer. Plugger, for me, was the pure talent. If he'd been as professional as Dunstall it's scary to think just how good he could've been.

 

[Bobby_]

It's one of the great football myths that Plugger Lockett always played in crap teams and Dunstall always played for a good team.
This would be true of the 1980's, however the bulk of their goals (over 60%) were kicked in the 1990's

• 777 of Dunstall's 1,254 goals (62%)
• 810 of Lockett's 1,360 goals (60%)

Dunstall in the 90's
777 goals @ 4.92 per game
Played in 158 matches for 87.5 wins (55%)

Lockett in the 90's
810 goals @ 4.88 per game
Played in 166 matches for 95.5 wins (58%)

Lockett booted 892 goals between 1990 - 1999 at an average of 5.4 goals per game.
Dunstall booted 777 goals between 1990 - 1998 at an average of 4.8 goals per game.

Lockett took more marks than Dunstall and despite popular belief about his defensive game, Lockett also applied nearly the same amount of tackles per game as what Dunstall did.

 

[Blind Turn]

Lockett booted 892 goals between 1990 - 1999 at an average of 5.4 goals per game.
Dunstall booted 777 goals between 1990 - 1998 at an average of 4.8 goals per game.

Lockett took more marks than Dunstall and despite popular belief about his defensive game, Lockett also applied nearly the same amount of tackles per game as what Dunstall did.

And I'd dare say, a Lockett tackle had a greater impact on the poor bloke crushed in his grip. I remember some big tackles by a lunging Plugger. Not so many chase downs though. It's probably fair to say that Dunstall was more likely to pass off to teammates in better position but Plugger brought others into the game by busting open packs.

 

[Blind Turn]

Was perusing the Hall of Fame list on Wiki last night and these eligible players from my top 100 were not listed;

38/ Akermanis
40/ Cousins
75/ Winmar
76/ Modra
79/ Merrett
80/ Lappin
85/ Mercuri
87/ Leppitsch
89/ Roach
91/ Millane
96/ Buckenara
98/ Krakouer
100/ W. Johnston

All these players deserve a place in the HoF but in particular, there are a few who are a long time retired that should be there. Winmar, Modra and Merrett are, in my mind, especially unlucky.
Winmar was sublime and pretty much the equal of Long as a player. Merrett played over 300, a star at 2 clubs and dual premiership CHF. Modra was a pure spectacle and average 3.5 goals/game. If he played in the 1950s he might've been Colemanesque in nostalgic reminiscences.

 

[kade]

Whatever way you look at it they're hard to separate and it largely comes down to your taste in footballer. Plugger, for me, was the pure talent. If he'd been as professional as Dunstall it's scary to think just how good he could've been.

would you rather a more professional, disciplined player or a unprofessional ill-disciplined player if they were similar in ability?

 

[Blind Turn]

would you rather a more professional, disciplined player or a unprofessional ill-disciplined player if they were similar in ability?

Id take a team of robots to a premiership but I'd take a team of mavericks to the stage.
I guess it depends upon the perspective of your aesthetic...

This is about the ability of the individual. Lockett was an immense talent. But compare him to Fevola or A Jakovich I think you could safely say that he made, if not the most of his ability, then certainly close to it.

 

[kade]

They were not similar in ability. Lockett was a beast while Dunstall was the icing on the cake in a champion team.

It's why he (Lockett) was always preferred in State of Origin games and was often picked as the designated full forward in All-Australian selections.

icing on the cake? 2 club champion awards in premiership years. He wasn't always eligible for victorian state of origin teams. Jason Dunstall kicked bags of goals when the hawks were s**t

 

[BEaston]

Thoughts:
Brad Johnson should be higher. Better than ROK & Goddard.

Kouta should be way lower, if on the list at all. Wasn't at his best for any decent period of time.

I'd personally have Cousins higher and J.Brown higher.

But overall a pretty accurate list I'd say, well done.

 

[00Stinger]

the hardest thing is too compare mids v forwards v defenders etc

here's my best since 1980

Mids

1. G.Ablett Jnr
2. G.Williams
3. C.Judd

Outside mids / run and carry

1. P.Matera
2. C.Bradley
3. R.Harvey

Full Forwards

1. T.Lockett
2. J.Dunstall
3. G.Ablett
4. B.Quinlan

CHF

1. S.Kernahan (bias)
2. D.Brereton
3. W.Carey

Rucks

1. D.Cox
2 S.Madden
3. A.Sandilands

Key back (find it hard to believe OP had Roos ahead of these 4)

1. S.Silvagni
2. M.Scarlett
3. G.Jakovich
4. C.Langford

Utililies

1. J.Hird
2. G.Ablett Snr
3. A.Goodes

So basically Carlton players across every line?

 

[brisbane13]

I concur, Mercuri was a freakshow, one of the best.

The thermometer as what rex hunt use to call Mercuri.
we never saw the best of Mercuri, as he had an injury riddled career, but just as he was hitting his peak, his brother passed away & he was never the same player, he struggled with consistency and injury after wards

 

[Blind Turn]

The thermometer as what rex hunt use to call Mercuri.
we never saw the best of Mercuri, as he had an injury riddled career, but just as he was hitting his peak, his brother passed away & he was never the same player, he struggled with consistency and injury after wards

We did see the best of him just not for long enough :-( Was in my top 10 players to watch for sure.