Does Izak Rankine have the highest natural talent in the AFL?

[Cleric]

There are players who are great because of their work rate and discipline, and then there are players who are just natural freaks. Cyril Rioli, Eddie Betts, Darren Jarman type players.
As it stands, is Izak Rankine

23

Izak Rankine

Age

24

Ht

181cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.0

3star

K

9.0

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

2.7

3star

T

2.7

4star

G

2.0

5star

D

13.0

3star

K

9.0

4star

HB

4.0

3star

M

2.7

3star

T

2.7

4star

G

2.0

5star

D

13.0

4star

K

9.0

4star

HB

4.0

3star

M

2.7

3star

T

2.7

5star

G

2.0

5star

the most naturally talented player in the AFL now?.
It's not about where he sits now, it's about his freakish talent.

Who else is up there?

 

[SplintWhisky]

There are players who are great because of their work rate and discipline, and then there are players who are just natural freaks. Cyril Rioli, Eddie Betts, Darren Jarman type players.
As it stands, is Izak Rankine the most naturally talented player in the AFL now?.
It's not about where he sits now, it's about his freakish talent.

Who else is up there?

Hate the bloke and he plays for my side, but Shai Bolton?

Only thing would be we haven't seen what Rankine can do in a side that is flying. Bolton when in those sides is a top 5 in the league player, in a shit side he is useless.

 

[BringFevBack2021]

Rankine and Bolton are very good early mentions

Others:
Sheezel
N Daicos
Wiz
Wanganeen-Millera
Jezza
Curnow
Gulden
Bailey
Merrett
K Pickett
W Rioli
Liam Ryan

1

Liam Ryan

Age

28

Ht

181cm

Wt

76kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.3

3star

K

8.6

3star

HB

2.7

2star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.0

4star

G

1.3

5star

D

9.9

3star

K

8.0

3star

HB

1.9

1star

M

3.3

3star

T

1.6

3star

G

1.3

5star

D

11.4

3star

K

9.0

4star

HB

2.4

3star

M

3.8

4star

T

1.8

4star

G

1.6

5star

And probably for me, the biggest freak:
Toby Greene

4

Toby Greene

Age

31

Ht

182cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

22.7

5star

K

12.5

5star

HB

10.2

5star

M

4.8

5star

T

3.0

5star

G

1.2

4star

D

17.5

4star

K

9.5

4star

HB

8.0

4star

M

4.8

4star

T

1.0

2star

G

2.3

5star

D

26.6

5star

K

12.4

5star

HB

14.2

5star

M

4.8

5star

T

3.6

5star

G

0.0

1star

 

[1990crow]

Please don't be a crows fan
Please don't be a crows fan
Please don't be a crows fan

 

[BringFevBack2021]

Please don't be a crows fan
Please don't be a crows fan
Please don't be a crows fan

Rankine is pretty talented though you’d have to agree, despite your obvious bias

 

[StonesThrow]

I remember watching him in the Sanfl in the years before he was drafted thinking he was the most talented junior I'd seen.

There are a bigger of other players already mentioned that would be on a similar level of talent.

 

[1990crow]

Rankine is pretty talented though you’d have to agree, despite your obvious bias

He still has a tonne to prove

 

[Lingsface]

Has to be near the top love watching him play.
A dark horse who is one of those players like Hird who just makes the hard look easy is Hayden Young

26

Hayden Young

Age

23

Ht

189cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

D/M

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.0

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

3.2

3star

T

1.4

3star

MG

160.0

3star

D

10.0

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.4

2star

M

3.2

3star

T

1.4

2star

MG

160.0

3star

D

10.0

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

3.2

4star

T

1.4

4star

MG

160.0

3star

in terms of kicking and smooth decisions he is a Rolls Royce.

 

[Orange crush]

There are players who are great because of their work rate and discipline, and then there are players who are just natural freaks. Cyril Rioli, Eddie Betts, Darren Jarman type players.
As it stands, is Izak Rankine the most naturally talented player in the AFL now?.
It's not about where he sits now, it's about his freakish talent.

Who else is up there?

natural talent = doesn't train hard enough

give me preternatural talent of gagf

 

[Lingsface]

natural talent = doesn't train hard enough

give me preternatural talent of gagf

Yeah Ill keep Gary Ablett snr

 

[danster168]

Rankine and Bolton are very good early mentions

Others:
Sheezel
N Daicos
Wiz
Wanganeen-Millera
Jezza
Curnow
Gulden
Bailey
Merrett
K Pickett
W Rioli
Liam Ryan

And probably for me, the biggest freak:
Toby Greene

THere's only 1 Wizard and that's Jeff Farmer. What have you seen from nick Watson? Horrendous accuracy in front of goal. Hell he even missed a shot from the goal square when Sicily yelled at him.

 

[Lingsface]

Jammara does things for his size that are way too natural, It has always annoyed me when I hear in basketball discussions about guys like shaq that he has no skill, being big powerful or fast is a skill in my mind, It is something you are better at than someone else.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

Id have to say Curnow is the best 'talent'

Best contested mark in the comp, strong, good runner, huge leap, extremely good 1 on 1, probably the best KPF once the ball hits the deck and can kick it 60m off a step. And that's all after almost 3 years of repeat knee injuries.

Bont would be another, can just about do it all.

 

[Sirlemsip]

THere's only 1 Wizard and that's Jeff Farmer. What have you seen from nick Watson? Horrendous accuracy in front of goal. Hell he even missed a shot from the goal square when Sicily yelled at him.

He didn't give himself the nickname...

If you want to compare Farmer's and Watson's first seasons in the AFL, Watson averages more: Kicks, handballs, goals, behinds, tackles and marks.

What more did you want the kid to do?

 

[geelong_crazy26]

There are players who are great because of their work rate and discipline, and then there are players who are just natural freaks. Cyril Rioli, Eddie Betts, Darren Jarman type players.
As it stands, is Izak Rankine the most naturally talented player in the AFL now?.
It's not about where he sits now, it's about his freakish talent.

Who else is up there?

I honestly think yes.

I said a while ago that I think rankine will be the games best player once he develops a tank and moves permanently into the midfield and I got laughed at.

 

[Crouch]

He (Rankine) is definitely the most McLeod-like player I've seen since McLeod.

 

[BringFevBack2021]

THere's only 1 Wizard and that's Jeff Farmer. What have you seen from nick Watson? Horrendous accuracy in front of goal. Hell he even missed a shot from the goal square when Sicily yelled at him.

He didn't give himself the nickname...

If you want to compare Farmer's and Watson's first seasons in the AFL, Watson averages more: Kicks, handballs, goals, behinds, tackles and marks.

What more did you want the kid to do?

He is dynamic, powerful and skilful

His finishing infront of goal hasn’t been great but you cannot deny his ability

 

[carndapies]

I find it oddly amusing that there are so many Aboriginal players that are being claimed as having the "highest natural talent".

I think a few people here dismiss some Aboriginal players hard work and dedication in favour of "he is just born talented" - especially considering some of those players arent even close to the best in the AFL.

FYI I think the highest natural talent in the AFL currently is: Patrick Dangerfield (explosive & big bodied - supposedly his socks didn't fit properly around his calves they are so big.. just a genetic freak)

 

[Moonatic77]

Ablett Senior owns this thread

 

[kreuze_missile]

Yes he haz

 

[BringFevBack2021]

I find it oddly amusing that there are so many Aboriginal players that are being claimed as having the "highest natural talent".

I think a few people here dismiss some Aboriginal players hard work and dedication in favour of "he is just born talented" - especially considering some of those players arent even close to the best in the AFL.

FYI I think the highest natural talent in the AFL currently is: Patrick Dangerfield (explosive & big bodied - supposedly his socks didn't fit properly around his calves they are so big.. just a genetic freak)

I would argue that athletic ability and skill execution is the differentiation here, not the race of the player or your implication that posters like myself are asserting that indigenous players aren’t hard workers (point to where anyone said that)

Do you think that Nasiah, K Pickett, W Rioli and L Ryan are not freak talents? Nasiah hits the hardest kicks at his best, K Pickett has an innate ability around goal, W Rioli is amazing on both feet and is so quick hand to foot and Liam Ryan has a leap and incredible foot skills

 

[Mofra]

It's very hard to compare talls and smalls here.

Charlie Cameron

23

Charlie Cameron

Age

30

Ht

180cm

Wt

76kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.1

3star

K

8.4

3star

HB

3.7

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

3.2

5star

G

1.5

5star

D

9.6

2star

K

7.9

3star

HB

1.7

1star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.7

3star

G

1.9

5star

D

9.6

3star

K

5.4

2star

HB

4.2

4star

M

1.4

2star

T

3.4

5star

G

1.2

4star

does both but took a bit of time to hit his straps so there's a fair bit of work he needed to reach his current ceiling.

Jeremy Cameron

5

Jeremy Cameron

Age

31

Ht

196cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.5

3star

K

9.0

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

5.4

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

2.6

5star

D

10.0

3star

K

7.1

3star

HB

2.9

2star

M

4.6

4star

T

2.0

3star

G

1.9

5star

D

8.2

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

3.2

3star

M

4.6

5star

T

2.4

4star

G

2.0

5star

does it on the ground and in the air. Sam Darcy is a freak on the ground for a 209cm bloke. Luke Jackson

9

Luke Jackson

Age

23

Ht

199cm

Wt

102kg

Pos.

F/R

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.3

3star

D

8.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

5.0

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

2star

G

0.3

3star

D

8.3

3star

K

3.3

2star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.3

3star

worthy of a mention.

I love watching The Lizard and his kicking at pace is incredible so he deserves to be named here too.

 

[danster168]

He is dynamic, powerful and skilful

His finishing infront of goal hasn’t been great but you cannot deny his ability

yes you can deny his ability. He's been trash so far in front of goal. which is literally his only job.

 

[danster168]

He didn't give himself the nickname...

If you want to compare Farmer's and Watson's first seasons in the AFL, Watson averages more: Kicks, handballs, goals, behinds, tackles and marks.

What more did you want the kid to do?

dude, he's kicked like 2 more goals than Windsor who doesn't even play in the forward line. And good luck comparing Watson to the real Wizard who kicked 9 goals in a half, took marks of the century contenders, goal of the years and almost 500 goals over a long career.

Correct, he didn't give himself the nickname. But people shouldn't be calling him that. It's disrespectful to an all time great. Or do we start calling Grainger-barass the 'G-train' while we're at it?

 

[SnusCG]

I mean, if we're speaking about 'natural talent' it probably isn't worth mentioning guys who took multiple years to come on, as clearly they needed development work. Rankine is still only borderline elite and he's 24.

Harry Sheezel is probably the best and most versatile first and now second year player I've ever seen. Bloke stepped into the competition averaging 30 touches, with elite disposal, and has now played at an elite level as a defender and midfielder, when the position he was drafted for was as a forward. With the minimal amount of 'development' time he's had in the AFL, he's one of the few players you can say were elite straight off the bat on talent.

People do seem to be conflating agility and evasiveness with natural talent in general in this thread though.

AFL is such a multifaceted sport, being talented at avoiding tackles and getting shots at goal is a small fraction of the skills required to play the game.