I reckon Lachie Neale is going to get tarnished with the same brush.
In some ways, I think people only started to truly appreciate the depth of GAJ's greatness when it was obvious he was in his last year in 2020.
Opinion Top 10 favourite Geelong players of all time
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In some ways, I think people only started to truly appreciate the depth of GAJ's greatness when it was obvious he was in his last year in 2020.
Vdubs
Hall of Famer
Not really.
The thread is about FAVOURITES, not necessarily BEST.
While GAJ is in MY top 3 favourites, I understand many supporters dropped off him after his GC move.
Wojo and Varcoe are in my favourites, but are they top 10 at Geelong?
I only picked these ones because they all did the same thing for Geel
Kenny Newland - i was their - i can still see him taking the shot -and it missed to his left hand side ( but 1 pt - to the Barwon River end - or should i say the Pine Tree end - because thats all what was down their - no grandstand
That gane was quite a memorable game - in the fact that 1972 - Geelong were hopeless - Cats lost their 1st 10 games
Where as Collingwood were right up near the top and had a star studded team - John Greening - Peter McKenna - Len Thompson - the Richardson brothers - Barry Price - Twiggy Dunne and plenty of others
And at h/time - Geel were getting flogged 8-10 goals down - and were the Coll supporters vocal - cockkie - and rubbing it in - oh Geel their handbaggers - soft as butter - and 2 Coll supporters right near us - every time McKenna kicked a goal ( which was often in the 1st half - giving the Geel FB a hell of a hiding ) - theyd hold their football records high up in the air - and smiling - laughing their heads off - when McKenna kicked each goal - and write another 1 next to McKenna in their football record when he kicked each goal
At h/time Bill McMaster the coach made several moves - but the pivotal one - was he moved Phil Stevens -( blonde haired half back flanker ) to FB on McKenna and he did a damm good good
In the 3rd qtr - the Cats halved the margin to about 4-5 goals at 3 qtr time - and then in the last qtr drew level - and then Newland got the free kick - kicked a point after the siren to win the game
It was pretty similar to the 70 GF to be honest
Born 1980.
My Top 10, and some extra's:
1. Gary Ablett Snr
2. Tom Hawkins
3. Joel Selwood
4. Gary Ablett Jnr
5. Pat Dangerfield
6. Matthew Scarlett
7. Steve Johnson
8. Jimmy Bartel
9. Garry Hocking
10. Cameron Mooney
11. Joel Corey
12. Tom Stewart
13. Corey Enright
14. Paul Couch
15. Brad Ottens
16. Harry Taylor
Honourable mentions - Mark Bairstow, Micky Turner, Isaac Smith, Tom Harley, Paul Chapman, Mitch Duncan, Bruce Lindner, Jeremy Cameron
If Isaac Smith and Jeremy Cameron were lifelong cats, they would probably enter Top 10.
My Top 10, and some extra's:
1. Gary Ablett Snr
2. Tom Hawkins
3. Joel Selwood
4. Gary Ablett Jnr
5. Pat Dangerfield
6. Matthew Scarlett
7. Steve Johnson
8. Jimmy Bartel
9. Garry Hocking
10. Cameron Mooney
11. Joel Corey
12. Tom Stewart
13. Corey Enright
14. Paul Couch
15. Brad Ottens
16. Harry Taylor
Honourable mentions - Mark Bairstow, Micky Turner, Isaac Smith, Tom Harley, Paul Chapman, Mitch Duncan, Bruce Lindner, Jeremy Cameron
If Isaac Smith and Jeremy Cameron were lifelong cats, they would probably enter Top 10.
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4 players that drew crowds to the game in my memory and had the supporters buzzing walking to the ground were
Wade
Farmer
Jacko
SNR
Wade
Farmer
Jacko
SNR
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Except IMO LN is a dick. I'd like to be proven wrong mind you
- Thread starter
- #384
Interesting how when i started this thread so many didnt have selwood in their top 10. Yet im guessing this has changed after the flag.
Crap!!! Forgot SJ!!! Take 2
So this is Favourite, not Best?
In that case….
1: Selwood
2: GAJ
3: SJ
4: Chapman
5: Scarlett
6: Hawkins
7: Bartel
8: Buddha
9: GAS (if you’ll asked me back in his day, I’d have had him at 1 by the length of the straight, but I find it hard to make him a favourite considering his appalling indiscretions. I even considered not including him at all)
10: Taylor
HM: Mooney, Couch, Melburne, Burns, Ling, Harley, Brownless
Danger (spent too long in SA), Hinkley
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
So this is Favourite, not Best?
In that case….
1: Selwood
2: GAJ
3: SJ
4: Chapman
5: Scarlett
6: Hawkins
7: Bartel
8: Buddha
9: GAS (if you’ll asked me back in his day, I’d have had him at 1 by the length of the straight, but I find it hard to make him a favourite considering his appalling indiscretions. I even considered not including him at all)
10: Taylor
HM: Mooney, Couch, Melburne, Burns, Ling, Harley, Brownless
Danger (spent too long in SA), Hinkley
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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I'm fairly new to this sport so that should explain the list...
10. Henry
9. Blicavs
8. Selwood
7. Menegola
6. Atkins
5. Tuohy
4. Stewart
3. Dangerfield
2. Cameron
1. Hawkins
10. Henry
9. Blicavs
8. Selwood
7. Menegola
6. Atkins
5. Tuohy
4. Stewart
3. Dangerfield
2. Cameron
1. Hawkins
- Nov 12, 2015
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Favourite.
1. Selwood. Simply personifies everything I love about the club and AFL in general. Greatest Cat ever no doubt.
2. GAS. Just did things of the field no person should be able to do, and he did it consistently over a long period of time. Freakish.
GAJ. Consistency and brilliant rolled into one. Arguably the best kick of the modern era, certainly the best midfielder. Amazing that our 2 of our Greatest players are both named Gary Ablett.
3. SJ. Like GAS lite. Could do anything, did to everything, sometimes saw things that nobody else did and it made him look silly. Absolute brilliant player.
4. Chappy. Tough, hard, uncompromising and skillful. Great player.
5. PFD. Just love everything he brings to the club, has my kind of personality and is a lovely, albeit quirky bloke.
6. Buddha. Hardest Cat I've ever seen. Should have won a Brownlow, should have won Flags. Shame he isn't as prounounced around the club as we'd like but one of the all time greats.
7. Bartel. Mr Dependable. Simple as that, as skilled as anyone in the game yet just did whatever the coach wanted him to do, and did it perfectly.
8. Hawkins. Just love the big fella. Is a damn good player in his own right but is also a super laid back country lad and a genuinely nice guy.
9. Ronnie Burns. Was a shiny light in a pretty dim period for the club. Kicked some absolutely sensational goals back when 12 goals for the Cats was a day out.
10. Jezza. Had a long list of players for this spot, some from the 90s, some from the 3 Flag team but I landed on Jezza. Just seems like a fun loving, easy going country lad who plays video games and doesn't take himself seriously, but he's also a brilliant talent and great team mate. Genuinely love seeing him celebrate with his team mates and his celebration after his last goal in the GF will go down in history.
Edit: Just realised that's 11 as I didn't number GAJ, too bad, sticking with it.
1. Selwood. Simply personifies everything I love about the club and AFL in general. Greatest Cat ever no doubt.
2. GAS. Just did things of the field no person should be able to do, and he did it consistently over a long period of time. Freakish.
GAJ. Consistency and brilliant rolled into one. Arguably the best kick of the modern era, certainly the best midfielder. Amazing that our 2 of our Greatest players are both named Gary Ablett.
3. SJ. Like GAS lite. Could do anything, did to everything, sometimes saw things that nobody else did and it made him look silly. Absolute brilliant player.
4. Chappy. Tough, hard, uncompromising and skillful. Great player.
5. PFD. Just love everything he brings to the club, has my kind of personality and is a lovely, albeit quirky bloke.
6. Buddha. Hardest Cat I've ever seen. Should have won a Brownlow, should have won Flags. Shame he isn't as prounounced around the club as we'd like but one of the all time greats.
7. Bartel. Mr Dependable. Simple as that, as skilled as anyone in the game yet just did whatever the coach wanted him to do, and did it perfectly.
8. Hawkins. Just love the big fella. Is a damn good player in his own right but is also a super laid back country lad and a genuinely nice guy.
9. Ronnie Burns. Was a shiny light in a pretty dim period for the club. Kicked some absolutely sensational goals back when 12 goals for the Cats was a day out.
10. Jezza. Had a long list of players for this spot, some from the 90s, some from the 3 Flag team but I landed on Jezza. Just seems like a fun loving, easy going country lad who plays video games and doesn't take himself seriously, but he's also a brilliant talent and great team mate. Genuinely love seeing him celebrate with his team mates and his celebration after his last goal in the GF will go down in history.
Edit: Just realised that's 11 as I didn't number GAJ, too bad, sticking with it.
Vdubs
Hall of Famer
Our reasons for liking players do not have to be "normal" or popular.To be fair to Jax1 he didn’t say he was worse than keyboard warriors. Just worse than other 50 games players
I rated his dad, knew him, and so always had a soft spot for Mark, and hoped he would b e a 200 game player for us. It did not happen, but he was not bereft of ability or skill.
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Vdubs
Hall of Famer
Sam Newman had that as well. Recall fondly even at training- his very presence was exalting.
Which Henry
1. Selwood
2-10 INPO
Bartel
Ablett x 2
SJ
Burns
Riccardi
Buddha
Milburn
Ling
2-10 INPO
Bartel
Ablett x 2
SJ
Burns
Riccardi
Buddha
Milburn
Ling
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As below. First three are set. The rest are in no order.
1. Gary Ablett Senior. Smitten as a kid. Still marvel at his 80s form from the limited footage available. THE reason why we idolise footballers from a young age. Never got his due recognition from Wayne Carey's boyfriend, Mike Sheahan
The best highlights package of anybody that ever played. His 1 B&F shows how flawed the Carji's voting was
2. Gary Ablett Junior. Went to his first game, and saw him kick his first goal a couple of weeks later (I was just shy of 19 at the time, and I went apeshit). He was tiny, and didn't think he'd make it - with the expectation and 'burden' of the name. Has become his own person and he really grew as a person at Gold Coast. Has grown into a balanced person who achieved far more than ever expected. Always a delight to watch
3. Paul Chapman. Always liked Chapman. Great snap, always gave his best, and not afraid of the grunt work. Great team player as well who wasn't one for BS. Held himself to high standards
Cam Mooney. Wore his heart on his sleeve and played with a fiery passion that got him in trouble. Played well in both grand final victories. His 2 goals in 2009 are vastly underrated - given the ghosts of the previous year.
Shannon Byrnes. Undersized, but a giant heart (not medically, I hope). Put in everything he had. His work in the final quarter of the 2009 GF was brilliant, winning several 1-on-1s and in a low-scoring close game, he deserves more credit than he gets. A good bloke off the field as well. Of anybody to win two premierships, I am really pleased that he got a spot because he fought valiantly for it his entire career.
Mark Bairstow. Arguably the weak chain in the Hocking-Couch-Bairstow midfield, but a prolific kick-getter.
Garry Hocking. As hard as Selwood, but more skilful - penetrating on both left and right foot and led by example whether he was captain or not. 4 Carjis in 6 years with many top-3 finishes in the Brownlow in that time.
Paul Couch. Pin-point left foot that fed Ablett like a smorgasbord. Brilliant side-step and quick brain ala Diesel. Football never changed him. Was in Shepparton watching Geelong v Essendon in a pre-season match in 2016 when the news came through that he passed. A loss to footy. Some people are good players. Some are good blokes. Couchy was both. Got a photo with him at the 150th back in 2009
Darren Flanigan. Gave everything he had. Not the most talented, but a real trier, and I respect that far, far more than natural ability. Amazing '89 Grand Final
Tom Harley. A massive reason why Geelong got its act together for its dynasty of success that still stretches to today. Great intercept marker and a good, calm presence on the field all the time. Was offered to play on to reach 200 games, but rejected it, knowing his time was up
Gotta have Max Rooke in there as well. I still believe that his tackle on Raph Clarke for the '09 first goal won the game. Raph Clarke never psychologically recovered and St Kilda were effectively a man-down from then on (although one could argue that even a fully-awakened R.Clarke is still a man down). Loved the hardness and attitude
It's tough, because Corey Enright and Joel Corey were also brilliant, Ottens was absolutely crucial to our success, and even smaller players like Robert Scott and Neville Bruns gave good service over decent periods
1. Gary Ablett Senior. Smitten as a kid. Still marvel at his 80s form from the limited footage available. THE reason why we idolise footballers from a young age. Never got his due recognition from Wayne Carey's boyfriend, Mike Sheahan
The best highlights package of anybody that ever played. His 1 B&F shows how flawed the Carji's voting was
2. Gary Ablett Junior. Went to his first game, and saw him kick his first goal a couple of weeks later (I was just shy of 19 at the time, and I went apeshit). He was tiny, and didn't think he'd make it - with the expectation and 'burden' of the name. Has become his own person and he really grew as a person at Gold Coast. Has grown into a balanced person who achieved far more than ever expected. Always a delight to watch
3. Paul Chapman. Always liked Chapman. Great snap, always gave his best, and not afraid of the grunt work. Great team player as well who wasn't one for BS. Held himself to high standards
Cam Mooney. Wore his heart on his sleeve and played with a fiery passion that got him in trouble. Played well in both grand final victories. His 2 goals in 2009 are vastly underrated - given the ghosts of the previous year.
Shannon Byrnes. Undersized, but a giant heart (not medically, I hope). Put in everything he had. His work in the final quarter of the 2009 GF was brilliant, winning several 1-on-1s and in a low-scoring close game, he deserves more credit than he gets. A good bloke off the field as well. Of anybody to win two premierships, I am really pleased that he got a spot because he fought valiantly for it his entire career.
Mark Bairstow. Arguably the weak chain in the Hocking-Couch-Bairstow midfield, but a prolific kick-getter.
Garry Hocking. As hard as Selwood, but more skilful - penetrating on both left and right foot and led by example whether he was captain or not. 4 Carjis in 6 years with many top-3 finishes in the Brownlow in that time.
Paul Couch. Pin-point left foot that fed Ablett like a smorgasbord. Brilliant side-step and quick brain ala Diesel. Football never changed him. Was in Shepparton watching Geelong v Essendon in a pre-season match in 2016 when the news came through that he passed. A loss to footy. Some people are good players. Some are good blokes. Couchy was both. Got a photo with him at the 150th back in 2009
Darren Flanigan. Gave everything he had. Not the most talented, but a real trier, and I respect that far, far more than natural ability. Amazing '89 Grand Final
Tom Harley. A massive reason why Geelong got its act together for its dynasty of success that still stretches to today. Great intercept marker and a good, calm presence on the field all the time. Was offered to play on to reach 200 games, but rejected it, knowing his time was up
Gotta have Max Rooke in there as well. I still believe that his tackle on Raph Clarke for the '09 first goal won the game. Raph Clarke never psychologically recovered and St Kilda were effectively a man-down from then on (although one could argue that even a fully-awakened R.Clarke is still a man down
). Loved the hardness and attitudeIt's tough, because Corey Enright and Joel Corey were also brilliant, Ottens was absolutely crucial to our success, and even smaller players like Robert Scott and Neville Bruns gave good service over decent periods
Sttew
Brownlow Medallist
After season 2022 Danger moves from 6 to 5, Selwood from 4 to 3, Scarlett from 2 to 4, and Hawkins into 10, i.e.,
10. Tommy Hawkins
9. Jimmy Bartel
8. Billy Goggin
7. Paul Couch
6. Stevie J
5. Patrick Dangerfield
4. Matthew Scarlett
3. Joel Selwood
2. Gary Ablett Junior
1. Gary Ablett Senior
I base my rankings on:
- Is the selected player someone I went out of my way to watch play?
- Did selected player consistently or regularly live up to expectations?
- If I was still a kid would I wear the selected player's number on my Cats guernsey?
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Vdubs
Hall of Famer
How far off will Jeremy Cameron be ? He ticks all boxes albeit he's only been a Cat for 2 seasons.
He is such a Cats player- epitomises GFC.
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It's about personal favourites. It's not purely about ability. I have Shag as a favourite for reasons aside from ability.
Personally, Cameron is not a favourite of mine because I prefer long-term players, by and large. I also hate free agency. I loved our 2007-2011 premiership-era because Ottens was the only player we took from another club that was reluctantly given up. Everybody else was developed by the club.
Everybody has their own reasons. Personally, I really respect a player like Selwood, but he's not one of my favourites. Most people have him as a favourite.
I also think Steve Johnson is a knob and think he could be selfish on-field at times, so I was never a fan.
kittypurry
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I've met both Neale and GAJ and they were equally as nice tbh. GAJ was stupidly nice.
But GAJ's homophobia means he's a dick in my eyes and forever excludes him from my top ten.
As for personal favourites, in no order: Rooke, Harley, Corey, Cameron, Varcoe, Wojo, Chappy, Close, 2E, and C Guthrie.
Recency bias obviously plays a huge part in my list. I'm also including players I met like Harley who I have a soft spot for not just because of what they gave on field but because they were just unbelievably gracious to us Geelong people off the field too.
- Thread starter
- #397
Out of curiosity why does scarlett fall behind ablett jnr after the past year?
Vdubs
Hall of Famer
Of course.
Agree with all that.
I know that poster and JC is one of those players I reckon he LOVES.
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How is GAJ homophobic? I've never heard him speak out, nor exclude anybody in his general dealings
Is this because he liked something on Twitter?
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