SA Footy

I've just been looking through a somewhat incomplete list of mail medal results for the GSFL for the last ten years and it is staggering how often Ben Baxter has finished in the top five place getters. He won the medal in '99 (to go with his '96 SFL medal) and he has been a runner up on multiple occasions. Does anyone have have a complete list of mail medal results for the last ten years? How many votes has Ben Baxter accumulated during this time? Has anyone scored more votes? Is Benny Baxter the GSFL's greatest player of the decade?

(and I'm talking about that ginger bloke from Willunga - not the champion NZ Greyhound)

Umpires pick Mail Medal votes so does it really mean much

FN - i agree full heartedly on your comments, I am not a big fan of the umpies myself. But you have to give credit where credit is due....

Ben Baxter, along with a few other GSFL players have a tendency to poll votes whether they get a kick or not. But don't get me wrong, I'm a big support for the mid-fielders who week in, week out keep beating the tags and get super amounts of the footy.

However, my point is, I know of a gun bigman that was on fire all year for a certain side in the GSFL, and did not make an impact mail medal night. Now I understand that everybody has a different view on the game, but I would be interested in your thoughts of what is more valuable, a good bigman, or a gun on-baller because it seems umpires love the on-ballers.

I would have to say that both Baxter the greyhound a footballer are extremely good at what they do, but my pick for player of the decade would be Randall Follett. I dont know the statistics but I reckon you'll find that his wrap sheet is impressive.

I am with you LF, even now that he is past his due by date he still takes opponents to school.

Without a biased point of view Bens record is impressive.
Hes won 2 mail medals in different leagues.
I think hes been outside of the top 4 in the medal once in about 10 years and has won 5 premierships as senior player in the GSFL.

Randall is a fantastic footballer and quite possibly the best as its debatable but on record alone you will struggle to find a better record than Bens.

So for me its a tie for the past 10 years with those 2.

Maybe a good idea is player for each club over the past 10 years?

It would have to be Grant Levy wouldn't it he is a gun.....

That Victor side through the 90s was awesome.

Levy, Carpenter, Jamie Brown and co were awesome but they were probably last decade!

Maybe Bassani best player?

Bassani would be the most sledged player, even after only playing 3 games in the GSFL!

If we were awarding the best player over the past 27 years I reckon you'd have to go with Barrie Clarke.

Barrie Clarke is a great player but he would'nt be the best for the decade . Just because you have played 500 + games it does'nt make you the best , just the most durable . All teams have had great players over the decade so perhaps a certain criteria needs to be in place . Midfield players get more votes and attention than forwards and back's but that does'nt nec make them better

What about the big E-Train (Eric Martin)! Had it all goals, hangers, suspensions you name it! The only contracted player to regularly hand back match payments when he had a shocker!

Eric Martin gets my vote for the scariest player of the decade!!

Good playing with him! Not too nice when you drop in to the hole in front of him!

interesting discussion but there are so many different types of players!
you cant compare a CHF to a Ruck Rover or a Wingman.
its always a sticky one.

i looked on the GSFL website and it lists the votes for seasons 2002 - 2007 (6years) these are the 4 "vote getters that stood out"

baxter 95 votes
loots 74 votes
Duffield 72 votes
Portlock 65 votes

i wouldnt say that these guys were the best players over the decade (they can hold there own) but its the only data i could find 3 are on ballers and one big guy! remember portlock didnt play a whole season this year.

jsut food for thought that maybe those who dont get te votes are still good!

I reckon Duff would have polled most of those votes while playing as a ruckman which makes him an on baller in my book. Which raises another interesting point. Is he more valuable to Strath playing as a ruckman or as a forward?

I have played along side duff and he is alot more valuable in the ruck and pushing forward but refuses to do it, he likes to sit up forward cos he is too old and fragile.

On the topic ov Martin i also recall the days of playing alongside and against him in the days were Peter Yon was on his side, very scary when u played with them for a year and seen what they can do then the next season to play against them.

Biggest d%#k head would have to be Scott Feltus in his days at Mt Compass i would think!

limb wrote:If we were awarding the best player over the past 27 years I reckon you'd have to go with Barrie Clarke.

How could you judge Barrie Clarke on 27 years when You've only been around here for about 10 years yourself?
Any way on to more important issues LIMB, is the Historic Finniss oval going to be Ready for play in 8 days time for the BIG CLASH ? Heard reports from Kelly that its not playable unless it Rains Rains Rains and a fair bit more work is done on it.

jingles wrote:However, my point is, I know of a gun bigman that was on fire all year for a certain side in the GSFL, and did not make an impact mail medal night. Now I understand that everybody has a different view on the game, but I would be interested in your thoughts of what is more valuable, a good bigman, or a gun on-baller because it seems umpires love the on-ballers.

Standout bigmen over the last decade (Strong bias to the last 6 years):

David Hams
Jim West
Matt James
Nathan Duffield
Eamon Bull

Grape Ape wrote:

jingles wrote:However, my point is, I know of a gun bigman that was on fire all year for a certain side in the GSFL, and did not make an impact mail medal night. Now I understand that everybody has a different view on the game, but I would be interested in your thoughts of what is more valuable, a good bigman, or a gun on-baller because it seems umpires love the on-ballers.

Standout bigmen over the last decade (Strong bias to the last 6 years):

David Hams
Jim West
Matt James
Nathan Duffield
Eamon Bull

Steele??