Best AFL player ever

[silicone skyline]

Can't believe Gavin Wanganeen has not even rated a mention here yet
Sheedy claims he's up there with the greatest players he's ever coached... and he had some pretty good ones ...

[GWW]

Can't believe Gavin Wanganeen has not even rated a mention here yet
Sheedy claims he's up there with the greatest players he's ever coached... and he had some pretty good ones ...

Why is that funny? I agree with RC. Wanganeen is probably not the greatest AFL player ever, but he's more deserving to be in the list than Modra and probably a few others as well.

[silicone skyline]

Can't believe Gavin Wanganeen has not even rated a mention here yet
Sheedy claims he's up there with the greatest players he's ever coached... and he had some pretty good ones ...

Why is that funny? I agree with RC. Wanganeen is probably not the greatest AFL player ever, but he's more deserving to be in the list than Modra and probably a few others as well.

Refer to thread title.

[silicone skyline]

With that said, Gavin Wanganeen is a lot more deserving mention than Brian Lake. Lol.

[GWW]

But why is it funny? There's a list of contenders there and Wanganeen is just as deserving to be in that list as quite a few others.

He and Guy McKenna i think are the 2 best small defenders of the last 20 years.

[silicone skyline]

Akermanis is even more deserving to be on that list that Wanganeen.

He would make the team of the past two decades, but the reason he hasn't been mentioned in this thread is exactly the point, we're talking the best AFL player ever. Not the best 22 AFL players ever.

Wanganeen was good, make no mistake, but he is definitely not in the same league as an Ablett or a Carey. That's obvious.

[westozfalcon]

Alastair Lynch deserves to be amongst the main contenders too.

[GWW]

Wanganeen was good, make no mistake, but he is definitely not in the same league as an Ablett or a Carey. That's obvious.

Neither are most of the others on the list. Only Hird, Buckley and Voss are anywhere near as far as i'm concerned.

This thread probably would have been better if it asked to rank the following players:

G Ablett Snr
Carey
Buckley
Voss
Hird

, because 75% of the players mentioned could never seriously be ranked as the best ever AFL player.

[Ruben Carter]

Akermanis is even more deserving to be on that list that Wanganeen.

[silicone skyline]

Akermanis is even more deserving to be on that list that Wanganeen.

Is that ... Is that you Gavin?

[Rotter]

With all due respect to some of those on the original list, some glaring omissions to name a few.

Hawthorn
John Platten

Carlton
Greg Williams
Stephen Kernahan

Footscray
Scott Wynd

Fitzroy/Sydney
Paul Roos

[GWW]

So the consensus is pretty much that it is out of 2 players, with some going for Carey, others Ablett Snr.

Just thought i'd have a go at picking the best "AFL" side ever, which would be from 1990 to today (given that this was the date the VFL technically became the AFL.

Here's my side:

FF G Ablett Snr, Lockett, D Jarman

HF Ricciuto, Carey, Hird,

C P Matera, G Williams, Buckley

HB McKenna, G Jakovich, McKay

FB Roos, Scarlett, Wanganeen

1st Ruck
Cox
M Voss
Cousins

INT R Harvey, Dunstall, S Wynd, C Grant

EMERG Goodes, Judd

[Ruben Carter]

Like your work GWW hard to argue with that.
One that I can think of that is a bit unlucky is Steve Silvagni but when Judd can't get in the 22, it's hard to mount a case for SOS I guess.

[GWW]

Yeah, i guess it was either SOS or Scarlett, personally i'm a big fan of the Geelong full back.

[JK]

Fair effort GWW ... I'd prob be inclined to make 1 maybe 2 minor changes (for me, Roos to HBF, Fletcher to his BP, Judd swap with Cousins and Goodes on the bench over Grant).

But again we're comparing players from different era's when different styles of footy were in place, so as always it's subjective and will often revolve around personal opinion

[Rotter]

Fair effort GWW ... I'd prob be inclined to make 1 maybe 2 minor changes (for me, Roos to HBF, Fletcher to his BP, Judd swap with Cousins and Goodes on the bench over Grant).

But again we're comparing players from different era's when different styles of footy were in place, so as always it's subjective and will often revolve around personal opinion

Ah but beauty is in the eye of the beholder C_P. Ask your self, there's one spot left and the 2 vying for the position has one of them a current player, athletic, not overly physical, sublime skills. The second is old school, 6'5" big mark, physically intimidating. I know which one I'm taking...

[Dirko]

Paul Kelly has no friends.....

[GWW]

There's always one player thats forgotten in these teams, Kelly perhaps should be in the side, although who he would replace is another question!

[Rotter]

McKay

[GWW]

Not sure Kelly would go to a back flank.