Mike Sheahan's all-time top 50

[westozfalcon]

I see renowned journalist Mike Sheahan has named his top-50 VFL/AFL players of all time. He gives Wayne Carey the nod over Leigh Matthews for top spot...a tad controversial!

Looking at his list, as shown below, I would have thought Jonathan Brown would have snuck in somewhere..

1. Wayne Carey
2. Leigh Matthews
3. Ted Whitten
4. Gary Ablett
5. Jason Dunstall
6. Tony Lockett
7. John Nicholls
8. Graham Farmer
9. Kevin Bartlett
10. Greg Williams
11. Ian Stewart
12. Bill Hutchison
13. Dick Reynolds
14. Bobby Skilton
15. Haydn Bunton
16. Peter Hudson
17. Simon Madden
18. Royce Hart
19. Michael Voss
20. James Hird
21. Gordon Conventry
22. John Coleman
23. Darrel Baldock
24. Malcolm Blight
25. Bruce Doull
26. Alex Jesaulenko
27. Syd Coventry
28. Jack Dyer
29. Ron Barassi
30. Robert Harvey
31. Kevin Murray
32. Barry Cable
33. Stephen Kernahan
34. Nathan Buckley
35. Stephen Silvagni
36. Bob Rose
37. Walter Lee
38. Bob Pratt
39. Peter Matera
40. David Dench
41. Doug Wade
42. Ben Cousins
43. Michael Tuck
44. Francis Bourke
45. Len Thompson
46. Glen Jakovich
47. Garry Wilson
48. Albert Collier
49. Wayne Schimmelbusch
50. Jack Mueller

..obtained from footygoss.com.au 6/3/08.

[Dirko]

7. John Nicholls
10. Greg Williams
25. Bruce Doull
26. Alex Jesaulenko
29. Ron Barassi
33. Stephen Kernahan
35. Stephen Silvagni

7 from the Blues, although Barrass would have got the gong for the Melbourne playing days. I would have slotted Braddles in the list somewhere, he'd be my glaring omission from a Carlton view.

[Rushby Hinds]

and only one Bulldog? (from a quick glance)


Would have thought with 9 Brownlows (give or take 1 or 2) we'd have done better then that.

C Grant anyone?

[Punk Rooster]

meh, who cares- Australian Rules is about more than VFL/AFL...

[Blue Boy]

C Grant anyone?

Fantastic player and one of my faves but not top 50 !!!

[Strawb]

where was Len Fitzgerald, Russell Ebert, Peter Carey, Barrie Robran, If you played afl/vfl you where on this list no one who only played sanfl and wafl was on it.

[Ian]

Rucci has now entered the debate with his "footy's greatest", still had to play VFL/AFL to be considered

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/sport/afl/story/0,26547,23328462-5016212,00.html

but he and Cornes went on to name their top 10 that didn't play, or only played a small part of their carreer in the VFL/AFL

Rucci's list is:

1. Barrie Robran

2. Russell Ebert

3. Peter Carey

4. Len Fitzgerald

5. Lindsay Head

6. Rick Davies

7. Neil Kerley

8. Ken Farmer

9. Bob Quinn

10. Dan Moriarty

Cornes's list is:

1. Barrie Robran

2. Russell Ebert

3. Peter Carey

4. Ken Farmer

5. Lindsay Head

6. Bob Quinn

7. Rick Davies

8. Andrew Jarman

9. Len Fitzgerald

10. Neil Kerley

[Ian]

Michelangelo Rucci's top 50 AFL/VFL players of all time.

1. Leigh Matthews

2. Haydn Bunton

3. Wayne Carey

4. Ted Whitten

5. Ian Stewart

6. Graham Farmer

7. Gary Ablett

8. Bob Skilton

9. Tony Lockett

10. John Nicholls

11. Darrel Baldock

12. Royce Hart

13. Dick Reynolds

14. Kevin Murray

15. Peter Hudson

16. Bill Hutchison

17. Stephen Silvagni

18. Malcolm Blight

19. Gordon Coventry

20. Ron Barassi

21. Stephen Kernahan

22. Bruce Doull

23. John Coleman

24. Simon Madden

25. Francis Bourke

26. Jason Dunstall

27. Glen Jakovich

28. Alex Jesualenko

29. Kevin Bartlett

30. Robert Harvey

31. Jack Dyer

32. Gavin Wanganeen

33. Paul Roos

34. Bob Pratt

35. Robert Flower

36. Keith Greig

37. Greg Williams

38. Michael Voss

39. James Hird

40. Len Thompson

41. Mark Ricciuto

42. Bernie Quinlan

43. Andrew McLeod

44. Albert Collier

45. Bernie Smith

46. Barry Cable

47. Ron Clegg

48. Garry Wilson

49. Doug Wade

50. Laurie Nash

[Dutchy]

Glen Jakovich?

good player but top 50 of all time I think not....had a fair team around him which helped IMO

[smac]

Obvious bias here, but Platten would sneak into a top 50, IMO. But what would one of these lists be without a debate following it?

[CUTTERMAN]

7. John Nicholls
10. Greg Williams
25. Bruce Doull
26. Alex Jesaulenko
29. Ron Barassi
33. Stephen Kernahan
35. Stephen Silvagni

7 from the Blues, although Barrass would have got the gong for the Melbourne playing days. I would have slotted Braddles in the list somewhere, he'd be my glaring omission from a Carlton view.

Yes, I would think that Craig Bradley should've been in it and surprised that Rucci didn't put him in, as a direct example, Wangas or Bradley, I would think Bradley for mine. In the end it's subjective and still Victorian navel gazing.

[Dissident]

Of the SANFL ones ...
Bob Hank is a big name not there
And Bagshaw.

[JK]

Such a subjective topic, so you can really only go with your own opinion I guess, but for mine, as great a player as he was, I wouldn't have Bradley in my top 100 let alone top 50 (apologies to Blues fans, but I would definitely take Wanganeen before him - probably D Jarman aswell).

Would also have Platten and Jakovich in my top 50.

[Dirko]

Such a subjective topic, so you can really only go with your own opinion I guess, but for mine, as great a player as he was, I wouldn't have Bradley in my top 100 let alone top 50 (apologies to Blues fans, but I would definitely take Wanganeen before him - probably D Jarman aswell).

Would also have Platten and Jakovich in my top 50.

Nah didn't rate Alan that highly CP, in Sheehans list he has Ben Cousins WTF , good player, but from the Eagles you'd rate Judd over Cousins...

If I could put anyone in it'd be Gary Dempsey and also of the modern era Adam Goodes ?

[JK]

Such a subjective topic, so you can really only go with your own opinion I guess, but for mine, as great a player as he was, I wouldn't have Bradley in my top 100 let alone top 50 (apologies to Blues fans, but I would definitely take Wanganeen before him - probably D Jarman aswell).

Would also have Platten and Jakovich in my top 50.

Nah didn't rate Alan that highly CP, in Sheehans list he has Ben Cousins WTF , good player, but from the Eagles you'd rate Judd over Cousins...

If I could put anyone in it'd be Gary Dempsey and also of the modern era Adam Goodes ?

LOL I used to rate Alan Jakovich ... I reckon he was the stereo-typical player that put bums on seats, such an entertainer ... Sadly it didn't last long enough.

[Pup]

Nah didn't rate Alan that highly CP, in Sheehans list he has Ben Cousins WTF , good player, but from the Eagles you'd rate Judd over Cousins...

If I could put anyone in it'd be Gary Dempsey and also of the modern era Adam Goodes ?

Ben Cousins is better than a good player. Probably the best WCE has ever had including Chris Judd.

Captain 2001-5
Brownlow Medalist
Represented Australia
6 Time AA
4 Time Best and Fairest winner
Norwich Rising Star winner
Premiership player
League MVP

Chris Judd may be better by the end of his career but at the moment Ben is higher on my list.

[rod_rooster]

Nah didn't rate Alan that highly CP, in Sheehans list he has Ben Cousins WTF , good player, but from the Eagles you'd rate Judd over Cousins...

If I could put anyone in it'd be Gary Dempsey and also of the modern era Adam Goodes ?

Ben Cousins is better than a good player. Probably the best WCE has ever had including Chris Judd.

Captain 2001-5
Brownlow Medalist
Represented Australia
6 Time AA
4 Time Best and Fairest winner
Norwich Rising Star winner
Premiership player
League MVP

Chris Judd may be better by the end of his career but at the moment Ben is higher on my list.

Totally agree with that Pup.

[Iron Fist]

Nah didn't rate Alan that highly CP, in Sheehans list he has Ben Cousins WTF , good player, but from the Eagles you'd rate Judd over Cousins...

If I could put anyone in it'd be Gary Dempsey and also of the modern era Adam Goodes ?

Ben Cousins is better than a good player. Probably the best WCE has ever had including Chris Judd.

Captain 2001-5
Brownlow Medalist
Represented Australia
6 Time AA
4 Time Best and Fairest winner
Norwich Rising Star winner
Premiership player
League MVP

Chris Judd may be better by the end of his career but at the moment Ben is higher on my list.

Totally agree with that Pup.

ive got to say at the moment cousins i rate higher than judd
judd will over take him in 2 0r 3 years time!!!

[carey]

Nah didn't rate Alan that highly CP, in Sheehans list he has Ben Cousins WTF , good player, but from the Eagles you'd rate Judd over Cousins...

If I could put anyone in it'd be Gary Dempsey and also of the modern era Adam Goodes ?

Ben Cousins is better than a good player. Probably the best WCE has ever had including Chris Judd.

Captain 2001-5
Brownlow Medalist
Represented Australia
6 Time AA
4 Time Best and Fairest winner
Norwich Rising Star winner
Premiership player
League MVP

Chris Judd may be better by the end of his career but at the moment Ben is higher on my list.

totally agree just a shame whats happened to benny boy dont think he'll ever make it back

[carey]

I see renowned journalist Mike Sheahan has named his top-50 VFL/AFL players of all time. He gives Wayne Carey the nod over Leigh Matthews for top spot...a tad controversial!

Looking at his list, as shown below, I would have thought Jonathan Brown would have snuck in somewhere..

1. Wayne Carey
2. Leigh Matthews
3. Ted Whitten
4. Gary Ablett
5. Jason Dunstall
6. Tony Lockett
7. John Nicholls
8. Graham Farmer
9. Kevin Bartlett
10. Greg Williams
11. Ian Stewart
12. Bill Hutchison
13. Dick Reynolds
14. Bobby Skilton
15. Haydn Bunton
16. Peter Hudson
17. Simon Madden
18. Royce Hart
19. Michael Voss
20. James Hird
21. Gordon Conventry
22. John Coleman
23. Darrel Baldock
24. Malcolm Blight
25. Bruce Doull
26. Alex Jesaulenko
27. Syd Coventry
28. Jack Dyer
29. Ron Barassi
30. Robert Harvey
31. Kevin Murray
32. Barry Cable
33. Stephen Kernahan
34. Nathan Buckley
35. Stephen Silvagni
36. Bob Rose
37. Walter Lee
38. Bob Pratt
39. Peter Matera
40. David Dench
41. Doug Wade
42. Ben Cousins
43. Michael Tuck
44. Francis Bourke
45. Len Thompson
46. Glen Jakovich
47. Garry Wilson
48. Albert Collier
49. Wayne Schimmelbusch
50. Jack Mueller

..obtained from footygoss.com.au 6/3/08.

number 1 wayne carey enough said ! out and out champion