Whom is the Best Athlete in the AFL?

[hearts on fire]

Gary Ablett Jnr

[JK]

if we are talking purely athletic gifts - speed, jump, reach, endurance - than Jared brennan is right up there. However, he's not in the league of best footballers because he has no consistency, but his gifts mean his highlight reel is unbelievable.

Under that same criteria you could have included Brett Burton once upon a time, although I think injuries over the course of the year have limited his jump.

I like the calls of Buddy, Richo, Judd (pre-groin, hopefully gets back to that level), Goodes and Cox.

Rob Harvey was awesome for endurance and mobility over the majority of his career.

Wonder if Natanui gets added to this list in the next year or two?

[CoverKing]

I think for running ability and the ability to run through pain there has not been anyone better then Ben Cousins in his day with the WCE. He is known as the hardest worker in the AFL (commonly referred to by the media before the draft).
Richo, pav, franklin, goodes and i think Nick Riewoldt is up there with the big blokes, they are extraordinary athletes that are extremely hard to find!

[westozfalcon]

For an overall combination of strength, endurance and ability to recover I'd pick Matthew Pavlich as the best.

In terms of pure aerobic fitness Bradd Dalziell from Brisbane would be hard to top.

[The Ash Man]

There is not many people who can run with Cameron Ling IMO

[whufc]

Jonathon Brown

[Footy Smart]

Crawford was an athlete and i belive ran an olypic qualifying time for the 1500 metres.

Brett Burton (love him or hate him) is an athlete.... at a recent training Burton ran laps for 3hrs while the crows were put through their paces

The tall athletic players eg. buddy cox etc are freaks of nature

[Dirko]

Back at his best Kouta was a freak. Was literally a athlete too, breaking and holding a few Vic and National underage records for things such as High Jump etc etc. Tim Forsyth was one of his closest rivals when Kouta was on the track.

[redden whites]

Crawford was an athlete and i belive ran an olypic qualifying time for the 1500 metres.

not saying you are wrong FS but he did run the fastest 1500m time in Victoria(by an Australian) in an Olympic year(2000) This included the Melbourne leg of the Optus athletics league .Not only that but he was solo the last lap and a half after the pacemaker left the track . His run was recorded by VAA officials at Olympic park during a twilight city meet and was the same evening as pre-season training that morning . He admitted later that he was obsessed with the expectation being the Brownlow holder and over trained that year and his legs were lead by July.
I am fairly sure it was only beaten by overseas athletes using Melbourne as a base before heading up to Sydney.He may have been the fastest white guy though

[Drop Bear]

Jonathon Brown

Seconded.
One big fit unit!

[Booney]

Dean Cox, no one his size covers as much ground as him.

[The Big Shrek]

Fev

[DILLIGAF]

birdman and ben cousins he runs all day blows most taggers out by half time he is a machine