Universal Love Martin Retirement

Remove this Banner Ad

Comparing players from different eras is a waste of time.

The game is umpired differently, and the one-on-one specialists from earlier eras would be overwhelmed by the structure and role-playing teams of today, just as the role-players of today would be completely out of their depth in one-on-one contests with yesterday’s champions.

How the champions of each era would fit into teams from different eras is another question, and honestly, it’s not a question that interests me. It’s like arguing about how many angels fit on the head of a pin.
Hallelujah for ****ing structures!!

Hallelujah for Malthouse and Roos turning the game into a snore fest tackle fest.

Hallelujah for Clarkos cluster.


where shall I stop? The beautiful modern game. The AFL. 4 umps & their beautiful work.

State of the Game crisis ??

RFC running 280 kms a game. Kmac & JGTI running 15 kms a game. Holding field position beautifully. Ooops what a ****ing score occasionally

Thomson Dow 5 year player. I rest my case.

Give me un fit durry muching Ian Stewart or Robbie McGhie
1723688976362.png
 
Last edited:
comparing players across eras is always a good pub argument

Do you freeze in time the Hafey era players and drop them off to play today ?

The sports science in fitness and diet has enabled change in the way the game can be played ie ( way more running and all the strategy that comes with it )

the speed , endurance and very different game style would catch them out

or do we take todays stars back in time
they would play on smaller suburban grounds , no centre square , no 6 6 6 rule
during winter the grounds would be very heavy , you try and be twinkle toes on that stuff
you'd be caught and buried and no interchange bench to go off and recover , just 19th and 20th men , basically todays substitute

if Francis Bourke , Kevin Bartlett , Ian Stewart and Royce Hart were dropped in Melb. as 16 yo's now , given 2 years in the current junior system they would make it as senior footballers
Francis Bourke was seriously fast pre broken leg , then adapted to be a very tough centre half back , he was adaptable

Kevin Bartlett , he covered ground , had enough pace to be out in front of most and just kept finding the ball , he would catch and kill his own and he adpated from 60's play to the 80's , I'm sure he would have found a way

Ian Stewart - triple brownlow medalist , he found the ball , he could take seriously good pack marks and his kicking was sublime , I'm sure his skills would find a home in any era

and Royce , he raised the bar for clean hands both marking and in general play , the attributes we want in our modern players

I would worry for the likes of Roger Dean , Bill Nettlefold , Jimmy Jess etc , much loved players , good in their day , but they might have been too slow for now

I reckon Cotchin would have thrived in any era as he has physical toughness and skills

How would Dusty have gone during the 60's 70's ?
Just as good , cream rises to the top and the umpires would have protected him , like Peter Hudson
 

Log in to remove this ad.

comparing players across eras is always a good pub argument

Do you freeze in time the Hafey era players and drop them off to play today ?

The sports science in fitness and diet has enabled change in the way the game can be played ie ( way more running and all the strategy that comes with it )

the speed , endurance and very different game style would catch them out

or do we take todays stars back in time
they would play on smaller suburban grounds , no centre square , no 6 6 6 rule
during winter the grounds would be very heavy , you try and be twinkle toes on that stuff
you'd be caught and buried and no interchange bench to go off and recover , just 19th and 20th men , basically todays substitute

if Francis Bourke , Kevin Bartlett , Ian Stewart and Royce Hart were dropped in Melb. as 16 yo's now , given 2 years in the current junior system they would make it as senior footballers
Francis Bourke was seriously fast pre broken leg , then adapted to be a very tough centre half back , he was adaptable

Kevin Bartlett , he covered ground , had enough pace to be out in front of most and just kept finding the ball , he would catch and kill his own and he adpated from 60's play to the 80's , I'm sure he would have found a way

Ian Stewart - triple brownlow medalist , he found the ball , he could take seriously good pack marks and his kicking was sublime , I'm sure his skills would find a home in any era

and Royce , he raised the bar for clean hands both marking and in general play , the attributes we want in our modern players

I would worry for the likes of Roger Dean , Bill Nettlefold , Jimmy Jess etc , much loved players , good in their day , but they might have been too slow for now

I reckon Cotchin would have thrived in any era as he has physical toughness and skills

How would Dusty have gone during the 60's 70's ?
Just as good , cream rises to the top and the umpires would have protected him , like Peter Hudson
Reckon LMatthews would go okay back then and now...same with Greg Williams...this would be the harder ask...to play back then on the old suburban glue-pot grounds.
Easier to bring the past players to now...with all the modern improvements...they would star!
 
I've witnessed both eras. I rate the success of the Richmond/Hafey era over the Gale/Dimma era. My criteria is flags won. Which is the aim of the exercise
I witnessed both too and they are different
 
I believe that you can’t compare guys who worked regular 9 - 5 jobs with professionals. It just isn’t logical. Not to mention that the league wasn’t even a national competition. Furthermore, the methods of equalisation such as salary cap and draft weren’t in place like they are now.

Fact 1: Today’s players are significantly better than VFL players due to the nature of being full-time professionals and advancements in sports science.

Fact 2: It is significantly more difficult to win a premiership (and multiple premierships) than it was in the VFL era. This is due to it being a national professional league with equalisation measures in place.

Ergo: D. Martin was significantly better than Hart, Barrott, KB etc.

(No disrespect meant to the VFL legends. It’s just how I see it.)
2023 was good but 2024 has been peak Sports science at Punt Road. 3 page long injury reports take me a week to read. Playing Prestia after a flight & 5 day break. Very scientific. Brilliant. Honorary Sports Science Doctorate to Yze for that
I have learnt a lot about ACLs and honoroble mention to the VFL program for its invaluable contribution. Clarke, Young & Naismith ACLs. Absolutely fantastic sports science. Gibcus playing a game and a half was a season highlight for me. 4 games out of Lynch for a 2nd year. Honorobale mention to all involved in that.

My rolling best 22 injured. Peaked with

Josh Gibcus, Dylan Grimes, Tylar Young
Marlion Pickett, Campbell Gray, Brown
Prestia, Hopper, Taranto
Dustin Martin, Tom Lynch, Mykelti Lefau
Liam Fawcett, Maurice Rioli jnr, Judson Clarke

Green XX Sam Naismith.
 
Last edited:
2023 was good but 2024 has been peak Sports science at Punt Road. 3 page long injury reports take me a week to read. Playing Prestia after a flight & 5 day break. Very scientific. I have learnt a lot about ACLs. Honoroble mention to the VFL program for its contribution to the advancements.

My rolling best 22 injured. Peaked with

Josh Gibcus, Dylan Grimes, Tylar Young
Marlion Pickett, Campbell Gray, Brown
Prestia, Hopper, Taranto
Dustin Martin, Tom Lynch, Mykelti Lefau
Liam Fawcett, Maurice Rioli jnr, Judson Clarke

Green XX Sam Naismith.
You left out Jack Ross who's only missed about 18 games.
 
I was speaking to a niece who is a nurse at the Epworth and can confirm that they profit so much from RFC's Fitness/Sports science Regime that they have bought ALL the digital bricks. And intend to fund the new Jack Dyer grandstand completely.
3 stories.
Ground Floor Meehan/Bourke wing for Orthopaedic surgery.
1st floor McIntosh/Pickett wing Surgery recovery.
2nd floor: Ellie McKenzie wing IVF & Maternity.
1723754069375.png
 
Last edited:
Yes that early Meatball injury really annoyed me...after a plane flight and five day break...
He has known issues...he is older...
Where was the management of older, experienced players, to help last a whole season...not just one game!
Then that Gibcus injury...thrown into fierce Senior playing games after such a serious, near career ending injury.
Such a cavalier attitude to player management!
And not a head rolled for it...only senior players going down like nine pins for the rest of the Season!
 
2023 was good but 2024 has been peak Sports science at Punt Road. 3 page long injury reports take me a week to read. Playing Prestia after a flight & 5 day break. Very scientific. Brilliant. Honorary Sports Science Doctorate to Yze for that
I have learnt a lot about ACLs and honoroble mention to the VFL program for its invaluable contribution. Clarke, Young & Naismith ACLs. Absolutely fantastic sports science. Gibcus playing a game and a half was a season highlight for me. 4 games out of Lynch for a 2nd year. Honorobale mention to all involved in that.

My rolling best 22 injured. Peaked with

Josh Gibcus, Dylan Grimes, Tylar Young
Marlion Pickett, Campbell Gray, Brown
Prestia, Hopper, Taranto
Dustin Martin, Tom Lynch, Mykelti Lefau
Liam Fawcett, Maurice Rioli jnr, Judson Clarke

Green XX Sam Naismith.
Get some sleep, you silly old fart.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

yeah ballpark..maybe touch less
just doesn't have that same pull the #300 had.
Agreed, I think a lot of people will look back and feel like that was his retirement game.

Plus our season is so cooked and people wont even get there early (or whatever) to see him walk out onto the G.
 
And in return Martin delivered the supporters and the club more than everything we could of dreamt for.

The scores are even I think. Time to move on.
True.... but the shiftyness is what gets me.... makes sense why he didn't attend his retirement press conference.... he would've been asked the question and wouldn't be able to answer with a straight face
 
I've been watching since 1966 and take your pick out of Barrot Bourke or Clay. Or of course, Hart went OK. Green & Sheedy were seriously good footballers. I rate flags so, that Hafey era trumps Dimma and Dusty.
Green was one of the best footballers for his height in the Hafey era. Bartlett is still the GOAT Tiger and Ablett Senior is ahead of any player I've ever seen. He would still kick 100 goals a season today as he has all the attributes plus more than the modern game offers.
 
comparing players across eras is always a good pub argument

Do you freeze in time the Hafey era players and drop them off to play today ?

The sports science in fitness and diet has enabled change in the way the game can be played ie ( way more running and all the strategy that comes with it )

the speed , endurance and very different game style would catch them out

or do we take todays stars back in time
they would play on smaller suburban grounds , no centre square , no 6 6 6 rule
during winter the grounds would be very heavy , you try and be twinkle toes on that stuff
you'd be caught and buried and no interchange bench to go off and recover , just 19th and 20th men , basically todays substitute

if Francis Bourke , Kevin Bartlett , Ian Stewart and Royce Hart were dropped in Melb. as 16 yo's now , given 2 years in the current junior system they would make it as senior footballers
Francis Bourke was seriously fast pre broken leg , then adapted to be a very tough centre half back , he was adaptable

Kevin Bartlett , he covered ground , had enough pace to be out in front of most and just kept finding the ball , he would catch and kill his own and he adpated from 60's play to the 80's , I'm sure he would have found a way

Ian Stewart - triple brownlow medalist , he found the ball , he could take seriously good pack marks and his kicking was sublime , I'm sure his skills would find a home in any era

and Royce , he raised the bar for clean hands both marking and in general play , the attributes we want in our modern players

I would worry for the likes of Roger Dean , Bill Nettlefold , Jimmy Jess etc , much loved players , good in their day , but they might have been too slow for now

I reckon Cotchin would have thrived in any era as he has physical toughness and skills

How would Dusty have gone during the 60's 70's ?
Just as good , cream rises to the top and the umpires would have protected him , like Peter Hudson
Roger Dean wasn't slow in his early days. He would still be a massive upgrade on TT, Hopper, Dow, JGTI and KMAC.
Dean is a Tiger immortal who again adapted his game over time and he would be better than guys like Rowell, Neale, McGrath etc etc. He's no Primadonna and could play bc he was smarter and tougher than most in his days. Unless you've seen this guy play then you are under estimating hoW brilliant he was. He's in my top 10 Tigers of all time.
 
Green was one of the best footballers for his height in the Hafey era. Bartlett is still the GOAT Tiger and Ablett Senior is ahead of any player I've ever seen. He would still kick 100 goals a season today as he has all the attributes plus more than the modern game offers.

Lol Ablett Snr is th 7th most successful player.....in his own family.

Dusty is a gun that trumps a royal flush with his performances in finals.
 
Last edited:

Remove this Banner Ad

Universal Love Martin Retirement

Remove this Banner Ad

Back
Top