General Bombers Talk Don The Stat: 100 Greatest Essendon Players Since 1980

[Blind Turn]

Watson was MVP in 89 & should have won the Brownlow. He & Ablett were neck & neck that year, but clearly the best two players in the comp.

Yeah, I mentioned that in an earlier post here. I’d have him a smidge ahead of Madden despite big Si being my all-time favourite player.

 

[I Remember Bluey]

Yeah, I mentioned that in an earlier post here. I’d have him a smidge ahead of Madden despite big Si being my all-time favourite player.

People tend to forget this about Madden:

In addition to playing in the ruck, Madden was a handy part-time forward, kicking 575 goals in his career, a club record that stood until it was broken in 2003 by full-forward Matthew Lloyd. Madden won four Essendon best and fairest awards (1977, 1979, 1983 and 1984) and captained the side in the 1980 and 1981 seasons.

I rate him at No:1

Edit: He also wore contact lenses and always had difficulty adjusting to night conditions because he wore contact lenses.

 

[Blind Turn]

People tend to forget this about Madden:

In addition to playing in the ruck, Madden was a handy part-time forward, kicking 575 goals in his career, a club record that stood until it was broken in 2003 by full-forward Matthew Lloyd. Madden won four Essendon best and fairest awards (1977, 1979, 1983 and 1984) and captained the side in the 1980 and 1981 seasons.

I rate him at No:1

Edit: He also wore contact lenses and always had difficulty adjusting to night conditions because he wore contact lenses.

Preaching to the converted mate

I loved the big fella’s all-round capabilities and spectacular marking to boot. I just reckon that if you’re being genuinely discussed as the best player in the comp like Tim was then you probably deserve to be acknowledged as the star of your team in that era. I always remember Tim being the one talked about as our best player and vying for best in the comp when I was young and Simon was talked up as the best ruckman in the comp only. That’s the only deciding factor I went with in my personal top 10.

 

[ant555]

People tend to forget this about Madden:

In addition to playing in the ruck, Madden was a handy part-time forward, kicking 575 goals in his career, a club record that stood until it was broken in 2003 by full-forward Matthew Lloyd. Madden won four Essendon best and fairest awards (1977, 1979, 1983 and 1984) and captained the side in the 1980 and 1981 seasons.

I rate him at No:1

Edit: He also wore contact lenses and always had difficulty adjusting to night conditions because he wore contact lenses.

And the even more important point is in 1976 I got the great mans #27 on my first duffle coat. Only reason I did not get 16 seasons out of that coat was after 10 years I grew out of it. Still not too bad. No number / player change needed

Personally I think that despite how highly he does get rated he is still generally under rated. He was genuinely one of the best rucks to play the game and also kicked 30 to 40 goals most seasons.

 

[windyhill]

Madden would save a goal down back. Set up a goal in the middle. Go and kick one up forward. Would take mark of the week regularly. Goal of the week the next. Best I've seen, club/competition. Perfect footballer.

 

[Blind Turn]

And the even more important point is in 1976 I got the great mans #27 on my first duffle coat. Only reason I did not get 16 seasons out of that coat was after 10 years I grew out of it. Still not too bad. No number / player change needed

Personally I think that despite how highly he does get rated he is still generally under rated. He was genuinely one of the best rucks to play the game and also kicked 30 to 40 goals most seasons.

There’d be an argument for him being the best footballer to have been considered a first ruck in the history of the game. It could be argued that players like Dempsey, Gawn, Cox, Thompson, Farmer, Nicholls, and Dyer were all better, or as good as, Madden in their own unique style by being pure ruckmen but when it comes to being an overall great ‘footballer’ then Madden’s forward craft and spectacular marking perhaps give him the edge. The player who might have his measure is Farmer because he progressed the way the game was played with his creative handball.

 

[ant555]

Madden would save a goal down back. Set up a goal in the middle. Go and kick one up forward. Would take mark of the week regularly. Goal of the week the next. Best I've seen, club/competition. Perfect footballer.

 

[Darealrath]

I'm too young to comment meaningfully on the 80s guys but post '90 I'd have:

1. Hird
2. Lloyd
3. Fletcher

And then it's really difficult. How do you weight the brilliance and success of Mercuri, Wanganeen and Long against the consistency of Watson and Merrett?

I'd probably go with the following:

4. Mercuri
5. Wanganeen
6. Watson
7. Merrett
8. Lucas
9. Long
10. Misiti
11. J. Johnson

 

[Blind Turn]

I'm too young to comment meaningfully on the 80s guys but post '90 I'd have:

1. Hird
2. Lloyd
3. Fletcher

And then it's really difficult. How do you weight the brilliance and success of Mercuri, Wanganeen and Long against the consistency of Watson and Merrett?

I'd probably go with the following:

4. Mercuri
5. Wanganeen
6. Watson
7. Merrett
8. Lucas
9. Long
10. Misiti
11. J. Johnson

Have a stab at the top 10 mate. There’s a t-shirt in it for you
I reckon there’s enough footage and stats out there to have an informed opinion even if you didn’t see them live.

 

[Darealrath]

Have a stab at the top 10 mate. There’s a t-shirt in it for you
I reckon there’s enough footage and stats out there to have an informed opinion even if you didn’t see them live.

Can't turn down a t-shirt!

1. Madden
2. Hird
3. Watson
4. Lloyd
5. Fletcher
6. TD
7. Mercuri
8. Wanganeen
9. Watson
10. Merrett

 

[I Remember Bluey]

The player who might have his measure is Farmer because he progressed the way the game was played with his creative handball.

True story

This is how Polly honed his handball skills

 

[Sporno 4 Pyros]

People tend to forget this about Madden:

In addition to playing in the ruck, Madden was a handy part-time forward, kicking 575 goals in his career, a club record that stood until it was broken in 2003 by full-forward Matthew Lloyd. Madden won four Essendon best and fairest awards (1977, 1979, 1983 and 1984) and captained the side in the 1980 and 1981 seasons.

I rate him at No:1

Edit: He also wore contact lenses and always had difficulty adjusting to night conditions because he wore contact lenses.

It was great being a kid in the 80s and tuning into the radio to listen to the Dons.
One week TD would kick 5 and be your favourite player, then the next week Simon would kick 5 and be your hero, then the following week Vanders would kick a bag and have 3 or 4 mark of the week contenders and be your favourite player.
Glorious time to be alive.

 

[Sporno 4 Pyros]

I reckon I've said it before on here, but Long was ready to win a brownlow in 94 before he did his knee. I don't think he was ever quite the same after that.

Yep he was going to be a star in ‘94…I was as flat as a shitcarters hat when news came through that he had done his knee.

 

[Happyskeret]

How good would have Neale Daniher been without the injuries?

 

[windyhill]

Yep he was going to be a star in ‘94…I was as flat as a shitcarters hat when news came through that he had done his knee.

In a meaningless pre-season fixture in outback WA.

 

[Blind Turn]

How good would have Neale Daniher been without the injuries?

At least as good as Wellman out of defence. But an all-round better player as he could play ruck rover or HF just as well. I reckon he was primed to become a ruck rover as he matured because he had all the attributes but his best footy was at HB and never got to express himself as a midfielder.

 

[Happyskeret]

At least as good as Wellman out of defence. But an all-round better player as he could play ruck rover or HF just as well. I reckon he was primed to become a ruck rover as he matured because he had all the attributes but his best footy was at HB and never got to express himself as a midfielder.

No disrespect to Terry but I thought he would have been the best of the bunch. I also thought Anthony was massively underrated in his prime. In his prime he was nicknamed the Forward Freezer! Dad always called Chriss the ugly duckling but he was serviceable and was an important cog in the 93 flag but yeah dad was correct. He was the worst of a very good bunch.

 

[Yoda_]

Joe Misiti was such a nothing footballer that we could not live without. He was the first ball pig I can remember for Essendon. Regularly rack up 30+ when 20 was the current day 30

Justin Blumfield seems to be criminally under rated. Was a shoe horn away from a norm smith, was the glue amongst a pencil case of bits and pieces in that under achieving era of 99 - 01. Sold to manage a salary cap and we never recovered

 

[Happyskeret]

Joe Misiti was such a nothing footballer that we could not live without. He was the first ball pig I can remember for Essendon. Regularly rack up 30+ when 20 was the current day 30

Justin Blumfield seems to be criminally under rated. Was a shoe horn away from a norm smith, was the glue amongst a pencil case of bits and pieces in that under achieving era of 99 - 01. Sold to manage a salary cap and we never recovered

I’m glad someone finally mentioned him. Not the best but gee he was good. Loved big Rexy’s calls of smoking joe. He was the calm headed ball pig in the middle. Not flashy but gee he was serviceable. Not a huge mid but owned that centre square.

 

[Sporno 4 Pyros]

How good would have Neale Daniher been without the injuries?

This match is one of my earliest memories of the Dons.
We come back from 26 points down at the 21 minute mark against the scum who would go in to win the flag.
TD is on fire at CHB (marking, baulking, Hird like, I should have him top 3 on my list) couple of Vander highlights, Timmy going for a run, Merv doing some good things (30m handballs), Hawker absolutely killing it.
Then Neale kicks the last 2 goals to win it for us (did he do his knee the next week??)

Farrk me…this is a great 20 minutes of hard footy. Can highly recommend this to everyone.

 

[Happyskeret]

TD when I met him was a lot taller than I thought he would be. I asked him of the story when Vanders waltzed into someone’s house and fell asleep after one of the mid 80’s flags. He stared daggers at me so I knew it was true and I think it was because there was younger people there and he wanted to set a good example. We ended up having a good yarn later and he said to me to keep an eye on young Joe, Anthony’s boy. He told me he would be something special and boy he wasn’t wrong.

 

[84859300]

How good would have Neale Daniher been without the injuries?

I'm ancient enough to remember a magazine published to my Primary School Library of Neil's surgery in black and white images. I didn't know how good he could have been at that stage.

 

[Happyskeret]

I'm ancient enough to remember a magazine published to my Primary School Library of Neil's surgery in black and white images. I didn't know how good he could have been at that stage.

Do you remember the kids books in the library with the old emblem imagery? There was one about Van Der Haar!

 

[84859300]

This match is one of my earliest memories of the Dons.
We come back from 26 points down at the 21 minute mark against the scum who would go in to win the flag.
TD is on fire at CHB (marking, baulking, Hird like, I should have him top 3 on my list) couple of Vander highlights, Timmy going for a run, Merv doing some good things (30m handballs), Hawker absolutely killing it.
Then Neale kicks the last 2 goals to win it for us (did he do his knee the next week??)

Farrk me…this is a great 20 minutes of hard footy. Can highly recommend this to everyone.

I was listening to this game on the radio with my dad cleaning the garage. I totally cracked the shits as Carlton hit 20 odd in front, throwing my broom on the ground and went to my mates place 7 houses away. 15 odd minutes later my Dad came running out saying we won - could not believe him until we watched the replay. I was emotional with my footy - even at that age.

 

[Happyskeret]

I'm ancient enough to remember a magazine published to my Primary School Library of Neil's surgery in black and white images. I didn't know how good he could have been at that stage.

Mr Mickleborough who lived up the road showed me the mags around the 50’s when Coleman got rubbed out of the GF. As an Essendon fan it’s sensationalist and hard reading but if our sport was global it showed to me that he would have been an international star.