Player Watch #11: Max Gawn (C) – 7x All-Australian, 2x Best & Fairest, AFLCA Champion Player and Premiership Captain

[schmuttt]

Alot of people say Clarry is the best Demon of the modern era, I'd say it's pretty clearly Max, Steven May probably 2nd when I think about it. Flower was before my time, both shade Neitz IMO.

Clarry is barely top 5. Gawn May Trac Neitz ahead of him still.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Kornes getting in on the love-fest

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Legends dont get thrown to the ground and stood over by someone half their size. That alone should make him ineligible.

 

[Toump Ass]

Legends dont get thrown to the ground and stood over by someone half their size. That alone should make him ineligible.

Personally I would have exiled him from the sport after he brought his mate from Hamish and Andy to make cringe fn "MAKE SOME NOISE!!!" videos but that's just me.

 

[Topkent]

Hodge and Selwood also IMO

There's only 27 legends as far as I can tell. It'll be Buddy and Martin maybe Ablett that's it.

 

[schmuttt]

There's only 27 legends as far as I can tell. It'll be Buddy and Martin maybe Ablett that's it.

Maybe. Buddy Ablett Martin are locks, but yeah probably noone else then.

 

[Bluelegs]

Hodge and Selwood also IMO

Maybe. There aren't many legends for a reason, it's one of the things the AFL has really nailed.

You've gotta think whether the player deserves to be held in the same esteem as Leigh Matthews, Ron Barrassi, Malcolm Blight, Tony Lockett etc. All these guys are on another level. Legend status is essentially football sainthood.

Does Gawn belong in that group? Don't think so. Wouldn't say Selwood or Hodge do either to be completely honest, I'm even shaky on whether Judd truly deserves it.

Not to mention there are also the guys who probably deserve to be in on merit but won't be inducted for a long long time, if ever because of off-field stuff like Carey and Ablett Snr.

 

[Topkent]

Maybe. There aren't many legends for a reason, it's one of the things the AFL has really nailed.

You've gotta think whether the player deserves to be held in the same esteem as Leigh Matthews, Ron Barrassi, Malcolm Blight, Tony Lockett etc. All these guys are on another level. Legend status is essentially football sainthood.

Does Gawn belong in that group? Don't think so. Wouldn't say Selwood or Hodge do either to be completely honest, I'm even shaky on whether Judd truly deserves it.

Not to mention there are also the guys who probably deserve to be in on merit but won't be inducted for a long long time, if ever because of off-field stuff like Carey and Ablett Snr.

Exactly. I ****ing love Hodge but he can't but up with Barassi. That's 10 premierships.

It's Buddy Martin and then even Ablett Junior feels a push because of his time on the GC which is probably harsh.

Just read that the legend category can only be 10% of the total amount of hof members to keep it special. So they can only add like 1 every few years now.

 

[Crimson Azure]

Maybe. Buddy Ablett Martin are locks, but yeah probably noone else then.

They’ll probably find a way to weasel Judd into legend status. Probably using two Brownlows as an excuse. Although he had absolutely no right to the second Brownlow, though. It really is a dud award.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Hodge definitely isn't a legend, I'd even have Gawn in front of him. Think Max is a little bit behind Selwood but probably equal with him by the time his career is done.

 

[Bluelegs]

Exactly. I ****ing love Hodge but he can't but up with Barassi. That's 10 premierships.

It's Buddy Martin and then even Ablett Junior feels a push because of his time on the GC which is probably harsh.

Just read that the legend category can only be 10% of the total amount of hof members to keep it special. So they can only add like 1 every few years now.

I think most of the legends even the ones that most of us never saw play have a degree of myth about them that goes beyond just purely watching them or looking at stats too. Stuff like the crowd switching ends to watch John Coleman, Leigh Matthews breaking a point post, the ever-expanding length of Blights torpedo etc. The only player who probably has that aura in the modern game would be Franklin.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

I think most of the legends even the ones that most of us never saw play have a degree of myth about them that goes beyond just purely watching them or looking at stats too. Stuff like the crowd switching ends to watch John Coleman, Leigh Matthews breaking a point post, the ever-expanding length of Blights torpedo etc. The only player who probably has that aura in the modern game would be Franklin.

Martin's finals record/performances are second to none and makes him a legend imo.

 

[schmuttt]

Exactly. I ****ing love Hodge but he can't but up with Barassi. That's 10 premierships.

It's Buddy Martin and then even Ablett Junior feels a push because of his time on the GC which is probably harsh.

Just read that the legend category can only be 10% of the total amount of hof members to keep it special. So they can only add like 1 every few years now.

Ablett is clearly ahead of Martin (Both should be legends).

 

[Scythe94]

Legends dont get thrown to the ground and stood over by someone half their size. That alone should make him ineligible.

Eh, Ablett Jr was as soft as they come and he'll likely make it

 

[Bluelegs]

Martin's finals record/performances are second to none and makes him a legend imo.

I agree he probably will be. My last post was purely talking about the aura and myth-making that kind of follows the current group of legends around.

Will be interested to see how Martin is remembered. The truth is he should be thought of as the guy who carried a pretty ordinary team to three flags.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Ablett is clearly ahead of Martin (Both should be legends).

I wouldn't say it's clear at all, think you could make a case for both. Depends how you look at the game. Ablett for how good he was during the season didn't play many vintage finals as far as I remember. As far as talented players go though he is one of the greatest of all time and his regular season records speak for themselves. As dominant as we've ever seen over a 7-8 year period.

 

[schmuttt]

I wouldn't say it's clear at all, think you could make a case for both. Depends how you look at the game. Ablett for how good he was during the season didn't play many vintage finals as far as I remember. As far as talented players go though he is one of the greatest of all time and his regular season records speak for themselves. As dominant as we've ever seen over a 7-8 year period.

If you’re weighting finals performances so heavily then Hodge walks in as a legend.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Eh, Ablett Jr was as soft as they come and he'll likely make it

Sure he loved a winge when he didn't get frees but I wouldn't describe him as soft at all.

 

[Headless]

Imagine if we had a single elimination tournament for 'Who is the best player who has played for the Melbourne Football Club since and including 2000?' Headless

Can't even remember who won lol. Was it Gawn over Neitz?

 

[Bluelegs]

Imagine if we had a single elimination tournament for 'Who is the best player who has played for the Melbourne Football Club since and including 2000?' Headless

We need to do this but for Kent Kingsley inductees and figure out who is the first Legendary spud who plays well against Melbourne.

 

[Bluelegs]

Can't even remember who won lol. Was it Gawn over Neitz?

Gawn

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

If you’re weighting finals performances so heavily then Hodge walks in as a legend.

Martin's finals performances were bigger than Hodge's. And Martin clearly was the better player during the season. Loved Hodge and how he played but he played as a loose man in defense a lot of the time, not exactly the hardest role.

 

[Scythe94]

Sure he loved a winge when he didn't get frees but I wouldn't describe him as soft at all.

Eh, perhaps my view is clouded by all the times Viney bullied him.

 

[Scythe94]

Can't even remember who won lol. Was it Gawn over Neitz?

Correct

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Eh, perhaps my view is clouded by all the times Viney bullied him.

There was a definite drop off in his finals performances when the heat went up,

 

[stEdy]

Gawn's probably the legend ruck but isn't an overall legend of the game.

Led us to our only flag in yonks but we probably need to go deep in September again (and probably another flag) with some real "team on back" type performances to get him over the line.