![](https://images.bigfootymedia.com/icons/mobile-bullets/west_coast.png)
HoneyBadger35
They're not going to pick him, Mitch.
- Aug 11, 2011
- 28,486
- 80,798
- AFL Club
- West Coast
- Moderator
- #1
Aaron Sandilands has just recorded 69 hitouts in tonight's game against Adelaide, which appears to be the AFL/VFL record. According to this article posted last year, the record at that time stood at 63 from North Melbourne's Gary Dempsey in 1982. I'm fairly sure that hasn't been broken since the article was posted, but either way it's a phenomenal effort that emphasises what Sandi can do at his absolute best.
It got me thinking about the legacy Sandi will leave behind him when he wraps it up. Obviously a physical freak from a sheer size point of view, I've never felt he reached the heights he could have. Don't get me wrong, he's has some excellent periods of play and a fair few accolades (4 time All Australian, Fremantle's B+F in 2009, Grand Finalist) and injuries have held him back no doubt, which was perhaps to be expected of someone his size. Sandi is also a matchup nightmare when resting forward, making him even more damaging than some of the less agile ruckmen in the league. Maybe it's the blue and gold tinted glasses, but there never seemed a point where he was far and away better than Dean Cox or other challengers for best ruck in the league (although he was always in the conversation). Sandi's career for mine was at its peak for 3-4 years but he's struggled, mainly due to injury, to recapture that peak.
When Sandilands retires and you're describing his career to someone who didn't see it, what will you say? Was he an undisputed top tier ruckman for long enough to be considered one of the greats, or did you expect more consistently from someone of his size?
It got me thinking about the legacy Sandi will leave behind him when he wraps it up. Obviously a physical freak from a sheer size point of view, I've never felt he reached the heights he could have. Don't get me wrong, he's has some excellent periods of play and a fair few accolades (4 time All Australian, Fremantle's B+F in 2009, Grand Finalist) and injuries have held him back no doubt, which was perhaps to be expected of someone his size. Sandi is also a matchup nightmare when resting forward, making him even more damaging than some of the less agile ruckmen in the league. Maybe it's the blue and gold tinted glasses, but there never seemed a point where he was far and away better than Dean Cox or other challengers for best ruck in the league (although he was always in the conversation). Sandi's career for mine was at its peak for 3-4 years but he's struggled, mainly due to injury, to recapture that peak.
When Sandilands retires and you're describing his career to someone who didn't see it, what will you say? Was he an undisputed top tier ruckman for long enough to be considered one of the greats, or did you expect more consistently from someone of his size?