He was on another planet the first half of that year. I don't think I have seen another midfielder as dominant as Judd at his peak.
But seeing as he did play for the Eagles, it's hard to be sure.
The others:
1. Hird
2. GAJ
3. Buckley
4. Voss
-
LIVE: Geelong v Brisbane Lions - 7:30PM Sat
Squiggle tips Cats at 54% chance -- What's your tip? -- Teams on Thurs »
-
Weekly Prize - Join Any Time - Tip Prelim Finals
The Golden Ticket - MCG and Marvel Medallion Club tickets and Corporate Box tickets at the Gabba, MCG and Marvel.
Round SF Winner: And_ROOS
-
AFLW 2024 - Round 3 - Chat, game threads, injury lists, team lineups and more.
At their best, who was the best?
- Thread starter donnie5
- Start date
- Tagged users None
But seeing as he did play for the Eagles, it's hard to be sure.
The others:
1. Hird
2. GAJ
3. Buckley
4. Voss
voss
To be honest (and at the risk of sounding biased) does anybody think Anthony Koutoufides deserves to be on the list?
I don't agree that his career is as accomplished as some of those mentioned (thanks to injury) but at his BEST which is what this thread is about, he was simply unstoppable.
There was a stretch in 2000 in which he pretty much tore opposition teams apart single handely. Was MVP that year and All-Australian. And we've all heard about his game in '96 versus the Eagles and his last quarter versus Essendon in the '99 Prelim. Not many other players (of recent times) can lay claim to such amazing performances.
And I'm sure some Eagles supporters could just as easily make a case for Ben Cousins being included...
But of that bunch; Hird.
I don't agree that his career is as accomplished as some of those mentioned (thanks to injury) but at his BEST which is what this thread is about, he was simply unstoppable.
There was a stretch in 2000 in which he pretty much tore opposition teams apart single handely. Was MVP that year and All-Australian. And we've all heard about his game in '96 versus the Eagles and his last quarter versus Essendon in the '99 Prelim. Not many other players (of recent times) can lay claim to such amazing performances.
And I'm sure some Eagles supporters could just as easily make a case for Ben Cousins being included...
But of that bunch; Hird.
Judd followed by hird, then the others are all pretty equal.
Judd isn't the best though, neither is hird. Just at their best.
Judd isn't the best though, neither is hird. Just at their best.
- Dec 21, 2005
- 23,638
- 14,971
- AFL Club
- Western Bulldogs
Without a doubt. Over his career he hasn't been as god but his best was freakish. Almost better than anyone on the list.
- Jul 7, 2003
- 19,551
- 5,752
- AFL Club
- St Kilda
- Other Teams
- Swansea, Wizards
Buckley for me.
cmontommyalvin
Cancelled
- Banned
- #82
can't believe it took til page 6 to get a kouta mention. if i had to take anyone at their absolute best it'd be him.
as for the others, judd, and as a carlton man i always wished hird played for us.
as for the others, judd, and as a carlton man i always wished hird played for us.
tribey
ʎǝlʞuᴉH ʞɔɐS
Veteran
Port Adelaide - Connor Rozee Player Sponsor 2020
Port Adelaide - Zak Butters 2019 Player Sponsor
Port Adelaide - Jack Watts Player Sponsor 2018
Port Adelaide - Nathan Krakouer Player Sponsor 2015
Port Adelaide - Matthew Broadbent Player Sponsor 2013
Port Adelaide - John Butcher 2012 Player Sponsor
Judd didn't make the AA team in 2005, did he?
some will some wont
i voted hird - guy could play just about anywhere on the ground and there was noone who could stop him - to my mind the most perfectly rounded footy player ever - pity he was injured so much
I was having this conversation with a Collingwood friend when I brought up this poll. He is a massively biased Nathan Buckley fan and put forward good points, but I said to him I thought that Buckley was far more dominant over an extended period of time than anyone else on the list, but his absolute PEAK wasn't as good as the others. I brought up the fact that I thought Koutoufides PEAK was as good as Buckleys, but it just wasn't maintained for an appropriate amount of time for him to be considered.
Another I would mention is Nathan Brown... before he broke his leg, he was well on his way to having just about the most dominant individual season I have ever seen.
- Apr 4, 2009
- 5,250
- 5,799
- AFL Club
- Collingwood
He will be next year
Just for a different club.
I voted Ablett, thinking it said Snr.
But out of them, I'd have to say Hird
Kouta would win if he was on the list.
Kouta at his peak (it was short, but brilliant) is the best I've seen in the last 20 years
But out of them, I'd have to say Hird
Kouta would win if he was on the list.
Kouta at his peak (it was short, but brilliant) is the best I've seen in the last 20 years
Butts_JZZ30
Club Legend
Buckley, Ricciuto (I know isn't in poll) and Voss were the perfect centreman. They were all big strong bodies who attacked the ball very hard and they all had great skills and superb long kicks with the ability to take a strong grab when they had to. All 3 were also well capable of playing forward and kicking 40-50 goals. I personally find it very hard to spilt these 3 and their achievements are faily similar.
Judd is probably more of a clearance specialist and he has the ability to break through a pack and make space, I just don't rate his finishing or skills enough. He was fantastic at the Eagles though his ability to scoop up the ball on the run and push away blokes was impressive.
James Hird was the clever elusive play anywhere player. Superb ability, but was probably let down slightly by his body and some nasty injuries. Could be thrown to half forward or half back where he could dominate a game.
Probably Judd is last on the list for me.
Judd is probably more of a clearance specialist and he has the ability to break through a pack and make space, I just don't rate his finishing or skills enough. He was fantastic at the Eagles though his ability to scoop up the ball on the run and push away blokes was impressive.
James Hird was the clever elusive play anywhere player. Superb ability, but was probably let down slightly by his body and some nasty injuries. Could be thrown to half forward or half back where he could dominate a game.
Probably Judd is last on the list for me.
skywalker1977
Team Captain
When the brisbane lions were winning premierships they were very powerful with their home games at the gabba winning 47 out of 54 games and in those 7 games were losses to the crows, the power the swans freo the dess and the eagles twice.
And inboth those games with one in particular chris judd amassed well over 37 possessions with like 4 goals and obliterated the lions in their prime for a third straight flag.
Had like 3 or 4 opponents that night, a team like brisbane not having a single match up for one player aged just 20.
The only other player I would add or two actually would be koutifides and yes the 99 prelim is the classic always mentioned, he dented a great and quality team in essendon, who knows how far the blues would have gone the following year if he never got injured.
But kouta also smashed the brisbane lions in round 8 of 2001 with close to 40 possessions and the lions had no match for him.
Two players at their best beating the best of the brisbane lions team would be judd and kouta easily.
Both beat the lions singlehandedly at the gabba on their own efforts.
buckley and hird as great as they were could never get their teams over the line against the might of brisbane in their prime.
And inboth those games with one in particular chris judd amassed well over 37 possessions with like 4 goals and obliterated the lions in their prime for a third straight flag.
Had like 3 or 4 opponents that night, a team like brisbane not having a single match up for one player aged just 20.
The only other player I would add or two actually would be koutifides and yes the 99 prelim is the classic always mentioned, he dented a great and quality team in essendon, who knows how far the blues would have gone the following year if he never got injured.
But kouta also smashed the brisbane lions in round 8 of 2001 with close to 40 possessions and the lions had no match for him.
Two players at their best beating the best of the brisbane lions team would be judd and kouta easily.
Both beat the lions singlehandedly at the gabba on their own efforts.
buckley and hird as great as they were could never get their teams over the line against the might of brisbane in their prime.
I do love how the WC supporters rate Hird so highly. Poor buggers got mauled by him on so many occasions.
Hird was just a freak. I'm biased of course, but I have him at the top of this list
Hird was just a freak. I'm biased of course, but I have him at the top of this list
Koutoufides was the first name I thought of when I saw the thread title. Couldn't match some others over their career, but his best was just ridiculous.
Judd
Hird
GAJ
Buckley
Voss
Ablett could well pass Hird and Judd. I reckon like his old man, this bloke has some damaging football ahead of him in his senior years.
Judd just ahead of Voss for mine. Their physical presence on the field at their respective peaks was amazing.
- Oct 8, 2004
- 12,274
- 3,801
- AFL Club
- Collingwood
- Other Teams
- Collingwood VFL
At their very best, say, for a single game - James Hird. He could turn a game no matter how dominant the opposition were, and win it for his team. Anthony Koutoufides was probably even better than Hird at this, but he's not on the list.
For consistency over a season - Nathan Buckley. The best kick of anyone on the list, and capable of doing just about anything. Got tagged mercilessly over the course of his career, but learned to beat it comfortably.
For consistency over a season - Nathan Buckley. The best kick of anyone on the list, and capable of doing just about anything. Got tagged mercilessly over the course of his career, but learned to beat it comfortably.
Voss won a GF (and countless games) against Collingwood on his own. Buckey should never have won a norm smith FFS.
Closest to him was Hird.
To not have Harvey on the list and then talk of Buckley in terms of consistency is an embarrassing display of football stupidity.
Closest to him was Hird.
To not have Harvey on the list and then talk of Buckley in terms of consistency is an embarrassing display of football stupidity.
- Aug 8, 2010
- 7,721
- 6,829
- AFL Club
- Richmond
- Banned
- #99
Wayne Carey at his best surpasses all 5 of them.
1. Ablett
2. Voss
3. Hird
4. Judd
5. Buckley
1. Ablett
2. Voss
3. Hird
4. Judd
5. Buckley
PieEyedLad
Team Captain
Bucks for me, probably out of bias but when Collingwood weren't performing he was busting his ass to get us back in the game. Even in a big loss you look at the stats and see Bucks' 25 touches and 6 tackles with a few goals and had to admire him. Rarely had a quiet game too.
