Best player of the modern era?

[Sttew]

For me it's Cousins. His self-sacrificing, gut-running approach to football. Can't discount the notion that his influence lifted 9-thmond out of their mediocrity and laid the platform for their ultimate success a few years later. Dusty certainly idolised him in any case.

LOL. My sarcasm meter isn't working so I can't tell if you're being serious. Cousins was great but he did over a much shorter period than Ablett Junior

 

[Genghis Tron]

I never quite understood on what grounds people rate Simon Black above Sam Mitchell
It must be a style thing. Aesthetics. Mitchell was short & stocky. Black was leaner and looked more graceful.

Really, they were very similar: both played in the centre, both lacked pace, but were razor sharp with their decision-making and ball-use. Black peaked sooner in his career, but I just think Mitchell put more runs on the board. He was more durable and he got better and better as the years went by.

If you look closely at their records, I think you'll find Mitchell put together more A+ seasons than Black did.

Black won a Norm Smith for his 38 disposals in the 2003 GF, but Mitchell was no less brilliant in finals. I'd argue his finals record was superior.
Sammy was a bee's dick away from winning the Norm Smith in 2014 (33 disposals) and in 2015 (34 disposals)

Sam Mitchell: 4 premierships, 5 best and fairests
Simon Black: 3 premierships, 3 best and fairests

Sam Mitchell: 227 Brownlow votes from 303 H&A games
Simon Black: 184 Brownlow votes from 302 H&A games


Black
3× Premierships: 2001, 2002, 2003
Brownlow Medal : 2002
Norm Smith Medal: 2003
3× All-Australian : 2001, 2002, 2004
3× Best and Fairests: 2001, 2002, 2006
Herald Sun Player of the Year 2001
Captain: 2007–2008


Mitchell
4× Premierships: 2008 (captain), 2013, 2014, 2015
Brownlow Medal: 2012
3× All-Australian: 2011, 2013, 2015
5× Best and Fairests: 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2016
AFL Rising Star: 2003
2× Lou Richards Medal: 2011, 2015
Herald Sun Player of the Year: 2011
Captain: 2008–2010

I think it's a vibe rather than a straight aesthetics thing. I have always rated Black higher than Mitchell, but looking at it on paper for the first time perhaps I shouldn't by as much as I do. Really enjoyed watching that Brisbane team play and Black was a part of that. Just had an 'aura' about him. Feel like he played like more of a leader whereas Mitchell played like a brilliant footballer in a leadership position as stupid as that sounds. I'd still have either at my club in a heartbeat and Mitchell would probably be the better fit.

Well, if that's the case, I'm surprised he gets way fewer disposals than Dangerfield and only kicks marginally more goals

No question about his ability and off-the-charts skills, but maybe he doesn't quite have the same work rate as the champs in those pics you posted

Yeah if he really applied himself he could have Tom Mitchell numbers and half the impact on games.

Allow me to drink some kool-aid and put my nuffie hat on for a sec.

If Richmond media (and occasionally outside media) is to be believed, he is an ultimate professional who applies himself well and has an amazing work rate. If he could add a big defensive element to his game and not lose an ounce of his offensive capabilities then I don't see why he wouldn't. I think he understands his strengths, weaknesses and game well enough to know that if he does the defensive work then he won't be in the best places to give us exactly what we need, when we need it. Does that make him sound like a glory hunter/is that a cop-out answer? Quite possibly, but it makes perfect sense to those more familiar with his game. He helps the team more by not getting involved as often in defensive exploits as backwards as that sounds.

I do understand the argument about work rate though. The optics of it can look 'lazy' at times. I just don't think it is.

He also has the massive benefit of being able to rely on his teammates without being let down very often.

 

[Meteoric Rise]

If you look at all their finals records I would hazard a guess that Martin is that far ahead of anyone else on the list it isn’t funny. To do that much damage in finals that consistently elevates him into a league of his own as a finals player from this list, but it must be acknowledged, he wouldn’t be better than up to half the players on the list in terms of consistency of home and away performances. Opponents largely know how and where Martin will play in the big games, but when he drifts forward it is usually in the knowledge they don’t have a suitable player or strategy to stop him, and mostly, they cannot.

The blokes that burst away from contests really hurt the opposition, so Ablett, Franklin, Judd, Dangerfield, Martin in particular had or have that characteristic. Of those, Dangerfield I rate well below the others because his use of the ball by foot is so poor relative to them.

I missed important parts of the careers of Ablett, Franklin and Judd. You couldn’t say any of them weren’t brilliant footballers, but Franklin I always thought to be a bit overrated on the whole, and the fortunes of the Hawks and Swans after he switched clubs only served to reinforce that view.

If you played footy one on one Adam Goodes would be a tough bloke to beat.

It is a difficult exercise. One I am not fully qualified to comment meaningfully upon.

 

[BF Tiger]

If multiple votes were allowed I reckon we'd see GAJ with >90% of the vote, Buddy over 70% and players like Judd and Dusty over 50%.

 

[Cotchins Hair Piece]

Cotchin???? He could lace up the others boots perhaps but he does have the best flat top.