Brent Harvey vs Brad Johnson

[Dazb86]

Who is/was the better player.

With Harvey in his career twighlight it's safe to say he won't improve in his last couple of seasons. Who do you think was the better player over their careers?

Tough call for mine. Both really dominate matches when on song. Both were highly consistent. Harveys the better midfielder and Johnson the better forward although both are proficient playing either role. Both club champions who played 300+ games.

My bias says Johnson but to be honest I can't really split them.

Thoughts?

 

[weagles_fan]

Johnson the perenial finals choker. I would take the player who doesn't flop on the big stage constantly.

 

[Magpies696]

Brent Harvey easy, he is getting to the twilight of his playing career and is just playing like a hard running and goal kicking 20 year old

 

[Teffy]

Harvey, but that's not taking much away from Johnson.

 

[Dazb86]

Brent Harvey easy, he is getting to the twilight of his playing career and is just playing like a hard running and goal kicking 20 year old

Fair to say Johnsons last year was horrible but he wasn't exactly hobbling his way through the year before. Johnno lost a lot of respect last year from the footy public IMO and should have pulled the pin when he knew he wasn't up to it anymore.

 

[Dazb86]

Here are the respective career stats from both players...

Brent Harvey
Games K H D M G B T HO FF FA BLOW
Career 314* 13.3 7.4 20.7 3.8 1.2 0.8 1.9 0 0.9 0.6 0.52

5 club BNF
Premiership player 1999
A.A - 2000, 2005, 2007, 2008


Brad Johnson
Games K H D M G B T HO FF FA BLOW
Career 364 14.1 5.6 19.7 5.9 1.5 1.0 1.6 0.2 0.6 0.6 0.22

3 club BNF
AA - 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006(captain) and 2007

They have had pretty similar careers over the journey in terms of raw stats. Harveys achievements put him ahead though IMO.

 

[mark73]

Ah, the stats part?

Nothing against Johnson, he was a fantastic player, held the Dogs together for God knows how long. And he's a local boy so that adds to my love for him, but you're taking the piss, surely?

 

[Gameova_]

Harvey

 

[Igloo]

Harvey - 364 goals in 314 games.
Johnson - 558 goals in 364 games.

Harvey definately a better mid, but Johnson is definately a better forward.

People forget how good Johnson was, only because of his last year, which he shouldn't have played.

Ill go with Johnson, but im obviously bias.

People saying its not even a contest, are pretty much brain dead morons.

Both champions of their clubs, and both champions of the AFL.

 

[barmyarmy]

Harvey - 364 goals in 314 games.
Johnson - 558 goals in 364 games.

Harvey definately a better mid, but Johnson is definately a better forward.

People forget how good Johnson was, only because of his last year, which he shouldn't have played.

Ill go with Johnson, but im obviously bias.

People saying its not even a contest, are pretty much brain dead morons.

Both champions of their clubs, and both champions of the AFL.

boomer by the length of the straight at flemington

 

[weagles_fan]

Here are the respective career stats from both players...

Brent Harvey
Games K H D M G B T HO FF FA BLOW
Career 314* 13.3 7.4 20.7 3.8 1.2 0.8 1.9 0 0.9 0.6 0.52

5 club BNF
Premiership player 1999
A.A - 2000, 2005, 2007, 2008


Brad Johnson
Games K H D M G B T HO FF FA BLOW
Career 364 14.1 5.6 19.7 5.9 1.5 1.0 1.6 0.2 0.6 0.6 0.22

3 club BNF
AA - 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006(captain) and 2007

They have had pretty similar careers over the journey in terms of raw stats. Harveys achievements put him ahead though IMO.

What about finals stats? Johnson - Averages 5 disposals and 0.5 goals?

 

[Bigeasy]

People quickly forget how good Johnson was, sensational footballer. I can't split them.

 

[Wickzki]

Went with Johnno.

Harvey's always been a rider of coattails. Too quick to critique his teammates when things go wrong rather than take responsibility for his own inaction. North would have enjoyed the success that they did with or without him early in his career. I don't believe that the Bulldogs would have been nearly as good as what they were without Johnson. Therein is the difference for me.

 

[mark73]

Went with Johnno.

Harvey's always been a rider of coattails. Too quick to critique his teammates when things go wrong rather than take responsibility for his own inaction.

What? Please explain this part to me?

 

[Dazb86]

Ah, the stats part?

Nothing against Johnson, he was a fantastic player, held the Dogs together for God knows how long. And he's a local boy so that adds to my love for him, but you're taking the piss, surely?

Not even. He had a season where he almost averaged 20 possessions and 3 goals a game. I think they are closer than you'd imagine.

Played many games where he kicked 5 + goals etc

His last season really hurt his career IMO.

 

[MaddAdam]

With Harvey in his career twighlight it's safe to say he won't improve in his last couple of seasons. Who do you think was the better player over their careers?

I wouldn't bet on it. Boomer is in sparkling form this year and the emergence of our midfield guns allows him to spend more time up forward. He's on track for 40 goals this season.

He has two years min. left him IMO. Playing as a dedicated small forward, he could yet have a ripper year in him.

 

[Gus]

Ah, the stats part?

Nothing against Johnson, he was a fantastic player, held the Dogs together for God knows how long. And he's a local boy so that adds to my love for him, but you're taking the piss, surely?

Ignore the stats and look at the achievements.

Both club record holders.

Johnson- 6 AA's, one as AA captain. 3 Sutton medals in an era where Scott West pretty much owned that award. Second in the coleman medal in his AA captain year, as a small forward.

Harvey- 4 AA's. 5 Bnf's.

Harvey's premiership medal increases his reputation. But in isolation, between the pair as individual players, Johnson was better.

 

[The Nostradamus]

Ignore the stats and look at the achievements.

Both club record holders.

Johnson- 6 AA's, one as AA captain. 3 Sutton medals in an era where Scott West pretty much owned that award. Second in the coleman medal in his AA captain year, as a small forward.

Harvey- 4 AA's. 5 Bnf's.

Harvey's premiership medal increases his reputation. But in isolation, between the pair as individual players, Johnson was better.

oh ok well next time we have an argument i will bring up this quote to "ignore the stats"....


boomer harvey achievements
5 BnF, 4 AA, EJ Whitten medal, 5 time international rules player and 1 time captain, played in 2 grand finals, 1 premiership, club games record holder, Jim Stynes medal, runner up in the brownlow 2007, 2 time lou richards medallist, 2 time archer hird medallist and a herald sun player of the year in 2008.

pretty sure that tops what brad johnson has done ever

 

[MaddAdam]

Ignore the stats and look at the achievements.

Both club record holders.

Johnson- 6 AA's, one as AA captain. 3 Sutton medals in an era where Scott West pretty much owned that award. Second in the coleman medal in his AA captain year, as a small forward.

Harvey- 4 AA's. 5 Bnf's.

Harvey's premiership medal increases his reputation. But in isolation, between the pair as individual players, Johnson was better.

LOL. Harvey captained his country. Won an EJ Whitten medal.

As individual players, Harvey.

For the record, Shagga Grant was the better individual player than Johnno too.

 

[Gus]

And with that last sentence, you've just outed yourself. Hi SLF Kudos for paying up for an alias account. Committed to the cause. Didn't you have a poll on Johnson vs Grant, which was almost unanimous in favour of Johnson?

Harvey captained his country in a hybrid game most people don't give two shits about. And an EJ Whitten medal is awarded for one game, again in isolation.

 

[MaddAdam]

What? Don't know what you're on about. Grant was better than Johnson. Fact.

 

[Gus]

Right. Next you'll be saying Anthony Stevens was better than Scott West

 

[Wickzki]

What? Please explain this part to me?

1. He was successful in a great North Melbourne side / era. He hasn't been the barometer - hasn't influenced his teams success as well as what a player of his talent could. (Strictly my opinion).

2. As a leader towards the end of his career I have found him he to be very quick to critique his younger teammates as they develop. For example, as a Carlton fan, I can't remember Judd ever making the sort of scathing comments about the young and inexperienced players that he joined the Blues with (and he could have had he wanted to thus was his influence from his first day at the club). I don't remember Johnson ever making such public comments.

While a great player I have never really seen his performance shape the success of his side. That's not to say that he's not had match winning performances, he has, but rather that the team was not successful overall as a direct result of his performance.

People can claim "No Judd, no Carlton" but I don't think anyone could ever claim "No Harvey, no North." I do believe Johnson is closer to the "No Johnno no Bulldogs" than Harvey was.

 

[Dazb86]

I seem to remember Johnson being runners up in the Ej Whitten game.

Both played really well and the Vics dominated.

Was the last SOO game yeah?

 

[MaddAdam]

Right. Next you'll be saying Anthony Stevens was better than Scott West

Nah, Westy was a great footballer, bit better than Stevo. Though I reckon Stevo is happy with his two premiership medals.