Buckley V Crawford

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in 1999 when Crawf won the Brownlow he was only a few votes ahead of Bucks who couldn't vote in 7 games because of a broken jaw (Justin Murphy you thug!) in a team that finished last. Crawf was exceptionally lucky to win that one.

perhaps my memory is failing me, but I thought crawf won that one by a record margin, or something...
 
Both Champions but I would lean to Buckley based on 2 areas:

1. Flexibility - Bucks could play CHB, FF, etc...similar to the role Hodge plays for us.

2. Better use of the ball.

You wouldn't be upset if you had either though....
 
Since playing in the premiership this year Crawfs stocks seems to have risen. Who do you think is/was the better player, here are each players stats;

BUCKLEY
Career 1993-2007
Games 280
Goals 284
Brownlow Medal 2003
Club Best & Fairest 6
All Australian 7
Grand Finals 2
Premierships 0
Club Captain 1999-2007
Collingwood Team of the Century
Norm Smith Medalist 2002
Alex Jesaulenko Medal 1997
Rising Star 1993

CRAWFORD
Career 1993-
Games 305 (to rnd 18 2008)
Goals 224 (As above)
Brownlow Medal 1999
Club Best & Fairest 4
All Australian 4
Grand Finals 1
Premierships 1
Club Captain 1999-2004
Hawthorn Team of Century (Interchange)
Norm Smith Medalist 0
Alex Jesaulenko Medal 1998
Should have been, but wasn't. Interchange was Roy Simmonds, Paul Salmon, Langford and Ian Law
 

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Since playing in the premiership this year Crawfs stocks seems to have risen. Who do you think is/was the better player,....

Exactly what a lot of people hate hearing.

When u win a premiership it doesnt make u a better player.

Crawford's flag is a fantastic reward to top off a great career...not everyone is lucky enough and injury could have forced retirement before he got his chance. Hawthorn would have won this flag with or without him.

Crawford was/is a great midfielder but not in the Buckley/Harvey/Hird/Voss league. One notch down...a champion rover around the late 90's and turn of the century but one who hasnt produced great footy consistently for a long time now.
 
Um, Buckley played in a final in his first year at the pies - 1994 and didn't play in another one until 2002 - he played in his fair share of crap sides and held the team together more than anyone...

You are correct. The pies sides of 1994-2002 were absolute crap. The problem is of course that they still are, and poor old Nathan never got to hold up the silverware.

You could just hear the poor bastard grinding his teeth during the GF commentary.

Anyway, how could you vote for a punter who calls his kid Ayce. He should give back the Brownlow
 
in 1999 when Crawf won the Brownlow he was only a few votes ahead of Bucks who couldn't vote in 7 games because of a broken jaw (Justin Murphy you thug!) in a team that finished last. Crawf was exceptionally lucky to win that one.

time for some facts.


ok, so crawford won the medal by a 6 vote margin, 8 votes ahead of buckley. in 2003 buckley finished level with goodes and ricciuto, and only one vote ahead of crawford. I would say that buckley was probably luckier to have won his brownlow than crawford was... :rolleyes:
 
I can't say either way.. I don't remember either for the first half of their careers.

It's odd how time diminishes the memories of how great a player once was though. Crawf probably peaked earlier, obviously.. winning the Brownlow in '99 and Buckley in 2003.

Perhaps Buckley was more consistent in the back half of his career.
Thats where Buckley was most of his career! In the back half, getting handball receives out trhe back from Licca, Burns and Obree!!!

No seriously great player. Just shades Crawf, largely thru consistency.

Widely felt that Hird Voss and Buckley are the best 3 from modern era.
Prob right, but ricciuto crawf harvey mcleod are not far behind.
Anyone saying they are miles ahead is exaggerating.
I've certainly seen the players from the secondary list beat the big 3 on more than one ooccasion so they cant be too far behind.
 
i think one thing we can all agree on is just how much we miss these champions. The likes of HIRD, VOSS, BUCKLEY, CRAWF, HARVEY AND KOUTA will never be seen again. Sure nowadays we have franklin and ablett, but its just not the same without those guys.

i was watching buckley's highlight videos on youtube yesterday and it hit me how much i missed his leadership and him kicking goals from 65 on the run....:)

ON TOPIC: Buckley, but not by much. His leadeship, flexibility and professionalism, as will as his superb kicking skills do it for me. This guy was determined to succeed from the very beginning and it just kills me that he never got his medallion...

PS: don't even think about rating neitz with these champions
 
Poor form guys.

Crawford's 99 season was the best season by any player in the past 15 years.

No one has ever been shorter to win the Brownlow. His last 5 games were unbelievable.

In short, Crawfords's best was as good as Buckley (maybe even better - Crawf was a matchwinner - would never miss a goal from 50 in the last Q), but Crawf was not as reliable.

Crawf has probably played 100 A grade games out of his 308, where as Buck might have played 200 out of his 280.

Bucks was the better player.
Crawf has had the better career (fair chance to play in 2 premierships)
And Crawf a much better bloke.

In 05 Cousins went in as the shortest priced favourite of all time, beating the previous record held by Crawford

Not to be pedantic or anything ;)
 

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Crawf was brilliant at his peak, but let's be serious, Buckley is a champion.

Crawford won't be spoken of in the same category as Buckley in 50 years time, and for good reason.
 
People forget how great crawford was, and his off field antics took away from his on field talent.

How good buckley was is brainwashed via the media.

Anyone care to detail Crawford's shortcomings by comparison?

Well lets see...

Buckley had;

2 more Best & Fairests at a club that apparently 'had players to support him'.

3 more All-Australians.

A Norm Smith medal.

A Rising Star award.

Around 20 more Brownlow votes.

60 more goals in 25 less games.

Aswell as averaging over 2 disposals a game more throughout his career, whilst having a far superior disposal skills.

Thats way the majority are stating Buckley was the better footballer.

Crawford is a champion of the game and an absolute superstar, but its definitely fair to have Buckley well above him with the Michael Voss' and James Hirds.
 
Anyone care to detail Crawford's shortcomings by comparison?

Buckley was better than Crawford in the following areas

Footskills.....Bucks the best in the business
Marking.....Buckley much better over head
Tackling.....laid more tackles and laid heavier tackles
Centre Clearance.....Bucks holds the league record in 03, better than Judd!
Goals.....Bucks kicked more goals in less games
Versatility......Bucks played CHB against Carey, and played FF and could kick a bag of 6
Leadership.....Bucks longer serving captain and turned the club around......Hawthorn as a club turned around when crawf gave up the captaincy

The only area crawf was better than bucks was his running ability

Hodge is the new Buckley......big bodied midfielder that can pinch hit in a KP, is a brilliant leader, has awesome footskills.....only difference being Hodge is in a good team

Crawf v Cousins would be a tough debate tho.......very similar style of players
 
I think Buckley was a better player through his career.

There are two levels:

Mathews has his own level.

Level 1: Buckley, Hird, Voss - with maybe Judd, Ablett and possibly Hodge to reach this level. Roo maybe?

Level 2: Crawford, Cousins, Harvey, Black, West, Bartel and others.

Level 2 are great players, champions of their era, there's not a lot in it between level 1 & 2, but level 1 just had that little something extra.

The disappointing thing with these comparisons is when people say "easily", this is simply not true, or when people feel the need to put one player down in order to make the other player seem better.
Both Champions with Buckley generally regarded a little higher.
 
I cannot see this ending well, Collingwood supporters will say Buckley, Hawks will say Crawf.

Going to be an interesting topic.

Nope. I think Crawf's best - circa brownlow year - was better than Bucks' best. However throughout their careers, Buckley was better, particularly when we take into acccount 'the Shane Crawford, all about Shane Crawford years' for the 2 - 3 after he won the brownlow when his media commitments increased and his form plummetted.
 
Crawford was loyal to 1 CLUB and eventually won a premiership medal .
Chasing a premiership medal as Buckley did doesnt say much for his character.

They both played different roles for their club.

I would go for Crawford as better player who didnt mind getting the hard ball unlike Buckley .
Crawford was also a better team player.
 
Crawford inspired his team mates to a premiership :thumbsu:, Buckley did not :thumbsdown:

I know this is not the question, but it speaks volumes to the type of player/characters they both are :cool:

I'd take Crawf at his best over Buckley at his best anyday ;)
 
I would go for Crawford as better player who didnt mind getting the hard ball unlike Buckley .
Crawford was also a better team player.
I agree.

IMO Crawford played for Hawthorn his whole career. Buckley played for Collingwood for the first half of his career (there) and then Collingwood played for Buckley through the second half of his career.
 

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Buckley V Crawford

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