Current Champions of the Game?

[HyperAgressiveDonk]

Yeah, if 15 percent of the competition are triple premiership winning, coleman medallists (at centre-half forward) with multiple All-Australian selections and have captained their state, won multiple awards for courage and captaincy (voted by their peers), and kept getting up and doing it over again after some horrific injuries then the game is in good hands.

If you take away the "triple permiership winning" from that sentence, his resume by 30 doesn't look like that of a great player. He hardly had anything to do with those premierships and in one of those premiership seasons kicked only 14 goals from 19 games. Only has two All Australians by 30, his first not being until he was 25. I don't rate Luke Hodge in the absolute top echelon, but by 27 he has achieved more than Brown has by 30 individually.

Comparing forwards, Nick Riewoldt has Brown more than covered in terms of output and awards, and yet there is still doubt by some regarding Nicks standing in the game. Brown is overrated in my opinion. He is nowhere near the top echelon currently playing.

 

[Old Skool]

Adelaide: 0
Brisbane: Black, Brown
Carlton: Judd
Collingwood: Swan
Essendon: Fletcher
Fremantle: Pavlich
Hawthorn: Franklin
Geelong: Enright, Bartel, Scarlett
Gold Coast: Ablett
Melbourne: 0
North: Harvey
Port: 0
Richmond: 0
St Kilda: Hayes, Riewoldt
Sydney: Goodes
West Coast: Cox
Western Bulldogs: 0

That's a pretty good list.

 

[juss]

Judd and Ablett are the only two for mine.

It depends how you define champion. If we are talking about champion being the highest accolade then you can't have too many.

There are guys rattling off 10-15 names currently, which on that theory if that many can be playing at any one time, we'd have hundreds of champions over the years. If it's the absolute highest accolade, I don't think we can have hundreds of names over history as champions. Surely as the highest accolade it is reserved for that top 50 or so to have ever played the game?

In my eyes, guys like Carey, Hird, Voss, Buckley etc are champions.
You can add Judd and Ablett as those who will retire champions.
You could probably add Goodes too.

Guys like Franklin will be champions, but he isn't yet.

EDIT: If we are talking about club champions, then obviously a fair few guys can be included.

 

[HyperAgressiveDonk]

If Brown is overrated then what is Mitchell?

Huh? What's this gotta do with anything? Everytime you post it's some random comment about Hawthorn. Mitchell isn't a champion in the sense he is absolutely in the top echelon, he isn't even in the tier below that. He is probably only a "club champion", just like Brown.

 

[AG]

Judd and Ablett are the only two for mine.

It depends how you define champion. If we are talking about champion being the highest accolade then you can't have too many.

There are guys rattling off 10-15 names currently, which on that theory if that many can be playing at any one time, we'd have hundreds of champions over the years. If it's the absolute highest accolade, I don't think we can have hundreds of names over history as champions. Surely as the highest accolade it is reserved for that top 50 or so to have ever played the game?

In my eyes, guys like Carey, Hird, Voss, Buckley etc are champions.
You can add Judd and Ablett as those who will retire champions.
You could probably add Goodes too.

Guys like Franklin will be champions, but he isn't yet.

EDIT: If we are talking about club champions, then obviously a fair few guys can be included.

There is no real definition of the words like 'champion', 'legend' etc., so this is why there are always arguments. I just use entry in the HOF as a guide for 'champion'. Entry to the legends category in the HOF as a guide for 'legend'.

So you're saying only guys like Carey, Hird, Judd, Ablett, Buckley, Voss etc. are champions. I'd put them in the category of legends/all time greats, a step above champions.

Always sounds wanky talking about this topic but HOF is a good guide imo.

 

[Old Skool]

Guys like Franklin will be champions, but he isn't yet.

That's how I see it.

All Lance has to do is get another couple of years of his current output under his belt.

 

[HyperAgressiveDonk]

Adelaide: 0
Brisbane: Black, Brown
Carlton: Judd
Collingwood: Swan
Essendon: Fletcher
Fremantle: Pavlich
Hawthorn: Franklin, Hodge
Geelong: Enright, Bartel, Scarlett
Gold Coast: Ablett
Melbourne: 0
North: Harvey
Port: 0
Richmond: 0
St Kilda: Hayes, Riewoldt
Sydney: Goodes
West Coast: Cox
Western Bulldogs: 0

All the guys you mentioned will probably end up being HOFers. Agree with the Hawthorn ones in Franklin & Hodge. Easily our two standouts. Good to see you have included Harvey in that list as well. Much underrated.

 

[HFF]

These are the current champs running around IMO:

Adelaide: Rutten, Thompson
Brisbane: Black, Brown
Carlton: Judd
Collingwood: Swan, Pendlebury. (another few seasons and Thomas and Cloke will join them).
Essendon: Fletcher
Fremantle: Pavlich, Sandilands
Hawthorn: Franklin, Hodge, Mitchell
Geelong: Enright, Bartel, Scarlett, Selwood, Chapman, Johnson
Gold Coast: Ablett
Melbourne: 0
North: Harvey
Port: 0
Richmond: 0
St Kilda: Hayes, Riewoldt, Goddard
Sydney: Goodes
West Coast: Cox, Kerr, Glass
Western Bulldogs: Boyd, Griffen

Some of you may disagree with them but IMO these are the guys who have had the impact and consistency for a few years at least who will be remembered as champions of their clubs and the game for what they have achieved. Obviously not all will be legendary HOFs but they are champions nonetheless.

 

[Tom Blue]

Ablett, Goodes, Judd, Brown, Fletcher, Scarlett, Cox, Black and Pavlich. IMO the only current champions of the game. (Maybe Harvey? Not entirely sure)

Players such as Pendlebury, Selwood, Franklin will certainly get there, but are still too young to be called champions.

 

[Off The Couch]

Amongst current players I would say Ablett, Judd, Goodes and Black just because of consistency.

Franklin is not too far away and I agree with AG that Harvey is a pretty good selection as well. Its all subjective though and a list that very few will ever agree on but its a thread that seems to be trotted out quite regularly and with that the petty comments.

 

[juss]

There is no real definition of the words like 'champion', 'legend' etc., so this is why there are always arguments. I just use entry in the HOF as a guide for 'champion'. Entry to the legends category in the HOF as a guide for 'legend'.

So you're saying only guys like Carey, Hird, Judd, Ablett, Buckley, Voss etc. are champions. I'd put them in the category of legends/all time greats, a step above champions.

Always sounds wanky talking about this topic but HOF is a good guide imo.

Well then I agree then. I thought in this context champion was being used as the greatest of the great, and thought that naming 10-15 of them playing at the moment was ridiculous.

If we differentiate between champion and legend as you did, then yes, there are a few champions/potential champions running around.

 

[Hump 17]

Ablett, Goodes, Judd, Brown, Fletcher, Scarlett, Cox, Black and Pavlich. IMO the only current champions of the game. (Maybe Harvey? Not entirely sure)

Players such as Pendlebury, Selwood, Franklin will certainly get there, but are still too young to be called champions.

You forgot Nick Riewoldt whos clearly in there.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Only has two All Australians by 30, his first not being until he was 25.

Would have had more if not for some freakish injuries. You are better off looking at per game averages with Brown rather than season by season.

Comparing forwards, Nick Riewoldt has Brown more than covered in terms of output and awards

Which outputs? Certainly not goals per game, that's for sure. It hard to measure, but I reckon Brown has Riewoldt covered for sheer individual impact on games.

Not rubbishing Riewoldt at all by the way, he's a star.

 

[Choota]

I think Franklin is already a champion despite his age. With Hall retired, he wouldn't be far off passing all other existing players in terms of goals kicked, he averages more goals in finals than any other existing player averages in regular games and he has kicked 94 more goals than any other player over the last 4 seasons. There hasn't been many players in history so easily the best forward in the competition for a 4-5 year period IMO.

 

[HyperAgressiveDonk]

Would have had more if not for some freakish injuries. You are better off looking at per game averages with Brown rather than season by season.



Which outputs? Certainly not goals per game, that's for sure. It hard to measure, but I reckon Brown has Riewoldt covered for sheer individual impact on games.

Not rubbishing Riewoldt at all by the way, he's a star.

You're right about that first point, but I think you're forgetting how good Riewoldt was/is. He won an MVP, has had had 4 All Australians ( one selection as captain ), won 5 B&Fs in a side playing finals, and has arguably been a top 3 player in the comp in 2004 & 2009. As captain, he has led his side to several deep finals runs as well.

I do like Brown, and I know not many would agree with my sentiments when I say he is overrrated and Riewoldt is ahead of him, but I have always thought it. I know Browns absolute best is nearly as good as it gets, but for me it just doesn't come along enough. Whether that be because of injury, playing in a struggling side or what have you, I dunno.

But either way, there is a big difference between Browns actual achievements and his reputation.

 

[Choota]

I just checked the list. It is possible that by seasons end, Franklin will have kicked more career goals than Brown, Riewoldt, Pavlich and Milne, taking him to the top of current players. Brown is the leader with about 50 more goals. All are 4-5 years older.

Buddy also averaged more possessions in 2011 than any Coleman medallist since Leigh Mathews. He is already a champion of the game.

 

[Apollo2011]

Absolute top echelon?

Judd, Franklin, Ablett.

Black, Cox and others mentioned very unlucky but IMO it's only those three ATM. Can see a lot of the players mentioned being HoF though.

 

[Magic Mike]

Adelaide: Scott Thompson
Brisbane Lions: Simon Black, Jonathan Brown
Carlton: Chris Judd, Marc Murphy
Collingwood: Dane Swan, Scott Pendlebury, Dale Thomas, Luke Ball, Travis Cloke, Heath Shaw, Ben Reid, Alan Didak
Essendon: Dustin Fletcher, Jobe Watson
Fremantle: Matthew Pavlich, Aaron Sandilands, David Mundy
Geelong: Matthew Scarlett, Jimmy Bartel, Corey Enright, Joel Selwood, Paul Chapman, Steve Johnson, James Kelly, Joel Corey
Gold Coast: Gary Ablett
GWS Giants: 0
Hawthorn: Lance Franklin, Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell
Melbourne: 0
North Melbourne: Brent Harvey
Port Adelaide: 0
Richmond: Brett Deledio
St Kilda: Lenny Hayes, Nick Riewoldt, Brendon Goddard, Stephen Milne
Sydney: Adam Goodes
West Coast: Dean Cox, Daniel Kerr, Darren Glass, Andrew Embley
Western Bulldogs: Adam Cooney, Matthew Boyd, Ryan Griffen

 

[HyperAgressiveDonk]

Absolute top echelon?

Judd, Franklin, Ablett.

Black, Cox and others mentioned very unlucky but IMO it's only those three ATM. Can see a lot of the players mentioned being HoF though.

You would think in 20 years time, those 3 will be the names that are mentioned among the greatest ever players to play the game out of the blokes running around today.

 

[Apollo2011]

You would think in 20 years time, those 3 will be the names that are mentioned among the greatest ever players to play the game out of the blokes running around today.

And isn't that what we're talking about anyway? Champions of the game.

There's a lot of great players here, not many champions, in the literal sense of the word.

 

[Donakebab]

Adelaide: Scott Thompson
Brisbane Lions: Simon Black, Jonathan Brown
Carlton: Chris Judd, Marc Murphy
Collingwood: Dane Swan, Scott Pendlebury, Dale Thomas, Luke Ball, Travis Cloke, Heath Shaw, Ben Reid, Alan Didak
Essendon: Dustin Fletcher, Jobe Watson
Fremantle: Matthew Pavlich, Aaron Sandilands, David Mundy
Geelong: Matthew Scarlett, Jimmy Bartel, Corey Enright, Joel Selwood, Paul Chapman, Steve Johnson, James Kelly, Joel Corey
Gold Coast: Gary Ablett
GWS Giants: 0
Hawthorn: Lance Franklin, Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell
Melbourne: 0
North Melbourne: Brent Harvey
Port Adelaide: 0
Richmond: Brett Deledio
St Kilda: Lenny Hayes, Nick Riewoldt, Brendon Goddard, Stephen Milne
Sydney: Adam Goodes
West Coast: Dean Cox, Daniel Kerr, Darren Glass, Andrew Embley
Western Bulldogs: Adam Cooney, Matthew Boyd, Ryan Griffen

41 champions running around right now?

 

[Prem87]

Dean Cox Chris Judd Daniel Kerr

 

[HyperAgressiveDonk]

And isn't that what we're talking about anyway? Champions of the game.

There's a lot of great players here, not many champions, in the literal sense of the word.

Yeah we are, but everyone has a different definition of what a "champion" is, so that's why there's been so many different answers to the op.

 

[juss]

Adelaide: Scott Thompson
Brisbane Lions: Simon Black, Jonathan Brown
Carlton: Chris Judd, Marc Murphy
Collingwood: Dane Swan, Scott Pendlebury, Dale Thomas, Luke Ball, Travis Cloke, Heath Shaw, Ben Reid, Alan Didak
Essendon: Dustin Fletcher, Jobe Watson
Fremantle: Matthew Pavlich, Aaron Sandilands, David Mundy
Geelong: Matthew Scarlett, Jimmy Bartel, Corey Enright, Joel Selwood, Paul Chapman, Steve Johnson, James Kelly, Joel Corey
Gold Coast: Gary Ablett
GWS Giants: 0
Hawthorn: Lance Franklin, Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell
Melbourne: 0
North Melbourne: Brent Harvey
Port Adelaide: 0
Richmond: Brett Deledio
St Kilda: Lenny Hayes, Nick Riewoldt, Brendon Goddard, Stephen Milne
Sydney: Adam Goodes
West Coast: Dean Cox, Daniel Kerr, Darren Glass, Andrew Embley
Western Bulldogs: Adam Cooney, Matthew Boyd, Ryan Griffen

Surely this guys taking the piss?

The guys bolded are not champions, and there's a few others I didn't bold that are highly highly questionable too.

And before anyone says I'm just bagging other players, I highlighted Brett Deledio too. Nowhere near a champion of the game. Not even Richmond's best player.

All the guys bolded are gun players, but there's still a few steps up to being a "champion".

 

[Hipster Doofus]

Judd, Ablett now

Franklin in 2-3 years will join them

It has to be the top top tier of greatness