If you could draft one player from the 21st century who would you pick?

[Joao]

Tempted to just get Pav back but it's Gaz.

 

[nineteen eighty]

Everyone takes 1,066 goals and it is not close.

I'll take Martin but I'm obviously biased.

If Martin wasn't in the mix, no hesitation from my end taking Buddy. His best was incredible and did it over many years. Judd is the other one in the mix.

GAJ isn't one I would have. Didn't have a terrible finals record but certainly had a better H&A record than he did finals.

Blokes like Daicos and Gulden for mine shouldn't be in the mix. Still pups and they may end up with records the equal of those on this list. But nowhere near it for mine...today.

 

[tenderwarrior]

Some of those players seem very injury prone.

So I’ll take Mitch Thorp thanks.

Mitch Thorp was the best.. easily.. just ask him.

 

[QuietB]

How is everyone automatically taking that? He went to a team who had just won a flag and spent basically half his career there and they didn’t win another one with him. Yes of course he is in the discussion and everyone would consider him but ‘not even close’ is a stupid exaggeration.

1. As a key forward he has 25% more goals and 25% more possessions than his nearest competitor.
2. Key forward is the hardest position on the ground.
3. No other player in any position is 25% better than their contemporaries

It is not close.

 

[PhatBoy]

I'll take Martin but I'm obviously biased.

If Martin wasn't in the mix, no hesitation from my end taking Buddy. His best was incredible and did it over many years. Judd is the other one in the mix.

GAJ isn't one I would have. Didn't have a terrible finals record but certainly had a better H&A record than he did finals.

Blokes like Daicos and Gulden for mine shouldn't be in the mix. Still pups and they may end up with records the equal of those on this list. But nowhere near it for mine...today.

Given that everyone likes to isolate one player’s ‘peak’ in particular when citing his finals record, Ablett’s four year peak of finals was so ‘bad’ that he averaged 31 touches, 4 tackles, 1.5 goals/assists, 14 contested possessions, 6.5 clearances per final across 12 matches.

His biggest black mark is literally that he was quiet in a 119 point hiding of Port Adelaide.

In 6 grand finals/preliminary finals outside of that Port match, his numbers are:

32 touches per GF/PF
1.66 goals/assists per GF/PF
4.25 tackles per GF/PF
7 clearances per GF/PF
12.6 contested possessions per GF/PF

I’m not sure there has ever been a player so impacted reputationally - among one particular group of fans in particular at least - by their performance in one 20 goal win where they could have sat on the bench smoking darts the whole game and it wouldn’t have mattered

 

[Lingsface]

I'll take Martin but I'm obviously biased.

If Martin wasn't in the mix, no hesitation from my end taking Buddy. His best was incredible and did it over many years. Judd is the other one in the mix.

GAJ isn't one I would have. Didn't have a terrible finals record but certainly had a better H&A record than he did finals.

Blokes like Daicos and Gulden for mine shouldn't be in the mix. Still pups and they may end up with records the equal of those on this list. But nowhere near it for mine...today.

I’ll take the bait, GAJ played some amazing finals. Didn’t win the Norm but as close as you can get in a losing team 08 and some preliminary and semi finals that were second to none.

 

[BringFevBack2021]

Bontempelli is for mine, the best player I've ever seen

 

[Lingsface]

Given that everyone likes to isolate one player’s ‘peak’ in particular when citing his finals record, Ablett’s four year peak of finals was so ‘bad’ that he averaged 31 touches, 4 tackles, 1.5 goals/assists, 14 contested possessions, 6.5 clearances per final across 12 matches.

His biggest black mark is literally that he was quiet in a 119 point hiding of Port Adelaide.

In 6 grand finals/preliminary finals outside of that Port match, his numbers are:

32 touches per GF/PF
1.66 goals/assists per GF/PF
4.25 tackles per GF/PF
7 clearances per GF/PF
12.6 contested possessions per GF/PF

I’m not sure there has ever been a player so impacted reputationally - among one particular group of fans in particular at least - by their performance in one 20 goal win where they could have sat on the bench smoking darts the whole game and it wouldn’t have mattered

Haha you took the bait seconds before me!

 

[PhatBoy]

1. As a key forward he has 25% more goals and 25% more possessions than his nearest competitor.
2. Key forward is the hardest position on the ground.
3. No other player in any position is 25% better than their contemporaries

It is not close.

So what.

He can kick twice as many goals as his contemporaries. Who gives a shit if it’s not going to enhance the chances of his side winning.

Game for game Murali took about 25 per cent more wickets than the rest of his contemporaries. Didn’t achieve much for his team

 

[QuietB]

So what.

He can kick twice as many goals as his contemporaries. Who gives a shit if it’s not going to enhance the chances of his side winning.

Game for game Murali took about 25 per cent more wickets than the rest of his contemporaries. Didn’t achieve much for his team

I didn't know we were talking about the best team

 

[PhatBoy]

I didn't know we were talking about the best team

Isn’t that the idea of why you draft the player in the first place though - to enhance the prospects of making the team as strong as possible?

If not the thread creator may as well have just called it ‘who’s the best player’ for the 1 millionth time

 

[QuietB]

Isn’t that the idea of why you draft the player in the first place though - to enhance the prospects of making the team as strong as possible?

If not the thread creator may as well have just called it ‘who’s the best player’ for the 1 millionth time

Are you arguing that Buddy would not make the team stronger?

There have been maybe 6 mids named as the best in this thread so far - GAJ, Judd, Martin, Bont, Pendlebury, Daicos and you could name another 10 - Voss won three premierships this century for example and he might be the most valuable of all of them.

My point is there are maybe 10-15 midfielders that you can throw a blanket over. There are a dozen defenders the same. As a forward Franklin stands alone in this era.

 

[PhatBoy]

Are you arguing that Buddy would not make the team stronger?

There have been maybe 6 mids named as the best in this thread so far - GAJ, Judd, Martin, Bont, Pendlebury, Daicos and you could name another 10 - Voss won three premierships this century for example and he might be the most valuable of all of them.

My point is there are maybe 10-15 midfielders that you can throw a blanket over. There are a dozen defenders the same. As a forward Franklin stands alone in this era.

If the idea is to draft someone who is going to give a team the best possible chance to be as strong as possible, then what’s your argument for the automatic assumption that Franklin is the cut and dried winner?

Everyone knows he’s at worst the second best player of the century.

But he leaves Hawthorn and they keep winning without him, goes to an already premiership level team and they don’t win.

Plenty of people would want a Rance or Scarlett to build a defence around, or whatever.

 

[iameviljez]

He's not as good as GAJ or Franklin, but I pick Riewoldt.

The best marking tall forward post-2000 - and if I'm looking to set up a team, that's where I start recruiting.

 

[Mr Meow]

Given that everyone likes to isolate one player’s ‘peak’ in particular when citing his finals record, Ablett’s four year peak of finals was so ‘bad’ that he averaged 31 touches, 4 tackles, 1.5 goals/assists, 14 contested possessions, 6.5 clearances per final across 12 matches.

His biggest black mark is literally that he was quiet in a 119 point hiding of Port Adelaide.

In 6 grand finals/preliminary finals outside of that Port match, his numbers are:

32 touches per GF/PF
1.66 goals/assists per GF/PF
4.25 tackles per GF/PF
7 clearances per GF/PF
12.6 contested possessions per GF/PF

I’m not sure there has ever been a player so impacted reputationally - among one particular group of fans in particular at least - by their performance in one 20 goal win where they could have sat on the bench smoking darts the whole game and it wouldn’t have mattered

Geez peak GAJ was a finals fraud.

Just a shame the Suns were useless as I've no doubt his 2011-2014 finals averages would've been even more eye popping.

 

[stallon]

Are you arguing that Buddy would not make the team stronger?

There have been maybe 6 mids named as the best in this thread so far - GAJ, Judd, Martin, Bont, Pendlebury, Daicos and you could name another 10 - Voss won three premierships this century for example and he might be the most valuable of all of them.

My point is there are maybe 10-15 midfielders that you can throw a blanket over. There are a dozen defenders the same. As a forward Franklin stands alone in this era.

Disagree that there's that many mids and backs you can throw a blanket over.

For defenders at least there is 2 clear top KPDs in Gov and Scarlett.
Mids there's a few but not 10-15

 

[Corkintheocean]

Huh? Absolutely lethal player that justified it but the entire team worked defensively so he could run around without defending. Certainly not many stars around him, but never has there been a team more designed to support one player.

Thanks. You've made my point perfectly.

 

[MF]

GAJ then Franklin. Hard to pass up the 372 games you'd get out of Goodes though.

 

[RUNVS]

GAJ then Franklin. Hard to pass up the 372 games you'd get out of Goodes though.

Truth be told I am surprised Bont has 6 votes and Goodes has none as I think Goodes was better than Bont, not by a lot, but I think he was better.

 

[QuietB]

If the idea is to draft someone who is going to give a team the best possible chance to be as strong as possible, then what’s your argument for the automatic assumption that Franklin is the cut and dried winner?

Everyone knows he’s at worst the second best player of the century.

But he leaves Hawthorn and they keep winning without him, goes to an already premiership level team and they don’t win.

Plenty of people would want a Rance or Scarlett to build a defence around, or whatever.

If they were all lined up against the wall and we picked a team - if I start with Franklin my team can’t lose because he is that much better than his peers.

If you take GAJ - I’ll take Judd (or Voss, or Martin, or Danger, or cousins, or Bont, or……). If you take Scarlett - I’ll take Gov (or Rance, or Lake, or Stewart, or Taylor, or……)

If I take Buddy who are you taking?

It is the only position with a huge gap.

 

[Mr Meow]

If they were all lined up against the wall and we picked a team - if I start with Franklin my team can’t lose because he is that much better than his peers.

If you take GAJ - I’ll take Judd (or Voss, or Martin, or Danger, or cousins, or Bont, or……). If you take Scarlett - I’ll take Gov (or Rance, or Lake, or Stewart, or Taylor, or……)

If I take Buddy who are you taking?

It is the only position with a huge gap.

I mean that's a bit of an exaggeration.

GAJ + N.Riewoldt/Pavlich + Scarlett

vs

Judd/Danger + Buddy + Rance

I'm not seeing streets between those combinations. Either are top notch. Then you've got 19 more picks each. "Can't lose if I pick Buddy first" is a silly statement.

 

[QuietB]

I mean that's a bit of an exaggeration.

GAJ + N.Riewoldt/Pavlich + Scarlett

vs

Judd/Danger + Buddy + Rance

I'm not seeing streets between those combinations. Either are top notch. Then you've got 19 more picks each. "Can't lose if I pick Buddy first" is a silly statement.

I'm seeing about 350 goals difference.

And you can have Riewoldt and Pavlich. I'll put Jono Brown or Tom Hawkins or I might actually take Richo who has more goals than all the others - him and Buddy putting on a show would be fun. No matter who I take I am still at least 250 goals ahead.

How much better is Scarlett than Stewart? They are almost the same player.

 

[nineteen eighty]

I don't understand why the Catters supporters are getting worked up about my comments re: GAJ. My comment isn't out of line. I'm not disparaging him and I'm happy to be corrected. He was a fantastic player. For mine though, I just prefer others. You surely can't shoot me down (excluding Martin as yes I wear Tiger colored lenses) if I choose to select Buddy or Judd ahead of him? Surely??

 

[Mr Meow]

I'm seeing about 350 goals difference.

And you can have Riewoldt and Pavlich. I'll put Jono Brown or Tom Hawkins or I might actually take Richo who has more goals than all the others - him and Buddy putting on a show would be fun. No matter who I take I am still at least 250 goals ahead.

How much better is Scarlett than Stewart? They are almost the same player.

You can do what you want with your imaginary team. If you take the best midfielder, second best forward and best key defender of the lot - you are hardly going to have a gimp team.

 

[Mr Meow]

I don't understand why the Catters supporters are getting worked up about my comments re: GAJ. My comment isn't out of line. I'm not disparaging him and I'm happy to be corrected. He was a fantastic player. For mine though, I just prefer others. You surely can't shoot me down (excluding Martin as yes I wear Tiger colored lenses) if I choose to select Buddy or Judd ahead of him? Surely??

Please don't mistake getting offended with simply correcting a comment you made. I didn't get angry at it, but it was false. It's definitely fine to prefer others and I welcome you to it.

There are at least 5-10 I'd take before Martin and I wouldn't expect that to offend you.