Matthew Richardson v Brad Johnson

[Bulldog1954]

I'd still take the guy who brings people to the game

Does being more exciting instantly equate to being a better footballer?

 

[staphy]

How did Johnson perform in the finals? One of the biggest front runners in the modern era. Overrated personified.

You should look at stats before shooting off.

Johno's Final stats are the same as his Home & Away stats, so that tell's me he performed has you would expect

 

[Igloo]

You should look at stats before shooting off.

Johno's Final stats are the same as his Home & Away stats, so that tell's me he performed has you would expect

Don't worry, he probably only remembers 2010.

 

[RichoLedio]

Does being more exciting instantly equate to being a better footballer?

I don't personally believe that, but plenty of people seem to think that way, when he was on he was virtually impossible to stop, and while he wasn't always on I believe if he'd had more support around him he would have achieved a lot more

 

[JiggaDog]

On potential - Richo. On output - Johno

Used to make me laugh watching Richo line up for goal. He made Travis Cloke and Nick Riewoldt appear steady in front of goals. Must have been frustrating as **** being a Richmond supporter.

 

[Monkey King]

On potential - Richo. On output - Johno

Used to make me laugh watching Richo line up for goal. He made Travis Cloke and Nick Riewoldt appear steady in front of goals. Must have been frustrating as **** being a Richmond supporter.

And he still kicked 800 goals. Geez the guy had some talent.

 

[HyperAgressiveDonk]

And he still kicked 800 goals. Geez the guy had some talent.

I don't think it's in dispute. It's who was better and had the better career, which was obviously Johnson by some way.

 

[TigerBlood87]

And he still kicked 800 goals. Geez the guy had some talent.

Which puts him at 11th in all time goal kickers. What's Brad Johnson ever been 11th all time in, smiles?

Richo is up there with Kouta in terms of talent, which may have in fact been a better comparison. Both could blow games apart with their explosiveness and athleticism but both were severely hampered by injury.

 

[JiggaDog]

Which puts him at 11th in all time goal kickers. What's Brad Johnson ever been 11th all time in, smiles?

Richo is up there with Kouta in terms of talent, which may have in fact been a better comparison. Both could blow games apart with their explosiveness and athleticism but both were severely hampered by injury.

Severely overstating the impact of injury on Richo .... especially in comparison to Kouta.

No, it wasn't injury that hampered Richo .... it was his poor temperament and terrible kicking.

 

[Hipster Doofus]

Geez Richo is getting undersold here.

But the poll is speaking for itself

 

[RichoLedio]

Geez Richo is getting undersold here.

But the poll is speaking for itself

Strange how not many are posting in favour of Richo given the poll results

 

[scottwade]

Geez Richo is getting undersold here.

But the poll is speaking for itself

Brad Johnson 364 games 6 AAs 3 B&Fs (in a team that made the finals 10 times during his career)

Mathew Richardson 282 games 3 AAs 1 B&F ( in a team that made the finals twice during his career)

Currently the poll running 77% to 23% in favour of Richo.

I'd suggest it's not he that is being undersold.

I'd also suggest that poll numbers that skewed have more to do with than just the relative playing accomplishments of the 2 players.

 

[theflea]

richo was never the same after he did his knee. ive done a acl and your never the same. adequate maybe but not the same.

ps they must have flicked off his goalkicking chip when he was under as he was 27/3 for goals that year!

 

[a_fighting_fury]

I don't think it's in dispute. It's who was better and had the better career, which was obviously Johnson by some way.

Not. Even. Close.

Richo by a mile.

(you oughta learn to read the results of the poll you're posting under)

 

[checkraiseulite]

Richardson and it's not close.

 

[Monkey King]

richo was never the same after he did his knee. ive done a acl and your never the same. adequate maybe but not the same.

Yeah. You're really left to wonder what might have been. Prior to doing his knee Richo looked like he could have been anything. If he kept tracking that way he may well have played Dunstall to Carey's Lockett; he's the only player from that era you'd compare to Franklin, he just stood out in that way.

Not sure you can claim with 100% certainty that one knee injury stopped him going on with it (although granted he was never quite the same player after he returned), and similar to Brad Ottens, maybe getting heavier is what affected his game most. Certainly he seemed to lack the killer instinct of some players and had questionable temperament at times, which may have prevented him taking the next step as he developed.

Great player though all the same.

 

[Monkey King]

I don't think it's in dispute. It's who was better and had the better career, which was obviously Johnson by some way.

I'd say that's utterly debatable mate (please note, I don't account for accolades the same way you do). Nonetheless, Richo was the better player and I'd take him over BJ any day of the week, irrespective of how their careers played out. On talent, Richo is one of the top 10 key forwards I've seen.

 

[_Mike_]

When comparing 2 player's careers you should also take into account their position played in that comparison.

Richo was predominantly a KPP while Johnson was not, so the poll is subjective at best (as are most of the polls on this board)

In a comparison of pure stats

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pc-western-bulldogs--brad-johnson
http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pc-richmond-tigers--matthew-richardson

Johnson - 364 games
Richo - 282 games

Av kicks
Johnno - 14.1
Richo - 10.9

Av handballs
Johnno - 5.6
Richo 3.1

Av disposals
Johnno - 19.1
Richo - 14

Av marks
Johnno - 5.1
Richo - 8

Av goals
Johnno - 1.5
Richo - 2.8

Career brownlow votes
Johnson - 77
Richo - 140

Johnson had more of the ball than Richo did during their careers, yet Richo was more prominent with the umpires

So, was Richo a better KPP than Johnson? yes, but was Richo overall better than Johnson based on numbers - the stats dont say that.

 

[Monkey King]

Richo was predominantly a KPP

Yes, but he played all over the place at times. Also played the Buddy-type HFF roles, in a FP and further up the ground on a wing.

So, was Richo a better KPP than Johnson? yes, but was Richo overall better than Johnson based on numbers - the stats dont say that.

Don't they? Look, for a start I don't think the numbers available are comprehensive enough to make that conclusion, but at a rough equator, BJ got one goal with every 12 disposals and by average is 1.3 goals behind Richo and only 5 disposals ahead. "By the numbers" it's arguable BJ is not ahead at all.

 

[_Mike_]

Yes, but he played all over the place at times. Also played the Buddy-type HFF roles, in a FP and further up the ground on a wing.



Don't they? Look, for a start I don't think the numbers available are comprehensive enough to make that conclusion, but at a rough equator, BJ got one goal with every 12 disposals and by average is 1.3 goals behind Richo and only 5 disposals ahead. "By the numbers" it's arguable BJ is not ahead at all.

Being a polls board its all based the opinion of who is responding. My point was reflecting on what criteria you use to rate someone's effectiveness on the field.

The provision of stats was not an argument for Johnson being better or worse, Both players in their own right were good players were what I consider equal in skill and their effectiveness during the course of their careers, although both were at the pinnacle of their careers at different points in time.

 

[Monkey King]

My point was reflecting on what criteria you use to rate someone's effectiveness on the field.

The provision of stats was not an argument for Johnson being better or worse ...

Not sure what this means in relation to the previous posts. I'm just saying your claim that BJ had better numbers is highly questionable IMO.

 

[_Mike_]

Not sure what this means in relation to the previous posts. I'm just saying your claim that BJ had better numbers is highly questionable IMO.

I provided a link to the stats source for both players, that was pretty clear and based on pure numbers its not hard to see which way they went. It wasnt an argument over the quality of the averages or the consistency of the performance. Simply numbers

 

[Monkey King]

I provided a link to the stats source for both players, that was pretty clear and based on pure numbers its not hard to see which way they went. It wasnt an argument over the quality of the averages or the consistency of the performance. Simply numbers

I'm not disagreeing with the numbers, just your assessment of them. Like I said, a simple way to test this is to look over BJ's career stats and see his 12-1 disposal to goal ratio. On this basis, his higher disposal average doesn't counter his shortfall in goal figures.

 

[deledio7]

Johnson for consistency, Richo for impact.

Discussing Richo's career is always polarising. People often forget how many goals he kicked and the force he was inside 50 with contested marks.

 

[Theseventhhamster]

Richo was incredible on an absolutely rubbish team. He would've been remembered as one of the greatest ever on a good team.