Not underrated, but overlooked. Who and why?

[Bunk Moreland]

Feel like this is a very select group of players, and I wonder as to why.

I’m not talking about great players who are underrated. I’m talking about great players who people DO rate correctly, yet for some reason they never get much of a mention.

Say somebody is listing superstars… he forgets to include Joe Bloggs. When somebody else raises Bloggs, he says “Of course! He was a bloody superstar, how did I forget him?”

He’s not underrated, he’s just often overlooked. Just… forgotten.

I’ll start with one: Bernie Quinlan.

This bloke’s career was absolutely insane. He kicked over 800 goals. He kicked centuries of goals and won Coleman Medals. Plus he won a bloody Brownlow. And he even played a bit in defence and on the ball.

He has the record of an absolute all-time great.

Yet for some reason, I feel like his name is never mentioned among the all-time greats. He was before my time, and I’ve never heard a lot about him. Yet when he is raised, people rave about how incredibly good he was.

What is it? Played for “small” clubs? Too long out of the limelight (since the 90s really)?

What are your other nominations? Be careful, it’s hard… we’re NOT talking about underrated players.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

I reckon Jack Titus also fits in with this.

When people think of the stars of the game before the availability of Television, particularly pre-WWII most think of Coventry, Dyer (helped by his prominence in footy media post career), Barassi or Skilton.

Nearly 300 games in his era is a bigger feat than it is now, and amassed just under 1000 goals.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

I know he just achieved legend status, but Jason dunstall.

Is always seen as the rung below the best ever despite doing just as much, if not more

 

[RUNVS]

I know he just achieved legend status, but Jason dunstall.

Is always seen as the rung below the best ever despite doing just as much, if not more

I suspect because of how he acts on The Bounce. Admittedly he is playing a character of sorts but it is hard to see him on that show and think "legend of the game"

 

[errant bounce]

Just media wank and hype.

Brad Johnson

Brad Johnson

Age

48

Ht

182cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.7

5star

K

14.1

5star

HB

5.6

4star

M

5.9

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

1.5

5star

No current season stats available

D

12.8

4star

K

10.2

4star

HB

2.6

3star

M

2.2

3star

T

1.2

3star

G

0.6

3star

gets fawned over and he won nowt and barely left the goal square and pointed and whinged more than Richo and J. Riewoldt combined.

Some nominations: Paul Kelly, David Neitz

David Neitz

Age

49

Ht

191cm

Wt

100kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.8

3star

K

8.0

3star

HB

2.7

2star

M

4.9

5star

T

0.9

3star

G

2.1

5star

No current season stats available

D

10.4

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.8

3star

M

2.6

3star

T

0.6

3star

G

1.0

4star

. insane players in sometimes horrible teams who were true blood and guts representatives of their clubs.

 

[Pistol Night]

Bit left field but always reckon Buddha Hocking never gets a lot of kudos for a bloke that had 4 top 3 Brownlow finishes

 

[Engimal v3]

I know he just achieved legend status, but Jason dunstall.

Is always seen as the rung below the best ever despite doing just as much, if not more

I was just checking to see if anyone had mentioned Dunstall before posting it myself. Great player.

 

[Engimal v3]

Also Stephen Milne

Stephen Milne

Age

44

Ht

176cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.9

3star

K

9.1

4star

HB

2.8

2star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.7

4star

G

2.1

5star

No current season stats available

D

12.4

4star

K

10.6

4star

HB

1.8

2star

M

3.6

4star

T

0.8

3star

G

1.4

5star

. The tiprat was a freak on the field and yet he is barely spoken about now - probably because he was a bit of a freak off the field as well

 

[The Prosecutor]

Josh Gibson

Josh Gibson

Age

40

Ht

189cm

Wt

93kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.4

4star

K

9.0

3star

HB

8.4

5star

M

5.1

5star

T

2.1

4star

MG

196.5

3star

No current season stats available

D

13.8

4star

K

6.2

3star

HB

7.6

5star

M

3.4

4star

T

2.6

4star

comes to mind from the 13-15 Hawthorn three-peat.

B&F winner in two of those season and AA in 15 yeah doesn't get the same level of adulation as the players that also were there from 2008.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Dunstall is a good shout. Certainly not underrated, but gets a bit forgotten next to Lockett.

 

[Blackhawk42]

Scott West

Scott West

Age

50

Ht

178cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

25.4

5star

K

12.7

5star

HB

12.6

5star

M

3.3

3star

T

2.6

4star

No current season stats available

D

12.0

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

1.4

2star

T

1.0

3star

.

Top 10 all time Brownlow votes.

7 time best and fairest.

5 time All Australian.

 

[HirdyLannister]

Simon Black

You always hear about Voss, Lynch, Aka and Browny from the Brisbane threepeat days but Black was the best of the lot. You hear nothing about Black these days.

 

[adammania9]

A couple of star forward-mids who won many awards and were great players for years, only to be forgotten about post-retirement

Alan Didak and Ryan O’Keefe

 

[PhatBoy]

Maybe not overlooked that much because his name pops up in the over-attended Geelong-Richmond threads but if they were ignored I’d say Steve Johnson probably fits this category to some extent. I realise everyone knows he was a freak but compared to players of a similar ilk I don’t think people appreciate quite how much:

Brad Johnson

Brad Johnson

Age

48

Ht

182cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.7

5star

K

14.1

5star

HB

5.6

4star

M

5.9

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

1.5

5star

No current season stats available

D

12.8

4star

K

10.2

4star

HB

2.6

3star

M

2.2

3star

T

1.2

3star

G

0.6

3star

for example - their career disposal numbers were virtually identical as forwards who went into the midfield though Steve I would say as his career went on probably spent more time there. Goal wise though he easily out points Brad: 1.8 to 1.5 per game which I was surprised about considering Brad is remembered primarily as a goal scorer.

Compare Steve J to another player of similar freakish capabilities like Aker: he has him covered for virtually every stat there is as well - touches, goals, tackles, the works.

He was a very, very good footballer in a team full of them

 

[ROOTA#6]

Dunstall is a good shout. Certainly not underrated, but gets a bit forgotten next to Lockett.

Also maybe because he was just so machine like as a player..the old line..lead out chest mark kick a goal..lead our chest mark..kick another goal.

Bloke is one of the best to ever play

 

[Freomaniac]

Tyson Edwards

Tyson Edwards

Age

48

Ht

178cm

Wt

81kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.0

5star

K

11.7

4star

HB

7.3

5star

M

4.5

4star

T

2.6

4star

CL

2.1

4star

No current season stats available

D

13.6

4star

K

8.0

3star

HB

5.6

4star

M

2.4

3star

T

0.6

3star

at the crows....

321 games from 1995-2010. Yes he averaged only 18 disposals in his career. Yes he won 2 premiership medals. But he never got an All Australian team selection in his 16 year career.

He was a solid performer late in this career in the Neil Craig finals era of 2005-9. Again I reckon he should of got an All Australian team selection at least once between 2005-9.

on the other hand, Simon Goodwin

Simon Goodwin

Age

47

Ht

185cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

20.9

5star

K

12.1

4star

HB

8.8

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.5

4star

No current season stats available

D

9.4

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

2.2

2star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.2

4star

played 275 games from 1997-2010. He got All australian 5 times in 2000, 2001, 2005 , 2006 and 2009.

 

[glengowan]

Bob Hank from West Torrens.

9 x Club Best & Fairests 1945,46,47,48,49,50,52,53,57
2 x Magarey Medals 1946,47
2 x Premierships 1945, 53
1 x All-Australian 1953 & 5 time unofficial All-Australian 1947*,48*,49*,50*,52* (captain)
224 Games for West Torrens, 61 Goals & Captain 1947-55 & Coach 51
27 State Games for SA & Captain 1951-54

*Sporting Life Magazine began the concept of picking All-Australian teams (from 1947-1955). The first official All-Australian team picked from the national carnivals was in 1953.

He was picked in the same amount of Sporting Life All-Australian teams as AFL Legends Merv McIntosh and John Coleman. Only AFL Legend Bill Hutchison was picked in more during this era.

His record stacks up next to all the AFL Legends and I believe should be upgraded from the Hall of Fame, to Legend status. He was the great South Australian player in the post WW2 era prior to Robran, Ebert and Blight, all of whom are Legends.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Simon Black

You always hear about Voss, Lynch, Aka and Browny from the Brisbane threepeat days but Black was the best of the lot. You hear nothing about Black these days.

100%.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Also maybe because he was just so machine like as a player..the old line..lead out chest mark kick a goal..lead our chest mark..kick another goal.

Bloke is one of the best to ever play

Selling him short there.
He crumbed just as much as his "lead, Mark, kick" game
He also dished off far more passes than any other forward in that era

 

[Ambrosia]

From Essendon I feel like Tim Watson's ubiquity in the media has overshadowed his footballing ability/achievements.

 

[HairyO]

I suspect because of how he acts on The Bounce. Admittedly he is playing a character of sorts but it is hard to see him on that show and think "legend of the game"

I suspect he acts that way because he is a legend of the game and knows it wont hurt his reputation.

 

[kickazz]

Also Stephen Milne. The tiprat was a freak on the field and yet he is barely spoken about now - probably because he was a bit of a freak off the field as well

Yeah he was good.

There was that one time for awhile too where Nick R was injured or something, and Milne even played a few games as a leading key forward more of less - held his own quite well in that role.

 

[BF Tiger]

From Essendon I feel like Tim Watson's ubiquity in the media has overshadowed his footballing ability/achievements.

I'd happily give Tim Watson more credit for less ubiquity in the media. And I'd give Tim Watson more credit if his son had less media presence too.

 

[kickazz]

Bit left field but always reckon Buddha Hocking never gets a lot of kudos for a bloke that had 4 top 3 Brownlow finishes

Amazingly good player, lifted in close games and was often a matchwinner. Best of all he was excellent on both sides of the body.

 

[kickazz]

Matthew Lloyd - yeah he played at a time when Essendon was very good so it's easy to say he was an old fashioned lead out FF who got good supply; but I remember just about every game he'd take 1 or 2 marks - not sensational ones, but marks that 90% of players would probably not hang on to.\

Mark Ricciuto

Mark Ricciuto

Age

49

Ht

184cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

21.1

5star

K

12.8

5star

HB

8.3

5star

M

4.4

4star

T

1.7

4star

G

0.9

4star

No current season stats available

D

16.2

4star

K

9.6

4star

HB

6.6

4star

M

2.8

3star

T

2.0

4star

G

0.2

3star

- played at the time of some BIG name on ballers, won a Brownlow, played match-winning games. But perhaps not mentioned as much as he should.

Milne already mentioned.