Pick 1: Darrin Pritchard v Isaac Smith

[Manila_Hawk]

This is an easy decision to make.

Pritch played 211 games for Hawthorn and NONE for Geelong.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Pritchard. His brilliance went almost unnoticed in a team full of superstars.

 

[Hawk Dork]

We have been blessed with great wingers

 

[Pessimistic]

Pritchard. His brilliance went almost unnoticed in a team full of superstars.

‘I think I was at glenferrie when Ian dicker arranged a fan send off for pritch the rat and Langford (I think) never really seen that since. Anyway the fans were all over Langford and the rat and pritch was justanother bystander. He didn’t look too perturbed though. Probably used to it.

another time cooper was at the old hawk museum social. Funny but everyone assumed he played a premiership somewhere. Probably one of the unluckiest hawks

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

‘I think I was at glenferrie when Ian dicker arranged a fan send off for pritch the rat and Langford (I think) never really seen that since. Anyway the fans were all over Langford and the rat and pritch was justanother bystander. He didn’t look too perturbed though. Probably used to it.

another time cooper was at the old hawk museum social. Funny but everyone assumed he played a premiership somewhere. Probably one of the unluckiest hawks

Remember 1990? Ill fated season where we just kept losing key players due to injury. I can't recall who it was that went down injured, and I said to someone (who was by no means a Hawks fan), "Why is it whenever we cop an injury, it's a star player"?. He looked at me and said, "That's the only type of player Hawthorn has". It made me realise that even our fringe players back then would probably have been stand out stars at any other club. Pritchard fits that bill, a great player who just blended in with what was happening at Hawthorn. People may not recall he was State of Origin captain for Tasmania in a game against Queensland, captained by none other than Jason Dunstall.

 

[Manila_Hawk]

Remember 1990? Ill fated season where we just kept losing key players due to injury. I can't recall who it was that went down injured, and I said to someone (who was by no means a Hawks fan), "Why is it whenever we cop an injury, it's a star player"?. He looked at me and said, "That's the only type of player Hawthorn has". It made me realise that even our fringe players back then would probably have been stand out stars at any other club. Pritchard fits that bill, a great player who just blended in with what was happening at Hawthorn. People may not recall he was State of Origin captain for Tasmania in a game against Queensland, captained by none other than Jason Dunstall.

Chris Mew retiring (for a while) is what cost us in 1990.

He totally held the backline together. Under-rated (not by me).

 

[Hawk Hawkins]

It’s amazing how much shitter Smith’s career became once he signed with the Cats.

 

[Rocket72]

Chris Mew retiring (for a while) is what cost us in 1990.

He totally held the backline together. Under-rated (not by me).

I still remember Chris Mew having a shot at goal from the wing in a game at Rosebud. He was one of the best CHBs in his era, but he could have played anywhere. Superstar.

 

[TheFourPillars]

Chris Mew was a superstar

 

[Rocket72]

Chris Mew was a superstar

My favorite highlight of all time.

 

[Birdofprey]

Smith run and carry used to scare opposition coaches (talk to Buckley). Very damaging. Elite running to space created so many goals on MCG without getting a touch himself.

But my man:

1. Delivered meticulous service into the forward line for years, hitting up leads from a long way out. Running full pace could drill a bloke who was running at any angle, not just straight at him.

2. Showed up on two of our biggest days, first in 89 was our best after himself getting beat up, and second in 91 when Matera was a key piece of the WCE game plan and we had to have someone do as much (more!) damage going back the other way.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

Pritchard was just so good to watch.

Smith was a hyperactive racehorse, and I mean that it the best possible way.

We had a great foundation of a side, but it wasn't until Smith and Hill hit their stride that the hawks became the powerhouse threepeat side. Smith was integral to the threepeat. A tactical chess piece. His disposal was never as polished as Pritchard but he changed our side's effectiveness in such a big way.

 

[TheFourPillars]

Smith is a gun and being undersold in this thread. Its a close race this one

 

[LMGjr]

Smith run and carry used to scare opposition coaches (talk to Buckley). Very damaging. Elite running to space created so many goals on MCG without getting a touch himself.

But my man:

1. Delivered meticulous service into the forward line for years, hitting up leads from a long way out. Running full pace could drill a bloke who was running at any angle, not just straight at him.

2. Showed up on two of our biggest days, first in 89 was our best after himself getting beat up, and second in 91 when Matera was a key piece of the WCE game plan and we had to have someone do as much (more!) damage going back the other way.

Our "professional" footballers can run up and down the ground all day but can't kick to save themselves, it's a bit of joke, considering it's called "football".

We've seen throwball win a premiership recently.

Now it's just force em backs, as that's what has won the last 2 flags.

The skill you mentioned used to be the difference, not now.

I'd have both players if I could, but Pritch kicking lace out to Buddy and Roughy (every bit like Brad Hill) would have been something to see and something the opposition would not be able to stop.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Our "professional" footballers can run up and down the ground all day but can't kick to save themselves, it's a bit of joke, considering it's called "football".

We've seen throwball win a premiership recently.

Now it's just force em backs, as that's what has won the last 2 flags.

The skill you mentioned used to be the difference, not now.

I'd have both players if I could, but Pritch kicking lace out to Buddy and Roughy (every bit like Brad Hill) would have been something to see and something the opposition would not be able to stop.

It always makes for an interesting debate. We all know Martin is the best player going around in the contemporary game, he's great. But at the risk of sounding like a "Things were better in my day" old fogie, I'm here to tell you in the past 20 years I am yet to see anyone come remotely close to the level of skill Darren Jarman would exhibit.

I realise the game is played differently to how it was in the 1990s, but you would see Jarman use his pace and evasive skills and then meet out a perfect 50 metre pass. In the same play today, you see Dangerfield just pick up the ball and boot it blindly 50 metres downfield to nobody, and people call that "great footy"

Many people tell me you cannot play 1990s footy in the year 2020, and that may be so, but IMHO, there are many players today, including some so-called superstars, who wouldn't have been that good in the 1990s because of their underdeveloped skill level.

 

[Lawsy]

My god I loved Jars, even when at Adelaide. Left side, right side, snapping, bullet pass, into leading space, baulking, he just had it all. And then later he became a very damaging forward and won a couple of flags as a result.

He'd be the difference these days because of his skills.

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

Smith just. Have no problems players finishing their careers with a golden handshake from another club, particularly when you've given such great service to our club.

 

[bris tarangau]

Our "professional" footballers can run up and down the ground all day but can't kick to save themselves, it's a bit of joke, considering it's called "football".

We've seen throwball win a premiership recently.

Now it's just force em backs, as that's what has won the last 2 flags.

The skill you mentioned used to be the difference, not now.

I'd have both players if I could, but Pritch kicking lace out to Buddy and Roughy (every bit like Brad Hill) would have been something to see and something the opposition would not be able to stop.

Agree, but rate Pritchard's kicking over Hill's

 

[LMGjr]

Agree, but rate Pritchard's kicking over Hill's

I wonder?

The reason I say that is Jason Dunstall is probably the greatest leading full forward, ever. If he was leading at Hilly 20 times a game I'm sure Hill would hit him as often as Pritchard, Wittman, Jars, etc.
Buddy and Roughy are/were great players, but their leading ability compared to Dunstall's was/is amateur, so Hill's kicking wouldn't be seen as effective as having Dunstall on the end of the kick.

 

[Dr.J]

I would love to know Pritchards stats for goal assists/score involvements.
If for no other reason than to test my perception of his value.
For me he shades Smith but only just

I can’t let the questioning Pritchard’s courage go unchallenged though.
You simply don’t play 200 games of football, during that period, with his build, and not have courage.
It’s insulting

Yet again highlighting what an easy game it is from the stands.

 

[TheFourPillars]

I would love to know Pritchards stats for goal assists/score involvements.
If for no other reason than to test my perception of his value.
For me he shades Smith but only just

I can’t let the questioning Pritchard’s courage go unchallenged though.
You simply don’t play 200 games of football, during that period, with his build, and not have courage.
It’s insulting

Yet again highlighting what an easy game it is from the stands.

I agree with you Pritchard shades smith but only just. What Smith lacks in his kicking he more than makes up for in his goal kicking. He kicked some big goals in grand finals. Two great players

 

[PatientHawk]

I would pick Pritchard

On SM-G965F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[saaam]

Both amazing players. Pritch used to work at an engineering plant in Glen Iris. He'd knock off, drive down to Glenferrie in his shorts and hit the training ground. Compare that preparation to today and you can see its never apples v apples so I'm sitting on the fence.

 

[HedgeFund]

I wonder?

The reason I say that is Jason Dunstall is probably the greatest leading full forward, ever. If he was leading at Hilly 20 times a game I'm sure Hill would hit him as often as Pritchard, Wittman, Jars, etc.
Buddy and Roughy are/were great players, but their leading ability compared to Dunstall's was/is amateur, so Hill's kicking wouldn't be seen as effective as having Dunstall on the end of the kick.

To be fair - watch footage of the 80s and 90s and show me how many times JD has acres of space to lead into because opposition defenders followed their opponents up the ground leaving him one-out.

Rarely did Buddy or Roughy have that luxury as Eade brought flooding in during the late 90s and effectively killed the career of the medium sized leading forward.

 

[Zack]

Love Smithy, but geez Pritchard is perhaps the most underrated player from that era. Full Stop.

Pritchard is the only player who could kick sideways and i could yell out at 14, Dunstall!!! even though Dunstall wasn't even in the picture.
People used to think I was a genius knowing that, how wrong they have been proven to been.