Pick 1: Darrin Pritchard v Isaac Smith

[Ordovician]

Pritchard’s elite passing and genuine burst pace v Smith’s long goal kicking and super elite ground coverage and running patterns.

I think Pritchard’s superior contested ball work, he could easily have played as a CS mid eg the 89 GF, gives Pritchard the edge on the field. Off the field Smith wins hands down in the comedic stakes.

 

[JD1992]

On the contrary I think Pritchard’s by far superior field kicking tips the scale in his favour.

Make no mistake given the way the game was played back in the 80s and 90% Pritch was considered an elite runner.

Interesting to understand how Pritchard would go in today's pressured environment with kicking. Don't undersell how much extra pressure players kick under today compared to back then.

Sent from my A1601 using Tapatalk

 

[HawthornHawk]

Interesting to understand how Pritchard would go in today's pressured environment with kicking. Don't undersell how much extra pressure players kick under today compared to back then.

Sent from my A1601 using Tapatalk

And the way team defence clogs up space to kick to

 

[TazHawk15]

Interesting to understand how Pritchard would go in today's pressured environment with kicking. Don't undersell how much extra pressure players kick under today compared to back then.

Sent from my A1601 using Tapatalk

A good point you make, but it does not change the fact Pritch was a far superior field kick to Issac.

 

[Alite]

Prichard vs Smith, I’d take Smith every time.

Darrwn Prichard was rightly called out for his lack of toughness. He was a wingman in an time of tough wingmen = Dippa.

We traded away Hartung for his lack of toughness and lack of awareness.

Smith is both tough and the best runner we have seen on the wing.

Prichard was great when needed, but Smith is the better player

 

[Alite]

This. Although Pritchard's 1991 GF giving Peter Matera an absolute bath on the wing was sensational.

Peter Matera was near the best wingman I have watched. If Prichard beat him... wow,,, time for me to view

 

[Steven Tyler]

Prichard vs Smith, I’d take Smith every time.

Darrwn Prichard was rightly called out for his lack of toughness. He was a wingman in an time of tough wingmen = Dippa.

We traded away Hartung for his lack of toughness and lack of awareness.

Smith is both tough and the best runner we have seen on the wing.

Prichard was great when needed, but Smith is the better player

Darrin Pritchard went when it was his turn
He was the best gut runner in a side chock full of stars
His job was to provide run on the outside, linking up between half back and half forward, and to hit a leading forward on the tit every time he sent the ball towards goal
He was a star wingman in a star-studded side

I‘d take Pritchard every time

 

[savagelunchbox]

Pritchard didn't have any of the Clinton Youngs about him like Isaac Smith does.

 

[Chubberson]

Pritch for me. Harder at it.

 

[Alite]

Smith over Prichard on every day of the week and twice on Sundays. ... though not on 1989 GF day -> that was Prichard day.

The job of a wingman is to run harder than anyone else. We all know about Dan Hannabry not being able to keep up with Smith, and then seeing Smith create a goal.
Prichard was good but others in his time were better. Think Doug Hawkins, Wayne Schwass ... Dippa... to name a few. I know there are many more.
Smith is one of the best in his time.

If I wanted two wingmen from any era I’d take Dippa and Matera. Heart, strength, speed and skill.

 

[killerspud]

I love Issie - he's an awesome player.

But Darrin Pritchard was our BOG in the 1989 grand final. That takes some beating. A relentless talent - hard but with exquisite skills - you could see Dunstall and Brereton's eyes light up when he had the ball.

Sorry Issie - Pritchard only just

 

[killerspud]

The problem with choosing between these two absolute jets, is compounded by the long list of champion Hawthorn wingmen over the years.
If you look at our premiership teams, try these wingmen for a start:

1. Rodney Eade
2. Robert Dipierdomenico
3. Geoff Ablett
4. Russell Greene
5. Darren Pritchard
6. Isaac Smith
7. Brad Hill

(8. Leon Rice - probably doesn’t belong in here but he was one of my favourite players from that era).

And thats a list of the greatest wingmen who’ve ever played the game.

geez how many combines flags on this list

 

[Hot Diggity]

Peter Matera

Peter Matera

Age

55

Ht

183cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.8

5star

K

14.0

5star

HB

4.9

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

2.4

4star

G

0.9

4star

No current season stats available

D

12.2

3star

K

9.0

4star

HB

3.2

3star

M

3.2

4star

T

0.6

3star

G

0.6

3star

was near the best wingman I have watched. If Prichard beat him... wow,,, time for me to view

Pritchard regularly had Matera in his pocket in the early 90s.

Don't underestimate how good Pritchard was.

 

[Hot Diggity]

geez how many combines flags on this list

Dipper hands down the best.

 

[Hot Diggity]

Surely Smith missing after the siren in a Qualifying Final v the Cats tips it back in Pritch’s favour!

And the fact Smith's miss v Geelong 10 months later cost us 4 premiership points!

 

[AlwaysHawks15]

What needs to be remembered here is Pritch hits bloke's with a laser pass at full pace regularly something Isaac never really did. Had a beautiful kicking style. His career is underrated because of the stars he played with but was every inch a quality player at his peak. The broken leg he suffered in 95 robbed him of his best asset later in his career his burst pace otherwise could have played till the end of 99 I think. Was one of the fittest guys at the club for a long time.

 

[The Chad and I]

Pritchard regularly had Matera in his pocket in the early 90s.

Don't underestimate how good Pritchard was.

That's not my recollection.
Pritchard and Matera had some excellent duels, and Pritchard won a few, but mostly broke even IMO.
He was nearing the end of his career and Matera was a rising star though, so the comparison on that basis wouldn't be entirely fair.
If I had to choose one, I'd take Matera over Pritchard. So much more damaging.

 

[Pessimistic]

Prichard vs Smith, I’d take Smith every time.

Darrwn Prichard was rightly called out for his lack of toughness. He was a wingman in an time of tough wingmen = Dippa.

We traded away Hartung for his lack of toughness and lack of awareness.

Smith is both tough and the best runner we have seen on the wing.

Prichard was great when needed, but Smith is the better player

I don’t get it. Neither pritch nor smith are seen as enforcers. Pritch got crunched in 89 badly and carried in and excellled

they replayed the game last year with (I think) dunstall and Brereton re commentating. They both audibly winced when they saw the Pritchard incident. It wasn’t the headline collision of the day, far from it, but was equally as tough

 

[A Diakos]

1. Robert Dipierdomenico
2. Russell Greene
3. Darren Pritchard
4. Geoff Ablett
5. Rodney Eade
6. Isaac Smith

7

Isaac Smith

Age

35

Ht

188cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

21.3

5star

K

13.0

5star

HB

8.4

5star

M

5.5

5star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.7

4star

D

19.4

4star

K

11.1

4star

HB

8.3

4star

M

3.8

4star

T

2.5

3star

CL

1.3

4star

D

19.2

5star

K

10.6

4star

HB

8.6

5star

M

7.6

5star

T

2.0

4star

CL

0.6

3star

7. Brad Hill


that would be my order ....all good wingmen

 

[hardway]

Jason Dunstall licks his lips every time he hears Prichard’s name.

 

[toomanysquibs]

I love them both, but Pritchard imo.

He was a ball winning outside player, with serious hurt via his passing inside 50. He fed Dunstall and co in an era that was unforgiving on the smaller bodied players.

He was the hawks BEST on GF day in 1989.

To break that down, he was our equal top possession getter in a game that's arguably the toughest GF of my lifetime.

I have loved watching Smith, and he had great games in 2013 and 2015. A couple of his marks in the 2015 GF were exceptionally tough, and he doesn't run as much as he glides - super smooth mover.

I think with the current era's focus on running, Pritchard would have come close to Smith as an aerobic beast. Training wasn't anywhere near as professional or specialised back when he was playing. Hell, he was probably drinking through the season each year.

His stats are big too. Disposals meant a bit more back then, there wasn't a lot of chipping around.

Pritchard also shut down an all time great in a GF, that's worth taking note of too imo. He wasn't just a one way player (not saying Smith is either though).

 

[toomanysquibs]

Prichard vs Smith, I’d take Smith every time.

Darrwn Prichard was rightly called out for his lack of toughness.

Ummm. Best on ground for us in 1989 GF ring a bell?

 

[TBoyleSuperstar]

Pritchard, and easily.
Reckon he was quicker, better disposal too.

also ability to play rover (see 89 flag) gives him multi positional ability too

 

[Siri]

Dipper is my hero but Pritchard was a king. I'd take him over Smith. Three premierships, state of origin player, VFL team of the year in 1989 (golden era) and from memory won the Herald Sun (might of just been the Sun) player of the year on one occasion. For a bloke his size he competed in a brutal era & prospered. Loved him.

 

[toomanysquibs]

Everyone is entitled to an opinion.... but.

Smith is not a ball winner. He might not have gotten a game every week in the era Pritchard played in.

Those guys you mention were elite footballers. Running was important, but they had to crack in when it was their turn as well, and they had to win their own ball.

If you think that running alone got you games back then, think about this: a lot of the guys, including one that you name here, were smokers.

They were all drinkers.

If you put that group and Pritchard into a modern day football team's training program, you might be surprised how good they all would become.

Plus, they'd be gun ball winners as well.

Pritchard better than Schwass too, can't really see that argument.

Smith over Prichard on every day of the week and twice on Sundays. ... though not on 1989 GF day -> that was Prichard day.

The job of a wingman is to run harder than anyone else. We all know about Dan Hannabry not being able to keep up with Smith, and then seeing Smith create a goal.
Prichard was good but others in his time were better. Think Doug Hawkins, Wayne Schwass

Wayne Schwass

Age

55

Ht

180cm

Wt

80kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

21.4

5star

K

14.5

5star

HB

6.9

4star

M

2.9

3star

T

2.3

4star

No current season stats available

D

16.6

4star

K

12.2

5star

HB

4.4

4star

M

2.6

3star

T

2.2

4star

... Dippa... to name a few. I know there are many more.
Smith is one of the best in his time.

If I wanted two wingmen from any era I’d take Dippa and Matera. Heart, strength, speed and skill.