So who is the most underrated player in the AFL?

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Nick Smith owns this thread.

The only people who know that Nick Smith is any good are: Stephen Milne, Eddie Betts, Cyril Rioli, Steven Johnston(when he played up forward), Hayden Ballantyne, Lindsey Thomas, Alan Didak(yes, Nick Smith goes back this far-now its Jamie Elliott) & Mark Lecras. These players are small forwards that Nick Smith very often beats or has beaten in the past.

Another name I'll throw up is Adam Goodes.

Now before all of you spit out your beverages from your mouths yelling..."say what?!?!?!". What i'm trying to say with Adam Goodes is he's grossly underated in comparison to other 'champions' of our game. I'm talking about players like Judd, Pendlebury, Swan, Hodge, Harvey B, Cotchin, Riewoldt, Brown, Watson, Johnston, Selwood, Bartel, Rioli, Franklin...even past players whom Goodes played against, players like Buckley, Voss, Harvey R & Hird.


The Melbourne media's fascination with making these players god-like or immortal is astounding, whilst at the same time disregarding non-Victorian team's 'champion' players as just OK or nowhere near as good as their Melbourne counterparts.

I recall Garry Lyon saying to a Swans supporter on radio talk back once after another impressive Swans win in Melbourne around 2011-12, after being asked where he rates Adam Goodes as a champion of the game, saying something like how he doesn't think Adam Goodes is as good as some of the above players mentioned here quite simply because he plays for the Swans and Garry hasn't seen a lot of swans games over the years, so Goodes, in his opinion, will never be as good as them.

I honestly couldn't believe what I was hearing...what a poor answer/excuse for a man who's full time job is to analyse and offer opinion on all things AFL.
If I was paid 5 times the average wage(I'm guessing Garry's annual salary is somewhere around this mark), I would know every team and player inside and out!!!

In my humble opinion, after having seen all these players play, if I had 1st pick of players, and could choose any one of these players(all at their best). I would choose Goodes and it would be daylight 2nd, cause Adam Goodes at his best...is quite literally unstoppable and MUCH BETTER than any of the above mentioned players.

My two cents...
 

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a few weeks ago i would have said brad ebert, but he is getting some credit now.

its always the tough reliable defenders, role players that dont get noticed by those who dont watch the side week in week out.

two from port i could say are tom jonas and even dom cassisi who is having a good year.

agree with the mr swan about smith.
 
Jarryn Geary

Plays his 100th hence my avatar in honour.

Might not be flashy, but epitomises what a 4 quarter effort really is.

High finishes in last 2 years B&F
 
Ablett Jr is severely underrated.
Coming up for his 3rd brownlow - should be his 6th.
People are only starting to compare him to Matthews.
Ablett is very similar to Floyd in this regard, they'll only be appreciated after retirement.
 
Mr Swan said:
Nick Smith owns this thread.

The only people who know that Nick Smith is any good are: Stephen Milne, Eddie Betts, Cyril Rioli, Steven Johnston(when he played up forward), Hayden Ballantyne, Lindsey Thomas, Alan Didak(yes, Nick Smith goes back this far-now its Jamie Elliott) & Mark Lecras. These players are small forwards that Nick Smith very often beats or has beaten in the past.

Another name I'll throw up is Adam Goodes.

Now before all of you spit out your beverages from your mouths yelling..."say what?!?!?!". What i'm trying to say with Adam Goodes is he's grossly underated in comparison to other 'champions' of our game. I'm talking about players like Judd, Pendlebury, Swan, Hodge, Harvey B, Cotchin, Riewoldt, Brown, Watson, Johnston, Selwood, Bartel, Rioli, Franklin...even past players whom Goodes played against, players like Buckley, Voss, Harvey R & Hird.


The Melbourne media's fascination with making these players god-like or immortal is astounding, whilst at the same time disregarding non-Victorian team's 'champion' players as just OK or nowhere near as good as their Melbourne counterparts.

I recall Garry Lyon saying to a Swans supporter on radio talk back once after another impressive Swans win in Melbourne around 2011-12, after being asked where he rates Adam Goodes as a champion of the game, saying something like how he doesn't think Adam Goodes is as good as some of the above players mentioned here quite simply because he plays for the Swans and Garry hasn't seen a lot of swans games over the years, so Goodes, in his opinion, will never be as good as them.

I honestly couldn't believe what I was hearing...what a poor answer/excuse for a man who's full time job is to analyse and offer opinion on all things AFL.
If I was paid 5 times the average wage(I'm guessing Garry's annual salary is somewhere around this mark), I would know every team and player inside and out!!!

In my humble opinion, after having seen all these players play, if I had 1st pick of players, and could choose any one of these players(all at their best). I would choose Goodes and it would be daylight 2nd, cause Adam Goodes at his best...is quite literally unstoppable and MUCH BETTER than any of the above mentioned players.

My two cents...
Click to expand...

Good post. The Swans get no coverage by the Vic media. the 2012 GF was the first time I'd seen many of them play. I remember watching Alex Johnson in that game and thinking, what a gun, cant believe I've never heard of him. Down here the likes of Richmond and Carlton get hyped and slammed every week, while the Swans just go about their business.

I tend to think of interstate players when I think 'underrated' because I tend not to read about them as often. And I always think Luke McPharlin from Freo has never played a bad game that I'v seen. Versatile and can play both ends of the ground.
 

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Cheshire Cat said:
Good post. The Swans get no coverage by the Vic media. the 2012 GF was the first time I'd seen many of them play. I remember watching Alex Johnson in that game and thinking, what a gun, cant believe I've never heard of him. Down here the likes of Richmond and Carlton get hyped and slammed every week, while the Swans just go about their business.

I tend to think of interstate players when I think 'underrated' because I tend not to read about them as often. And I always think Luke McPharlin from Freo has never played a bad game that I'v seen. Versatile and can play both ends of the ground.[/


Thanks Cheshire Cat.

In relation to Alex Johnson, he started around the same time as Dyson Heppell of the bombers, similar position down back. Heppell plays a bit more loose man down back whereas Johnson plays/playedas a 3rd tall defender...yet all the hype was constantly about Heppell and how good he is and no one knows how good Alex Johnson is/was!!! yet another example of Melbourne media knowing stuff all about non Victorian team's players.

Hope he comes back from his injury soon and regathers the same form he once had.

His current replacement at the moment goes alright too. Dane Rampe, another one quietly slipping under the radar. Still to early in his career to call him underrated but two things I will point out about him that I have noticed about him that others may have not is...One: Rampe is VERY strong for his size. Very strong in the upper body and regularly beats his opponent in a one-out contest because of this and Two: Rampe has a monster left foot on him, can cover 60m-65m with ease when he bangs it long.

Back to Nick Smith, I heard from one special comments man, Tom Harley, whom I have great respect for and really listen carefully to what he has to say about all things AFL, say that he is a huge admirer of Nick Smith's and is a little unfortunate because the only reason why he has not had a berth in the All-Australian side over the years is because he is/was often beaten to the 'small defender' position by Corey Enright of the Cats.

Now there is a player who, to me, can be called underrated. Don't know much about him and have not noticed him over the years whilst watching Geelong because of the hype(and skill) surrounding players like Ablett, Selwood, Scarlett, Johnston, Ling and others. To me, Enright has gone unnoticed. But I guess we cant call him underrated because of the multiple All-Australian gigs he has got.
Click to expand...
 
Rory Sloane, Dale Morris, Lachie Henderson are ones that come to mind.
 
Tommy Jonas. Beats all opponents, either big or small. Was the reason Cameron went down back today for GWS. Rookie selection who has good physical size and works so hard to do the team things and improve himself as a footballer
 

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So who is the most underrated player in the AFL?

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