Underrated (poster boy) Josh francou

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Daniel Bradshaw
Craig Bolton
 
Who are the underrated players of all time, not semi big names but guys that just completely fly under the radar.

Francou never liked him much but as a footballer could battle with the best, top 3 Brownlow 3 years and the best midfielder of a very strong side that finished top of the table or top 3 numerous times.

For Geelong Mitch Duncan is our current under rated player has been excellent his whole career and worthy of more recognition.
Loved Josh Francou as a player. Tough as nails and it was a shame that his knee popped and he missed out on Port's premiership year, and then couldn't make it back. I'm very proud to own a signed jumper of his.

Luke McPharlin
about a dozen fwds have come out over time listing him as the toughest/one of opponents ever faced.
Couldn’t get up for the finals in 14/15 retired of the end of 15.
The difference between him in the side or not was more pronounced then may and Melbourne this year.
250+ games 1 AA
Such a great under-rated player. Despite how bad the Croad trade ended up for Freo, McPharlin was definitely a shining light and a good consolation prize for Freo
 

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For Richmond recently - Kane Lambert.

Just a hugely reliable player, rarely fumbled, rarely missed a set shot for goal, stood up in finals. Ran all day and was always in the right spot. One of the key drivers of the 'keep the ball moving forward, pressure, tap on' etc style that Richmond used in their flag-winning era. He was one of those players who is always in the 'big, important plays'.

HIs injury that has ended his career was a big blow for the Tigers through 21/22.
 
Dion Prestia. Richmond don't play a high possession game so he doesn't get to fluff his stats with junk or be fawned upon by fantasy players, but his impact on games is more than most more heralded midfielders.
 
I wouldn’t say underrated, recognised many times; 4 times All Australian, Fos Williams medallist (SA BOG in a SOO game) and South Australian hall of fame inductee.
With that resume though would warrant a bit more recognition, never heard his name thrown around in conversations of very good players of that time.
 
Shaun Hart and Marcus Ashcroft stood out to me as vital cogs of that elite Brisbane team who never got the plaudits of many of their teammates but were elite 250+ game players.

From the Hawthorn era, Brent Guerra and Grant Birchall stand out as being largely under-rated.

And another one from the bygone Hawthorn era ... I always reckoned Ray Jencke was a star who, again, never got the publicity with the likes of Dermie, Dunstall, Platten etc around the team.

Definitely agree with most mentioned so far and I'd add a few more:

Travis Boak is one of the best midfielders of the past decade yet hardly ever gets mentioned with the likes of Ablett, Dangerfield, etc

Similarly, Steele Sidebottom has been elite for a long, long time yet rarely gets the plaudits

Nathan Jones was a great player in a terrible team for much of his career. Had he played in a successful team his talents would have been far more recognised

Jarrad McVeigh was a better footballer than his brother and was crucial in many great Swans wins

Kane Lambert will be missed more than most people realise at Richmond
 
Shows how underrated he was 😉
Tredders was the AA chf 4 years in a row to start the 2000s.
I’d still have him 3rd behind rooboy and Pav but all three along way ahead of brown

His numbers weren't far off Carey's for the first half of his career. His knee just degenerated past 25.
 

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With that resume though would warrant a bit more recognition, never heard his name thrown around in conversations of very good players of that time.
His name was “thrown around“ so much by the All Australian teams selectors 4 bloody times. is that enough recognition?

In that time he was spoken about regularly, He was so highly rated that one season he lived in Brisbane to study Vet science, trained with an ammo team and flew to Melbourne to play on weekends. To be able to do that he was very highly rated.

Or do you mean that your mate at the pub has never mentioned him? Oh he must be underrated then. :)
 
Dion Prestia. Richmond don't play a high possession game so he doesn't get to fluff his stats with junk or be fawned upon by fantasy players, but his impact on games is more than most more heralded midfielders.

It's no coincidence that Dusty went to another level when Prestia arrived at the club.

Allowed Dusty to play that free role while Dion and Cotchin did the bulk of the physical dirty work.
 
His name was “thrown around“ so much by the All Australian teams selectors 4 bloody times. is that enough recognition?

In that time he was spoken about regularly, He was so highly rated that one season he lived in Brisbane to study Vet science, trained with an ammo team and flew to Melbourne to play on weekends. To be able to do that he was very highly rated.

Or do you mean that your mate at the pub has never mentioned him? Oh he must be underrated then. :)
Yes pretty much, the general public does under rate him, which would be a good way of gauging his overall rating.
 
Ben Hart is hardly underrated, he’s already a hall of famer.
Underrated by pundits and fans in vic.
Never mentioned when talk of greatest defenders of AFL.
It’s always sos rance scarlet and the like.
Hart was so dynamic had pace poise and in my opinion in the top couple all round defenders of the AFL.
 
Grant Birchall was also very underrated, as was Andrew Mackie.
 
David Mundy
 
I think Craig Bolton was that defender that set the mould in a way for modern defensive play. To an extent. Silvagni was obviously revolutionary, but I think Bolton gets a bit forgotten in the Scarlett, Leppitsch discussions.
agree. Even in the Rance discussions.
Another one from the era - Ryan O'Keefe doesn't come up often.

Will throw 2x Essendon players into the mix too - Mercuri and Misiti. Mercuri especially, was up there with Hird and Lloyd as a gun for us during a strong period and should really have a Brownlow around his neck.
 
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Underrated (poster boy) Josh francou

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