In talking to people about the Hall of Fame inductees I've noticed that a club's supporters often value players differently to how they might be perceived by outsiders.
For example, I - and a lot of the people I know - would consider the most respected current Collingwood player to be Scott Burns, the most respected living player to be Gavin Brown and of all time, for those who've taken the opportunity to talk to older people about the game before their memories are lost to us, to be Syd Coventry. And yes, it's probably an appalling indictment that the embodiment of our club played in the 1920s and 1930s, but he led from the front in four straight premiership sides, for God's sake.
Who commands unqualified respect (for both their ability and character) among Essendon supporters? Is that different from what outsiders might believe? I would guess James Hird and Dick Reynolds (and fair enough too) in cases 2 and 3.
For example, I - and a lot of the people I know - would consider the most respected current Collingwood player to be Scott Burns, the most respected living player to be Gavin Brown and of all time, for those who've taken the opportunity to talk to older people about the game before their memories are lost to us, to be Syd Coventry. And yes, it's probably an appalling indictment that the embodiment of our club played in the 1920s and 1930s, but he led from the front in four straight premiership sides, for God's sake.
Who commands unqualified respect (for both their ability and character) among Essendon supporters? Is that different from what outsiders might believe? I would guess James Hird and Dick Reynolds (and fair enough too) in cases 2 and 3.
