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KermitJagger
Professional Thread Derailer
- May 17, 2017
- 16,066
- 52,285
- AFL Club
- Hawthorn
I wasn't around for most of their career, or at least cognisant of my surroundings for large parts at the end, but I've tried to watch as many highlights as possible of the older Hawks eras. Taking Pritchard as an example, he was a great kick and Dunstall was a great lead - but the difference between ball use in the 90s and ball use in the modern era is that Pritchard would struggle to see Dunstall leading through modern day congestion and defences, and when he did it would be far more likely to be intercepted.I think I would have Jarman as the best I have seen. Slightly ahead of Buckenara and Pritchard.
What modern players have to deal with in terms of executing their skills, both from congestion and pressure on the ball carrier, is on another level compared to those guys. Pritchard might have needed to kick it past / through 3 opposition players to hit Dunstall on the lead, some of the better kicks in the modern game need to squeeze it past 10.
I hate comparing eras for that reason, because there's no way of definitively saying the guys you mentioned wouldn't have adapted to the modern game, but the nature of sport is that it continues to get more professional, more skilled, tougher, harder.