-
AFLW 2024 - Round 10 - Chat, game threads, injury lists, team lineups and more.
Where does Gary Ablett Junior sit on the all time best midfielders list?
- Thread starter H2F
- Start date
- Tagged users None
Judd and Cuz probably better from a WCE point of view due to consistency as Ablett seems so have found consistency during the last 3 seasons.
Agree with this.
BlueOyster
Senior List
i will stick with the above couple of posts, still a little early to rank him. if he donates sperm to the sperm bank, do babies produced count as father son nominees?
Nothing wrong with the OP particularly when HodgetoFranklin has in the past bagged Geelong mercilessly. But i would suggest that few players have played three seasons as consistently good as Gary Jr's 2007-09 period. If that period of dominance extends to a few more years, then he would be right up there with the Skiltons, L.Matthews and co.
I do think that he may become a little like L.Matthews later in his career, because i reckon he would be an awesome player in the forward line. He can take a strong mark, and makes great body position. At 25, and turning 26 in May 2010, let's hope that he will be able to play well into his 30's. Footy fans as a whole will be pleased if he does.
I do think that he may become a little like L.Matthews later in his career, because i reckon he would be an awesome player in the forward line. He can take a strong mark, and makes great body position. At 25, and turning 26 in May 2010, let's hope that he will be able to play well into his 30's. Footy fans as a whole will be pleased if he does.
- Banned
- #7
Never heard of Greg (Diesel)Williams?
He was a gun who would get the hard ball and get it out to Bradley and co running past with 30 metre accurate handball.
When Diesel got 40 posessions they were hard earned and brutal.
Not loose ball receives or what ever they refer to them as these days?
Young Gazza is great at what he does but many of his possies are 1,2 handballs setting up the play.
Diesel won 2 Brownlows and it should have been 3 or 4 but he had a big mouth (which the umps avoided votes for him)and was rubbed out a bit for belting taggers.
He's been no.1 in the last 3 years for averaging more hard ball gets & Contested possessions than any other player in the competition. He may get a few 1-2's but so do all the Geelong midfield, that's how we play, It basically gets the ball through the zone.
Back on topic... If he continues dominating likie he has the past few seasons then he will definately go down as one of the great players.
But most of those blokes he's "chasing" didn't do it at the level Ablett has for the past 3 years. And nowadays there is more flooding around stoppages etc. because of zoning, which makes it alot more harder for on-ballers to dominate in the midfield. Not to mention 10 plus years ago, if a player was struggling with a tag he would just get a teammate to take out the tagger off the ball with little consequence.
Falchoon
Brownlow Medallist
- Feb 15, 2002
- 29,804
- 11,034
- AFL Club
- St Kilda
- Other Teams
- Bluestar Airlines, Anacott Steel
or ala Garry Hocking take out the star midfielder
Its funny how the best of "all time" seems to always start around the 1970's or 1980's. Gary Ablett Jr is fine player , one who fits todays game probably even better than his father would but there was so many fine players in the past.
People always bring up Matthews and Williams , true guns skilled and tough in way that GA is not What about Skilton or Stewart , multiple Brownlows in an era of the loose hands and elbows What about guys even earlier that I haven't seen highlights of that must have great as well . Dick Renyolds at Essendon or Hayden Bunton Sr at Fitzroy for eg. Each won 3 Brownlows , how good must they have been?
Yes Gary Ablett , has climbed into elite company , the level he has played to the last three years is Hall of Fame level , but he still has games to play. He has played around 160-170 games , if Gary can continue on what he is doing now for perhaps another 50 -100 games he truly will be AFL legend status and then you can start talking best of all time .
People always bring up Matthews and Williams , true guns skilled and tough in way that GA is not What about Skilton or Stewart , multiple Brownlows in an era of the loose hands and elbows What about guys even earlier that I haven't seen highlights of that must have great as well . Dick Renyolds at Essendon or Hayden Bunton Sr at Fitzroy for eg. Each won 3 Brownlows , how good must they have been?
Yes Gary Ablett , has climbed into elite company , the level he has played to the last three years is Hall of Fame level , but he still has games to play. He has played around 160-170 games , if Gary can continue on what he is doing now for perhaps another 50 -100 games he truly will be AFL legend status and then you can start talking best of all time .
JeffDunne
TheBrownDog
I don't know how anyone could argue he's behind Judd.
Personally I couldn't split them if asked to choose but no way is Judd clearly ahead of him.
Personally I couldn't split them if asked to choose but no way is Judd clearly ahead of him.
- Mar 23, 2007
- 34,932
- 23,542
- AFL Club
- Hawthorn
- Other Teams
- Man U, Canucks and 49ers
Miles off.
- Aug 21, 2007
- 33,103
- 109,363
- AFL Club
- Port Adelaide
- Other Teams
- Aston Villa, San Antonio Spurs
If he maintains his current standard for a few more years he's up with anyone IMO.
The problem with discussions like this is that reputations get bigger as time goes on after retirement. Ablett has dominated the league over the past 3 seasons probably like no other midfielder over a 3 year period in a long, long time. If he's still maintaining that level after 5 or 6 seasons, he surely has to be considered one of the best ever.
The problem with discussions like this is that reputations get bigger as time goes on after retirement. Ablett has dominated the league over the past 3 seasons probably like no other midfielder over a 3 year period in a long, long time. If he's still maintaining that level after 5 or 6 seasons, he surely has to be considered one of the best ever.
If I could have 97-98 Robert Harvey or 2009 Ablett, it'll be Harves every day of the week.
Or in a non St Kilda view, I agree with the above posts, Diesel was miles ahead of Ablett.
Or in a non St Kilda view, I agree with the above posts, Diesel was miles ahead of Ablett.
This.....
IMO of those I have seen.
Greg Williams
Micheal Voss
Ben Cousins
Robert Harvey
All performed at a high level throughout their career.
Ablett's past three years have been brilliant but he's played 70 or so games at an elite level. Judd's been playing at an elite level since 2004 and barring the 2nd half of 07, hasn't had a down year.
I agree with that.
And 07 was shaping up to be his best year too before his groin injury, 16 votes in the Brownlow after 8 rounds.
JeffDunne
TheBrownDog
Brownlow votes have no place in these discussions.
The reason people rate players like Williams & Lethal ahead of mdern players is due to an element of their game few players have today.
However you can't discount modern players because they lack an element that's no longer an asset.
As for the Judd/Ablett comparison, Ablett has played as many match-winning perfromances in as many critical games as Judd in a shorter time. Like I said I wouldn't split them, and I it's nonsense to suggest one is clearly ahead of the other. FWIW I'd argue Ablett is a more complete player too
The reason people rate players like Williams & Lethal ahead of mdern players is due to an element of their game few players have today.
However you can't discount modern players because they lack an element that's no longer an asset.
As for the Judd/Ablett comparison, Ablett has played as many match-winning perfromances in as many critical games as Judd in a shorter time. Like I said I wouldn't split them, and I it's nonsense to suggest one is clearly ahead of the other. FWIW I'd argue Ablett is a more complete player too
- Banned
- #21
As far as definites go right now... too many to name. People really get caught up in the AFL's stupid statistics, Contested Possessions mean nothing now that they count if you get a free kick or a little handball in a congested area.
Greg Williams may have been short, slow and an average kick, but the way he played tells me he's a far more damaging player in the midfield than Ablett.
Greg Williams may have been short, slow and an average kick, but the way he played tells me he's a far more damaging player in the midfield than Ablett.
goldcoastfc
Debutant
That's really just an opinion, and there's no way of proving it one way or the other. I don't agree, I think Judd has been a superstar of the competition for a lot longer than Ablett has, and played well when the team he has been in hasn't. Ablett has played fantastic in three season when his team has made the GF each year.
Over their careers I think Judd is clearly ahead.
- May 8, 2006
- 5,036
- 4,559
- AFL Club
- Melbourne
By the end of his career he will be in the top 5 the game has seen IMO. His ability to win the contested ball and get through traffic the only other player I have seen do it is Judd.
You can say that Diesel played at the top level for longer than Ablett (Duh), and you can even say that you think that he played at a higher level, but you cannot say that he was far more damaging - this just isn't true.
- May 8, 2006
- 5,036
- 4,559
- AFL Club
- Melbourne
