Opinion Which players would have been the best if not for injury?

[Cleric]

So which players do people think would have been up there with the greatest lists if not for injuries?
If I had to pick one it would have been Peter Motley.

 

[Pavlovs Cat]

Barry Stoneham. Awesome player in his prime. Awful leg injuries cut him down.

 

[The 4th Horseman]

Would have been interesting seeing Adam Cooney

Adam Cooney

Age

38

Ht

187cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

21.7

5star

K

11.5

4star

HB

10.2

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.7

4star

G

0.8

4star

No current season stats available

D

10.2

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.6

3star

M

2.6

3star

T

2.0

4star

G

0.8

4star

at full flight for longer than what he was able to produce after the cracked patella.

 

[Gunf]

Menzel with knees would have gone alright

 

[M Malice]

Josh Drummond

Josh Drummond

Age

41

Ht

189cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.0

4star

K

12.1

4star

HB

4.9

4star

M

4.9

5star

T

1.7

4star

No current season stats available

D

18.0

5star

K

13.4

5star

HB

4.6

4star

M

7.0

5star

T

1.2

3star

, one of the best kicks you could ever see.. elite.

 

[NetworkNerd]

Matthew Egan

Matthew Egan

Age

41

Ht

196cm

Wt

101kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.5

3star

K

4.8

2star

HB

5.7

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.2

3star

No current season stats available

D

7.0

2star

K

3.2

2star

HB

3.8

3star

M

2.4

3star

T

0.4

3star

and to a lesser extent Trent Croad.

Same injury if memory serves me correctly

 

[SC_Power]

As much as Robbie Gray

9

Robbie Gray

Age

36

Ht

183cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.9

5star

K

9.8

4star

HB

10.1

5star

M

3.5

4star

T

3.2

5star

G

1.4

5star

D

13.3

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

7.3

4star

M

2.4

3star

T

2.6

4star

G

0.6

4star

D

10.4

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.8

3star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.4

4star

G

1.4

5star

achieved in the AFL, take away an ACL as severe as any experienced in the league along with his testicular cancer battles, and could have been a bonafide AFL superstar.

 

[Pistol Night]

Neale Daniher

 

[SA HAWK]

Jaeger O'Meara

2

Jaeger O'meara

Age

30

Ht

184cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

22.9

5star

K

12.4

5star

HB

10.6

5star

M

3.7

4star

T

5.5

5star

CL

4.8

5star

D

20.9

5star

K

13.0

5star

HB

7.9

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

4.0

5star

CL

5.0

5star

D

19.4

5star

K

11.4

4star

HB

8.0

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

4.0

5star

CL

4.6

5star

 

[RightWingRoo]

Jesse Smith

 

[Guy Threepwood]

The Ox. Lead the lead in marks and kicked 70 plus goals in 1994. He was never the same after that first knee.

 

[SSSSSS]

Cyril Rioli.

If his hamstring could handle midfield minutes he would have been up there with GAJ.

 

[maddog37]

Chris Judd

 

[JimmyBC]

As much as Robbie Gray achieved in the AFL, take away an ACL as severe as any experienced in the league along with his testicular cancer battles, and could have been a bonafide AFL superstar.

Is this a comedy routine? he was a bonafide AFL superstar.

 

[blockman155]

Anthony Morabito

Anthony Morabito

Age

32

Ht

189cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.7

3star

K

7.6

3star

HB

5.1

4star

M

2.6

3star

T

3.0

5star

CL

1.9

4star

No current season stats available

D

14.2

4star

K

8.6

4star

HB

5.6

4star

M

2.4

3star

T

3.6

5star

CL

2.0

4star

 

[jc37]

John Greening was winning the Brownlow at the cop friends when he was put him in a coma on the field. At 22 career effectively over.

 

[jc37]

Paul Salmon has a key forward looked amazing averaging 5 goals a game. Did his knee and I dont think reached same levels as a forward but certainly did as a Ruck.

 

[Young Redleg]

Dan Hannebery's worth a shout. By 2016 (when he was only 25) he'd achieved a lot. 3 AA selections and a coach's award.

Unfortunately he couldn't stay on the park afterwards.

 

[Private Hudson]

The Ox. Lead the lead in marks and kicked 70 plus goals in 1994. He was never the same after that first knee.

This. Was still a very good player even with all the injuries but he would have been an out and out champion without the ACL’s.

 

[Fadge]

Some fantastic nominations in this thread.

Kouta? He was doing things on the footy field that I'd never seen previously, and haven't seen since, before his knee injuries in 2000 and 2001, and didn't reach those levels when he returned.

 

[SC_Power]

Is this a comedy routine? he was a bonafide AFL superstar.

Calm down, it’s a discussion on an a great player whose career was curtailed somewhat by injury.

Take those injuries away and I believe we’d be talking about a player with a lot more midfield time, a longer career, and probably a Brownlow and many many AA’s.

 

[JimmyBC]

Calm down, it’s a discussion on an a great player whose career was curtailed somewhat by injury.

Take those injuries away and I believe we’d be talking about a player with a lot more midfield time, a longer career, and probably a Brownlow and many many AA’s.

I'm calm it's just a ridiculous example there are players celebrated for less than half his CV.

 

[Fadge]

Also reckon Luke Ball was half the player he would have been without the OP.

 

[supahoops]

Paul Salmon easily with the trajectory he was on. From my lot Daniel Menzel

Daniel Menzel

Age

33

Ht

190cm

Wt

90kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.3

3star

K

8.1

3star

HB

4.2

3star

M

4.3

4star

T

1.5

3star

G

1.8

5star

No current season stats available

D

10.2

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.6

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

1.8

4star

G

1.4

5star

, Barry Stoneham and the smoky Paul Lynch.

 

[Guy Threepwood]

I'm calm it's just a ridiculous example there are players celebrated for less than half his CV.

Have to agree, Robbie was an incredible player. He did have injuries but managed to have a fantastic career anyway. Probably not someone I'd nominate in this list but to each their own.