Doesn't mean he couldn't play though. Hell, Ablett Snr was my idol but had many failings.
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AFLW 2024 - Round 9 - Indigenous Round - Chat, game threads, injury lists, team lineups and more.
Who do you think is the best indigenous person to ever play?
- Thread starter OnTheRocks
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I'm going to say Polly Farmer or Mickey O'Loughlin. Goodes was great too. The 2012 GF performance of his with a stuffed knee was pretty impressive. I just don't have the respect now I had for him in 2012. Which is a shame, but I don't think I'm the only one. Regardless, on field he was something else
But yes, Farmer, O'Loughlin and Goodes.
But yes, Farmer, O'Loughlin and Goodes.
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FFS grow up!!!!
Fantastic post, summed it up well I think. Think you forgot one Lance Franklin though. Would add Darryl White to the list of blokes in 'the next group', 3 flags, 268 games is a fantastic career.
Overall I think it'd be incredibly hard for anyone to split Rioli, Cable, Farmer, Winmar, Goodes, McLeod, Wanganeen, Buddy, S.Michael and J.Krakouer personally. They were all just capable of such incredible bits of footy, and whilst some records don't stand up in comparison to others (e.g. Krakouer v Goodes), I think it's hard to argue in regards to talent which one was the best.
I like that. I'd just add Matera.
Adrian McAdam was an interesting one. Kind of a flash in the pan but geez he burst onto the scene with impact.
Leave it there, nothing more needs to be said.
I think another poster mentioned that Polly turned handball into an offensive weapon. He did. An amazing footballer. He would jump early in the ruck rest his hip on his opponents shoulder and grab the ball. Before he hit the ground he would fire out a handball that would hit his rover on the run and would break up the play. His left foot dropkicks were a thing of beauty and they carried 55m. His handballs could travel 35m and they were accurate and deadly. Even late in his career (approaching the mid 30's) he was still the best ruckman going around. I also saw most of Stephen Michael's career and he was an absolute beauty. What a star he would have been had he gone to the VFL? The 1970 second half of the Grand Final did not change the way the game was played Polly had already done that.
When Polly came back to WA in 1968 to Captain Coach my team West Perth we already had a champion ruckman (also indigenous) in Bill Dempsey. Polly became the main man and Bill as modest and gracious a man as you would ever meet happily played second string.
We are very lucky to have the amazing talents of the indigenous players that showcase and have showcased our game but Polly was off the top shelf. He isn't there on his own and neither are the many other greats to have graced our game. It is no secret that he was named first ruck in the AFL team of the century. He was better than other ruckmen and he also had great skills. No one, not even Barry Cable or Greg Williams, could rival Polly for his handballing. I will always rate him as number 1 because I cannot imagine a better player but if another comes along what a star that player will be. Having said that Barney, the King, Snr, Jnr, Plugger, Baldock, Whitten Snr etc. are all in the mix as would be Bunton Snr for those that saw him play. Barrie Robran and Brian Peake were other champions that I saw (Robran only in State footy but what a player he was). The current crop of recent champions and current ones both indigenous and non-indigenous are incredible players.
Peake is worthy of a mention for just one game. It was a State game against the Vics at Subiaco. In the late 1970's (I think it was 1979 and it was a final of the carnival) and for 3 quarters Peake in the centre played basically a lone hand in keeping WA in the match. He was spent by 3 qtr time and when the rest of the WA players got their act together a comfortable win ensued. The performance by Peake in this match (at least for 3 quarters) is the best individual effort that I have witnessed. Peake also won the Tassie Medal during that carnival. It was footy's equivalent to Stan McCabe's 232 out of 277 at Trent Bridge in 1938 (no I didn't see it but have read the reports).
GreyCrow
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Only footballer to have a freeway named after him
Reality is many people feel that way and are entitled to say so.
Polly refused to be involved in race politics, and is a leader for indigenous kids aspiring to footy at all levels of the game.
Goodes is a political player for his people & is seen as such - politicians are not highly regarded by most of us.
Personally I am offended by the social engineering set who retrospectively label anyone who booed Adam Goodes a racist.
Polly will remain the best ever IMHO & this discussion hasn't mentioned his coaching career.
Only footballer to have a freeway named after him
& that freeway includes the Polly Pipe under the Swan River:
.... the Northbridge Tunnel, Western Australia's only freeway tunnel. The 1.6-kilometre (1 mi) tunnel has three traffic lanes in each direction, with an escape passageway between the carriageways. The tunnel is colloquially known as the "Polly Pipe", a reference not only to the freeway's namesake, but also to the colloquialism "Poly Pipe" in reference to plastic pipes (commonly made from polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride materials) used in reticulation and plumbing
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham_Farmer_Freeway
Maurice Rioli...... End thread
Swan river? Ah no mate, doesn't run under any river
Lol
Last 20 years I'd be looking at Goodes and McLeod. Shaun Burgoyne not far behind, if at all.
TheOldeBadger
Debutant
For the huge impact he had on my childhood - Michael Graham. Here's just a teaser for the young'uns.
The Flash for a reason - no one caught him. Glad to see he was named in Indigenous team of the Century, one of the few SA chaps not to go over to the VFL (remember, pre professional era - these people still had to work for a living!)
Special mention to the Rioli family - exactly how many of them played in WAFL as well as VFL/AFL?
GreyCrow
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Thanks Badger 
Just great stuff. Pace and skill and the crowds
Just great stuff. Pace and skill and the crowds
Fruit_Platter
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Dean Rioli when he wasn't going hard on turtles
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Polly Farner and McLeod
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Where does Gibson fit in? 3 Premierships and two best and fairests in Premiership teams. Doesn't do the long speedy runs down the wing or the sensational snap goals but I can't think of any Indigenous KPDs ahead of him off the top of my head.
Thanks mate. Sensed there was a few I forgot in middle of night. Franklin certainly in there and Daryl White certainly in that next group.
Nicky Winmar.
RightYouAreThen
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nicky winmar for mine too
