Who's the better full back - Dench or Martyn??

[Wild Kangaroo]

I was to young to remember Dench, I was 8 when he retired ( And a Fitzroy supporter) But seen footage of Dench ( My dad was a mate of his brother) Mighty Mick was a brick wall, Dench form footage was alot more attacking. From what I've seen Martyn beat the best of the era, I think even Jason Dunstall has said, Mick Martyn his toughest opponent.

 

[Only Forwards]

Scott Thompson is better than both!

Purely on North honours, both are in the team of the century. Individually:

Dench

• Syd Barker Medal 1971, 1976, 1977, 1981
• North Melbourne captain 1972

Martyn

• Syd Barker Medal 1989, 1991

Not to mention that they are both dual premiership players and one was a premiership captain.

Scooter is a very good player and in great form.

Is he better than both no, if he can continue his form for a few more years he starts to look like sitting in this company.

 

[royals1922]

Dench by the length of a straight - Dench is many ways changed the way the game was played- he got 26 Brownlow votes ( in the years when double votes were given out) in 1977 to come in 10th and get 6 Best on grounds.

Age does not wither the memory of that old warrior.

 

[LT Smash]

Dont forget Dench was made captain @ 21.....thats says alot in itself.

What says more is the fact that North and Barassi had the good sense to take the captaincy off him at 23. I was listening to expert opinion on Jack Trengrove and his form slump, and the consensus was you couldn't take the captaincy away from him as it would destroy his confidence. Well toughen up, princess. It happens at good clubs.

 

[Snake_Baker]

What says more is the fact that North and Barassi had the good sense to take the captaincy off him at 23. I was listening to expert opinion on Jack Trengrove and his form slump, and the consensus was you couldn't take the captaincy away from him as it would destroy his confidence. Well toughen up, princess. It happens at good clubs.

You're applying some bent logic a bit there LTS.

Dench was never anyhthing but a top shelf player and a good leader all throughout his career.

I understood handing it over to Davis, but David would have been as worthy as anyone when Barry departed.

 

[Digby Morrell]

You all lose. Shannon Watt. Nuff' said

 

[Uncle_Leo]

Watt?

 

[royals1922]

Dench, Gumbleton and Henshaw, another time, another place....

 

[D23D]

We were blessed to have both of them as they both brought plenty of quality to the table.
Certainly Mick was a tower of strength on the power forwards of the 90's (and a crowd favourite) but Denchy was classier and was an original dasher out of fullback too.
For what its worth, when the afl team of the century was being announced, it was popular for every man and his dog to put forth their own version. Back then, both Mick Malthouse and Kevin Sheedy had a column in the Australian and guess who each put as full back in their own totc?
David Dench! One of our greatest!

 

[jacko57]

With all due respect to Mick : Dench, easily. I honestly believe he should have been nominated in the AFL Team Of The Century.

The question is a bit like who was better : Les Foote or John Holt?

 

[Singapore Roo]

I was only a kid when Dench played, but he really changed what it was to be a full back. When full backs were by and large negative players, he would set up attacking plays from the position. For those who are not old enough, think Matthew Scarlett, who always reminded me of Dench when he played. A little known fact about him is in the first 1977 Grand Final, Barassi started him at CHF and he kicked 2 goals before going back to defence. Mick was an old fashioned Gorilla type full back who was pure strength, Dench brought a degree of athleticism to the role.

 

[blackshadow]

I loved Micky but Dench was in another league. Sensational footballer and leader.

 

[royals1922]

I don't want to be seen to be doing a disservice to Mick, in the 90s, gorillas at full back were a necessity. Plugger kicked over 80 goals per season in 4 of 5 seasons between 95 -99 and 100 times 3 times during that time, dunstall kicked 100 goals or more in 4 out of 5 seasons between 92 to 96, Ablett kicked 122 goals or more between 1993 to 1995 and 69 in 1996, Lloyd kicked 60 or more between 95 to 99 and 100 plus in 2000 -2001, Matt Richardson kicked 47 or more between 96 to 99 including 91 in 1996, Sav Rocca kicked 49 or more from 93 to 98 including 93 in 1995, Kernahan kicked 56 or more from 1992 to 1996, Alistair Lynch was just starting but still scored 68 in 1993 and 52 in 1996, David Neitz although injured a lot stil managed no less than 30 per season between 1995 1999 including 56 in 1996, Stewart Loewe kicked 54 or more between 95 to 97 including 90 in 1996, Modra kicked 129 in 1993 and 70 goals plus in 94, 96 and 97.

Then you had blokes like Richard Osborne - 58 goals in 1992 and 53 in 1995, Salmon who scored 59 in 92 and 65 in 1993, Chris Grant who kicked 71 in 1994 and 50 in 1992, Peter Sumich who scored 76 or more between 90 to 93 and 111 in 91, Jeff Farmer who scored 30 or more from 96 to 2001, Paul Hudson 40 plus between 93 to 95,Brownless who still scored 45 in 1995, Roger Merrett who scored 40 plus between 93 to 95, Lyon who kicked 70 plus in 94 and 95.

While Martyn did not play necessarily on these blokes, these blokes were blokes who scored 400 or more goals in their career.

Dench on the other hand played on McKenna towards the tail end of his career, Quinlan before he became superboot, KB, Hudson only in 1977, roach in the early stages of his career, Templeton, T Daniher, Garry Wilson, Jezza when his scoring was minimal, Walls and Alan Noonan as blokes who scored 400 or more goals in games.

In many ways we are comparing apples and oranges.

 

[benbanjo]

Wow my bump is going better than i thought!!
Good work guys!

 

[ozzyoslo]

Im in the Dench group, but gee Micky did play against some of the best in history and performed remarkably well......its one of those, that sit in different era's. To say Dench was the length of a straight better is unfair.

 

[ozzyoslo]

Dench, Gumbleton and Henshaw, another time, another place....

No Daryll Sutton?? Steve Icke?? Alan Jarrot...........gee these players were rock solid.

 

[jacko57]

I was only a kid when Dench played, but he really changed what it was to be a full back. When full backs were by and large negative players, he would set up attacking plays from the position. For those who are not old enough, think Matthew Scarlett, who always reminded me of Dench when he played. A little known fact about him is in the first 1977 Grand Final, Barassi started him at CHF and he kicked 2 goals before going back to defence. Mick was an old fashioned Gorilla type full back who was pure strength, Dench brought a degree of athleticism to the role.

Actually, Dench struggled on the young Peter Moore in the 77 GFs, and moved forward after Brent Crosswell was switched to defence.

 

[royals1922]

Im in the Dench group, but gee Micky did play against some of the best in history and performed remarkably well......its one of those, that sit in different era's. To say Dench was the length of a straight better is unfair.

In terms of game changing style - Dench was length of the straight but when I looked at the numbers of the people Mick played against- different times, different eras.

 

[Jack Reacher]

Dench, invented the modern day full-back ala Scarlett well before its time with his run and carry and superb defensive skills.

 

[Singapore Roo]

Actually, Dench struggled on the young Peter Moore in the 77 GFs, and moved forward after Brent Crosswell was switched to defence.

I stand corrected!!