Top 10 saints of the past 25 years.

[Apples]

IMO:

1: Lockett: incredible footballer enough said
2: Harvey: people easily forget how good Harves was. Even before his groin troubles.
3: Riewoldt: Would be at number 2 if he was a little more accurate in front of the sticks
4: Hayes: Champion of the club. Makes others walk taller
5: Loewe: Ahh, big stewie. So so underated. Kicked 90 or so goals one season and could play in the ruck.
6: Fisher: Another who is underated. Best and fairest winner, hardly ever played a bad game, very good player
7: Winmar: My favourite player, inconsistency drops him down a tad. Would be an AFL great had he played for a big '4' club
8: Burke: Put his body on the line week after week. Ablett putting him down in 91 may have cost us a flag
9: Milne: Polarises people, I regard him as an Etihad specialist but over the last 6 or so seasons has been good elsewhere. 560 goals as a small forward says it all.
10: Dal Santo: A reason why he gets tagged every week. Polled in the brownlow, b&f etc. Very good player

I also concur with Aaron82 and Bergsone, well argued, probably have Frawley in for Dal Santo but you could mount a good case for either

[BigMart]

1. Harvey..... Not sure you can dispute 8 All Australian selections, 4 B&Fs, 2 Brownlows and 383 games.
2. Daylight
3. Lockett
5. Riewoldt
4. Hayes
5. Winmar
6. Burke
7. Loewe
8. Gehrig
9. Fisher
10. Everitt

Montagna, Goddard, Jones, Thompson, Dal Santo, Hudghton, Peckett, Ball, Baker, grant

[BigMart]

Forgot Milne

Displaces Everitt....

[rexy]

Harvey Locket Burke Loewe Winmar Reiwoldt Hayes Frawley Goddard Milne, in no particular order.
Honourable mentions, Everitt Gherig DalSanto Hudghton Jones.

[skeptic]

I'd go with Riewoldt at number 1

Lockett had all the attributes he needed... Roo needed to work harder to develop, and redevelop his in the hardest era of football

[perfectionist]

Must be a bye this week.

"Top" is a bit ambiguous. Does it mean best as in most skilful, or most influential, or most courageous or something else?

Anyway, I'll give it a go combining all the attributes above but with a bias to 100% effort in every game:

1. Robert Harvey
2. Nick Riewoldt
3. Nathan Burke
4. Lenny Hayes
5. Tony Lockett
6. Nicky Winmar
7. Stewart Loewe
8. Aaron Hamill
9. Fraser Gehrig
10. Stephen Milne

Stiff: Brendon Goddard, Aussie Jones, Joel Smith, Sam Fisher, Barry Hall.

A reason that we have not won a flag in the last 25 years (apart from the jinx) is apparent in the list - not one highest quality backman in the top 10 let alone the top 5.

[bergholt]

A reason that we have not won a flag in the last 25 years (apart from the jinx) is apparent in the list - not one highest quality backman in the top 10 let alone the top 5.

You didn't rate Frawley? In the era of great full-forwards and full-backs, he was up there with Langford and Silvagni.

[perfectionist]

..You didn't rate Frawley? In the era of great full-forwards and full-backs, he was up there with Langford and Silvagni.

Danny was great clubman, a solid defender whose main weapon was the defensive punch away. He did it well, but his contested marks were few and far between. He was very much like Max in that regard. Grand Finals are won on the ability of a defender to take a contested mark. Just look at the 1966 Grand Final for a start. Imagine, if in GF1 of 2010, we had a player able and willing to go for the mark on the last Collingwood foray (which resulted in a Cloke goal) rather than a defensive punch - or in 2009 when the ball spilled to Chapman from a defensive punch. Of course, there is no point going for it if you are never going to mark it (both Danny and Max found that out early on in their careers). Sam Fisher (who has lost all form) is the only player in the last five years to be able to do it. We had Luke Penny and Matthew McGuire in 2004 but both were cut down by injury. Prior to that, Lazar Vidovic drifted across the backline in 1997 to turn the flow - games were won on his skill. But, once again, injury struck us at the crucial moment. It was his injury that saw our flag go to SA. And I have never been enamored with Silvagni being the "fullback of the century" either. Chris Langford was far better (he could run and kick) and there were many others who were better, not least of all our Bob Murray. I used to dig my father in the ribs every time Bob took at contested mark on the very last line of defence and sent the ball back the other way. Dad would invariably come home with bruised ribs.

[stinger]

I'd go with Riewoldt at number 1

Lockett had all the attributes he needed... Roo needed to work harder to develop, and redevelop his in the hardest era of football

you forgot to add that unlike some.....i have no wish to behead anybody...

[southernsaint]

T.Barker and joffa cuninghan would have to be in, there efforts during the 80,s kept me going to games as a kid. Loved david grant and burnsie as well.

[perfectionist]

T.Barker and joffa cuninghan would have to be in, ...

Both played their last games in 1989, so they could both sneak into the last 25 years. Trevor Barker could certainly find himself in most people's best ten.

[stevie]

..You didn't rate Frawley? In the era of great full-forwards and full-backs, he was up there with Langford and Silvagni.

Danny was great clubman, a solid defender whose main weapon was the defensive punch away. He did it well, but his contested marks were few and far between. He was very much like Max in that regard. Grand Finals are won on the ability of a defender to take a contested mark. Just look at the 1966 Grand Final for a start. Imagine, if in GF1 of 2010, we had a player able and willing to go for the mark on the last Collingwood foray (which resulted in a Cloke goal) rather than a defensive punch - or in 2009 when the ball spilled to Chapman from a defensive punch. Of course, there is no point going for it if you are never going to mark it (both Danny and Max found that out early on in their careers). Sam Fisher (who has lost all form) is the only player in the last five years to be able to do it. We had Luke Penny and Matthew McGuire in 2004 but both were cut down by injury. Prior to that, Lazar Vidovic drifted across the backline in 1997 to turn the flow - games were won on his skill. But, once again, injury struck us at the crucial moment. It was his injury that saw our flag go to SA. And I have never been enamored with Silvagni being the "fullback of the century" either. Chris Langford was far better (he could run and kick) and there were many others who were better, not least of all our Bob Murray. I used to dig my father in the ribs every time Bob took at contested mark on the very last line of defence and sent the ball back the other way. Dad would invariably come home with bruised ribs.

Yeah, I've always considered David Dench to have been a better full back than 'Octopus' Silvagni. The latter's main value was when he was moved to the forward line mid game to kick goals. And he would do that. Great full back no doubt but nowhere near the best of the century.

[ShanghaiSaint]

FWIW
1. Plugger
2. Harvey
3. Roo
4. Hayes
5. Winmar
6. Loewe
7. Burke
8. Jones
9. Frawley
10.Dal Santo

WW where's G train.... how could you leave that animal out?

[Saints43]

Geez...not a lot of love for Stewie in this thread.

I reckon the most underated player in my time. The most dominant contested mark the game has ever seen. 321 games playing the hardest position on the ground,club captain,all Australian, leading goal kicker,B+F winner,EJ Whitten medallist,etc,etc. Tore countless games to shreds

My family reckon I'm a hard mark on Stewie... but he is definitely in the top 5 of the last 25 years. Consistency playing the hardest position in the game.

[perfectionist]

Geez...not a lot of love for Stewie in this thread...

Stewie who? Stewart Loewe seems to be in almost everyone's ten.

[Jimmy O'Dea]

Anyone who does not have Harvey as their no 1 didn't make the weekly pilgrimage to Waverly to watch a player who was so much better and ahead of anyone else in the competition it was ridiculous. I doubt those who do not have him as no 1 could have possibly been at these games. To round it off grab any tape of Harvey in the Big V against the best in the land and tell me he isn't no 1.

[White Winmar]

FWIW
1. Plugger
2. Harvey
3. Roo
4. Hayes
5. Winmar
6. Loewe
7. Burke
8. Jones
9. Frawley
10.Dal Santo

WW where's G train.... how could you leave that animal out?

You can't fit 'em all in. I loved the G train SS. Make him number 11!

[Teflon]

FWIW
1. Plugger
2. Harvey
3. Roo
4. Hayes
5. Winmar
6. Loewe
7. Burke
8. Jones
9. Frawley
10.Dal Santo

Remove Jones add Milne and thats mine

Cant believe people putting Gehrig in....seriously, great character and very good player on his day......bot top 10 last 25yrs???

[gringo]

FWIW
1. Plugger
2. Harvey
3. Roo
4. Hayes
5. Winmar
6. Loewe
7. Burke
8. Jones
9. Frawley
10.Dal Santo

Remove Jones add Milne and thats mine

Cant believe people putting Gehrig in....seriously, great character and very good player on his day......bot top 10 last 25yrs???

Our last 100+ goal capable forward with dual coleman finishes playing in a forward line with Hammer, Rooey, milne etc. Very under rated by plenty. his character off field has over shadowed how good he was. Not sure he was a great character. Wasn't a professional but like Plugger was so good he could compensate on the field.

[BigMart]

Why wasn't Gehrig professional?? Did you notice the rig he was carrying around, you don't get that sort of set up without some serious work.... I think his enjoyment of a beer overshadowed his ethic....

Reports of him playing injured are legendary....

Dual Coleman medallist, all Australian RU B&F as a FB 400 odd goals in 5 years.... Easily in the best

[gringo]

Why wasn't Gehrig professional?? Did you notice the rig he was carrying around, you don't get that sort of set up without some serious work.... I think his enjoyment of a beer overshadowed his ethic....

Reports of him playing injured are legendary....

Dual Coleman medallist, all Australian RU B&F as a FB 400 odd goals in 5 years.... Easily in the best

not in the way footballers are now professional. Plugger and the Train probably wouldn't make it now. The expectations are way higher these days.

[BigMart]

That's ridiculous....

Both amazing athletes... Huge, powerful men with extreme talent....

Beau Wilkes or Tony/Fraser don't be silly....

Fraser was exceptional in the way he prepared himself to play.... He did have a few beers during the week, but there was never an issue with him at training or in the Gym... In fact, he rarely missed any sessions

[saintjake]

Surprised so many have Gehrig.

Let's face it - he was a great character, and obviously loved by team mates and supporters alike, but top 10?


Lockett
Roo
Harvey
Hayes
Winmar
Loewe
Burke
Hudghton
Fisher
Milne


I'd almost have Dal in there somewhere as well

Gehrig played fullback, then went to full forward and was one of the most dominate full forwards in the game at the time.
The two Coleman medals speak for themselves.
That's not to mention the amount of goals he created for Milne by always contesting one on one.

Anyone who thinks Dal Santo has been more important to the saints than Gehrig has rocks in there head.
Many midfielders can cover his place in the top 10
Gehrig was our best pure forward since Lockett.
No doubt about it

[gringo]

That's ridiculous....

Both amazing athletes... Huge, powerful men with extreme talent....

Beau Wilkes or Tony/Fraser don't be silly....

Fraser was exceptional in the way he prepared himself to play.... He did have a few beers during the week, but there was never an issue with him at training or in the Gym... In fact, he rarely missed any sessions

Yeah but getting into a car with a pissed Steve Laurence in an unregistered car might have been just possible to get away with but peeing down a ladies leg at the Casino would have had him sent packing. He was a fairly wild man old Fraser. I used to see him out and he not only liked a drink he liked several hundred in one sitting.

Pluggers skin folds would have been enough to stop him getting games. They are so uncompromising with conditioning these days. Frase was probably a great trainer but he did to much anti social stuff. Hey I still love him and said I have them both in my list but these days footy is monotone. Characters get jettisoned.

[ShanghaiSaint]

Surprised so many have Gehrig.

Let's face it - he was a great character, and obviously loved by team mates and supporters alike, but top 10?


Lockett
Roo
Harvey
Hayes
Winmar
Loewe
Burke
Hudghton
Fisher
Milne


I'd almost have Dal in there somewhere as well

Gehrig played fullback, then went to full forward and was one of the most dominate full forwards in the game at the time.
The two Coleman medals speak for themselves.
That's not to mention the amount of goals he created for Milne by always contesting one on one.

Anyone who thinks Dal Santo has been more important to the saints than Gehrig has rocks in there head.
Many midfielders can cover his place in the top 10
Gehrig was our best pure forward since Lockett.
No doubt about it

100% agree... made defenders have nightmares think next week i have to face Gehrig...

On top of that not a pro athlete? guy had a very good lead and tank in his prime years.... he also held the bench press record in the AFL