Flower

Barassi

Hardeman

Mann

Wells

Alves , Dixon , Lyon , Fowler , Neitz also worth a mention

Interesting topic, where the title says one thing (top 5 all time), and then the message says another (favourite 5 to watch) and then everyone (nearly) answers something completely different (top 5 seen).

So lets go with the more interesting question: "Who did/do you enjoy watching play footy over your time as a Demon supporter?"

and it has to be

Flower.

Jackovich - entertainment. plus our only real great full forward in the classic big man sense since Fanning.

Mark Jackson - you just went to the game to watch him. Even watched SK and Geelong games for his sake.

Wiz (then Flash then Woona) - excitement

and of course Hopgood - just one of the greatest 150 players ever.

1. G. Lyon - Although as a little tacker the first players number I had on my back was 45 (Ricky Jackson) Lyon was my first fav player that I remember. Could play anywhere aand skills and leadership were second to none. Best Melbourne player I've seen.

2. A. Jackovich - Absolute freak. Could kick goals from anywhere and turn a match in a second. Remeber seeing him kick 4.10 out at Waverley one day against the Hawks and he dominated although didn't kick straight. Also saw him kick one of the best goals I've ever seen from the boundary line that day.

3. J. Farmer - Like Jackovich an absolute freak who could turn a game in 10 min and the crowd was always excited whenever he went anywhere near the ball. Went to the QB game in 2000 where he kicked 9 in a quarter and a half after not getting a kick in the first half. Whether in the air or on the ground he was a very strong player. Was never the same when he went to Fremantle.

4. D. Schwarz - One of the most unlucky players to play the game as he would have been even better then Carey if it weren't for his injuries. Remeber the 94 finals series where he dominated and set up many goals while kicking a few himself. Credit has to be given to him for still becoming a very good player despite the 3 knee recos and he had do adopt a different style of game.

5. D. Neitz - Legend of the club as we all know, whether at FF or CHB he was just a great leader and competitor. Shame we couldn't wina premiership for him, he deserved it as much as anyone.

Special mentions also to J. Stynes, T. Viney, A. Ingerson, A. Yze & S. Tingay who would probably make up my top 10.

1. Ricky Jackson (fav player as a kid)

2. Garry Lyon

3. David Schwarz

4. David Neitz

5. Aaron Davey

I'm assuming the thread refers to "best" rather than most talented:

1. Robbie Flower

2. Garry Lyon

3. Greg Wells

4. David Neitz

5. Jim Stynes

Apologies to Alves, Hardemann, Schwarz.

Farmer and Jakovich would make my most talented list.

Its a bloody hard thing to narrow down to 5

Who I have seen in my time:

1. Robbie Flower - none better

2. Garry Lyon - could win a game by himself ion willlpower

3. Sean Wight - lved his desperation

4. David Schwartz - pre knee injuries the best but loved him afterward

5. Stephen Tingay - flying wingman whose career was cruelly ended when we needed him most, imagine a fully fit Tingay in 2000.

Lots of honorable mentions do I wont bother as it would be a pretty big list, as the above were great to watch over most of their career while

others had a great purple patch over a few years, normally at the end, such as Anthony Ingernson who found his niche near the end.

On 5/22/2009 at 4:32 PM, Whispering_Jack said:

I have and always will regard Ron Barassi Jr. as the # 1 Melbourne player of my lifetime. He personified strength, courage, determination and leadership. He won games for us and with him in the side, we won premierships - lots of them. Forget Essendon (2000), Brisbane (2001-3) and Geelong (2007-), we were the best side in the history of the game, our reign lasted for a decade and RDB was the best of the best.

Robbie Flower was the most skillful player to wear the red and blue (I might be ancient but Ivor Warne-Smith was before my time). Slight of build, Robbie was graceful and time stopped when he was near the ball. He was a magnificent mark, would run, bounce and mesmerise the opposition and one of his runs from coast to coast via pockets, flanks and wings to score a goal at Windy Hill one day was the most sublime pieces of action this game has ever produced. It wasn't his fault that we only made the finals once in his entire career but it would have been unbearable going to the footy between 1972 and 1987 but for him.

My memories of Laurie Mithen are fading but I can't recall the dynamic centreman ever being beaten. He taught some of my friends who were students at Melbourne High School in the 60s and they used to call him a "bastard". That's how he played his football - like a real bastard and that's why Melbourne was so successful when he played in the middle.

Stan Alves played on the opposite wing to Robbie Flower and arrived at Melbourne at the wrong time - 1965, when the Melbourne show was closing down. He was a champion, a beautiful mover and a clever thinking footballer. Sadly, he left to achieve premiership success elsewhere. It always amazed me that Melbourne couldn't do better with Alves and Flower on the wings and Greg Wells in the middle. Shows how bad we were everywhere else on the field in those days.

Brian Dixon used to count his kicks in the days before statisticians took over the game. He was quite brilliant and although his kicking style wasn't the greatest, he was remarkably effective and contributed enormously to his team's successful era.

Strangely, I have picked three wingmen in my top five. They were always important on the wide, open spaces of the MCG. I couldn't fit in anybody from the modern era but the others would be Jimmy, Garry Lyon, Alan Johnson, Shane Woewodin (I'm assuming I can mention him now), Neita and Brian Wilson for a short period of time. Gerard Healy might have made it had he stuck around long enough instead of making a run for the money and The Ox would probably have rivalled Laurie Mithen for my third spot if not for the tragedy of his knees.

Of the current crop of players (and I don't want to put any pressure on prematurely but ...) I reckon our first three picks in the 2007 draft, Morton, Grimes and Maric all have the capacity to go places in this game. It's just a question of whether they have the will and the application to put in the enormous amount of work necessary.

Last para could have been left off 

Now Maxine Clarry and Trac carry the modern can!

Greatest Demons since 1958.

1.RDB

2. RFlower

3.D Neitz 

4. JStynes

5. H.Mann

Hon mentions 

Mithen Dixon  Alves Wells T.Viney GLyon Schwartz (undoubtedly would have been in Top3 if not for injury.) 

Modern Potential for Top5 

Jones Clarry Maxie Trac 

 

 

 

 

 

In 60 years of watching, these are the ones who made me proud to be a demon (in numerical order).

2, 3, 5, 9, 31.  

And for those without ready access to player numbers, tiers is referring to Jones, Salem, Petracca, Spargo and Fritsch.

I started following Melbourne in 1965 (I know...) so Barassi was before my time.

The best five that I've seen would probably be Hassa Mann, Robbie Flower, Gary Hardeman, Garry Lyon and David Schwarz.

Very honourable mentions to Stan Alves, Greg Wells, Jim Stynes, Allen Jakovich, Jeff Farmer and David Neitz.

Best in my lifetime:

Tulip, Garry, Ox, Jakovich and Jurrah

Obviously I'm not going on longevity, but skill, excitement, natural talent and ability to change a game. Hence the last two.

Neita could easily be there as well.

2 hours ago, demonstone said:

And for those without ready access to player numbers, tiers is referring to Jones, Salem, Petracca, Spargo and Fritsch.

Not funny and disrespectful to my choices. Those who know, will know who I mean. 2, 3, 5, 9, 31.  

 

Loved Flower, then Jedda Healy, Schwarz, Jakovich and Lyon.  Stynes, Neita, Wight and Gawn would be next.  Had a soft spot for Danny Hughes, Todd Viney and really liked Warren Dean in 1987.

4 hours ago, tiers said:

Not funny and disrespectful to my choices. Those who know, will know who I mean. 2, 3, 5, 9, 31.  

 

Flower, Lyon, Schwarz, Neitz, RdBarassi...  of course.

 

Jedda Healey would have made a good backup #3, but sadly,  I see him more as a Swan than a Dee,  these days.

Edited May 4, 20204 yr by MyFavouriteMartian

This is a mighty 11 year bump!

In no particular order...

1. Stynes

2. Neitz

3. Farmer

4. Gawn

5. Lyon

 

* Schwartz could have been

** Jurrah should have been

*** Jakovich almost was

**** Oliver definitely will be

On 5/22/2009 at 4:32 PM, Whispering_Jack said:

I have and always will regard Ron Barassi Jr. as the # 1 Melbourne player of my lifetime. He personified strength, courage, determination and leadership. He won games for us and with him in the side, we won premierships - lots of them. Forget Essendon (2000), Brisbane (2001-3) and Geelong (2007-), we were the best side in the history of the game, our reign lasted for a decade and RDB was the best of the best.

Robbie Flower was the most skillful player to wear the red and blue (I might be ancient but Ivor Warne-Smith was before my time). Slight of build, Robbie was graceful and time stopped when he was near the ball. He was a magnificent mark, would run, bounce and mesmerise the opposition and one of his runs from coast to coast via pockets, flanks and wings to score a goal at Windy Hill one day was the most sublime pieces of action this game has ever produced. It wasn't his fault that we only made the finals once in his entire career but it would have been unbearable going to the footy between 1972 and 1987 but for him.

My memories of Laurie Mithen are fading but I can't recall the dynamic centreman ever being beaten. He taught some of my friends who were students at Melbourne High School in the 60s and they used to call him a "bastard". That's how he played his football - like a real bastard and that's why Melbourne was so successful when he played in the middle.

Stan Alves played on the opposite wing to Robbie Flower and arrived at Melbourne at the wrong time - 1965, when the Melbourne show was closing down. He was a champion, a beautiful mover and a clever thinking footballer. Sadly, he left to achieve premiership success elsewhere. It always amazed me that Melbourne couldn't do better with Alves and Flower on the wings and Greg Wells in the middle. Shows how bad we were everywhere else on the field in those days.

Brian Dixon used to count his kicks in the days before statisticians took over the game. He was quite brilliant and although his kicking style wasn't the greatest, he was remarkably effective and contributed enormously to his team's successful era.

Strangely, I have picked three wingmen in my top five. They were always important on the wide, open spaces of the MCG. I couldn't fit in anybody from the modern era but the others would be Jimmy, Garry Lyon, Alan Johnson, Shane Woewodin (I'm assuming I can mention him now), Neita and Brian Wilson for a short period of time. Gerard Healy might have made it had he stuck around long enough instead of making a run for the money and The Ox would probably have rivalled Laurie Mithen for my third spot if not for the tragedy of his knees.

Of the current crop of players (and I don't want to put any pressure on prematurely but ...) I reckon our first three picks in the 2007 draft, Morton, Grimes and Maric all have the capacity to go places in this game. It's just a question of whether they have the will and the application to put in the enormous amount of work necessary.

The great Cale Morton! What an embarrassment...

Having been fortunate enough to start going to Demon games in 1962

I had 3 great years to start off so I’m prejudiced to those early days

My 5 are Tassie Johnson ,Hassa Mann,  Stan Alves, Robert Flower,David Neitz

RDB misses out for going to Carlton and breaking my heart as a Ten year old

Gary Hardeman just missed out great player even nicer guy

So many from Jimmy and Sean White to Big Max I’d like to mention 

 

 

 

My best five in my lifetime (not in order) would have to be:

Ronald Dale Barassi

Alan Johnson

Robert Flower

Gary Hardeman

Jim Stynes

David Schwartz 

 

Hard to leave out Lyon, Dixon, Adams,Mithen, Wells, Brian Keneally,,,,,,,  etc

 

 

 

That's six, David!   And Schwarz doesn't have a "t" in his name.

On 5/4/2020 at 3:39 PM, tiers said:

Not funny and disrespectful to my choices. Those who know, will know who I mean. 2, 3, 5, 9, 31.  

 

There are two champions of the club that have worn number 9. Both have been picked in this thread a few times.

1) Tingay

2) Stynes

3) Jeff Farmer

4) Theox

5) Alan Johnson

 

 

Yźzzzzzzzze

55 minutes ago, Tom said:

Yźzzzzzzzze

I thought the bump was being discouraged.

3 minutes ago, Left Foot Snap said:

I thought the bump was being discouraged.

The bump is allowed, however you do need to accept all consequences associated with the bump

Tough, my Top 5 best players

1. Flower

2. Lyon

3. Neitz

4. Stynes

5. T Viney

Favourite 5 players

1. Jakovich

2. Schwartz

3. Farmer

4. R Jackson

5. Tingay