Jump to content

Featured Replies

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.

  • 10 years later...
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 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

 

 

 

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.


  • 10 months later...
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


Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

Featured Content

  • CASEY: Collingwood

    It was freezing cold at Mission Whitten Stadium where only the brave came out in the rain to watch a game that turned out to be as miserable as the weather.
    The Casey Demons secured their third consecutive victory, earning the four premiership points and credit for defeating a highly regarded Collingwood side, but achieved little else. Apart perhaps from setting the scene for Monday’s big game at the MCG and the Ice Challenge that precedes it.
    Neither team showcased significant skill in the bleak and greasy conditions, at a location that was far from either’s home territory. Even the field umpires forgot where they were and experienced a challenging evening, but no further comment is necessary.

      • Like
    • 4 replies
  • NON-MFC: Round 13

    Follow all the action from every Round 13 clash excluding the Dees as the 2025 AFL Premiership Season rolls on. With Melbourne playing in the final match of the round on King's Birthday, all eyes turn to the rest of the competition. Who are you tipping to win? And more importantly, which results best serve the Demons’ finals aspirations? Join the discussion and keep track of the matches that could shape the ladder and impact our run to September.

    • 216 replies
  • PREVIEW: Collingwood

    Having convincingly defeated last year’s premier and decisively outplayed the runner-up with 8.2 in the final quarter, nothing epitomized the Melbourne Football Club’s performance more than its 1.12 final half, particularly the eight consecutive behinds in the last term, against a struggling St Kilda team in the midst of a dismal losing streak. Just when stability and consistency were anticipated within the Demon ranks, they delivered a quintessential performance marked by instability and ill-conceived decisions, with the most striking aspect being their inaccuracy in kicking for goal, which suggested a lack of preparation (instead of sleeping in their hotel in Alice, were they having a night on the turps) rather than a well-rested team. Let’s face it - this kicking disease that makes them look like raw amateurs is becoming a millstone around the team’s neck.

    • 1 reply
  • CASEY: Sydney

    The Casey Demons were always expected to emerge victorious in their matchup against the lowly-ranked Sydney Swans at picturesque Tramway Oval, situated in the shadows of the SCG in Moore Park. They dominated the proceedings in the opening two and a half quarters of the game but had little to show for it. This was primarily due to their own sloppy errors in a low-standard game that produced a number of crowded mauls reminiscent of the rugby game popular in old Sydney Town. However, when the Swans tired, as teams often do when they turn games into ugly defensive contests, Casey lifted the standard of its own play and … it was off to the races. Not to nearby Randwick but to a different race with an objective of piling on goal after goal on the way to a mammoth victory. At the 25-minute mark of the third quarter, the Demons held a slender 14-point lead over the Swans, who are ahead on the ladder of only the previous week's opposition, the ailing Bullants. Forty minutes later, they had more than fully compensated for the sloppiness of their earlier play with a decisive 94-point victory, that culminated in a rousing finish which yielded thirteen unanswered goals. Kicks hit their targets, the ball found itself going through the middle and every player made a contribution.

    • 1 reply
  • REPORT: St. Kilda

    Hands up if you thought, like me, at half-time in yesterday’s game at TIO Traeger Park, Alice Springs that Melbourne’s disposal around the ground and, in particular, its kicking inaccuracy in front of the goals couldn’t get any worse. Well, it did. And what’s even more damning for the Melbourne Football Club is that the game against St Kilda and its resurgence from the bottomless pit of its miserable start to the season wasn’t just lost through poor conversion for goal but rather in the 15 minutes when the entire team went into a slumber and was mugged by the out-of-form Saints. Their six goals two behinds (one goal less than the Demons managed for the whole game) weaved a path of destruction from which they were unable to recover. Ross Lyon’s astute use of pressure to contain the situation once they had asserted their grip on the game, and Melbourne’s self-destructive wastefulness, assured that outcome. The old adage about the insanity of repeatedly doing something and expecting a different result, was out there. Two years ago, the score line in Melbourne’s loss to the Giants at this same ground was 5 goals 15 behinds - a ratio of one goal per four scoring shots - was perfectly replicated with yesterday’s 7 goals 21 behinds. 
    This has been going on for a while and opens up a number of questions. I’ll put forward a few that come to mind from this performance. The obvious first question is whether the club can find a suitable coach to instruct players on proper kicking techniques or is this a skill that can no longer be developed at this stage of the development of our playing group? Another concern is the team's ability to counter an opponent's dominance during a run on as exemplified by the Saints in the first quarter. Did the Demons underestimate their opponents, considering St Kilda's goals during this period were scored by relatively unknown forwards? Furthermore, given the modest attendance of 6,721 at TIO Traeger Park and the team's poor past performances at this venue, is it prudent to prioritize financial gain over potentially sacrificing valuable premiership points by relinquishing home ground advantage, notwithstanding the cultural significance of the team's connection to the Red Centre? 

      • Like
    • 4 replies
  • PREGAME: Collingwood

    After a disappointing loss in Alice Springs the Demons return to the MCG to take on the Magpies in the annual King's Birthday Big Freeze for MND game. Who comes in and who goes out?

      • Thumb Down
    • 528 replies