Best Player

[Hack 0]

Most likely been doen to death but with Nietz looking at getting the record for the amount of games I say post your best player.

For me Robbie Flower. Legend, should have won a Brownlow.

[CHAMP 347]

Ivor Warne_Smith was handy and Fred Fanning chucked it in at 25 when his best had probably not been seen.

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,787]

In 2046 we'll all be in our rocking chairs saying "gee that Brock was a true demon great"

Neitz/Flower to the present (apologies to Godfrey, Holland, Grgic, and Hopgood)

McLean for the future

[Dee Fan 3,247]

You would never guess who I think is, would you?

[Redfin 0]

Most likely been doen to death but with Nietz looking at getting the record for the amount of games I say post your best player.

You sound pretty confident there Hack!!

[Hards 2]

If Neitz was to skipper a Premiership side it would elevate his status greatly.

At the moment he is regarded very highly, but that one accomplishment, on top of what he has already achieved in games, goals, captaincy, AA and Coleman Medal, would put him over the top.

[Ash35 425]

Ron Barassi, Ivor Warne-Smith, Robert Flower, Garry Lyon and David Neitz would be my top 5.

Not that I saw Ivor W-S or Barassi play, but from what I've heard and read, they were outstanding.

Probably Flower and Barassi are the top 2, very difficult to split. Barassi had premiership sucess, and Flower was just an absolute legend.

[Adzman 2,154]

Neitz needs a flag to reach "immortal status". He is a champion, a legend, but not immortal yet.

A flag will make sure the memory of neita will NEVER fade.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Ron Barassi, Ivor Warne-Smith, Robert Flower, Garry Lyon and David Neitz would be my top 5.

Not that I saw Ivor W-S or Barassi play, but from what I've heard and read, they were outstanding.

Probably Flower and Barassi are the top 2, very difficult to split. Barassi had premiership sucess, and Flower was just an absolute legend.

Spot on Ash.

Neitz needs a flag to reach "immortal status". He is a champion, a legend, but not immortal yet.

A flag will make sure the memory of neita will NEVER fade.

The very fact that Neitz needs to captain a premiership to lift his assessment as a playr is puzzling. Unless he personally turns on a finals series like Ablett in 1989, his captaincy of a flag is the result of the total Club commitment. He might play some shockers in September and we win the flag. Does that mean he is a better player?

A few posters getting circumstance confused with performance.

IMO, Flower is a geniune star who did not have to captain a flag to get. Says enough about Flower against Neitz. Neitz has been very good for MFC over a long period of time.

But player against player he is not in Flower's class

[Hack 0]

I can't rate Barrasi as his loyality was based around who could pay him the most.

Flower would have played for a pie with sauce. Champions and their love of the club shine through.

[Redfin 0]

Neitz needs a flag to reach "immortal status". He is a champion, a legend, but not immortal yet.

A flag will make sure the memory of neita will NEVER fade.

"Imortal Status" Not sure that I like the terminology.

Don't think the thread was about drawing a comparison between Flower and Neitz or anyone else, if it was I couldn't split the two, as far as greats for MFC go.

I don't think Neita has to captain a premiership to be regarded as a true MFC legend, if we did happen to make it, and he didn't have the best of games, he has still been the captain and leader of the team that did.

Flower captured the heart of MFC and many football followers because of his un footballer like build and his ability to perform the unperformable.

My latest memory of Neita is the goal he kicked last week from outside 50 in front of the MCC members, very Robbie like!! or was it very Neita like. Either way one of the most beatifull kicks I have witnessed.

[old55 23,441]

Percy Beames has to be in the list - BOG in each of the 39, 40 and 41 GFs, and was first player to play 200+ games for MFC. To put it in perspective imagine if Brock McLean wins 3 Norm Smith Medals in consecutive flag years ...

Allan LaFontaine and Jimmy Stynes both won 4 B&Fs.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Percy Beames has to be in the list - BOG in each of the 39, 40 and 41 GFs, and was first player to play 200+ games for MFC. To put it in perspective imagine if Brock McLean wins 3 Norm Smith Medals in consecutive flag years ...

Allan LaFontaine and Jimmy Stynes both won 4 B&Fs.

Old,

Very very good players you raise. I was going to add La Fontaine. Apparently my grandfather, a mad MFC supporter thought La Fontaine was the equal of any player in our golden era in the 50s and 60s.

Didnt Lawrie Fowler win 4 B&Fs? A wonderful player but not in the Barassi /Flower Class.

Hack, What is your criteria and ranking of such criteria in determining your best?

[H.B.K 0]

i'm only young so i haven't seen the flower's, barrassi's etc <_< , but what i will say is that Brock McLean and David Neitz seem the two that are most likely going to be remembered as superstars.

also i don't want to jinx them but Rivers and Dunn could be pretty damn good too.

come to think about it that has the "potential" to be a very good CHB-CHF combination

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

I've always been of the understanding that the top 2 are Barassi at 1, Flower at 2.

I remember a big debate with all the demonland/demonology bigwigs about the team of the century, and Neitz isn't in it for last century and probably won't be in it at FF for the next century. Had Neita's career come 10 years earlier than it did would he be in our team of last century? I like to think so. Honestly though, I don't know that he'd be in our top 5. The abovementioned and Ivor Warne-Smith, Lyon, Stynes would perhaps round it out. I never saw players play before the eighties but I'm sure Dixon, Beames, Fanning and especially Norm Smith had claims.

I love Neita as much or more than the next bloke who's blood runs Red & Blue, but I don't know that he's top 5... yet.

[H_T 3,043]

also i don't want to jinx them but Rivers and Dunn could be pretty damn good too.

come to think about it that has the "potential" to be a very good CHB-CHF combination

I think you have jinxed them. However, I rate Rivers highly.....now if he could just get back on the park. Dunn however is right now very far away from the CHF position and also being pretty darn good. As they say in the classics....hindsight is a wonderful thing.

My best 5: Ron Barassi, Robert Flower, Iva Warne-Smith, Garry Lyon, David Neitz.

[Rogue 585]

Google failed me with a decent 'thread revive' macro, so this will have to do:

[jacey 333]

I've always been of the understanding that the top 2 are Barassi at 1, Flower at 2.

I remember a big debate with all the demonland/demonology bigwigs about the team of the century, and Neitz isn't in it for last century and probably won't be in it at FF for the next century. Had Neita's career come 10 years earlier than it did would he be in our team of last century? I like to think so. Honestly though, I don't know that he'd be in our top 5. The abovementioned and Ivor Warne-Smith, Lyon, Stynes would perhaps round it out. I never saw players play before the eighties but I'm sure Dixon, Beames, Fanning and especially Norm Smith had claims.

I love Neita as much or more than the next bloke who's blood runs Red & Blue, but I don't know that he's top 5... yet.

What about that Mann? Could he sneak a top 5.

[Bobby McKenzie 2,383]

Most likely been doen to death but with Nietz looking at getting the record for the amount of games I say post your best player.

For me Robbie Flower. Legend, should have won a Brownlow.

My top 2 are Ron Barassi and Robert Flower. I didn't see Norm Smith play but after reading the excellent book, "The Red Fox', he must have been an outstanding player as well as successful coach. The words "brilliant" and "unselfish" feature prominently in the minds of people describing him as a player.

[Mono 455]

Barassi.

[Guest Addam]

Flower had something no one else did. He was able to do the freakish but the rest of his game was so solid. Normally your either freakish or not. Robbie was both.

Jim Stynes was a fantastic servant for the club. Not only a great player but very loyal and truely bled Blue & Red for the club.

Of the current group, I think Jack Grimes has the attributes to be a superstar.

[H_T 3,043]

Google failed me with a decent 'thread revive' macro, so this will have to do:

It was a decent revival, wasn't it>

[praha 11,236]

In 2046 we'll all be in our rocking chairs

Speak for yourself...

[1.21 GigaWatts 1]

My old man will kill me for not saying Flower but I just don't remember seeing him that well. So i'd say my best are between Lyon, Neitz and Stynes. Honourable mentions for the two that I think could've been anything in Schwartz and Jackovich

[mo64 5,853]

My old man will kill me for not saying Flower but I just don't remember seeing him that well. So i'd say my best are between Lyon, Neitz and Stynes. Honourable mentions for the two that I think could've been anything in Schwartz and Jackovich

Full credit to you for not naming a player that you haven't seen. Unlike cricket, where statistics are a fair reflection of talent, I can't see how someone can rate a player sight unseen.

Robert Flower is the best player I've seen play for us by a long way. It tends to make a mockery of the Best & Fairest voting IMO, when Robbie only won 1. I think that this hindered his chances of making the Team of the Century. He was a far better wingman than Greig and Bourke.