In todays paper, is anyone else "Staggered" that Rob Flower isn't in any columnists best? I am... even Doug Hawkins figures and Corey Enright !! Doug Hawkings,and Corey Enright , better than Rob Flower ??LOL

Obviously these blokes never saw his influence and influenece over 274 games of footy, not to mention his "Megastar" status in State games!

An absolute disgrace he was overloked IMV.

Edited March 12, 20178 yr by picket fence

Agreed!

Hawkins was a fantastic player, but a rung below Flower imo, who was unquestionably the greatest wingman of all time.

Unfortunately, due to a lack of team success Robbie never features at the pointy end of these "best of" lists.

Edited March 12, 20178 yr by ProDee

Total disgrace. 

R. Flower is Top 10 for sure

It's now journalist street cred to vote for Matthews. There's no question that Lethal was a great player but ten years ago the argument amongst scribes was seemingly between Carey and Ablett Snr.

And I haven't read the list but please don't tell me Enright over Flower. And one of the greatest players I saw from an opposition club was Fitzroy's Gary Wilson. I'm assuming he's not as good as Enright either? Heard he wasn't. Don't tell me.

1 hour ago, picket fence said:

In todays paper, is anyone else "Staggered" that Rob Flower isn't in any columnists best? I am... even Doug Hawkins figures and Corey Enright !! Doug Hawkings,and Corey Enright , better than Rob Flower ??LOL

Obviously these blokes never saw his influence and influence over 274 games of footy, not to mention his "Megastar" status in State games!

An absolute disgrace he was overloked IMV.

Don't worry about it 'picket', especially when one considers who the selectors were:  Mick Malthouse, Dermott Brereton, David King, Mark Robinson, Jon Anderson, Jon Ralph, Glenn McFarlane, Scott Gullan and Sam Edmund.   Hardly a footy brain among them!   Only 3 of the 9 have ever played AFL and only one has coached.  Nah, no footy credibility on that panel. 

They probably never saw Robbie play and being a quiet fellow he isn't front of mind. Let's face it research isn't exactly a HS forte.

Its a click bait article.

The only coach on the panel left put both Abletts! Quite incredible. Flower us simply the greatest Melbourne player I've ever seen.

31 minutes ago, Return to Glory said:

It's now journalist street cred to vote for Matthews. There's no question that Lethal was a great player but ten years ago the argument amongst scribes was seemingly between Carey and Ablett Snr.

And I haven't read the list but please don't tell me Enright over Flower. And one of the greatest players I saw from an opposition club was Fitzroy's Gary Wilson. I'm assuming he's not as good as Enright either? Heard he wasn't. Don't tell me.

I agree about Wilson, he was a star.

But I also agree that Matthews is the greatest player in history. 

He won a B&F in a premiership year when he was 19.

He also kicked 91 goals as a rover in 1977 before he became more of a permanent forward.  The same year he averaged 27 disposals, which would be the equivalent of 35 in today's footy. 

Not to mention 9 B&Fs in strong teams.

Goat.

Edited March 12, 20178 yr by ProDee

Scott Gullen (just looked him up) doesn't look 40, Sam Edmund wouldn't be mid 30's. Slight problem when you're voting on the best players of the last 50 years.

Matthews was a dirty thug who got away with murder. Yes he had some skill but his thuggery should have wiped him out of the game

stephen Smith still has trouble sleeping because of Matthews

Robinson should be abused via SMS on SEN this week

clueless Essendrug stooge

1 hour ago, Return to Glory said:

It's now journalist street cred to vote for Matthews. There's no question that Lethal was a great player but ten years ago the argument amongst scribes was seemingly between Carey and Ablett Snr.

And I haven't read the list but please don't tell me Enright over Flower. And one of the greatest players I saw from an opposition club was Fitzroy's Gary Wilson. I'm assuming he's not as good as Enright either? Heard he wasn't. Don't tell me.

Like Flower, Wilson was a star...

The Hun, meh...

Surprised they can count to 50

2 hours ago, Return to Glory said:

It's now journalist street cred to vote for Matthews. There's no question that Lethal was a great player but ten years ago the argument amongst scribes was seemingly between Carey and Ablett Snr.

And I haven't read the list but please don't tell me Enright over Flower. And one of the greatest players I saw from an opposition club was Fitzroy's Gary Wilson. I'm assuming he's not as good as Enright either? Heard he wasn't. Don't tell me.

The best three I have seen are Matthews, Ablett Snr and Carey. Ablett Jnr probably just behind them. All four deserve the praise they get. 

Agree totally about Flower and Wilson. I still get annoyed every time people go on about Keith Greig. A very, very good footballer but totally an outside player who never went in hard in his life, while Robbie missed almost a full seasons due to injury from his insane aerial courage. And Gary Wilson was a star, and for some reason gets no respect. He was as good as Platten and almost as good as Kevin Bartlett. But like Robbie, they played in the era when Carlton, Collingwood, Richmond and Hawthornn were always in the finals and dominated "The Big Replay".

Enright is interesting. Definitely in and around the group of best defenders but there are a fair few ahead of him. 

Matthews .... Peter Giles also says hi ...

Totally agree with everyone's comments about Robbie. Unbelievably skillful, and so brave. Never shirked a contest, often to his the detriment of his wellbeing. RIP Robbie.

 

27 minutes ago, Maldonboy38 said:

The best three I have seen are Matthews, Ablett Snr and Carey. Ablett Jnr probably just behind them. All four deserve the praise they get. 

Agree totally about Flower and Wilson. I still get annoyed every time people go on about Keith Greig. A very, very good footballer but totally an outside player who never went in hard in his life, while Robbie missed almost a full seasons due to injury from his insane aerial courage. And Gary Wilson was a star, and for some reason gets no respect. He was as good as Platten and almost as good as Kevin Bartlett. But like Robbie, they played in the era when Carlton, Collingwood, Richmond and Hawthornn were always in the finals and dominated "The Big Replay".

Enright is interesting. Definitely in and around the group of best defenders but there are a fair few ahead of him. 

Really?

I was at this game where Greig was taken out. One of the hardest hits I've seen on a field.

And while I agree with some that Matthews was an amazing player, he was also an appalling sniper without boundaries:

 

Edited March 12, 20178 yr by Moonshadow

48 minutes ago, Moonshadow said:

Really?

I was at this game where Greig was taken out. One of the hardest hits I've seen on a field.

And while I agree with some that Matthews was an amazing player, he was also an appalling sniper without boundaries:

 

Leigh Matthews should have spent time in Pentridge

why is he so revered????

Bob Skilton? Last Brownlow falls within the 50 Year limit. Arguably in the best five ever.

20 minutes ago, martin said:

Bob Skilton? Last Brownlow falls within the 50 Year limit. Arguably in the best five ever.

Criterion was had to have played more than half their careers within the period. So Skilton out.

10 hours ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Don't worry about it 'picket', especially when one considers who the selectors were:  Mick Malthouse, Dermott Brereton, David King, Mark Robinson, Jon Anderson, Jon Ralph, Glenn McFarlane, Scott Gullan and Sam Edmund.   Hardly a footy brain among them!   Only 3 of the 9 have ever played AFL and only one has coached.  Nah, no footy credibility on that panel. 

They probably never saw Robbie play and being a quiet fellow he isn't front of mind. Let's face it research isn't exactly a HS forte.

Its a click bait article.

I hear what your saying Lucifer - although by that method, none of our opinions on Robbie are valid either...

1 hour ago, Danelska said:

I hear what your saying Lucifer - although by that method, none of our opinions on Robbie are valid either...

You're right, our opinions probably aren't valid either.  We are parochial and protective of our own! 

For mine, the rankings would have more cred if (say) the panel was made up of some premiership coaches of the last 20 years eg Roos, Kennedy, Sheedy etc.  Robbie may still not have made the top 50 but I would have more respect for the list.  At least most of the panel would have seen him and other top players of that era actually play.  I could throw in a few more from that era:  Bernie Quinlan. Peter Knights etc etc. 

I think Fox Footy, SEN and HS work together to generate stories that can be commented on by each other (Don't know if they have the same owners).  Especially, when there is not much real footy happening.  I've found that 'a grain of salt' comes in handy with anything they put out.

On level 4 of the Cricket Club enclosure at the MCG you will find rhe Robert Flower terrace. At the same venue there is no Doug Hawkins terrace!

The Robert Flower terrace will remain as long as the enclosure stands, while the pages of the Herald Sun contribute to Land fill.

One of the problems for Robbie Flower was that he played in an era when Melbourne was generally poor (or worse) and only one or two games a week were ever televised. Accordingly, most of the panel making the selections wouldn't have seen him in the flesh and would barely have seen any footage of him playing.

And for what it's worth (and I've been watching footy since the mid-1960s) my top 4 would be Matthews, Carey, Ablett and Ablett. Not sure of the order of the last two, but probably Senior before Junior.

I have seen flower play before,he looked great in a pathetic team. If I was to compare him to anyone probly ANB would be the best fit. 

19 minutes ago, ENYAW said:

I have seen flower play before,he looked great in a pathetic team. If I was to compare him to anyone probly ANB would be the best fit. 

I can only assume that you're posting from an asylum.

Or one of the great posts.

One of my early footy memories is of 1000's of kids with a number 2 on the back of their duffle coats.

That and the symphonic sounds of radio commentators going "around the grounds"........over to at Arden st, down to you Kardinia...across to you at lakeside etc.

What a game us Aussies have invented. Not too many more sleeps now.