Best Ever Player at Your Club?

[Tony Tea 2,809]

Pendlebury as the best ever Magpie is a big call. Recency much?

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,734]

1. Barassi

2. Flower

Big, big gap

3. Maybe Norm Smith?

To be fair to anybody who played before the 1970s, I only have a vague memory of those who played in the second half of the 60s and really have to guess on the capabilities of anyone I didn't see. 

If it's players I have seen (at their prime, so that excludes Barassi), it is Flower by the length of the Flemington Straight, then probably a toss up between Neitz, Stynes and Lyon. (Max Gawn and Clayton Oliver may surpass all three by the time their careers conclude.)

 

Edited February 9, 2020 by La Dee-vina Comedia
added last sentence

[58er 6,422]

On 2/8/2020 at 10:47 AM, Docs Demons said:

Reckon he is spot on with RDB with Robbie close up his backside.

Yes Correct RDB then Robbie 

[MyFavouriteMartian 572]

On 2/8/2020 at 11:52 AM, Moonshadow said:

No love for Jack Watts?

Brett Bailey comes in well before,  young watts.

[deebug 1,754]

RDB, Robbie.☺️

[Vagg 2,439]

No love for Yours Truly?? (LOL)

[Biffen 12,940]

2 hours ago, Vagg said:

No love for Yours Truly?? (LOL)

I still love Vagg.

[Vagg 2,439]

19 minutes ago, Biffen said:

I still love Vagg.

Oh, shucks, Biffo!  I've gone all goosebumply!

[PaulRB 6,356]

31 minutes ago, Vagg said:

Oh, shucks, Biffo!  I've gone all goosebumply!

goosebumply!

#onlyondemonland

[Dr. Gonzo 24,205]

On 2/9/2020 at 2:38 PM, Tony Tea said:

Pendlebury as the best ever Magpie is a big call. Recency much?

Not a big call an idiotic/clickbait call.

[DeeZee 7,376]

I’ll go   1.Robbie 

             2. RDB

             3. Stynes 

[I'va Worn Smith 971]

Greg Wells and Gary Hardeman were great players in very ordinary sides.  I would throw in Hassa Mann for a mention as well.

 

[ManDee 7,134]

Best player ever seen at MFC, Allen Jakovich . But injury cruelled his career and IMV he does not qualify due to shortness of career. (If you haven't seen his highlights you need to)

Best player for career and consistency, Sir Robert Flower MBE DRBM by a mile.

 

MBE DRBM = Melbourne's Best Ever - Deserves a Retrospective Brownlow Medal

Edited February 14, 2020 by ManDee

[Deemania since 56 6,628]

On 2/10/2020 at 5:07 PM, MyFavouriteMartian said:

Brett Bailey comes in well before,  young watts.

Bailey was special - terrific backline runner and clearer - in the mould of Frank Davis.

[daisycutter 29,612]

schwartz pre knee reconstruction would have to be up there....had it all

[dee-eee 231]

The Ox before his initial knee rupture gets my vote . His spring was breathtaking and who could forget his nine goals at the SCG .

[dee-eee 231]

9 hours ago, Deemania since 56 said:

Bailey was special - terrific backline runner and clearer - in the mould of Frank Davis.

My memory of Bailey is very different . He was a solidly built plugger who only excelled on wet grounds . He was often promoted from the Reserves if conditions suited .

[58er 6,422]

4 hours ago, dee-eee said:

The Ox before his initial knee rupture gets my vote . His spring was breathtaking and who could forget his nine goals at the SCG .

Absolutely Dee.eee OX was great especially in the games in 1994 prior and During finals We're Wayne Careyesque.

Have no doubt we might have snagged a flag betw 1994 -2000 if Ox had been without injury.

Yes he would have been a candidate to be in Our best 5 ever players up with RDB Robbie Ivor Warne Smith Don  Cordner Smithy Beames Mueller Jimmy and Maxy and Clarry after they retire.

[58er 6,422]

4 hours ago, dee-eee said:

My memory of Bailey is very different . He was a solidly built plugger who only excelled on wet grounds . He was often promoted from the Reserves if conditions suited .

Bails  was a scrubber good honest player better in heavy going as pace was his Achilles heal!
 

Goodie  would have loved him For his inside work in the packs.

[JakovichScissorKick 771]

Barassi is  clear number 1. Flower probably 2nd.

If Gawn can play into his 30's and avoid injury he could end up 2nd or even equal with Barassi.  A flag would get him there.

Its slim pickings thats for sure.  A shame for the oldest club in footy.

[Biffen 12,940]

Saw the end of Flowers career-still was brilliant in mid 80's.

Schwartz was a freak before and after knees.

Nietz was just pure consistency-a beautiful drop kick for goal from 60 m out.Never seemed to miss.And impossible to outmark.

Stynes was everywhere, all the time as was Jeff White and Adam Yze for that matter.

Flower stands out for us a bit like Plugger at the Saints as a total gun in a poor team.

Saw the Jako show in full flight-a shooting star.

Lyon had it all-was as good as any in his era and I'd rate him as one of the greatest I've ever seen.

It's not sexy but I'd probably say Nietz was the best of all of them in terms of effectiveness.

Edited February 14, 2020 by Biffen

[Dee Zephyr 19,267]

For simply entertainment levels in my time Farmer would probably top the list along Jakovich, curious where most think he ranks overall 90s onwards. 

I’d have him in the top 5. 

Agree with most on The Ox pre knee, he was amazing. 

[Deemania since 56 6,628]

10 hours ago, dee-eee said:

My memory of Bailey is very different . He was a solidly built plugger who only excelled on wet grounds . He was often promoted from the Reserves if conditions suited .

Bailey was a very entertaining footballer; with selected opponents, he was highly reliable. Admittedly, there were 'some' ordinary games but he always managed to rile his opponents and negate most.

[robbiefrom13 887]

Barassi and Flower are something else.  There have been lots of good players.   How about this - when Barassi started, he wasn't all that special.  Norm Smith in a sense created him, a bit later.  When Robbie Flower started as a skinny seventeen-year-old, one of our very good players - Stan Alves, captain and star wingman - was moved to the half-back flank to make room.  And Robbie was a star from that first game.  He gave everything he had for the Melbourne Football club, and whether or not he should be rated above or below Barassi as a great player, he is without peer as a Melbourne player, start to finish.

[640MD 3,373]

Did not see much of Ronald Dale live,   most that I saw of him was on TV and highlights,    couple of games against us when he was well over that hill.   !1    But Tulip was magic,   saw all of his career,    and The Ox, well what happened to him was just a trajedy.  The second and third time   I think I cried.   Even when he came back at long last,  he played with vigour and courage that I as a watcher wanted the whole team to play like.   Not always well but if he stuffed up he was as wild with himself as I would have been with myself     except he had ability , I could only dream.   I loved watching both tulip and the Ox play..   Some might have been better but I did not see them.    Go Dees 2020