Is Gawn the best player we have ever had?

[Nasher 33,047]

On 2/28/2021 at 1:19 PM, Dr. Gonzo said:

There's quite a few multi premiership winners on the honour roll who should probably be ahead. Norm Smith might get a mention, Jack Mueller, Ivor Warne-Smith, Percy Beames, Don Cordner, Allan La Fontaine, Albert Chadwick - plenty of players through our history who would be above Maxy. I love him but come on.

Gee I cringe when people compare current era players to players with players from 60 years ago. Even if you could reliably remember how good they were, which I’m very confident nobody would be able to, the game then was played at a significantly lower standard. And how do those 30s to 60s era greats compare to the stars of our 1900 premiership?

Best ever is a question that can’t be resolved. I can confidently say though that Max is definitely up there with the most influential players I’ve seen in my lifetime.

[dimmy 1,114]

I was very young when I saw Barrassi play  thought it was a real highlight). Loved Robbie Flower ( he was the reason to come to the footy) . Stynes was what Jackson could become. Gary Lyon was "special" .

Gawny is unique and would seriously have dominated older ruckamn ,mainly because he is about a foot taller and more mobile so in that category he has got to be up there.

[Earl Hood 5,789]

32 minutes ago, Nasher said:

Gee I cringe when people compare current era players to players with players from 60 years ago. Even if you could reliably remember how good they were, which I’m very confident nobody would be able to, the game then was played at a significantly lower standard. And how do those 30s to 60s era greats compare to the stars of our 1900 premiership?

Best ever is a question that can’t be resolved. I can confidently say though that Max is definitely up there with the most influential players I’ve seen in my lifetime.

Gee controversial Nasher. So in all sports, you have just written off the likes of Ronald Dale, Polly Farmer; in tennis, Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, cricket Don Bradman, Bill Lawry; golf Gary Player, Jack Nicholas...etc. It is a minefield and maybe you are right based on modern training, bigger physiques, full time professionalism etc but those playing 60 years ago can only compete against their peers, win and dominate. 

[Bitter but optimistic 21,254]

36 minutes ago, Nasher said:

Gee I cringe when people compare current era players to players with players from 60 years ago. Even if you could reliably remember how good they were, which I’m very confident nobody would be able to, the game then was played at a significantly lower standard. And how do those 30s to 60s era greats compare to the stars of our 1900 premiership?

Best ever is a question that can’t be resolved. I can confidently say though that Max is definitely up there with the most influential players I’ve seen in my lifetime.

You beat me to it Gnasher - that is exactly the adjective I was going to use. Further judgements may be made in the future.

[Nasher 33,047]

13 minutes ago, Earl Hood said:

Gee controversial Nasher. So in all sports, you have just written off the likes of Ronald Dale, Polly Farmer; in tennis, Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, cricket Don Bradman, Bill Lawry; golf Gary Player, Jack Nicholas...etc. It is a minefield and maybe you are right based on modern training, bigger physiques, full time professionalism etc but those playing 60 years ago can only compete against their peers, win and dominate. 

I haven’t written anyone off, Earl. I’m not saying you can’t compare them because the modern players are better. I’m saying you can’t compare them at all. The passage of time plus the changes in the game means you’re not comparing like for like.

Acknowledge the past greats for what they were by all means, but comparing them with modern players is pointless in my opinion.

Edit: I agree that the best measure is probably how they compared to their peers at the time. To me that would definitely put Gawn right up there - but it’s still very hard for me to compare them from our last premiership era.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

He’s the most dominant and influential Melbourne player I’ve seen in my lifetime (30 odd years of watching football).

[Chook 14,502]

On 2/28/2021 at 7:35 PM, DubDee said:

people forget how good the older players were.  I wonder what people will think of Gawn in 2045.

for now, I am happy we have a fantastic ruckman and great leader. I reckon Petracca is the best player in our team so Gawn the best of all time?  maybe when he is the best player in the current team

No way I'd draft Petracca before Gawn if I had to make such a cruel decision. Lucky for me I don't.

[TeamPlayedFine39 8,154]

Easily the best since ‘94 IMHO.

If anything, he’s so consistently good, he’s underrated.

 

[Swooper1987 2,746]

3 minutes ago, TeamPlayedFine39 said:

Easily the best since ‘94 IMHO.

If anything, he’s so consistently good, he’s underrated.

 

Agree.  Gawn is our biggest point of difference - an outstanding tap ruck who can actually take contested marks regularly in all areas of the ground.

[BDA 20,054]

Sensational player in career best form. I don't how he compares against the greats of yesteryear but there aren't too many players going around today i'd swap him for.

[At the break of Gawn 3,499]

8 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

He’s the most dominant and influential Melbourne player I’ve seen in my lifetime (30 odd years of watching football).

Agree with this also. It’s crazy to think he won’t even be regarded as the best person in his draft year as there’s a guy in there who’s won 3 norm smiths.

[TeamPlayedFine39 8,154]

13 minutes ago, At the break of Gawn said:

Agree with this also. It’s crazy to think he won’t even be regarded as the best person in his draft year as there’s a guy in there who’s won 3 norm smiths.

And a 2 time Brownlow medalist as well!

 

 

[spirit of norm smith 12,919]

Big Max. Bloody champion. 

[titan_uranus 22,366]

He's in amazing form.

How much of it is because of Jackson?

Today Gawn attended 44 ruck contests to Jackson's 27 and TMac's 3. That's 59% Gawn, 36% Jackson. Surely that's a serious change in the figures on 2020 and previously?

[Jjrogan 1,200]

When you read other supporters' opinions, the one thing that stands out is the almost universal praise and consideration for Gawn.  Very, very few players get that level of respect from opposition fans. He is a class above and the best for a generation at least. 

[Dr. Gonzo 22,415]

3 hours ago, Nasher said:

Gee I cringe when people compare current era players to players with players from 60 years ago. Even if you could reliably remember how good they were, which I’m very confident nobody would be able to, the game then was played at a significantly lower standard. And how do those 30s to 60s era greats compare to the stars of our 1900 premiership?

Best ever is a question that can’t be resolved. I can confidently say though that Max is definitely up there with the most influential players I’ve seen in my lifetime.

Well the thread is titled "Is Gawn the best player we have EVER had?" (emphasis added)

Bring us home a cup after almost 60 years and I might reconsider though ?

Edited April 18, 2021 by Dr. Gonzo

[Dr. Gonzo 22,415]

On 2/26/2021 at 8:19 PM, Dr. Gonzo said:

Lol no, not even close

Well, I still think he's not quite our best ever but I'm no longer laughing at the question and the argument is there to be made so I can't say it's not close. Won us the minor premiership with a goal after the siren down at Geelong, tore the Cats apart in the Prelim with a 4 goal burst in the 3rd, lifted the cup for the first time since Barassi in '64 and last, but certainly not least, has fostered a fantastic culture among the playing group, a group who genuinely seem to love each other, the club and the fans and who are living the "esprit de corps" motto.

Mea culpa

[Dr. Gonzo 22,415]

On 4/19/2021 at 12:06 AM, Dr. Gonzo said:

Well the thread is titled "Is Gawn the best player we have EVER had?" (emphasis added)

Bring us home a cup after almost 60 years and I might reconsider though ?

And that he did

[Fanatique Demon 2,408]

He’s definitely one of them. But he might soon be behind Petracca, who has many more years to contribute. (With respect to Fritter, I just wish Trac wore the #31.)

[Waltham33 409]

Watched since late 80s. For me it's Gawn, Stynes, Oliver, Petracca, Lyon, in that order. Don't think it ends up that way. 

Edited September 26, 2021 by Waltham33

[rufus 916]

Probably not as a player as I personally rate Oliver as the best MFC player I have seen.

But for what he has been able to do in bringing this playing group together, he is the one I am most thankful for in my time following the club. At the time I thought his appointment as captain was a strange one...but I was wrong and to my dying day will never forget the contribution of Max Gawn to this football club. He is a legend.

[KingDingAling 3,596]

32 minutes ago, rufus said:

Probably not as a player as I personally rate Oliver as the best MFC player I have seen.

But for what he has been able to do in bringing this playing group together, he is the one I am most thankful for in my time following the club. At the time I thought his appointment as captain was a strange one...but I was wrong and to my dying day will never forget the contribution of Max Gawn to this football club. He is a legend.

Same. Oliver the best I’ve seen too.

[durango 1,979]

Wait a few years and Luke Jackson may eclipse them all.

[Queanbeyan Demon 5,963]

It's Peter Keenan. 

[Gawndy the Great 7,394]

1 hour ago, rufus said:

Probably not as a player as I personally rate Oliver as the best MFC player I have seen.

But for what he has been able to do in bringing this playing group together, he is the one I am most thankful for in my time following the club. At the time I thought his appointment as captain was a strange one...but I was wrong and to my dying day will never forget the contribution of Max Gawn to this football club. He is a legend.

This will become a debate for the ages (Oliver vs Trac). Oliver was clearly better this year for larger chunks of the season. The AFLCA, Brownlow and probably B&F will be a testament to this. But Trac has the ability to grab a game by the scruff of the neck and really make it his own. I think their roles compliment each other beautifully and tbh its shouldnt really matter, because they are both Demons players! How good is life right now!