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THE GREATEST PLAYERS IN MELBOURNE DEMONS HISTORY

Whispering_Jack
Whispering_Jack
in Melbourne Demons

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This interesting piece came up on one of my feeds and, given that the men’s season is nearing an end for Demon fans and with all of the scuttlebutt swirling around concerning possible departures, I thought it was well worth some discussion.

The greatest players in Melbourne Demons History

The article is tremendously flawed. 

For starters, it omits our greatest ever in the late Ronald Dale Barassi who leads the rest of the field by the extent of daylight to Robbie Flower who comes in second in my estimation.

David Neitz ahead of Garry Lyon? Questionable.

Where does Jim Stynes fit in? Ivor Warne-Smith?

Norm Smith was before my time but does he beat Jack Mueller? The author actually places him in his timeline as a coach (1952-1967) but he finished playing long before that.

What about the dwindling number of greats who played in our golden era of the 50s and 60s? Sure, Ian Ridley gets a guernsey but does he get in front of Brian Dixon, Laurie Mithen, Noel McMahen, Don Williams, Stuart Spencer, Hassa Mann, Tassie Johnson and Big Bob Johnson?

And then there’s the current crop of stars like Maxy, Jack Viney, Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca?

Would the last player on that list risk his standing and legacy in the pantheon of Demon stars if he leaves us for whatever reason has prompted him to even consider the thought as has been rumoured by some in the media?

Footnote: the article is so heavily monetized that my final thought is that it’s an epic piece of clickbait. 

The list of five “players” is:-

1 Robert Flower

2 Norm Smith

3 Ian Ridley

4 David Neitz

5 Todd Viney

 

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    I’m 46, followed MFC passionately all my life. 


    Gawn

    Petracca

    Oliver 

    Thes best players I have seen. 

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    Steering towards idle speculations, I think at this moment Jason Taylor would pick Norm Smith on a needs basis to get our forward line organised. Even ahead of Neitz as a forward need because Smith would have that extra versatility to handle the flooded defenses and stopper tactics. 

    Height adjusted for modern nutrition and pollution controls, of course, which would basically make Norm Smith a combined Van Rooyen/Fritsch superbeing.

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    58 minutes ago, Whispering_Jack said:

    This interesting piece came up on one of my feeds and, given that the men’s season is nearing an end for Demon fans and with all of the scuttlebutt swirling around concerning possible departures, I thought it was well worth some discussion.

    The greatest players in Melbourne Demons History

    The article is tremendously flawed. 

    For starters, it omits our greatest ever in the late Ronald Dale Barassi who leads the rest of the field by the extent of daylight to Robbie Flower who comes in second in my estimation.

    David Neitz ahead of Garry Lyon? Questionable.

    Where does Jim Stynes fit in? Ivor Warne-Smith?

    Norm Smith was before my time but does he beat Jack Mueller? The author actually places him in his timeline as a coach (1952-1967) but he finished playing long before that.

    What about the dwindling number of greats who played in our golden era of the 50s and 60s? Sure, Ian Ridley gets a guernsey but does he get in front of Brian Dixon, Laurie Mithen, Noel McMahen, Don Williams, Stuart Spencer, Hassa Mann, Tassie Johnson and Big Bob Johnson?

    And then there’s the current crop of stars like Maxy, Jack Viney, Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca?

    Would the last player on that list risk his standing and legacy in the pantheon of Demon stars if he leaves us for whatever reason has prompted him to even consider the thought as has been rumoured by some in the media?

    Footnote: the article is so heavily monetized that my final thought is that it’s an epic piece of clickbait. 

    The list of five “players” is:-

    1 Robert Flower

    2 Norm Smith

    3 Ian Ridley

    4 David Neitz

    5 Todd Viney

     

    In their Richmond top 5 there’s no mention of Dusty. Nuff said!

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    • Author
    On 20/08/2024 at 07:37, Tim said:

    In their Richmond top 5 there’s no mention of Dusty. Nuff said!

    Yes, I got the feeling that the item might have been composed by someone working in a call centre in Mumbai or Manila.

    Postscript

    This is their list in order from 5 to 1:-

    5. Todd Viney (1987-1999) was a key figure for the Demons, renowned for his relentless effort and leadership as a midfielder. His dual role in both defense and attack, coupled with his inspirational presence, made him a significant contributor to the team’s success during his career.

    4. David Neitz (1993-2008) established himself as one of the league’s top forwards, known for his goal-scoring prowess and strategic play. As captain for much of his tenure, Neitz’s leadership and skill left a lasting impression on the team and its supporters.

    3. Ian Ridley (1954-1961) played a crucial role in the 1950s, recognized for his versatility and strong defensive skills. Ridley’s ability to adapt and excel in various positions was pivotal to the team’s achievements

    2. Norm Smith (1952-1967) was a formidable player and coach, instrumental in guiding the Demons to several premierships. His strategic insight and leadership both on and off the field solidified his legacy within the club.

    1. Robert Flower (1973-1987) stands out as perhaps the greatest player in the Demons’ history, known for his extraordinary talent and consistency.

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    • Haha 5

    1 R.A Flower

    2 R.D Barassi

    3 Clayton Oliver

    4 Garry Lyon

    5 Norm Smith

    Just missing out, David Schwartz, Big Max and a host of others

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    1 hour ago, picket fence said:

    1 R.A Flower

    2 R.D Barassi

    3 Clayton Oliver

    4 Garry Lyon

    5 Norm Smith

    Just missing out, David Schwartz, Big Max and a host of others

    No Jeffo?

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    Been watching our dees since the 50s.

    For pure, footy skill (able to do what no other player can/could do), no one comes close to Robbie. Next in this category comes Jacovich, Jurrah, Schwarz, Oliver.

    For commitment, skill, determination and leadership (able to swing a match or carry a team to victory by individual effort) no one comes close to RDB. Next in this category comes Gawn, Petracca, Lyon and Neitz.

    Apologies to all the other greats but the memories of 60+ years is too hard to sort through.

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    Started following the club in 1972.

    1. Flower

    2. Gawn

    3. Lyon

    4. Neitz

    5. Petracca

    If Oliver can get back to his old self, then he'll get in the top 5.

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    1 hour ago, mo64 said:

    Started following the club in 1972.

    1. Flower

    2. Gawn

    3. Lyon

    4. Neitz

    5. Petracca

    If Oliver can get back to his old self, then he'll get in the top 5.

    Would possibly flip Neitz and Lyon but that is a great top 5.  Hard to believe Lyon still isn't in the AFL Hall of Fame. 

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    5 hours ago, Swooper1987 said:

    Would possibly flip Neitz and Lyon but that is a great top 5.  Hard to believe Lyon still isn't in the AFL Hall of Fame. 

    Unfortunately, I suspect Hall of Fame entrants benefit from having premierships, Brownlows and Coleman medals against their names. Great players in poorer teams will always struggle for such recognition.

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    As soon as any article says it lists 'the Greatest in History' or 'All-time' I know they're going to be flawed, captured by the Cult of Recency. Why pretend that they're looking analytically at players across 150 years? Why not just say 'of the last 20 years'?

    Yep, click bait. 

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    13 hours ago, Whispering_Jack said:

    This interesting piece came up on one of my feeds and, given that the men’s season is nearing an end for Demon fans and with all of the scuttlebutt swirling around concerning possible departures, I thought it was well worth some discussion.

    The greatest players in Melbourne Demons History

    The article is tremendously flawed. 

    For starters, it omits our greatest ever in the late Ronald Dale Barassi who leads the rest of the field by the extent of daylight to Robbie Flower who comes in second in my estimation.

    David Neitz ahead of Garry Lyon? Questionable.

    Where does Jim Stynes fit in? Ivor Warne-Smith?

    Norm Smith was before my time but does he beat Jack Mueller? The author actually places him in his timeline as a coach (1952-1967) but he finished playing long before that.

    What about the dwindling number of greats who played in our golden era of the 50s and 60s? Sure, Ian Ridley gets a guernsey but does he get in front of Brian Dixon, Laurie Mithen, Noel McMahen, Don Williams, Stuart Spencer, Hassa Mann, Tassie Johnson and Big Bob Johnson?

    And then there’s the current crop of stars like Maxy, Jack Viney, Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca?

    Would the last player on that list risk his standing and legacy in the pantheon of Demon stars if he leaves us for whatever reason has prompted him to even consider the thought as has been rumoured by some in the media?

    Footnote: the article is so heavily monetized that my final thought is that it’s an epic piece of clickbait. 

    The list of five “players” is:-

    1 Robert Flower

    2 Norm Smith

    3 Ian Ridley

    4 David Neitz

    5 Todd Viney

     

    No Barassi? The author has absolutely no idea. I loved watching little  Ian Ridley (tiddles) but he was not in same street as Barassi, Smith, Flower,Petracca etc etc. Dusty not on Richmond list???????

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    10 hours ago, roy11 said:

    No Jeffo?

    Jeffo's got nothin' on 'Juice' (Newton) 

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    • Haha 1

    Anyone who lived through Melbourne's first decade of gloom would place Hassa Mann right up in their top five. Schwarz had top 1-2 in his hands until fate intervened.  Robbie Flower got his due recognition in State games and in the '87 finals series - a true sporting genius. But Ronald Dale was the driving force of a sustained period of greatness, making him  number 1.

    Edited by bush demon
    Sp.

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    • Like 3
    13 hours ago, picket fence said:

    1 R.A Flower

    2 R.D Barassi

    3 Clayton Oliver

    4 Garry Lyon

    5 Norm Smith

    Just missing out, David Schwartz, Big Max and a host of others

     

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    The list loses credibility instantly for omitting Barassi.

    I must say though it is nice to read a list that isn't flooded with recency bias. Many could make a case that Robbie is no.1 even with Barassi in there and I also question Neitz ahead of Lyon.

    I'd also have Gawn top 5 at very least. 

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    I asked ChatGPT for a list and it included this;

     

    Darren Jarman: Known for his explosive pace and goal-scoring ability, Jarman was a standout forward for Melbourne in the 1990s.

     

     

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