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You have got to be joking!!! Did you even watch him play? Lovey oozed more class and had more awareness on the ground than anyone on this list. And state player for 4 consecutive years (88-91) says it all. Was terrible in front of a TV camera though ?

Brett Lovett absolutely top 10

Brett Lovett is easily in the top 10 in my opinion & whilst I liked watching G Lovett, Brett was a much more reliable & durable player. He also played in a much more demanding position (HB) on high mobile half forwards. Stynes easily number 1.

I'm getting a bit sick of this type of comment. (Apologies to Pates - I'm commenting generally, not specifically about your post). We need as a club and as supporters to stop wishing ill on others and instead concentrating our efforts and our support on a philosophy of making the Melbourne Football Club one of those teams that are perennially successful both on and off the field. It's entirely within our own club's control (with "club" in this context meaning all of us). Let's make Melbourne a success and not care about who is down the bottom of the ladder.

Brett Lovett 3 time team of the year (basically the All Australian equivalent before it officially existed)player, Ted Whitten stated on a few occasion's he was first picked for Vic State teams from 88-91. If EJ loved you, that means something! For those who didn't see him, think Neville Jetta except far better skilled on both sides of the body and could run through the mid-field. Tough as nails, didn't like going on the footy show though for his 200th!!! Steven Stretch wasn't the bravest player, but was instrumental in our better years of 87-91 with his sublime kicking, great leap and pace. Very good winger and could easily be top 20. Robbie would easily be 1, but he was only there for 87 and while still good, was on the way out. G Lyon at his best was probably our best, or Jimmy for sheer volume of consistent high performance. Agree Jakovich, Schwartz and Tingay may be far higher except for injury, if they stayed upright we probably wouldn't still be waiting for a flag and they could be 1,2,3 on the list. Alan Johnson also was excellent, but again apart from 88-89, a degree of his best work was probably prior to 87, his game in the Elimination final of 88 was brilliant, kept us in the game and then won us the game. S Febey and even Matt were both good players, Anthony Ingerson was a terrific player, hugely underrated by near all bar his opponents in the period of 96-2002 and was critically important in 98 and 2000 years when challenging for a flag (Carey once told me that both Neitz and Ingerson were in his 5 toughest opponents). J McDonald was great workhorse similar to Nathan Jones, stiff to miss. I think Neitz was a better CHB than FF still, while a great player he did have some very bad days at FF.

That anyone would leave Alan Johnson out of the top 20 List is beyond my comprehension. Ditto anyone who doesn't rate Brett Lovett. Now there were two very great players.

How much did you see Brett play. Easily in the best 20.

Cannot believe James McDonald is not on this list. He'd surely be top 10. Inspirational skipper, AA midfielder and probably the most courageous player I've seen in red and blue. A definite for this list if ever there was one. And also happy to see Lyon at 1. He was a sensational player.

Some good news from Taiwan ?? https://www.thestar.com.my/news/regional/2020/04/08/taiwanese-team-finds-key-antibodies-in-covid-19-patients

A lot of garbage amongst this.

Things will be managed until the vaccine arrives The 2nd wave of The Spanish Flu was far more vicious btw Victoria has to be very careful, right now. with Winter closing in the right decisions must be made

I was sure that Neitz or Stynes would be number 1, but I fully agree with having Lyon at the top. He is clearly the best MFC player I have seen, and played better in the big games than either Neitz or Stynes. Stynes is a tough one for me - he did a lot of things really well and it is a great story, but did he actually win games of football for the team? I'd have Viney, Yze, White and Schwarz ahead of Gawn at this point - Max has still only played three full seasons of football and a few that have been interrupted by injury. For sheer talent Schwarz would be number 1 and his 1994 season was the best I have seen by a MFC player. Neitz and Stynes only get him for longevity and consistency. S.Febey and J.McDonald should both clearly be on that list. Febey for sustained excellence over a long period as the only player on the list that was part of the Northey, Balme and Daniher eras. McDonald for two B&F victories and for being one of our two All Australian midfielders in the past 20 years.

Exactly rjay. A good outcome in the end I reckon. One we avoided The massive fall out that the crows ate still trying to recover from of an ill advised camp. Two the club, and in particular goody had a wake up call about effective communication. The fact that some players (mainly younger ones) did not feel comfortable and/or empowered to raise their concerns ironically sent a clear message that the club needed to improve its engagement and communication with players. And they seemed to have done so. The old my way is the highway, bend to my will way of running any club (or business for that matter) is a relic from a bygone era. It doesnt work. That approach was at the heart of the essendrug fiasco.

It might also show a complete break down in communication where the players didn't feel comfortable in bringing it up with the club. The club/Goody didn't understand the depth of the concern. At least in the end the players made the right choice and Goody had to follow otherwise we could have been in Adelaide's predicament.

Those players on the MFC site weren't very obscure. I thought of one....Hayden Robbins. Remember him? Tough half back flanker from ?Gippsland somewhere.

Flower did play in '87 so that automatically makes him number one. ..but he does say since '87, not including. There's a reason for this and it's not an arbitrary date. The real question is who is our best player since Robbie retired?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the camp cancelled leading into the 2018 season? The article states: "When Melbourne players contacted the AFLPA and had a commando camp cancelled ahead of the 2017 season it became a big story." Context is very important here. 2017, we choked in the final round, 2018 we made a prelim.

If injuries didn’t get them jakovich and Schwarz would be 1-2 easily, most talented players I have seen at the club

An alcoholic

Number 2 I think is Goodwin.

Brett Lovett rarely got beaten. Ever. The MFC's rock of Gibraltar. No. 1 for mine. Handballed like Diesel. Could have been a premier onballer if he had a tank. Had the softest landing when he got thrown on his big backside. Pure talent - Wight & Schwarz Sorry but Lyon is overrated. Like Lloyd, took a dive too often. Great on-field captain. Perfect kick. Average mark. Lyon at his peak? Look at a state game where Carey ripped him a new one in 10 minutes. Neitz is a rare breed excelling key back and forward. I wouldn't have Gawn in our top 2 ruckman over 40 years. Moore and Stynes easily. pTGR

Yep, if you watch any of the highlights of 87 onward, you really come to admire what a smart footballer Brett Lovett was. Very underrated league-wide. I think Jeff White is completely underrated as a ruckman too, in my opinion a far more complete a footballer than Gawn or Stynes. Could kick, mark, brilliant tapouts. I'd argue he's almost the best ruckman of his era.

100% agree. The Flash changed football forever in 2004

For too long we have been accepting mediocrity, not you specifically,but our acceptance of mediocre,I would say incompetent government. We have seen the corona virus crisis promoted into a n economic crisis and now into an ideological social change exercise. We allowed our health system to be whittled away until it is deemed it cannot handle 100 people into intensive care,that our treatment and tracking systems cannot test and identify treatment regimes. We have accepted an erosion of our health research facilities so they cannot respond to a health threat quickly. We have accepted mediocre decisions related to manufacturing and supply facilities so that we cannot quickly provide respirators made in Australia. We have accepted a mediocre border protection that could stop the boats but could not stop the boat that bought a huge impact to our infections The government action has bought us time,but this action cannot nor does it need to last forever, or even six or three months. As our health system responds and our populations actions change we can return to a society that tests people who associate,protects the most vulnerable and tracks contacts of any identified infectious people. With our borders closed we can test and quarantine any new arrivals,and after self imposed isolation we should eliminate spread. We are not China., we are not US, we are not Italy. We have totally different cultural and societal structures. We should be anaylising our data and ensuring our health systems can respond to the realnumbers. We are only just reaching that point but this government has chosen to follow models that keep us in fear. i look forward to the end game but fear how this will be done while our goverment continues its arrogant and incompetent actionsto keep us fearful while they erode our democratic systems. perhaps I've been isolated too long.

1. Jimmy by a country mile. His courage, endurance & longevity in the game was almost unmatched & changed the landscape for ruckmen in the late 80's. Not to mention the impact he had on many many games. One of the best football stories. 2. Neita.....Leadership, brut strength & his loyalty to the red & blue was amazing. His ability to grab a game by the scruff of the neck & change the outcome was a little like the Ox at his best. 3. Brett Lovett. Unheralded & undervalued by many. Tough player in a tough period that continued to get the job done. Check his numbers.....235 games MFC, Hall of Fame & state player. 4. Alan Johnson Mr Reliable & one of the best kicks in the game. Went from being a quality wingman to an attacking back pocket. Won the 83 & 89 Bluey Truscott, state player with WA Y MFC Hall of Fame 5. S Febey Amazing durability & attacking HB. 5th highest games record holder for the Demons. 15 years at the Demons & 258 games......should be Hall of Fame.

Aaron Davey redefined football with his defensive tackling in the forward line. He probably had more influence on the modern game than any other. While this does not make him the best he was probably the most influential. Cannot see how Nathan Jones gets a mention and while I love Gawn he is playing in a time where his style is less than crucial. Maybe Jeff White was better in his own way but the game was so different.

Uncertain when the 50% discount coming but the shoes are currently on sale at $120 down from $160.

I agree that 2020 is now done and dusted but any footy is better than none. Let's have more original ideas so that we can see some footy. Perhaps go back to the VFL teams in Victoria only - 10 teams are here and don't need visas or quarantine. Come on, a year without footy is too much to bear.

Memory plays tricks, but I would have the same top four in the same order. All players have off days, but I seem to recall more disappointing games from Neitz than the other two.

Yes, absolutely swoop. Clean forgot him. He was always such an unpretentious player. Going about his business quietly.

It has to be Lyon as he is the only player on the list that to lift himself above others and impose himself on a game through talent and sheer will and win it. Lots of talent on the list but that is what separates Lyon from the others and the type of player we have missed, as the others often only have cameo's.

And how many John Hopoate's

Over the journey we do seem to have found value in the rookie, preseason drafts. more often than the regular one

Mea culpa. And an apology to Bucket List. Mind you, if I'm a player, I'm not sure I want to be on something with the name "Bucket List". Would makes me feel a bit too mortal.

He is in the team listed above by Bucket List.

How we ever let Kevin Dyson go I'll never know!!? hard nosed midfielder with a touch of class and a thumping kick.

Clarko was never elite but a top class role player who suited our team at the time. Guess that was when he learned to find and use role players in his recruiting for his coaching career.

I met him when while visiting friends when he was in his first season. Nice bloke - terrific player and a wearer of the now famous #11. Condolences to his family.

More recent that that ... Ricko .. Richo ... Richards ... something like that

Brian Wilson starred with us. Must have been a good environment at the time.

Great team - it must be remembered that in his role, Clarkson was close to elite. A very good footballer - we needed him at the time and he delivered.

One of the gutsiest players I’ve ever seen. Same with Clint Bizzell.

Agree. What characters the Dees had over the years. Jacko. Crackers. Carman. Ditterich. Crosswell. Big Carl made everyone walk taller on the field. There was no easy kicks in the 70s and he put the fear into every opposition. Dees should have held the course with Carl. Definitely in my recycled best 22.

My son 'met' him recently when Alan was driving an Uber. A top bloke apparently.

I would have put Brian Wilson in the Centre

No love for Alan Jarrott?

I may actually be able to convince about 15 Vietnamese cousins to buy that. Nice bold style. Good colours, hey.