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Lance Franklin, Jarryd Roughead, Tom Hawkins and Josh Kennedy. These are just some of the elite full forwards in the AFL right now.
Instead of doing a ‘who would you rather’ on all the full forwards in the competition, I’m making this more specific, and looking at the best full-forwards, who are also the captains of their clubs in the AFL.
Matthew Pavlich, Nick Riewoldt and the newly appointed Taylor Walker.
If Jonathon Brown hadn’t retired last year, he would for sure be in this discussion.
Would you rather captain clutch, captain courageous or captain ferocity?
Once again I reiterate, I’m not implying these are the best full forwards or the best captains in the AFL, but it is rare that a full forward is also the captain of a club, so, who you would you rather?
Matthew Pavlich
Pav is the most experienced player out of the three. 316 games, 16 seasons, and is captaining Fremantle for the ninth straight season.
In 2014, Pav became the first Western Australian based player to reach 300 games.
Pav is a superstar. He is an inspirational leader and one of the great full forwards to have ever played the game. He leads by example and has been a wonderful captain for the Dockers.
He has size, he has speed and he has the skills. An exceptional player who has diversified his game in the past few years by pushing up into the midfield when his team needs a lift.
He’s kicked 635 career goals, all with Fremantle, and has been their most dangerous offensive threat for well over a decade.
Importantly, Pavlich is clutch. Not only is he the captain, but also he is the player that all Fremantle supporters want to have ball in the big time moments.
He’s an accurate kick who rarely lets his team down. In the most pressured, intense part of a match, Pav will take a contested mark, go back from 50 metres out and slot a crucial goal. He’s done this time after time throughout his career.
Pav is a Fremantle icon. He’s one the top five most respected players in the AFL.
His credentials could write a thesis. A six-time All-Australian, an eight-time leading goal kicker at Fremantle, and a six-time best and fairest winner.
Over his career, he’s averaged 18 disposals, six marks and two goals a game. His biggest tally was a bag of nine against Carlton in 2005.
Despite how close he has come though, he has no flag… yet.
Nick Riewoldt
The former number one pick in 2000 has become the number one player at St Kilda in 2015, and he has been for over a decade.
Captain Nick. Captain courageous. He’s played 283 games, kicked 622 goals and has been the most consistent thing about St Kilda in the modern era.
Like Pavlich, Riewoldt is a super athlete. At 1.93m and 96kg, his speed, explosiveness and endurance is almost unbelievable. Shoulder and knee injuries have been constant through out his career, but Nick’s resilience is one to be respected.
Riewoldt is one of most courageous forwards to have ever played the game. Whether it’s taking a pack mark, a diving mark or running back with the flight of the ball, Riewoldt is on par with Jonathon Brown in terms of courage in the forward line.
I don’t think anyone will ever forget his spectacularly courageous mark against Sydney in the early 2000’s.
His leadership and loyalty at St Kilda has also been first class. In what is an incredibly young and at times frustrating side, Riewoldt has devoted the last part of his career to developing the future stars at St Kilda.
He won’t win a premiership, although he had two fantastic chances in 2009 and 2010. Like Pav, he’s the type of player you would love to see win a flag. He’s kicking for goal has always been a knock on him, despite kicking more than 600 for his career.
2015 will be his tenth year as captain of the Saints, a club record. Over his career, he’s averaged 16 disposals, nine marks and two goals a game.
He will retire in the next few seasons as a six-time Best and Fairest winner, a five-time All Australian, the AFLPA’s MVP of 2004 and a four-time leading goal kicker at the Saints.
Taylor Walker
Now before I get challenged for putting Walker in the same category as Riewoldt and Pavlich, technically he deserves to be in this ‘who would you rather’ because he is a superstar full forward and a captain in the AFL.
Walker is the least experienced of the three, having only played 87 games in his career (missed a season and a half with recovering from an ACL injury).
In those 87 games however, he’s kicked 208 goals, averaging just over 2 goals a game, just like Riewoldt and Pav over their careers.
Tex is the most physical, ferocious, hard-hitting player of the three forwards and is arguably the most intimidating full forward currently playing in the AFL.
In fact, along with Fremantle, Adelaide has the most threatening, intimidating forward line in the comp.
Yes, I know, he’s played only three games as the captain of the Adelaide Football Club, but so far so good.
It’s been said that Tex is a natural leader. Everyone in the room gravitates towards him – that is an unteachable quality to have.
He’s an imposing figure, he’s rough, he’s tough, he’ll start a fight, he’ll join in a fight, but importantly, he’ll stick up for his teammates.
He’s probably battling Tom Hawkins for the best-contested mark in the game, he’s relatively accurate in front of goal, but his intensity and hunger for the contest is what has opposition defenders a little put off.
He’s 24, he’s the captain of the Crows, he’s the most loved character in South Australia, he’s a two-time leading goal kicker and could be well on his way to leading the Crows deep into the finals.
The Decision
If you are this deep into the article and still put off that I have included Tex into this debate, well, then try imagine where he’ll be and what he’s capable of achieving in 200 games from now.
They can all dominate. They are all key forwards. They are all captains.
Do you want clutch? Courage? Or aggression?
You can only have one. Who would you rather?
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