While I was watching some highlights from the 2015 AFL season I saw a man dominate both in the air and on the ground.
I hadn’t seen this man for a long time. In the first 15 rounds he polled 30 Brownlow votes – and despite an injury after that, he still won the coveted best and fairest medal. I doubt those 15 rounds of football have or will be matched for their consistently high performance.
What set him apart was his ability to mark the football, even though he is classed as a midfielder. One-on-one he was near unbeatable, especially when he had the opportunity to control the air. No other midfielder can do that, not even Patrick Dangerfield.
I went back and watched some highlights of the great Gary Ablett Senior, a man who did what no others could do. If you haven’t already, put that famous name into YouTube and enjoy. It’s well worth watching.
This series of highlights features a mark that demonstrates superior ball control. Skip to 4 minutes and 30 seconds into the video; there, leading at full pace, the ball goes behind him, and without breaking his stride he brings the ball back in front him while still on the lead. It is simply amazing ball control.
Why I reference the great man is I think that Nat Fyfe has similar traits. He may not be as exciting, but he has amazing ball control and an uncanny ability to beat his opponent. Ablett was a much better kick around goal, but Fyfe is improving.
People will howl me down for comparing him to the greatest, but Fyfe has been injured since he took football to another level in 2015. All I ask for is time, because there is something really special about this bloke, and I think the best is yet to come.
I would love for Fyfe to have a season in front of goal to see if it’s possible to be a dominant forward in these days of team defence. I watched his practice game against Carlton, and he’s back. He could well dominate again the midfield and regain his mantle as the number one player in the game.
He possesses something other modern midfielders don’t: the ability to mark the football in a contest.
How will Fyfe be remembered, especially in the east of Australia? He needs to get back to that level to be compared with the greats, but I have no doubt he will.
How far could he go? Few could reach a Gary Ablett Senior level, but Fyfe but in the same mould with ability aplenty.
Watch this space.
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