The debate over who is the best player in the game is one that rages like a bush fire in the height of a dry Australian summer.
Various awards exist to attempt to annually settle this argument; umpires, coaches, players and the media cast their votes, sometimes with wildly differing results.
Rather than pouring through the myriad of statistics in an effort to support my stance, I have decided to try and put a different slant on the conversation.
Team selection is always a difficult process, as part of the leadership group in my local team I am involved this weekly. In the lead up to our finals series this task takes on greater importance; the first step is determining the players that you absolutely must have in your side.
The criteria for admittance to such a category, particularly at a local level, is predominantly based on intangibles, the ‘gut feeling’ about what the cream of the crop bring to the table – the ‘vibe’, if you will (who doesn’t like a good The Castle reference?)
It is these qualities that I will use as the basis for my contention.
For the sake of this argument, let’s agree to agree that the players I discuss here have elite kicking, handballing, marking and tackling skills and their impact on a match in relation to these criteria is similar – a controversial assumption in its own right, but stick with me here.
There are three attributes which I believe true champions display, the key requirements that make them stand out from their peers: ease, courage and intimidation.
My selections for the best of the best in each of these areas are as follows.
Ease – Scott Pendlebury
Is there a better sight in football than watching a player take possession of the ball and operate like those around them nailed to the ground?
Plenty of players appear to make the game look easy in different ways, but Pendlebury’s ability to find time and space when there is none – and use this advantage to make the right decision and execute skills accordingly – is without peer.
Some attribute his silky moves to his basketball background, but perhaps it is simply that Pendles sees and assesses the world around him faster than everyone else. I am constantly in awe (and more than a little jealous) of the seemingly easy way he goes about his trade.
Courage – Jimmy Bartel
Before I get howled down here, any player who takes to the football field displays courage. Ours is a brutal game where the risk of injury is ever present.
Watch Bartel closely when he competes for the footy; his steps never shorten, his eyes never waiver from the ball. His commitment to winning the ball is unconditional, regardless of the outcome.
When his teammates look up and see Bartel ahead of them they know that they can send the ball in his direction with confidence. Even when conceding size, strength and speed he competes without fear, which in itself breeds courage in those around him.
Whether it is backing back with the flight of the ball or crashing into an opponent when the ball is on the ground, this is the guy you want fighting the battle for you.
Intimidation – Luke Hodge
Everyone has a different interpretation of intimidation, and there are those who believe that attempting to intimidate your opponent is juvenile and counterproductive.
Having stood across from players that I found overwhelmingly intimidating, I will vehemently argue the opposite!
Truly intimidating players walk a fine line, occasionally straying outside of the rules in their pursuit of an edge on the opposition.
Hodge asserts his presence on a game of footy through manic attack on the ball and the man. This combined with precise skill and boundless courage makes him the ultimate intimidation weapon.
At times he has been accused of being a thug and but make no mistake, when the whips are cracking late in a final, having a player like Hodge who can make the opposition think twice about putting their head over the football is a potentially premiership-winning advantage.
Picking three champions is hard enough, but the time has come to put the first magnet down in my imaginary selection committee. Who is the most valuable of them all? Well in this footballing fairy godmother’s humble opinion it’s Scott Pendlebury.
In the heat of battle in September, knowing there is a guy next to you who can remain calm, poised and have an extra split second up his sleeve is the ultimate x-factor. Combined with skill and athleticism (and a healthy dose of the other two categories I’ve discussed) Pendlebury would be the first picked in my side every week.
I’ve cast my votes. Who would be your first magnet?
Anthony Maguire
Guest
How is it a media perspective? I saw James Hird have 15 possessions, 6 clearances and two goals in a final quarter once and his last goal the match-winner. He'd only had 17 possessions to three quarter time. Champions can do that and do things that don't seem possible.
Gecko
Guest
That's a media perspective, thinking an individual player can win a game off his own boot. An individual can win a passage of play but never a whole game. Long live the accumulators.
Anthony Maguire
Guest
I think the best players of all just have an innate ability to win matches by themselves. Think Gary Ablett Sr and Jr, James Hird, Pendlebury (although he's more of an accumulator), Dangerfield, Franklin. Players that make you think how the hell did he do that? James hird was probably one of the best I've seen at that.
Don Freo
Guest
It seems your knowledge of football comes from cynics on blogs. You ever watched a game of AFL? You seem to misuse the word "irony"...often.
WhereIsGene
Guest
Ironic comment given Lyon has a woeful record of developing talent himself and his specialty is inheriting lists built by others.
Michael Huston
Guest
When fully fit and in-form, it would have to be Franklin, Ablett and Pendlebury. Though Mitchell and Fyfe are brilliant.
Don Freo
Guest
What makes a champion? A coach called Ross Lyon.
Gecko
Guest
Good list WIG. Just expanding... Loyalty AND CONSISTENCY: Nate Jones Bigotry: Sam Newman, Dermie Brereton and others who don't like Goodes bringing social issues into footy. Stitched up: Ahmed Saad, followed by Essendon's impressionable junior footballers and impressionable junior supporters (older players and supporters should know better) Biggest Rip-off: Tom Scully Most in need of a hair cut: Western Australian midfielders
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
You'd hope it does find its way into statistics somewhere, otherwise you may as well have Strauchany on that list.
Edgar Slosh
Roar Guru
Love it
Brett Burdeu
Roar Rookie
Like the 3 criteria that I used swagger is one of those intangibles that doesn't find its way into the statistics. These are qualitative, not quantitative attributes, which make them far more open to interpretation.
slane
Guest
Which is why Fyfe is only a club champion and not a champion of the game just yet. I fully expect to revise that opinion by the end of the year though. He might end up a brownlow/premiership/norm smith medallist by the end of this season!
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
Time/duration was definitely something left out of the "Champion" equation so far here. I went with great player for that reason, given champion does have that "over a period of time" connotation, although not sure it's literally defined as such.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
So no Fyfe huh? Big call. What swagger factor comes into his contest stats?
Ryan Buckland
Expert
Being "the best" doesn't make you a champion; a champion of the game transcends form lines and statistical output. Hard to argue with Brett's three selections for me. I'd add a fourth criteria: Swag. A player that plays their way, dominates, and flips the bird to the rest of the competition along the way. That would be a tie between Dangerfield and Franklin. Dangerfield's centre clearance, follow up and goal on his wrong side (that I used in this piece: http://www.theroar.com.au/2015/07/29/clever-danger-related-pun-headline/) is what I'm talking about.
Brett Burdeu
Roar Rookie
The beauty of opinions is that we all have them. Are the 3 players you mentioned the best players in the competition right now? Quite possibly. Would I chose any of them over Pendlebury as my first choice when picking a side for grand final day? No, for the reasons I outlined in the article. Nothing against the guys you mentioned and I rate them all highly in the areas I have discussed, just not as highly as others. Your most influential player doesn't necessarily have to be your best one!
WhereIsGene
Guest
Tough to define a champion but here are a few with unique qualities 2015 scoring ability - Josh Kennedy 2015 scoring ability (junktime) - Eddie Betts Loyalty - Nate Jones Rule exploitation - Joel Selwood Nostril suction - Lance Franklin Creakiest joints - Dustin Fletcher Tribunal familiarity - Steve Johnson Attention hunger - Adam Goodes Sharpest knees - Sam Mitchell Least interested - Jobe Watson
BigAl
Guest
. . . to perform consistently, over a long period of time and under duress.
Gecko
Guest
Surely another attribute is consistency.Hodge is consistently good but not consistently great. Bartel is consistently mediocre nowadays - if he can get on the field. In 2015, the big 3 would be Pendles and Fyfe, with Mitchell edging out Dangerfield for the 3rd spot because he's more consistent. In 2016, that 3rd spot will be reclaimed by Ablett (who's the best player of this century) and Buddy may be back to his best.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
It is good you taking a new angle on defining a great player. I still prefer the categories of Skills, Atheticism, Smarts (as well as maybe a more intangible one in Aura). Mainly because I think these are less down to interpretation than Ease, Intimidation and Courage. You could still fit your players of preference above under those categories. Ease seems interchangeable with aesthetically pleasing and you could add any number of players to that, including those that make great marks look easy,or kicking goals (and most people might find those particular skills more exciting and joyful). With your categories I reckon there's still a case to be made for Fyfe in all of those. Ease - his ease in winning contests is shown with the daylight between him and the rest of the competition in this regard, bursting through packs, winning the ball and taking high flying marks with ease too; Intimidation - a good sign that sides are intimidated by him is shown by how many players they throw at him at stoppages and the sneaky shots they take when it might not be expected (ie. Cotchin jumping into his back & across his legs, Mitchell's knees, Hodges python tackle); Courage - takes on the contest no matter the odds and backs himself in.