When you think of small forwards of the modern era, the names Cyril Rioli, Eddie Betts and Stephen Milne come to mind.
On Saturday night, the Gold Coast Suns unearthed the man who will be front of mine when we look back in 15 years.
Just 20 months after being drafted with pick three by the Suns, Rankine didn’t disappoint. Kicking three goals in a solo forward effort that resulted in a 17-point loss to Melbourne at Giants Stadium.
Rankine’s first two majors were a sight to behold – electrifying to say the least.
The first coming after selling the candy to a Melbourne defender before quickly turning and snapping on his right boot from 35-metres out. The second came from a repeat effort inside forward 50 which culminated in a jaw dropping 30-metre football goal.
Izak Rankine. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)
Anthony Hudson called it beautifully, referring to Rankine’s first two goals as “the best first two goals ever”.
Rankine’s lightning speed came to the forefront when needed most, as in the final quarter he roved a Max Gawn hit out inside the Suns’ forward 50 to boot his third major of the night.
Rankine accompanied his game-high three goals with a game-high eight score involvements, 14 pressure acts and 111 ranking points.
It is not only Rankine’s ability to hit the scoreboard that makes him such a sight to behold. Instead it’s his ability to make the impossible possible, a trait possessed by only the best players in the game’s history.
“There’s shades of Wanganeen, there’s a bit of Goodes in there, there’s a bit of Burgoyne I reckon,” Kane Cornes stated on AFL media’s The Round So Far.
Cornes is not the only one to see something special in Rankine. South Australian Under 18 Championships coach, Tony Bamford, referred to Rankine as “the most talented athlete and footballer I’ve seen in my time”.
FOX Footy’s Jonathan Brown said Rankine’s first game was “as exciting a debut as I’ve ever seen”.
Rankine’s impressive debut will undoubtably earn him the Round 6 Rising Star nomination later this week, putting him right at the pointy end of candidates likely to take out the award come the end of the year. Rankine’s nomination will see him join teammates Matt Rowell and Connor Budarick as the Suns’ award nominees this season.
Given Matt Rowell’s shoulder injury that his set to sideline the number one pick for the remainder of the season, a role through the midfield may be in line for Rankine. Rankine’s ability to rotate through the middle of the ground was in full effect at the U18’s championship, where he claimed All Australian honours.
If Rankine can add this string to his bow at senior level, it will give Suns fans all the more reason to be excited about what he’ll bring to the club over the next decade.
With an up-and-coming Gold Coast team that has performed better than expected this season by his side, it wouldn’t be unimaginable to suggest that Rankine may find himself a poster boy for the most exciting football team in the competition within five years.
Scott
Guest
Yep, but he will play midfield as well. I had plenty of discussions with my pals about this before that draft. I considered Rankine and Lukosius the 2 best I’ve ever seen, but then the others were unreal as well. Between Lukosius and Rankine the discussion was do you take the most exciting player ever who may play predominantly as a small forward, or a guaranteed gun forward. You then had Sam Walsh who produced every single game he plays in and will likely be top 5 in the Brownlow every year. You then had Bailey Smith, who I rated better then Walsh, who can be a line breaking match winning midfielder. Then you had the King twins, who on potential, are 2 of the most athletically dominate forwards ever? I remember not rating Rozee as high, because I thought he had benefited from his star South Australian teammates, how wrong was I with that. We are yet to see what Lukosius can do though. Wait till they switch him back forward in the coming years. He has still been pretty darn good down back, but wait till he doesn’t have to chase someone else around. He is like a clone of Nick Riewoldt with a better kick. It’s so much harder to nail a high pick on a tall forward, but the way Lukosius just runs he’s defenders of their feet, he was a guaranteed win. So who do you choose at pick 1 with all them choices? a) the guaranteed gun centre half forward b) the guaranteed gun midfielder who will be a chance in every Brownlow c) the proven midfielder who has potential to be best midfielder in the game d) the 2 twins who both have the potential to be the most dominant tall forward in the game e) Or the most exciting player of all time And I’ll add a bonus after seeing Rozee play in the AFL f) Connor Rozee
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Yeah that’s the right sort of players, though Stevie j began having weight problems later on in his career. I also wouldn’t compare him to Cyril as Cyril had a tendency to go in and out of games intermittently
Nick
Roar Guru
I thought a mix of Dusty Martin, Cyril and Stevie J. tough to compare to Eddie Betts immediately...he can still find the goals in pitch black darkness with his legs tied behind his back.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Guess you could say he’s a sharp looking player ahah
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
That’s an eclectic mix of players too, a big bodied utility (Goodes), a small defender (Wanganeen), and a mr fix it (Burgoyne). I think he’s better compared to stringer, dusty and Cyril because he can be incredibly mercurial.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Nah Rowell was certainly number 1, but there wouldn’t be eye brows raised for Luke Jackson or Tom green to be taken number 2.
declansands
Roar Rookie
very bright future mate, thanks for the comment.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
It’s not often that a small forward is taken with pick 3 and it isn’t considered a bust. While it is still pretty early in rankines career kicking three goals will do a lot to assuage any doubters.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
That does happen, doesn't it? It's really that forward pocket flair. Can we compare him with Hayden Ballantyne? He's not indigenous...but he's also not as good as Rankine looks either. Paul Medhurst? Gary Moorcroft? Andrew Wills? Hmmm. Speaking of small, skilled, indigenous and magic forwards, when Liam Henry finally plays, we might be saying, "Isaak Who?"
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
GC still has to play Jeremy Sharp. Possibly better than Anderson. Isaac Smith type.
Mark
Roar Rookie
That's a pretty poor comment S.G. especially by your standards and having read your comments in the past having shown yourself as being a great defender of Indigenous Players.
declansands
Roar Rookie
don't think there's a need to bring race into this.
Scott
Guest
Adding to my last comment there I’d prob say his game is closer to Stevie J then Goodes or Burgoyne. But all 3 of those are bulkier players that will run through people more. He is much more like the other 4, he will just dance around players
Scott
Guest
No because indigenous players have the exact kind of ball on a string skills he has. Name me a non-indigenous player with similar skills to the players I’ve just mentioned and they will be included. I’d consider Rioli and Peter Matera 2 of the most skilful players to ever play the game, that’s why my comparison is to them 2. He has a mix of the ridiculously clean ball handling of Rioli with the ability of Peter Matera to run around players and evade tackles. The Wanganeen and McLeod comparisons are very close also. I’d say he has the silky skills of Stevie J, but the rest of his game is much closer to the players already mentioned
Nick
Roar Guru
Cornes has described him well with a mix of Wanganeen, Goodes and Burgoyne. I’ve been describing him as what a child of Rioli and Peter Matera would look like. He has also been described as Andrew McLeod recently. Why the need to compare him exclusively to indigenous players? Why can't he be compared to white players too? Or is it because he is indigenous, he can only be compared to indigenous players?
declansands
Roar Rookie
Love your passion, cheers for the comment Scott.
declansands
Roar Rookie
Already my second favourite team to watch, hard to go past their young talent.
declansands
Roar Rookie
cheers legend
Scott
Guest
I have not stopped talking about this kid for over 3 years Now. Honestly if anyone reading this has ran into a guy at the pub, who has been showing you clips of this kid and not shutting up about him, that was probably me. He is a freak. When kids come through the draft they are usually described as a “poor mans Chris Judd” or a “poor mans Jonathan Brown” etc. I would describe Rankine as a “Rich mans Cyril Rioli!!!!” I kid you not, that’s how talented this kid is. Cyril is close to the most talented player of all time and this kid looks even better. Cornes has described him well with a mix of Wanganeen, Goodes and Burgoyne. I’ve been describing him as what a child of Rioli and Peter Matera would look like. He has also been described as Andrew McLeod recently. The point is he has the skills of them all. On top of his skills with the ball he has this ability to bounce a step straight backwards after running forwards, then spin his way out of trouble. He has been so much fun to watch and it’s a good thing he has gone to Gold Coast, he may very well save the club. If he remains injury free and stays at the club they will gain 1000s of supporters who will follow the team just to watch him play. Amazingly from 20 years of watching the draft, Gold Coast have also got the 2nd best underage player I’ve seen in Jack Lukosius. That draft was ridiculous, with 8 players good enough to go number 1 in most other years. On top of that both Rowell and Anderson were so far ahead of the 3rd best player last year, they were also both good enough to go number 1 in most drafts as well. They basically now have 4 of the best 10 kids I’ve seen play and I would prob rate Anderson somewhere around the 20-30 mark as well. Hopefully Gold Coast get it right this time cause these aren’t just good players, they could be generational stars.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Matt Rendell and PtS are in for a treat when the first get to see him.