Australian Open: The 32 qualifiers (Part 2)
I applauded in my previous article the colour and excitement that the current 32 qualifiers will bring to the Australian Open when it commences on 8 February.
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An AFL fan who loves the concept of the Top 100 AFL game players and goal scorers in the AFL and at each club and the annual functions to celebrate these achievements. Also the Top 100 in the Umpiring and Coaching categories.
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I applauded in my previous article the colour and excitement that the current 32 qualifiers will bring to the Australian Open when it commences on 8 February.
The 32 Australian Open qualifiers have completed their tournaments in the Middle East and are now (with a further six alternates) winging their way to Australia to prepare for their moment on the big stage – a match in the main draw of one of the four Grand Slam events held throughout the year.
The Australian Open gets underway this weekend in the unusual setting of the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha, Qatar.
Four years. In modern times that’s usually the life span of a coach or umpire considered unsuccessful.
It is not surprising when you look at the number of games that the leading game player at the two fledgling clubs – Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney – have played and discover that it is less than 200.
Despite the fact that South Melbourne had relocated to Sydney five years before the West Coast Eagles joined the AFL in 1987, the Eagles can lay claim to being one of the first two purpose-built clubs to take on the might of the Victorians in 1987.
I waited nearly all year for it to happen, and in the end it didn’t.
Ever since the club was formed in 1873, right through joining the seven other breakaway clubs to form the VFL in 1897, through the ignominy of recording a record low score of one point against Geelong in 1899 to the need to protest against Melbourne in 1900 to win its first VFL game, St Kilda […]
The first stirring of the sleeping Tiger happened in 2007 when two 18-year-olds arrived at Punt Road: Shane Edwards and Jack Riewoldt.
At the end of 2020, one of the Power’s true champions retired: Justin Westhoff.
Things may be improving for North Melbourne after a tumultuous 2020.
Like David Mundy and Eddie Betts, Melbourne’s top-100 game player Nathan Jones had to wait to see if his career would extend into 2021.
Hawthorn, the club which has more 300+ game players that any other team in the AFL competition, will be hoping the decision to extend 38-year-old Shaun Burgoyne’s tenure for one more season pays off in season 2021.
The giant baby of the competition has yet to bring up one decade of existence in the AFL, but has already created a CV to be proud of.
In total, 11 players on the Suns’ playing list will not be on the main list in 2021 and, while it seems like a major turnover of players, on closer inspection not many of these players were vital to the team’s success going forward.
An interesting fact from the shortened 2020 AFL season was that only two clubs did not have any players capable of playing enough games this year to become new members of the top 100 elite game-players at that club. Those two clubs were the grand finalists Geelong and Richmond, and it raises questions as to […]
When Matthew Pavlich (who I rank in the top-ten players of all time) retired at the end of the 2016 season, he stood as a colossus at the Fremantle Football Club.
In a trade period during which 33 players headed for a new ‘home’ to restart their careers, Essendon were at the forefront, saying farewell to four of their 2020 playing list.
Collingwood, the team that has played more AFL/VFL games than any other team, had only three current Top 100 game players at the start of season 2020 but for one of those three players, Scott Pendlebury, the season proved to be full of individual milestones.
It is to be expected that at a club like Carlton – which has been a member of the AFL/VFL for 124 years and has played 139 finals, more than any other club except Collingwood – would have few current players who have maintained form and fitness and remained loyal to the club for long […]
You may be right Mooty, but I would love to see him out there! The 12 months rehab may extend his football career into the next two years.
AFL top 100: Sydney's games and goals
Thanks for your comment, Barry. If I am honest I think it is to do with the quality of my work, and the narrow range of my topics.
AFL top 100: Richmond's games and goals
You are correct, Tiger_MBK I did mean Nick Vlaustin. Unfortunately I went down the list of games played instead of years at the club.
AFL top 100: Richmond's games and goals
Thanks for that info, Sly. I guess the #29 was because his first game was in Round 15?
AFL top 100: Collingwood's games and goals
Yes, a great servant of the club who filled in whatever position was required. Same with Harry Taylor who finished within two goals of being a Top 100 goal kicker at Geelong despite being a back man!
AFL top 100: games and goals in 2020
Special for me too, The Brazilian. I took my now wife to the game. In those days the general public could get tickets!
AFL top 100: Richmond vs Geelong and the 1967 grand final
Great game all round! So many highlights/incidents. Well done both teams and gutsy effort by the pies. As Simpson said. pies were in front at the right moment.
Magpies win thrilling elimination final over West Coast
Good pick up me too. The Saints were flying but slipped under my radar! Concentrating too much on last year’s finalists.
AFL top 100: The season so far
Thanks Parer Ben, I missed his name on the team sheet.
AFL top 100: Geelong versus Hawthorn
A very good question, 1DER. He did play full back nearly all year but finished the year in the centre and lost the Brownlow Medal on a count-back to Bob Skilton. Of course, 30 years later he was awarded the medal retrospectively so I will have to rate your answer above that of Wikipedia! Thanks for picking up my error. Interestingly both turned out to be great full forwards as well and both were not natural full backs when they first played, starting their careers on the half forward line.
AFL top 100: Round 2, Sydney versus Essendon
Sorry, me too, I didn’t realise you were referring to my preamble when I mentioned those who I had fond memories of. He was in the best two in both the 1965 and 1966 Grand Finals and always exciting to watch.
AFL top 100: The Champions of St Kilda
me too, whilst I would suggest you may be right about Ian Stewart, all my articles are based on the statistical achievements of players at the club and therefore I only list the three greatest game players.
AFL top 100: The Champions of St Kilda
Thanks for your comments, DS. The other six players that I found who have Top 100 status in both games and goals with the AFL and two clubs are: Bernie “Super Boot” Quinlan (Footscray & Fitzroy), Eddie Betts (Carlton & Adelaide), Roger Merrett (Essendon & Brisbane), Alistair Lynch (Fitzroy & Brisbane), Steve Johnson (Geelong & GWS) and Gary Ablett jnr (Geelong & Gold Coast). Of course Quinlan and Lynch have their Fitzroy status locked in forever.
AFL top 100: Bring on Round 2 (Part 2)
I tend to agree. Not only that, but the booing saga no doubt cost him games and lead to an earlier retirement. Maybe 400 was possible?
AFL top 100: The champions of Sydney
He didn’t play enough games to make Top 3 game players at the club
AFL top 100: The champions of North Melbourne
I believe he played all games except Round 17, but Geelong played only one final. In five of his last 7 games he averaged 6 disposals per game. In the other two, he had 19 disposals against the two bottom teams (St Kilda and Fitzroy) but in both games 9 Geelong players had 18 or more disposals. Against Fitzroy he gave away 8 free kicks. I don’t deny his ability, and he had a bad run of injuries (including losing part of a kidney) but my memory is of him spending a lot of time on the bench in his final year.
AFL top 100: Champions of Geelong
I agree, particularly if he continues to win games with his antics.
AFL top 100: Champions of Fremantle
Fyfe showed this class with his Brownlow’s but I still reckon Pavlich was the most used and abused champion whose class was well above those of his team mates.
AFL top 100: Champions of Fremantle
Thanks Thomas,
My error. Can you tell me what happened to Jack Hombsch?
AFL top 100: Gold Coasts' games and goals