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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
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There are only four ways a player can gain immortality in AFL football: make your debut as a player in a club’s first-ever AFL game, play in an AFL club’s last ever game, kick a goal with your first kick or kick a goal after the siren to win the game.
I mentioned in my last article how circumstances beyond a player’s control can rob him of opportunities to build on his games and goals and result in him falling short of milestones despite him being in peak form and fitness at the time.
As I continue my series on the champion players of each club I become more and more aware of the statistical misfortune that has befallen all of the players caught up in the postponement and possible cancellation of the 2020 AFL football season.
After profiling the modern champions of Adelaide and Brisbane, all of whom I have had the pleasure of watching, it is nice to review the many champions of one of the VFL/AFL foundation clubs, starting with Carlton, who now have 124 years of history and 1211 players who have pulled on the navy blue jumper.
Unlike my last article, which highlighted Adelaide’s champions, this one on Brisbane is not so straightforward.
Most Adelaide supporters would argue the late 1990s, in particular 1997 and 1998, was the golden era for the club.
If the players do not get onto the park again in season 2020 (and this is shaping as a real possibility), then the fans will not be the only ones disappointed.
In an indication of how far the AFL umbrella now extends, the super silent Saturday of Round 1 will encompass only one Melbourne-based team.
The second game of Round 1, Western Bulldogs vs Collingwood Magpies, takes on special significance now that the season has been reduced to 17 rounds.
The AFL season starts, hopefully, with the now traditional opening game blockbuster between Carlton and Richmond at the MCG on Thursday, 19 March.
Like most of you, I am going to badly miss the opportunity to follow my team (and other teams) live at the footy each week but will still enjoy – where possible – watching the champions in all teams of our game displaying their skills.
With the French Open now only three months away, Australia’s top men and women singles players’ rankings come into focus, as do our senior players’ doubles rankings.
In Part 1, I covered the form of all direct male entries into the Australian Open and suggested that – judged on their ranking and those of their opponents – all had performed well.
Many Australians will be disappointed with the lack of any silverware achieved by the many Australians competing in the 2020 Australian Open, but a drill-down on the results suggests the nation should be proud of the results achieved by our representatives and the manner in which they performed.
Twenty-two Aussies will take to the courts over the next few days hoping to win three matches and be among the eight qualifiers who make it through to the main event, the Australian Open, that starts next week.
An interesting sideshow at the Australian Open and all of the grand slam events is the boys and girls tournaments.
In what could be an exciting year for Australian Tennis fans, the 2020 Australian Open promises to have plenty of intrigue in the early rounds.
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick opined that he would start 2020 with the best recruit available in Alex Rance, who had missed virtually all of the 2019 season and would therefore be starting 2020 as a new face to fit into the team.
In my last article I opined on the number of new top 100 goal scorers that could make the list at the ten longest-established clubs by the end of the 2020 season by a simple formula of 60 goals for a gun forward and 30 goals for a handy forward in 20 games, and came […]
I can go back as far as Bob Rose, and you are right – there has been plenty of champions but to me Pendles has been the best decision maker I have seen. His ability to give the ball off or receive it is spot on nearly all the time and , week in week out he performs at crunch ttime.
AFL top 100: The champions of Collingwood
Yes, it is a pity as he is already no 1 at WCE but another (say) 50 goals would have seen him close to Top 25 all time AFL
AFL top 100: Week 1 wash-up (Part 2)
#19 Rod McGregor 236 games 1905-1920
#37 Fred Elliott 197 games 1900-1911 (1899 Melbourne)
#50 George Bruce 181 games 1903-1913
#58 Paddy O’Brien 167 games 1905-1918
#68 Vin Gardiner 157 games 1907-1917 (1905 Melbourne)
#72 Charlie Hammond 154 games 1905-1918
#81 Horrie Clover 147 games 1920-1931 (still #5 in the goal kicking!)
Most AFL/VFL games as player & coach:
Sheedy 930
Malthouse 892
McHale 878
Matthews 793
Parkin 729
AFL top 100: Carlton's champions
I agree. Tennis is such a game of centimetres and luck that you cannot expect number 1 to play like number one all the time. We have been spoiled by an amazing period of men’s tennis dominated by three players, but even these three have had to share the spoils, sometimes even with other players.
It is a big ask for a player to maintain top form and fitness even for weeks when every match gets harder.
Aussie tennis is A-OK
Still a good mix of names, but a few more Anglo-Saxon names in the mix. Some of the boys I nominated will miss out as they are no longer juniors, but amongst the girls eligible we have Annerly Paulos, Talia Gibson, Amy Stevens, Tina Nachin-Smith, Mia Repae, Natalie Russell, Anastasia Berezov and Roopa Bains all ranked in the top 200 as at 6th January.
Meet the next generation of tennis stars on show at the Australian Open
Great Summary, fullontennis! It is great to have so many possibilities in the ranks, but if any get to week 2 luck will have played it’s part. I like Popyrin chances with a good draw and who knows maybe Kokkanakis and Ellis may shine?
Ranking the Aussies in the Australian Open
The Top 100 game players/goal scorers at Richmond is just a list of the players who have played enough games or kicked enough goals to be considered part of the clubs elite. Amongst the game players, it goes from Kevin Bartlett (#1) all the way down to Mick Malthouse and Maurie Sheehan (equal #100) and currently represents the Top 8.5% of the 1166 players who have donned a Tiger’s jumper.
Amongst the Top 100 goal kickers, the Top 5 in order are Titus, Richardson, Bartlett, Riewoldt and Roach whilst Shane Tuck and 1920’s player Jack McCormack are equal #99 and likely to be overtaken shortly by Daniel Rioli.
AFL top 100: Alex Rance
Yes! Should move ahead of another 4 in 2020 and be as high as 7th in 2021.
AFL Top 100 : 2020 : Leading Goal Scorers Milestones
Yes, he did Ian, 33 in fact! What I meant to say was that he would kick his 100th goal for Port Adelaide, not that he was a one club player. Not well worded, I admit!
AFL top 100: 2020 goal-kicking milestone makers
I agree, they are exciting to watch (as they were in their premiership year.
AFL 2019 top 100: Western Bulldogs
I could have put that better, GOAT. The Bombers won 6 of the 9 games he played in. I meant he could have a greater influence over the next two years!
AFL 2019 top 100: Essendon Bombers
Point taken, JamesH. I meant as Essendon players they could give more, but I did mean to include Merrett.
AFL 2019 top 100: Essendon Bombers
Hi AR,
The Top 100 game players and goal scorers lists at AFL level and at each club are just an obsession of mine, although I know the concept has been discussed at some clubs. Despite the limitations I Iike to compare champions of different eras and their historical contributions to the league and clubs. Amongst the older clubs, where it takes 6-7 years of good football to even make the list, history shows that a smattering of Top 100 players on your current team list is essential for success. In other words, it can’t be done with all imports.
AFL 2019 top 100: Sydney Swans
I agree. Scharenberg working his way back to something. Need Howe badly.
AFL top 100: Preview West Coast vs Collingwood
Not a good day Saturday, but I finished with six for the weekend. Some of the pretenders turned out to be just that: pretenders!
AFL top 100: Round 10 preview (Part 2)
It is a long way to go, but see me response to WCE.
AFL top 100: Round 9 review (part one)
Jamie is number 12 on the Eagles all time list but a long way of Top 10. He will make it, but it may take a season or two.
AFL top 100: Round 9 review (part one)
Definitely top 3, and that is what is wanted in a player – high level performance in important games, but at that price tag the ‘dogs could have bought a dozen Liam Pickens?
AFL top 100: Tom Boyd
Oops! Sorry madchatter, I need to do my research better!
AFL top 100: Round 7 Magpies vs Power preview
Hi Ian,
Thanks for you comment. Nobody could forget the great Matthew Pavlich, one of the greatest of all time (if not the greatest) but he wore number 29 and I was referring to the fact that David Mundy wore Number 16 more than anyone else.
AFL top 100 : Round 6 review
It’s a big ask, particularly as they have already slipped once at the Cattery, but this season, who knows?
AFL top 100: Round 6 preview
Yes, you are right, Len was his younger brother but was rougher and taller and picked up plenty of silverware. He played in premierships in his first three years. He missed a couple more due to injury and suspension and sat on the bench for the entire 1937 Grand Final. He then coached Nhill a nd then Oakleigh before making a comeback to VFL with Footscray. He is still in Collingwood’s Top 100 lists at Equal 57th in games, and equal 78th in goals. He was a genuine 6 footer!
AFL top 100: Frank Murphy
Spot On Aransan! The goal kicking is a bit different, and these totals will take a lot of chasing down. Going back to games played, with the game being so much more professional these days, no player will be allowed to “limp” over the 300 game line (a la Newman) and Tim Watson’s age based milestones should be safe forever!
AFL top 100: The champions of Essendon