AFL top 100: Round 3 review (Part 2)
If you were relying on the Easter Saturday games of Round 3 to give a bit more shape to your predicted finals make up, then – like me – the eraser got more of a workout than the heavy lead pencil.
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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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If you were relying on the Easter Saturday games of Round 3 to give a bit more shape to your predicted finals make up, then – like me – the eraser got more of a workout than the heavy lead pencil.
While every round has its share of historical highlights, the Easter round of 2021 had more than its fair share after the record books were consulted about the rampaging Bulldogs’ 128-point thrashing of North Melbourne.
With the benefit of the first 18 games of full-strength, full-on AFL, what have we discovered and what can we predict for the 2021 AFL season?
In 2020, new goal-kicking members were welcomed into the top 100 goal scorers of all time but only one game player (Nathan Jones, Melbourne) made it into the league’s game playing elite.
Round 1, 2021, started the season in typical fashion, with some results as expected, some major upsets, some blowout games, some close games, some tribunal appearances, some injury blows, some players with a new lease on life at a new ‘home’ and some new recruits bursting on to the scene.
As we are now a fifth of the way through the new millennium and the babies born in the first few years of the 2000s are beginning to make a name for themselves on the player’s lists at all 18 AFL clubs.
The four Saturday games of Round 1 will be played in three different states and will feature only two of last year’s eight finalists.
It is still 50 or so days to the opening of the 2021 AFL men’s season, although we have the AFLW to enjoy in the meantime.
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.
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