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An AFL who loves the concept of the Top 100 AFL game players and goal scorers and the annual functions to celebrate these achievements
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When Nick Vlastuin plays his fourth game for the Tigers in 2019 he will lift the bar to be a member of the Tiger’s top-100 game players to 121 games and cause the exit of William ‘Bustling Billy’ Barrot and Graeme Landy.
I wonder if former Hawk Ron Nalder, who turns 80 in September this year, took any interest in the team selections at Hawthorn leading up to the finals last year.
If ever a player’s tenure in his club’s top 100 games played of all time was hobbled by injury, it would have to be Essendon’s Courtney Dempsey, who played his 133rd – and final – game for the Bombers in 2016.
There is no doubt a lot of readers will scratch their heads and wonder who the heck Frank Murphy – and what does he have to do with the AFL top 100?
In my previous articles I nominated only two players – Dean Cox and Bill Hutchinson – as likely to disappear from the AFL’s all-time top 100 game players in 2019. However, there is a third possibility: journeyman Peter Everitt.
Bill Hutchinson is one of Essendon’s all-time greats, but in 2019 he’s likely to lose his spot on the list of the AFL’s top 100 game players.
My last few articles have concentrated on the players likely to disappear from the AFL top 100 goal-scorers list in 2019, so now my focus is the AFL top 100 game players.
The third member of the three goalkickers likely to disappear from the AFL’s all-time top 100 is West Coast’s Phillip Matera.
In my last article I wrote about Alec Albiston, who was born over 101 years ago but appears likely to lose his place amongst the elite top 100 goal kickers of all time in the VFL/AFL in 2019.
A recent tweet from Hawthorn Football Club alerted me to the fact that their first great champion, Alec Albiston would have turned 101 years old on November 16th.
Much of the success that the Hawks have achieved over the past few years can be attributed to the quality of the club’s leading goal kickers.
Essendon no doubt will be relying on a fit, healthy and in-form Joe Daniher to enhance the club’s already good prospects of playing finals in 2019.
A spectacular goal-scoring game or a breakout season can result in rapid movement up a club’s top 100 goal scorers list. This differs from the top 100 game players list where progress can only be made one game at a time.
A comment I made in my previous article about it being harder than ever to make it into top 100 game players is borne out by an examination of records at the older clubs.
As VFL/AFL football gears up for its 122nd season, it becomes harder to climb over the ‘bar’ and make it into the top 100 greatest game players of all time.
Playing enough games or kicking enough goals to become recognised as an all-time top-100 player at your club is one good measure of a senior player’s worth and can be used to rank the success or otherwise of your trade negotiations.
Your crystal ball needs to be working well for you to establish which clubs gained the most out of trade week and which clubs lost out.
One of the sad aspects of the trade period can be the loss of a favourite son to another team when you were looking forward to seeing him in your club colours for years to come.
As it stands at the moment, ten players should reach game milestones in Round 1 in 2019.
Yes, Lloydy Number 1 and Simon Madden #2. The big hope of course is Joe Daniher overcoming his injury and continuing his stellar career
AFL top 100: Bill Hutchinson
Yes, amazing that the club was cellar dwellers for so long when you look at them now!
AFL top 100: The legend - Alec Albiston
I take your point, Aligee. He was only 66 kilos when he started his league career, but beefed up. His height suggests that he may have been the prototype ruck-rover but he was always named as rover. He would have towered over the leagues shortest ever player (Jim Bradford) who played his last game for North Melbourne in 1949 – the year before Alec moved to the club.
AFL top 100: The legend - Alec Albiston
Thanks Birdman.
Yes, kicking 10 goals in a game for Hawthorn as a rover in a team bottom or near bottom was amazing. Pity he was robbed of two years playing due to the war.
AFL top 100: The legend - Alec Albiston
Keeping Moore and Reid would give the ‘pies two swing players which provides flexibility. If (and it’s a big if) Elliott can stay strong, he adds an x factor. I agree keep both Dunn and Scharenberg, and Wells – if he is still up to it – has an amazing w-l ratio with the pies.
Chris’ other suggestions can all go to make room for the next lot of up and comers.
AFL top 100: The wash-up – Collingwood
Jack Riewoldt is already a Top 30 goal kicker, and still has two years of his contract to run. He could still play on after that. His aerial ability means that if he doesn’t mark it, the crumbers (Caddy, etc.) will do well. He showed in the prelim he could kick straight under pressure. I reckon he will finish his career in the Top 15.
AFL Top 100: The wash-up - Richmond
Oops (Again!) Of course I meant Mark LeCras who currently sits in equal 83rd position on the all time list, but the gremlins got in there! One goal will see LeCras equal Jimmy Freake, Dick Reynolds and Alan Ruthven.Thanks for your comment, better proof reading needed next time, huh?
AFL top 100: Grand final selection highlights
Oops, you are right of course Brad. How could we forget so soon.
AFL top 100: Finals Week 1 highlights
Yes, a great effort and he’s not finished yet! Don’t forget all those other smaller forwards he provides with crumbs as well.
AFL Top 100: Goalkicking highlights Round 4 (Part 3)
Hi Rissole,
Yes, on current form you would think he is a certainty. As a rule, I have decided to comment on the goal kicking milestones after the event!
AFL Top 100 : selection highlights Round 3 (part 1)
Thanks for your comments, mattyb. #7 will always be Dougie Hawkins, and #31 Barassi, despite Dustin Fletchers’ 400 games!
What's in a number and which one's your favourite?
Thanks Rick, Remember the days when Voss, Hird and Buckley were all running around with that number?
What's in a number and which one's your favourite?
Oops! Thanks GOB. I got a bit carried away there – I did mean Freo.
AFL Top 100: What else is in store for Round 1?
Thanks Harsh Truth. I take it from your comments that you don’t expect Carlton’s three Top 100 goal kickers Murphy, Simpson and Casboult to add many goals to their totals?
AFL top 100: What to watch for in 2018
Good luck with that! At least the extra games would help Kade, Marc and Matthew move up the “charts”!
AFL top 100: What to watch for in 2018
Any player who can be counted in the Top 100 out of the 15,000+ who have played the game should be recognised. Because of their recent success the Tigers have a number of current players who make the Top 100 Tigers of all time, and they have Jack Riewoldt on the AFL list about to pass the great John Coleman as a goal kicker, but being “chased” by Eddie Betts, Jarryd Roughead and Josh Kennedy.
AFL top 100: What to watch for in 2018
Maybe Carlton will be fired up and Richmond hungover? Anyway, if you can’t enjoy the game, enjoy some individual players’ achievements.
AFL top 100: What to watch for in 2018
I think they have some strong possibilities if certain players remain at the clubs for a few more seasons: Lynch, Cameron, etc. Anyway, because these clubs have played so few games, these players automatically make it into the club’s Top 100 list!
AFL top 100: What to watch for in 2018
What about the prospect of Chris Judd and Chris Yarram dropping off the Carlton list of Top 100 goal kickers!? It could happen in the next 2-4 years if Jack Silvangi gets his act together!
AFL top 100: What to watch for in 2018
As I have just said, it is not the 100 games I am celebrating as your comments are correct. It is the Top 100 players who have contributed to your club or the league. For example, Ray Shaw – a former Collingwood captain – is in danger of dropping out of the Collingwood Top 100 game players although he played at the club for 8 years!
AFL top 100: What to watch for in 2018
I take your point too, Walter but it is not 100 games that I am concentrating on, it’s the most games for the AFL (or a club) down to number 100 on the list! The number of seasons required to even break into this list is well above the number of seasons required to play 100 games! As I said in my earlier reply, we all have our “favourite” champions but – at the end of the day – it comes down to how well the player served his club and for how long. I was disappointed when players I consider champions (Maurice Rioli, John Northey and Fred Burge) were replaced on the Richmond Top 100 list by Ty Vickery in his last game in 2016! Vickery was subsequently replaced by Brandon Ellis in his remarkable run of consecutive games in 2017 but that is what the statistics disclose and we all admire Brent Harvey and Michael Tuck, etc.
AFL top 100: What to watch for in 2018
Thanks for you comments, Aransan. You are right, there is now greater opportunity for players to break into the Top 100 of all time, but I still believe these stats are the most appropriate to use to judge the “worth” of players to the various teams. To even make the list in 100th position at the foundation clubs requires at least 7 years of injury free form, opportunity and loyalty. We all have different opinions of what makes a champion and to compare players in different eras is a minefield, and it is interesting to note that only one player at 10 of the clubs is even close enough to achieve Top 100 status in 2018!. The measure I use is fair. Sure, the longer seasons and better injury management give current day players a greater opportunity to make the list, but list sizes, starting age limits and draft trading all reduce this opportunity.
AFL top 100: What to watch for in 2018
Sorry Guys,
I was watching the cricket when I penned it! I did mean Sam’s twin brother, Ben and not Bruce! Thanks for you comments.
AFL top 100: Frank Murphy