Just stumbled upon your content, mate. Loving the passion you put into these, keep it up!

Ablett in the 1989 GF completely defeats the argument that a truly great player needs to win a premiership. He kicked 9 goals (at least 6 were incredible), took all sorts of amazing marks, smashed a thug or 2 before they could get up to their "old tricks", beat 4 different opponents , was still on fire in the last quarter and so on, all this while playing against the best team of the 1980's. History has shown he was obviously part of a team that had a few "passengers" over the years because the core of that 1989 team never never did win a premiership. He played the best individual game in a GF ever in 1989, but it was still not enough to win the premiership. So many other absolute greats never won a premiership, it in no way diminishes their greatness.

Thought maybe an honourable mention of Andrew McLeod 2 premierships, 2 Norm Smith, 5 All Australian 3 BF’s and Crows game record holder at 340 Silky skills

For me without doubt Alf Stewart. Back in the 90's the way he caught the ball and laid off that hand pass in one episode was majestic.

You kept saying it's hard to believe Matthews never won a Brownlow. It's not. That award is for best and "fairest" and Matthews was anything but fair, often deliberately acting in way designed to do the most physical damage he could to an opponent. Quite fittingly he remains the only AFL/VFL player to have ever been charged by police for an act of on-field thuggery.

You're wrong, it's Ty Vickery

Gary Ablett Snr is notoriously underrated for bringing others into the game. He is often labelled 'unselfish' and not a team player. He certainly blazed away and took plenty of unnecessary shots but when he was playing on a wing/half forward flank, he was the complete footballer. Better field kicker on his non preferred kicking foot. Phenomenal jumping ability. Incredibly strong hips. Tough and brave. Could read the flight of the ball and tap it to teammates in a better position. We saw this often with Cyril Rioli from Hawthorn. Between 1984-1989, I don't think there has ever been a better player in the history of the game. He then dropped away due to off-field issues. You could see this in subsequent seasons in 1990 & 1991. Though, in 1992 he took his football to another level before moving to full forward on a permanent basis in 1993. Not even Lockett, Coleman, Dunstall or Coventry managed three consecutive seasons of 100+ goals. Ablett did this in his early 30's when most players from his era were declining. Geelong needed a bit of luck to go their way when it came to grand final opposition. Always seemed to face the best teams of the era. Couldn't get Essendon, Collingwood, St Kilda, Adelaide or Sydney .... it had to be Hawthorn, West Coast & Carlton who dominated everyone throughout the mid 1980's - 1990's.

Hayden Bunton deserves a mention 3 Brownlows, 3 Sandovers.... Australian Hall of Fame, Team of the Century...

Buddy is pretty stiff not to get mention. IMO him and Ablett Jrn are the best of the modern era. Very unlikely we will see another modern forward kick 100 in a season and make 1000 over his career…..

I forgot to say that Barry Robran is the best footballer I have ever seen play the game yet he never played VFL. A 6' 3" tall, high marking, beautiful skills of every kind and a good brain to boot, Barry could do anything. I remember watching a Vic vs SA state game where he showed the ball to 3 opponents in quick succession and then spun around to run to kick downfield. A wonderful sight. Got badly injured in his knee when Leigh Matthews [dirty player if there ever was one] slid into him with both knees while he was lying on the ground in a small pack of players.

Coventry surely gets a mention. Played during the 1920s and 30s while kicking 1299 goals and holding the all time record for a very long period of time.

No current day player is close to Gary Ablett Snr or Wayne Carey. If you never saw 1990's footy, you missed out.

In a game in 1972 or 73 (vs. Bulldogs, I think) Lethal kicked 11 goals and picked up 40 possessions. This was not in any way an isolated performance. He kicked bags of 7,8,9,10,12. He kicked 13 goals on more than one occasion. And amassing a ton of possessions along the way. Try to imagine that. In the season for 1977 he averaged 27 possessions and 3 goals per game, almost kicking a hundred goals (90+) and won the Coleman (playing as a rover in the era of the Full Forward, where their (and almost every other team's) FF was the focal point. He was the most feared, bruising steamroller of a player who got his own ball and ran straight through you, but he could also sell the candy and do a sugar plum fairy dance to weave around opponents better than anyone around, and absolutely deadly anywhere near the goals. If you watch a highlights reel, what you are mostly seeing is the 1980s Leigh Matthews when he was "old and slow" and so, to get a few more years out of him, they put the stocky little tank at Full Forward, where he lead the goalkicking (an ex-rover at FF!) and kicked bags of 13, 11,9,8 (etc.but minus the big possessions, obviously). If you see clips from the 70s, it is mostly finals games, which were filmed but you still only saw one quarter replayed on TV...only the GF was ever telecast live and the only match where you'd see the whole thing on TV. Imagine that? In the 70s they often didn't even have any cameras at a lot of the home and away games, so you'll never get to see the games where he kicked 11 and amassed 40 possessions. You just had to be there. All the other players on the list, except for Ted Whitten and Matthews, had a camera on them with every game they ever played, so you really do get the highlights of their careers to pick from. Forget the video, the stats are a better guide. He never won a Brownlow, but then again, neither did most of the other contenders on your list. Most Valuable Player award (voted by peers) is, and always will be, a better marker than the capricious musings of the umpires. At the time he retired, he had won the most MVP awards and the award is now named after him. Four Premiership medals are more important if you are going by accolades. He was voted (by his peers and experts) as the Player of the Century (ahead of Ablett Sr. and Carey, who both qualified and were contenders as players in the 1980s and 90s), so...maybe, at least, you should have had Lethal Leigh's picture in the thumbnail as one of the main contenders ;) As regards to "different era" arguments, you can apply it to 1990s players vs. 2010, just as 1970s to now. Put your average super-fit AFL player of today in a time machine back to the 70s and they would stand out for their endurance and get a lot of possessions...but they'd probably go home crying because they'd be punched in the guts ten times a game when the (one!) umpire wasn't looking and there were no cameras at the ground. Comparing eras, it was always just as hard...but different.

I’ll never understand why a team achievement is considered when talking about individuals ability. There’s plenty of players that are better than others who have a won a premiership. Saying someone is better because they have more premierships has very little to do with their ability. Premierships should be the last thing in consideration not the main thing in my opinion. Great video and research and I think most people would agree with the candidates you have chosen.

I would argue Graham "Polly" Farmer must be on the list. Revolutionized the art of rucking and handball. 6 premierships (VFL +5 x WANFL), 10 x B&F at Geelong, West Perth and East Perth. 3 x Sandover Medals, 2 x Simpson Medals, 3 x All Australian. Team of the Century at Geelong, West Perth, East Perth, Western Australia and AFL Team of the Century. One of the original AFL Legends to be inauguralated into the Hall of Fame.

No one had people flocking to the grounds or watching An opposing team just to see one man play the way They did for Gary Ablett Snr .

Find myself stumbling across this again! Finally found this vid I’ve been looking for it 🔥

Haydn Bunton Snr., Dick Reynolds, Bob Skilton and Ian Stewart are the only triple Brownlow winners and, incredibly, you missed them all!

Nice vid. Gary Snr for me, others I'd include for mention are Lockett, Hudson, Skilton, Reynolds and Stewart

Polly farmer rlly changed the way a ruck played in the 60s with Geelong

900+ goals for Matthews and zero handballs, only player more hungry than him and that was Kevin Bartlett. Didn't win a Brownlow because he was arguably the biggest sniper in the game in that era

I can't comment on pre-2000s footy because I was born in '93, but of the players I have watched over the last 20 years Gary Ablett Jr is clearly the best, given his skill off both sides of the body, his core strength, his speed and agility and his innate goal-kicking acumen: he raised the bar in this era for what we expect from elite midfielders in terms of scoreboard impact. It's also worth noting that when he went to Gold Coast, rather than his numbers dwindling without the help of an experienced midfield around him, he got even better, so he's also an exceptional leader. And he should have won at least 4 Brownlow's (would have in 2014 if not for the shoulder injury). Buddy's the next best, but his physical attributes have definitely afforded him some luxuries that other forwards couldn't get away with, namely no right foot and being a pretty poor overhead/contested mark. I'd also like to give a shout out to Jason Akermanis, who was as talented a footballer as I've ever seen and also backed it up with consistency (B&F winner, All-Australian, Brownlow and 5 goals in 2003 grand final (for which I think he should have won the Norm Smith)).

Thanks for uploading ❤ from USA

Lethal 'Matthews" also kicked 11 goals in one game - dominated any position he held - broke a point post - coined the phrase 'unsociable football' at Hawthorn (just ask his team mates) and he took a struggling club to new heights. Let alone as a coach. By far - the BEST. Great Video Thankyou.

Scott Hodges. Kicked heaps of goals...one step 55 metres out on the boundary line. Absolute legend.

I was lucky enough as a kid at the time to see Gary Ablett senior during his later years from 1992 to 1996 at Geelong when I was a young Cats fan. (Ablett played at Geelong from 1984 to 1996 only retiring in 1997 after injuring his knee earlier that season never to play during that year) Those 4 Premierships that the Cats missed out on in 1989, 1992, 1994 and 1995 are made up for in recent years thanks to the Cats winning the 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2022 Premierships. But I always remember as a kid watching Geelong loose those Grand Finals in the 90s and it was perhaps seeing Gary Ablett senior play at perhaps his freakish best that was the brighter parts of my childhood as a young Cats fan at the time during the 90s.

Ted Whitten was a legend at Footscray, he was playing during the 1950s all the way to early 1970 just before the VFL's modern era that began late in 1970. He was one of those players who never got much screen time on TV as the VFL back then only replayed the Final Quarters on TV and while he did feature in the 1961 Grand Final, it was in a loosing side when they were overrun by Hawthorn in the second half. But he was more famous for his TV appearances as a Commentator as well as a passionate advocate of State of Origin in the VFL/AFL years during a time when the League was battling crippling debt and financial issues. The State of Origin games between Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia are stuff of legends as well as a few surprise performances of Tasmania during that time. The scenes of Ted Whitten driven around on the MCG in his final public appearance shortly before he passed away in 1995 brings a tear to my eye as I clearly remember listening to that Victoria Vs South Australia game on radio as a kid.

i believe judd was the most complete player you can get considering he did about everything from a premiership to brownlows and countless AA nods. and he had the ability to be an inside hardnut or an outside runner. imo hes definitely got the best case

i loved every second of that and when i went down to see how many subs you have i was mindblown

Herald Sun did a poll back in the 90’s I think. Best players of the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. Monday 60’s , Tuesday 70’s etc. Cumulative voting for the composite team on Friday had Whitten at CHF AND CHB. Bottom line is there’s at least a dozen GOAT’s.

Excellent commentary

Judd 2004-06, Gary Ablett Snr 87/89, Ablett Jnr one Geelong year + one suns year 2011/13, franklin 08 these 4 IMO

Where do I start. If you are including VFL you must include SANFL and WAFL players as well I reckon. Also premierships do not count so much as it could easily be argued that being in a winning team makes players look better than they are, as well as exposing the players to more disposals and more opportunities to shine. Unlike Basketball where there are only 5 on a court at one time, 1 player cannot do as much to get their team over the line. Players I think you have missed out are; Bob Skilton only 3 brownlows! Agree with Robert Harvey and especially Malcolm Blight who has that famous after-the-siren goal to his credit as well as 1 Brownlow and 1 Magarey medal [best player in SANFL] SANFL had a high standard of footy at that time. [He was up against Russell Ebert (4 Magareys) and Barry Robran (3 Magareys) playing in the bottom side Woodville .] Has a winning culture about him and this continued later on when he coached the Adelaide Crows to 2 premierships out of only 3 years. Mark Ricciuto stats hold up well against James Hird, who played in a much better side. John Nicholls from Carlton arguably the best ruckman of all time. Nat Fyfe, Travis Boak, Greg Williams, Ian Stewart, Lance Franklin, John Platten, Michael Voss who, although playing in a great side, had to share the accolades and Brownlow votes with Simon Black, Jason Akermanis, Nigel Lappin etc. Most of these players would be above Adam Goodes whom I think is also a great player.

Due to the unique nature of AFL having no off side and utilising a full field, it's a more interesting debate considering whom is the best Forward, mid and back of all time. Other wise it's too hard to compare IMO. Great video mate!

Man I wish John Coleman had've played more games, probably gotta have Buddy in the conversation too

As a Hawks fan I would have loved it to have been one of MY team. Leigh Matthews was an amazing player and was voted best ever. However, as a fan of the game I have to say that Gary Ablett senior gets the nod as the GOAT. After all there is a reason he was called god when he played.

What about Buddy Franklin 323 games, 1004 goals, 4 Coleman’s, 2 flags, a Best and Fairest, 8 AAs, 2 goal of the year rewards, rising star nominee, 3 Brett Kirk medals.

The greatest is out of Lockett, Carey and Ablett Snr then theres a gap where you could throw in Dunstall or Matthews. Lucky enough to have grown up during that era. I rate Buddy, he's phenomenal but i always laugh when people say he's better than those key fwds. Lockett use to bag 13-14 goals in a cow tip at Moorabin in a bad side while these guys are playing under a dome in perfect conditions. Garry Snr has a serious case, kicked over 1000 goals and only played half his career up fwd. He is the most exciting player i have ever seen and it's not close.

Many amazing VFL/AFL players in the league's history dating all the way back to 1897 and perhaps further back if you count the early VFA years before the Victorian Football League was formed. Perhaps the next research you could do a video about are the VFL/AFL players who were tragically cut down in their prime due to tragic incidences and what could have been if things were different. Players like Peter Crimmins of Hawthorn, Darren Millaine of Collingwood and Trent Broadbridge of Melbourne.

Content 🔥 Elite

Think it’s too hard to compare across eras as the game has drastically changed in how it’s played over the last decade, let alone 20/30/40 or more years ago. As no one has dominated a particular aspect of the game in the same manner that say a Bradman did with batting, what you really have are the best players of each era of the game. Even in the last 15 years, I find it impossible to split Franklin and GAJ.

I was talking with a mate about the Abletts and mentioned Nathan Ablett. He didn't believe he existed lol!

Firstly, premierships shouldn't be part of the consideration. That is about the strength of a team and best player awards are about the individual players. If a player was loyal to a club that wasn't capable of winning premierships, that shouldn't detract from how that player's ability and performances are assessed. As a North supporter I should say Wayne Carey, but for me Gary Ablett snr was the best I've ever seen based on his very best, which made him unstoppable. That would have applied in any era because of his athleticism and unbelievable marking ability. He was able to win games almost singlehandedly more than any other player I've seen.

You would pick gary snr to play for your life on an individual day but you would pick Leigh Matthews over the whole period, his stats are just amazing in an era where there wasn't cheap ball or over possession of the ball like today

ablett jnr. dominated in an age of tagging and did absolutely everything as a team mate and an individual. multiple brownlows and premierships $$$$

Not a Geelong supporter but I went to a Geelong game just see Gary Ablett senior play (he kicked 7.7 from a half forward flank!).....I didn't do that for any other player and I started going to the football in 1965 and am a Tiger supporter. Gary Ablett Senior was the most phenomenal, mercurial Aussie Rules footballer I have sever seen. PS: Gary Junior was also on another level. ...and Royce Hart wasn't too bad either!

I thought Gary Ablett was one of the best - until I saw the highlights package of the Victorian interstate match in the 90's and Lockett as the main target made him look like he was from the U/13's. I forgot what a beast Lockett was.

its gotta be Gordon Conventry, literally the first person to ever kick 1000 career goals, and play for 300 games. he set the bar for best player ever discussions, so he's deserving of atleast a mention.

I understand you Dusty sentiment, but you can't de judged as the GOAT from only 3-4 good, and 1 great, season. Possible the greatest finals player of all time, but you need to be consistent with your excellence to be the greatest. The rest of your nominated players had a decade plus of greatness.

Leigh Mathews was an awesome player for his time. I wasn't alive during his playing years and was barely born just before he retired but I can certainly say that Leigh Mathews had the fortune to have such amazing players around him during his early years as well as an amazing coach in John Kennedy at Hawthorn. One player to note, Leigh Mathews was roving at a time early in his career at the same time as another Hawthorn rover called Peter Crimmins, who deserves a video about his own short lived career as it is kinda a tragic story.

Wayne Carey is the King bar none. 42 times, he kicked five goals in a match and on 32 of those same occasions he also notched 20 plus disposals. Twice he kicked ten plus goals in a game. 11 versus the Demons in 1996 and 10 against Essendon in 1999. He took the Kangaroos from the butt of jokes during the late 1980s and early 1990s to one of the league’s all time best teams as he went 135-43-2 as Captain of the Shinboners. From 1993 to 2000, Carey averaged 19 disposals, nine marks and 3.2 goals per game.

The best career in AFL history is Malcolm Blight. Magarey & Ken Farmer medals, Brownlow & Norm Smith medals. Two VFL premierships as a player and two AFL premierships as a coach. Countless GF appearances. Captained SA & Victoria. He also was as talented as anybody who’s ever played the game.

Would love to see your compilation of an indigenous all stars with legends like Chris Lewis, Nicky Winmar, Andrew McLeod, Polly Farmer, Goodes, Gavin Wanganeen, Maurice Rioli, Derek Kickett, Michael O’Lachlin, Troy Cook and many many more I’ve missed

Ablett Snr, played on a wing up until the early 90’s. That’s why his numbers are so incredible. People always compare him to other full forwards Lockett, Dunstall etc. but he doesn’t belong in that group. He’s an all time great because he transcends comparisons with players who played one position their entire career, just like Leigh Matthew’s.

What a tough question, and a very difficult one to answer as Footy is a team sport. I like your list, but surely Bob Skilton has to be in it? 3 x Brownlow winner in an era where men belted one another week in week out. Having watched most players in your list play (apart from EJW) I would have to say that Gary Ablett Snr had it all, high marking power, speed, strength, a prodigious kick and an ability to do the miraculous which left people scratching their heads and thinking "how'd he do that?", an incredible player to watch in full flight, not even the brilliant Gavin Brown could stop him at Victoria Park where he kicked 7 goals and had a heap of the ball, still to this day one of the best games of footy I ever watched. But take nothing from your list, they've all left their stamp on the game and left us with some incredible moments of individual brilliance and highlights that footy fans will never forget.

Leigh Matthews, Wayne Carey, Tony Lockett, Simon Madden, Peter Hudson and Dustin Martin are the best players I have seen. Special mentions to both Gary Ablett's, Buddy Franklin, Jason Dunstall and Chris Judd.

Jezza, have a look @ the KZfaq footage. The 🏆 cabinet well full. One stat which is forgotten, kicked 10 goals for the Big V and captained them a few years later. regards gary

Fev, because even if the team was losing by 40pts late in the 3rd quarter you still had hope of a comeback if he was playing.

Dermott Brereton! 89 tough as nails and he defined what football should be.

Its a hard question to answer considering how the game has changed. Most would argue that the modern goats nowadays would be better than some of the older goats due to the game being a lot harder and the skill level required being a lot higher. I would have to say that Gary Ablett Jnr is the best player of all time.

The big bristle

The philosophical answer is, each era produces its own group of great players who display great skills, speed, courage & ability, so it’s unfair to pin a label to 1 person as being the best ever.

Why Leigh Mathews is the GOAT:11 times in top 3 in Hawthorn B&F between 1971 to 1982,including 8 wins,in a top side.Only missed 1979 because he missed 9 games.Skilton and Murray won 9 each but for lowly sides.

Ian Stewart, Bob Skilton from Victoria....Ken Farmer,Barrie Robran, Russell Ebert from SA....Barry Cable, Austin Robertson, Polly Farmer from WA

Why doesn’t anyone mention a the only AFL player who received All Australian jumpers in Defence, Midfield, and the Forward line? Matthew Pavlich. Surely someone who achieved such all around success should be mentioned in this conversation. Had he played for a large Victorian club like Collingwood or Carlton, he would have a street named after him.

Bit of a left field answer here - but what about Stephen Silvagni? Sure, he didn't rack up disposals or win a Brownlow, but named as Full Back of the Century playing in an era DOMINATED by key forwards (Lockett, Dunstall, Ablett Sr., etc...), whilst still managing to kick 202 goals throughout his career. Not to mention flags in 1987 and 1995 (a historic final run for SOS in '95, conceded one goal the whole series while playing on the likes of Ablett Sr. and Carey), 5x All Australian and 2x Club Best & Fairest in an era where Carlton were actually good! Haha. If not the best player, I think he takes the cake for best defender of all time (another video idea?). Love your work mate

Didn't realise Leigh Matthews was that good, 900+ goals and not a forward? I know it was a different era but that's insane

A good list. What about Dunstall / Lockett or KB though.

Nice video dude. Ablett Snr. and Carey were Team of the Century players. Reckon Ablett Jnr best of his generation. Young Judd was the greatest running player I've ever seen. Dusty's '17 year was elite footy.

Not one Brisbane Lions player? Turn it up son! Enjoyed the video thou.

Tony Lockett in my opinion. No big man ever moved like he did, kicked as straight as him or kicked as many goals as him. Gary Ablett senior is definitely up there to kick that many goals at only 185cm is quite amazing! i miss real footy!

Wayne Carey was the best player I have ever seen in my 55 years.Others will tell you Ted Whitten or John Coleman but I never saw them play.Malcolm Blight is up there too along with Leigh Matthews

Simon black or Michael Voss could’ve maybe got a mention but love this list mate

Keith Greig from North Melbourne won 2 Brownlow medals in 1973 & 74 was in North Melbourne’s 1975 winning premiership was captain in 1977 but missed out in North Melbourne winning Grand final due to injury

*_You forgot about Dick Lee and Gordon Coventry, 2 forwards who have shaped the game._* *_Lee holds the record for the most leading goal kicker medals, and Coventry held the goal kicking record and was the first ever VFL/AFL player to reach 300 games._*

I'm a one eyed Cats supporter but Wayne Carey is the best player I've ever seen. Even though I was young I watched that man turn games around on his own.

Either L.Matthews or D.Martin. Strong Skilful and very quick make them very difficukt to play against. Fyi Matthews himself who saw many players over 4 decades in the game says Martin is the best of all time. Both of these players were good enough to play forward half forward or midfield get thier own ball kick the goal or set up a teammate. Its a very rare skill. A pure forward gets a lot of help from teammates kicking to them' even a magnificent player like G.Ablett.

Jezza, 4x premierships, AFL Legend, kicked a 100+ goals in a season as a small forward and could play anywhere.

2 most talented footballers played in the Hawks recent flags.. buddy Franklin & Cyril Reoili.. & I'm a Fitzroy fan..

I'm going with KB. Kevin Bartlett.

Mate diesel has to be in the mix

Best playa? Carey off the pitch, Lethal Leigh on it

FWIW the 10 best players I have seen (been attending games and watching on telly since 1981): Wayne Carey Leigh Matthews Gary Ablett Jnr Tony Lockett Gary Ablett Snr Chris Judd Dustin Martin Scott Pendlebury Simon Black Matthew Scarlett

I whole heartedly believe its Buddy Franklin honestly. He plays very similar to the way Gaz Sr did, in the sense that for the most part he played on pure instinct, he had an objective in mind and just knew he was skilled enough to pull off whatever the fuck he wanted, except Buddy has done that his whole career in an era where both the average quality of players and defence is at an all time high. Not to mention he still managed 1000 goals in an era of football where power key forwards have all but faded away and the old school concept of "bomb it long to tall guy" is generally all but obsolete.

The best vfl/AFL player of all time was the one and only Tony plugger lockett. his sole purpose was to kick goals, and boy did he deliver..if you want players with brownlows or premierships that's not the sign of the best player of all time, think about it, to kick the most goals in history, never mind the ones he laid off for others to kick, he's highly skilled tackler too, reader of play..oh and he also was a brownlows medalist, all Australian many times, he put fear into the opposition.. an absolute brute. I mean would you rather have a fyfe, judd Type of player or someone that can bag 10 goals or more a match.. average 4 goals every game..plugger wins Hand down..

I think you are over emphasising the difference between era's, and it is definitely not a reason for someone to score higher or lower. Today's game is quicker, the athletes more professional and the coaching structures stricter. But in the 12 team competition the talent was condensed more instead of being thinned out over 18 teams. Yes I know not all the good footballers from outside Victoria played VFL but most of them did. As for who you missed I'm not old enough but there's only 3 triple Brownlow medallists and you never mentioned any of them. I watched VFL from the late 70's and still watch today's AFL the best I saw where Carey and Lockett, but my favourite to watch was Ablett snr

My top 3 players that I've witnessed is a flip of the coin between for top spot is without a doubt Wayne Carey&Gary Albert Senior equalled in top spot followed by James Hird

Ian Stewart, Bob Skilton, Ron Barassi, Graeme Farmer, Keith Grieg, Peter Hudson were the most skilful that I have seen. I think the younger Ablett was better than his father. Whitten was finishing when I was a kid so I don't remember him much. Also for consideration are Kevin Barlett Michael Tuck for long and memorable careers. These days Dusty is the best around.

Everyone who played with and against Barrie Robran (Leigh Matthews excluded) said he was the best player they've ever seen. Although he didn't play in the VFL, he is the best footy player of all time.

Leigh Matthews played like Patty Dangerfield, but was much better. I’m pretty sure once he hit 29/30 he played as a permanent forward. I’m not a hawks supporter, but he was unreal. I have him, Carey and Ablett Snr as my top 3, in no particular order.

Carey, Ablett snr, Ablett jnr, Leigh Matthews.

In my opinion I reckon Peter Daicos should be in there

If you're going to include vfl players you need to include the greats from WA and SA...

Leathal is my vote. And, how is Buddy not in convo. if you include Dusty?

I’ve never seen a player like prime Chris Judd in my lifetime

I think you did well, it's to hard to judge the greatest ever across 126 years.

I still say Gary Jr tops this list, as his peak was longer than any of these players on the list across the premiership years at geelong and then the foundational years of the sun's. Dusty could snatch it off him though if Richmond get back to 2017-2020 levels. I can't comment on players pre 1995.

Some in the comments are saying premierships shouldn't count for much when discussing individuals. Maybe that's the case when talking about role players who won premierships compared to champions who didn't win any like Ablett SNR, or when champions were playing in champion teams (i.e Matthews, Ablett jnr, Voss). But it absolutely does matter when one man almost single handedly takes his club from nothing to 7 prelims and 2 premierships that man is the GOAT that man is Carey. Just have a look at North both pre and post Carey to understand who he was, put him in the Brisbane Geelong or Hawthorn premiership teams and they win 2 more premierships. It's only because everyone hates his personality that they don't give him his rightful place in the history of the game.

I just watched this to see what afl is

Ian Stewart for me 3 x Brownlow Team of the century AFL hall of fame legend 5 x B&Fs