Is Goodes our only "elite" player?

[Margie]

In the Brownlow thread people are contemplating whether or not Goodes will win his third Brownlow at some stage. It got me wondering about "elite" players in the competition - those who have the skills, athleticism, nous and leadership to turn a game.

I rate Adam Goodes in the top handful of AFL players and the only Sydney Swan worthy of that title. Brett Kirk is inspirational, Michael O'Loughlin has shown displays of brilliance throughout his career, Craig Bolton is a champion for the Club, Malceski a potential star, Ryan O'Keefe an excellent player etc. etc. But is Goodes currently our only elite player?

[mcs]

I tend to agree but I think the whole notion of elite players if often overplayed. I think the next closest we currently have is C Bolton- if he can put in successive years like this year (Whether he makes AA or not) he will be in the top 2 or 3 defenders in the game easily and I think that goes pretty close to being elite. Depends on how you class elite I guess. Certainly he wouldnt be elite under your description but in my opinion he could become one.

[Sanecow]

Right now, you'd have to say yes. Uninjured for the season, you'd probably name Kennelly too. I'm not sure any of the other players are causing sleepless nights for the opposition. Everitt, Davis, Jolly and Hall should all be on the list but for whatever reasons, they haven't really made a mark in the past season.

[AnnieH]

Today. Yep.
Five years time ... living legend (ala Bucks, Hird, Harvey, Crawford, et al).

[hammo]

Definitely Hall - the injury free version.

C.Bolton is an elite defender, Kennelly, O'Keefe, Mathews and Everitt are all in the elite class also when fully fit and firing.

[Margie]

Right now, you'd have to say yes. Uninjured for the season, you'd probably name Kennelly too.

Forgot about Kennelly - agree when uninjured he's right up there. He and Craig Bolton.

[Sanecow]

Mathews

Slipped my mind.

[hammo]

Slipped my mind.

Yep, got a bit carried away there. I thought all the blood brothers were elite players.

[Mike_B]

Definitely Hall - the injury free version.

C.Bolton is an elite defender, Kennelly, O'Keefe, Mathews and Everitt are all in the elite class also when fully fit and firing.

Slipped that one in to see if everyone reads your posts in their entirety???

[hammo]

Slipped that one in to see if everyone reads your posts in their entirety???

LOL well picked up. It's hard to slip the name Mathews past anyone it seems.

[Plugger46]

When Hall is up and about there's not too many key forwards better than him.

O'Loughlin was from '99 - '03 in my opinion, but not any longer. Kirk is pretty close. C.Bolton is one of the best defenders going around. If we get an injury-free season out of Kennelly - we will have another elite player in the competition.

[Sanecow]

When Hall is up and about there's not too many key forwards better than him.

Same goes for Lockett. But based on recent history, Brown, Franklin, Pavlich, Lloyd and Mooney etc etc are streets ahead. Franklin had ~30 goals and 35 tackles more than Hall this year.

[ScottH]

C Bolton is an intersting one.
If a Key forward kicks a bag of goals, he will usually get some votes.
If the same key forward doesn't kick a bag of goals, due to the defender, the defender goes unnoticed.

And yes, Goodes is our only current elite player. Showed by getting 3 votes, in a game where we were beaten all over the ground, by a better team, in Rnd 21.

[reigning premier]

Defenders rarely win Brownlows....

[ScottH]

Defenders rarely win Brownlows....

Defenders rarely win votes.