Your 5 Favourite Swans of all time.

[Plugger46]

Given that we're in summer and there's not much to talk about, I thought I'd start a thread about past and present favourites. I've been following us since 1992.

1. T.Lockett

Best player I've seen. Just an absolute freak.

2. N.Davis

I think I love him because so many dislike him. Great to watch when he's firing, and without him we'd be 74 years without a flag. Underrated and a gun.

3. B.Hall

The most important player in our flag year. Never forget his goal in the GF when we really needed it - it was a champion's goal if I've ever seen one. Great player, hopefully he can return to his best in '08.

4. P.Kelly

Inspirational - made himself into a superstar by hard work. From '94 to '98 he was sensational.

5. D.Lewis

More often than not he looked like he didn't care. But boy could he play on his day. I remember a game in Adelaide (about '95 I think) and he absolutely dominated from half-back, had about 35 possessions and killed them. Loved him.

Discuss!

[Triple B]

1. P.Kelly - Inspirational and just a great.

2. T.Lockett - In a class of his own in front of goal.

3. G.Smith - Tough bastard who never took a backward step and made his fellow midfielders stand a little taller knowing he was next to them.

4. D.Murphy - Just a delight to watch. All flair, no lair. Brilliant wingman.

5. W.Capper - Whilst most players get 'better' the longer they have been retired, Capper suffers from being an absolute knob in post footy life which has made people forget just how bloody good he was. Not only the obvious great leap, he was as unselfish as any full forward around. Stevie Wright used to thrive running off packs front and center and collecting little handballs from Capper. Could barely kick it more than 40 metres, but deadly accurate within range.

[alison.z]

mine will be very different because i'm only 16 but have been watching swans for 8 years.

1. Nick Davis - everytime he gets the ball you can feel something exciting will happen.

2. Paul Kelly - i only saw the end of his career but man he was good.

3. Barry Hall - no matter what happened this season he was an integral part of the Swans latest successes.

4. Adam Goodes - what more do i need to say?

5. Brett Kirk- inspirational.

Mine are all recent players because that's who i've seen play.

[Legs Akimbo]

1. Paul Kelly
2. Tony Lockett
3. Greg Williams
4. Warwick Capper
5. Dennis Caroll

i'll keep going...

6. Gerard Healy
7. Mark Bayes
8. Rod Carter
9. Jamie Lawson
10. Barry Hall
11. Adam Goodes
12. Barry Mitchell
13. Michael O'Loughlin
14. Barry Round
15. Mark Browning
16. David Murphy
17. Simon Minton-Connell
18. Brett Kirk
19. Ryan O'Keefe
...
20. Neil Brunton (useless footy player but got everything out of himself). Remember seeing Swans vs. Saints at Moorabin in 91(?) with Plugger still in the St Kilda jumper, kicking a lazy 10 in the mud and then choking the life out of Malakelis. Neil Brunton clocked up around 20 possesions and tried his guts out all day. Some arsehole from the St Kilda crowd for some reason picked him out and yelled ("Neil Brunton you poofta!") so loud that everyone within about 50 metres could here it and mass mirth. Ahhh, those were the days...watchings swans getting thrashed week in week out whilst studying for my science degree down at Monash uni Clayton.

[NMWBloods]

G Healy
G Williams
P Kelly
T Lockett
S Wright

apologies to
D Cresswell
R Carter
A Dunkley
D Murphy
G Smith
M Browning
M Bayes
G Teasdale
B Round
C Hounsell
B Evans
W Schwass
N Davis
D Lewis
T Morwood
D Carroll
P Roos
C Bolton

[desredandwhite]

From 1997 onwards....

1) Paul Kelly

2) Mark Bayes - Only saw a couple of years from him, but absolute class.

3) Dale Lewis - As previously mentioned - overflowing with talent when he could be bothered playing

4) Tadhg Kennelly - A real fairytale success story

5) Adam Goodes - The first time he showed a glimpse of what to come was in 1999, the last time I ever went out to Waverley Park in a game against St Kilda. Hardly put a foot wrong since.

[bennyfrou]

Given that we're in summer and there's not much to talk about, I thought I'd start a thread about past and present favourites. I've been following us since 1992.

1. T.Lockett

Best player I've seen. Just an absolute freak.

2. N.Davis

I think I love him because so many dislike him. Great to watch when he's firing, and without him we'd be 74 years without a flag. Underrated and a gun.

3. B.Hall

The most important player in our flag year. Never forget his goal in the GF when we really needed it - it was a champion's goal if I've ever seen one. Great player, hopefully he can return to his best in '08.

4. P.Kelly

Inspirational - made himself into a superstar by hard work. From '94 to '98 he was sensational.

5. D.Lewis

More often than not he looked like he didn't care. But boy could he play on his day. I remember a game in Adelaide (about '95 I think) and he absolutely dominated from half-back, had about 35 possessions and killed them. Loved him.

Discuss!

I prefer to steer away from having an ordered top five, but my honourable mentions are:

Paul Kelly - inspirational leader and helped shape the swans into a successful footy club

Tony Lockett - His point against essendon to get us into the GF in 1996 should speak for itself

Barry Round - the fairest and best medal is named after him ffs

Leo Barry - His attitude to taking spekkies at exactly the wrong time and ending up winning us a GF. And, has there ever been a player that can yank your heart into your mouth just by going near the ball?

Brett Kirk - His leadership and inspiration, to me, are immeasurable against any other player past or present. Respect.

Humble apoligies to:
Barry Hall
Richard Osbourne
Simon Minton-Connell
Dale Lewis
Greg Williams
Denis Carroll
Stuart Maxfield
Andrew Dunkley
Wayne Swass
Adam Goodes

[liz]

1 Tony Lockett - he was the reason I got into football

2 Stewie Maxfield - came good towards the end of his career after looking like he was fizzling out a bit. Loved his burst of speed, his leadership and the element of restrained mongrel.

3 Paul Kelly - no need to explain

4 Ryan O'Keefe - love the way he has transformed himself from one-paced, so-so midfielder into a hard running marking machine

5 Tadhg Kennelly - remember his debut like it was yesterday and keeps on getting better

6 Brett Kirk - just because he has got every last bit out of his ability and never takes a backward step.

[swantastic]

5 is just too hard i could name at least 10/15 but here goes in no particular order...

Capper
Healy
Maxfield
Kelly
Goodes

[Cheese]

hmmmmmmmmm,

very interesting.

ive been supporting for 19 years now, and although it may seem a little out of place here is my list.

1. Malceski - superb kick, has poise and i think will become one of our best to have played in the modern era, although he has only really burst onto the scene he is quite old (23?) for a young gun and has the muturity to show for it. hopefully he gets onto the ball soon or as a dashing wingman.

2. Goodes - this is a funny one, always liked him, but one of my mates reckons he is very soft. i always defended him and from round 15 onwards this year proved to me just how good he is. At present going on form of those rounds i think he is the best player in the league.

3. Schnieder - going to miss him. my favourite game, Swans Saints prelim 05. he just dominated, also liked his flair and nous to take the game on.

4. Pluggah - i think every one have gone through why they like him

5 Kelly - same as above.

6. Craig O Brein - he was really quite useful and formed a great tandem with Plugga lockett.

7. Robbie Ahmat - who could forget that goal? he was quick and sleek.

8. any number of the great heroes of 05. however here it goes to someone i doubt anyone will mention. teddy richards, that 06 gf was courage in my eyes

[jenky28]

OK top 5! You are all gunna seriously laugh at mine as alot of them are underated types that ppl miss lol

1-John Stevens- Overcame heartsurgery to play AFL football and always had o go!

2-Jared Crouch- Duable quick play and is by far the best looking on our list ATM.

3- Paul Kelly- Most insirational player i have seen.

4- Tadgh Kenelly

5- Stuart Maxfield

[TheGrimReaper]

Paul Kelly - Most inspirational captain ever for the Swans

Adam Goodes - 2 brownlow medals, what can I say?

Brett Kirk - Very corougeous player

Tony Lockett - leading AFL goalkicker of all time

Daryn Cresswell - Loved watching him play

[ItsAllGoodes]

1. Bobby Skilton

I am old enough to have seen the greatest rover of all time play...Bobby Skilton...a player way ahead of his time in that he kicked just as well with both feet. The most couargeous player I have ever seen (and I have seen Kelly, Kirk, Greg Smith etc). Still have the memories of seeing Skilts awarded his Brownlow proudly wearing two black eyes from a footy incident. Three Brownlows, nine B&Fs, three time leading goalkicker, 11 season captain...and still an inspiration to all who wear the red-and-white


2. Paul Kelly

3. Tony Lockett

4. Peter Bedford

5. Adam Goodes - could be No 3 by the end of his career


6-10, not in order would be Kirky, David Murphy, Gerard Healy, David Rhys-Jones and Greg Williams

[Lucky Knickers]

1. Skilton - not only a gun and legend of the game but a top bloke who loves the club
2. Kelly - an ugly hard nut who never had an off switch. Cannot understate his importance at cementing the club in the hearts of Sydney siders
3. Lockett - a legend
4. Goodes - our very own legend being made
5. Paul Williams - I doubt we would have made it to the GF and won without him

I also love Roos, Kirky and Capperrrrrrrrrrrr!

Richard Colless is a big favourite too.

As for Jenky's - you love Johnny because he was a deadset sort!

[originalswan]

Hmmm now some of you have really given away how old you are.

I would say, without carefully thinking:

1. Paul Kell - Absolute inspiration to others and commitment seldom seen in other "mortal" players.

2. Barry Round - Another commited player who couldn't kick for ????? but could handpass 30 metres comfortably.

3. Bernard Toohey - Loved his hard straight ahead style.

4. Gerard Healy - Not many more skilled players have played for the Swans in the past 20 odd years.

5. Adam Goodes - Just a champion player in the top 10 in the League (when on song).

Pity couldn't be top 10 as I'd mention Greg Smith, Ricky Quade, Silvio Foschini (especially his first year), Rod Carter and Michael O'Loughlin.