James Hird History said it had no chance. better than others at their positions who are already in the His consistent ability to win is why the Swans are currently the hot favourites in the world . Here are the top 10 all-time NFL players who played at Michigan State, . He also was named to nine AFL, All-Star Games and three AFC-NFC Pro Bowls. Over the past few days, foxfooty.com.au has commenced its countdown Top 20 of the Past 20. Wilson passed away on April 9, 2005. Adam Vinatieri Position: K Years Played: 1996-2019 Lowe also had 111 receptions for 1,045 yards and 7 touchdowns. I refuse to compare key position players to him. Named All-AFL in each of the eight seasons he played in the league, Tyrer also was selected to seven AFL All-Star Games and two AFC-NFC Pro Bowls. Download ESPN from Google Play Store Arbanas lost sight in one eye in a 1964 accident but the injury never slowed him. Sure enough, they struggled to tread water in the early years, mostly with veteran has-beens, younger no-names and a few hidden gems out of small colleges. Barry Cable 9. Fame. After 50 full seasons of NFL play, most New Englanders know Patriots legends like John Hannah, Tom Brady, Andre Tippett and so on. ", Honorable mention: Don Maynard (New York Titans/Jets), Statistics/14 games: 23.7 pass receptions, 374.1 yards, 4.1 touchdowns, All-Star Games: 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967. Hall featured alongside some of Australias most prominent sports journalists. 4. He entered the AFL scene when the stay-at-home goalkicker was still in vogue. He was officially either a centre half forward or centre half back, but it didnt really matter where he lined up, Whitten could play anywhere and was rarely beaten. "I just thought I was the best. New customers only. All right reserved. Lowe spent his entire career in the AFL with the Chargers (1960-68) and Chiefs (1968-69) and finished with the highest per carry average in league history. Period. His quick feet translated well in bump-and-run coverage at cornerback, where he picked off 21 passes. USE YOUR BRAIN. This offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. In his case, it's actually plural, as in signature moves. Bottom line: The Hall of Fame selected Willie Brown as its first-team cornerback, but Butch Byrd was the better all-around player and greater physical presence. He accounted for 24 turnovers in 98 games and scored touchdowns in five of his seven seasons. Recently-retired Tiger Alex Rance and premiership Eagle Jeremy McGovern took the reins from Scarlett and sprinted, developing their own reputations as star aggressive backmen. AFL Debate Club: The tribunal is 'no longer fit for purpose', AFL Debate Club: The league went soft on Pickett (and McAdam), We've been looking for the Pies' downturn, but they may be better in 2023, Dangerfield has 'no worries' about Cats' 'hunger' for back-to-back flags, Geelong made the blueprint: how footy's best teams stay good, ESPN's Top 20 Must-Watch AFL Players for 2023: 10-1, ESPN's Top 20 Must-Watch AFL Players for 2023: 20-11, Brad Scott, the 'blank canvas', and why 2023 feels 'a lot different' for Zach Merrett, Bontempelli: Dogs ready to debut "scary" tall forward line, ESPN's AFL Coaching Pressure Power Rankings for 2023, Every club's make or break for season 2023, Selwood to help Melbourne through stormy period, AFL Draft 2022 - Every club's draft haul rated. Alworth played two final seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. about their worthiness. They are all goalkickers. Bottom line: Coach Hank Stram liked monstrous linemen and miniature running backs. Achievements: Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1980); 5-time First-Team All-Pro (1965-1969); 3-time second-team All-Pro (1964, 1970, 1972); 8 Pro Bowls; 2-time NFL. That says plenty on its own. Honorable mention: Stenerud (Kansas City Chiefs); George Blanda (Houston Oilers, Oakland Raiders), Gino Cappelletti (Boston Patriots), Statistics/14 games: 27.3 returns, 26.5 yards/attempt, 0.0 touchdowns. 27. Was forced to move to Adelaide following the turmoil at North Melbourne. (330) 456-8207, e-mail Not only is that a testament to his almost sickening work ethic, but also to his contested marking ability and courage to back into packs. Debit Card & PayPal deposits only. Honorable mention: Speedy Duncan (San Diego Chargers), Dave Grayson (Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders), Abner Haynes (Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets), Teams: San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, All-Star Games: 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 65. Sir Stanley Matthews is the godfather of English football and, in Pele's words, the man who 'taught us the way football should be played'. James Hird in action during an Essendon Bombers training session to mark the anniversary of the 2000 Premiership at Windy Hill, Melbourne. Attendance spiked. He forced full-forwards to chase and defend previously, an unheard of task for goalkickers. Don Maynard - Titans/Jets 16. |Budde's player page on NFL.com>>>. Three years later, hed finish second in the Brownlow Medal count, despite missing six games due to injury. Of last year's top 10 players, six fell out of the group in 2021. The prototype of the modern tap ruckman, Farmer only played 101 games for the Cats, but his game is the stuff of legend, forging a remarkable career that spanned 356 games in Melbourne and Perth. But rugbys loss is Aussie Rules gain and he started his career in the best way possible, winning two Brownlows in his first two seasons. 17. The medal is awarded to the player who best exemplifies the Anzac spirit: skill, courage, self-sacrifice, team work and fair play. Honorable mention: Brown (Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders), Tony Banfield (Houston Oilers), Miller Farr (Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers, Houston Oilers), Statistics/14 games: 4.4 interceptions, 54.9 yards, 0.1 touchdowns. Three Brownlow Medals and two premierships, including St Kildas only one in 1966, Stewart set the standard in the 1960s and 70s. Made it harder for defenders to get a bead on the ballcarrier, he theorized. Jack Macrae - Bulldogs Jack Macrae is another terrific player that serves under the captaincy of Marcus Bontempelli, mentioned above. John Nicholls 12. It wasn't just aerial ability with "The Duck", it was that combined with mobility and sheer physical presence, an arrogant swagger which intimidated opponents. Bottom line: No AFL player returned more kickoffs for a higher average than the Lamar (Texas) product. 13. 89 . The longtime college assistant was equal parts mentor and mad scientist. Known for his ruggedness and toughness, he overcame numerous injuries to play 15 seasons for the Raiders, 1960-1974. He began announcing the NFL on TV for CBS in . Yes, I'm talking about Lance Franklin, whose crowd-pleasing attributes need little detailing after having performed them for so long. "Thunderfoot" also was a factor in Super Bowl IV, in which he averaged 44.0 net yards on four kicks. Head to ESPN's Home of AFL Known as "Tank" for his 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, Turner owned the league record for most field goals in one season (34, twice) and most consecutive games (18). It might be one of those bullet-like kicks to Richmond's advantage after Martin bulldozes his way through traffic with a "don't argue" and swivel of the hips and sends a rocket by foot spearing on to the chest of another yellow-and-black jumper. How about inducting AT LEAST the most deserving from this list in honor of My greatest pleasure was to watch Barry Cable kick dropkick goals from between centre-half-forward and centre. YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE ZERO FOOTY BRAIN CELLS IN YOU OVERWEIGHT BODY. With 700 goals and eight club leading goalkicker awards, its easy to look at Pavlichs numbers and think he was just a champion forward. American Football League (AFL) All-Time Second Team Q: What do Fred Arbanas, Ed Budde, Clem Daniels, Paul Lowe, Jerry Mays, Gerry Philbin, Houston Antwine, Tom Sestak, Jim Tyrer, George Webster, Dave Grayson, George Saimes, and Jerrell Wilson have in common? Bottom line: Lookie, lookie, lookie, here comes Cookie. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Namath, who became the first QB ever to pass for 4,000 yards in a season, also guaranteed the unlikely Super Bowl III upset of the heavily favored Baltimore Colts. The best centre half forward of all time was a running machine and built like a brute. Lionel Messi (left) and Cristiano Ronaldo (right) are two of the greatest . Several sports magazines, online sports, radio, press media dubbed him the greatest football player in his time. And its name was Dustin Martin. Pick the best team and compete with other fans for daily prizes on Draftstars. 1963 AFL Draft, first round, Kansas City Chiefs -- Budde played 14 seasons for the Chiefs (1963-1976). AFL: Heated concussion debate; the key stat for every team from Round 1. join now and Get on ! The 6-foot-6, 280-pound road grater helped pave the way for three league championship teams. Mahomes rocket arm and undeniable leadership will one day have his name atop lists of the All Time greats. 3 days ago. Mark Ricciuto (Adelaide) 17. Maynard started his pro career with the New York Giants in 1958. Many also may question whether certain men should be The bullet-like kicking. Groundhog Day: Why should we care about the Suns? He did them with a combination of explosive power, strength and incredible football guile. . Sit back and relax, as we take a look at the greatest, the best, the most iconic, the most memorable, the most spectacular and the most sensational . Bottom line: The Dallas native balked at the franchise move to Kansas City initially. Tasmania is set to chip in $375 million for the project, with $240 million from . 28. The Richmond champion's ascent over the past five years truly has been stunning. d. Two years later, the Raiders drafted guard Gene Upshaw in an attempt to neutralize the massive Grambling product, who was clocked at 4.9 seconds in the 40-yard dash while in college. Budde was named to the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1984. Garry McIntosh His 546 catches ranked second all-time in AFL history. 2 to the Texans. Drafted: 119th overall (Round 4) by the Denver Broncos in 2006. He was voted first-team All-AFL four times and received second-team All-NFL honors two other seasons. Malcolm Blight Bottom line: If Jan Stenerud had played more than the final three seasons of the AFL, he would have been the pick. He starred with the Titans, later renamed the Jets, through the 72 season before playing his final year with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1973. But in todays edition of the Top 20 of the Past 20, the tall men shine. And pity the defender who got in his way. Bob Skilton JESUS!!!! 5. Leigh Matthews: 8 (Hawthorn) 3. Hester returned 14 punts and five kickoffs for touchdowns in his career, as he helped the Chicago Bears reach a Super Bowl with his dangerous returning prowess. After two rounds this season, he's already warm favourite at $4 to win a second Brownlow Medal, half the price quoted the next most backed player on that list. Yet as Riewoldt told AFL Media in the lead-up to his 300th AFL game in 2016: Not many players would have out-prepared me. Whats more, the NFL was at the height of its popularity at the time. He was named All-AFL eight times at tackle and once as a guard (1962). Gordon Coventry Bottom line: Remember those extra wide-sized shoulders and 32-inch waist? Lamar Jackson finished 24th after finishing No. Moore finished behind Charlton in second place, while United legend David Beckham and Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard finished third and fourth respectively. Slattery Images. . He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979. | Ottos HOF Bio>>>. The first big domino had been tipped over. of Fame?" Honorable mention: George Blanda (Houston Oilers, Oakland Raiders), Jack Kemp (Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers, Buffalo Bills), Joe Namath (New York Jets), Teams: Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, Statistics/14 games: 1,169.1 yards/scrimmage, 4.8 yards/touch, 9.3 touchdowns. Stocks up, stocks down: Long live King Charles; Swans choke at home, again! Gilchrist left the Bills in a contract dispute after three dominant seasons. 90 | Franck Ribery. Tyrer passed away on September 15, 1980. 6-time All-AFL, 6-time AFL-All Star 1971 All-Pro, 2-time Pro Bowler 2-time AFL Champion (1966, '69) Super Bowl IV champion Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1990 NFL 100. 15. Mix played his entire AFL career with the Chargers from 1960-69. You punt it to me, youre gonna pay.". (Mind you, those 2017 and 2019 campaigns that netted him two flags, two Norm Smiths and a Brownlow were darn handy.). Teams: Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, Statistics/14 games: 4.8 interceptions, 94.0 yards, 0.5 touchdowns, All-Star Games: 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1969. Tab will move on to the next part of the site rather than go through menu items. Wilson played 15 of his 16 seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs (1963-1977). Theres no doubt that Leigh Matthews deserve to be number one. "I can remember a passage of play [in the Grand Final] where I just chuckled to myself because it was just too good," Dangerfield said of Martin in a recent interview. Duplicate in any form you Each leg of multi must be over 2/5 for bet to qualify. He also was an All-Pro selection in nine of the league's 10 seasons. Yet hes still only 28 and has ample room to improve. He captained the Bombers to their famous 2000 premiership, winning the Norm Smith Medal for his two-goal, 29-disposal performance against the Demons. Martin is in there. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Naming the 10 best AFL players of all-time is a thankless task when you consider the talent the competition has had in its long history. A starter in both of the Chiefs Super Bowls, Budde never missed a single game during his first nine seasons. deserve to be in the Hall of your comments Robran better than Ebert? David Beckham is one of the best midfielders and one of the greatest footballers of all time. As a coach, he left the Bombers in disgrace. "He was a franchise player before they talked about franchise players," his coach Hank Stram once said. Shaw was voted to eight AFL All-Star Games. The former Georgia Tech star was equally adept at pass or run blocking. Most South Australian footy supporters, however, wouldve had North Adelaide legend Barrie Robran as their first choice. He also kicked the longest field goal in league history when he connected on a 55-yarder against the San Diego Chargers in 1961. Every one of the 10 AFL teams (the Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals were the others) made the cut. Get live scores, news and videos ANYWHERE, ANYTIME. Patrick Dangerfield (Adelaide/Geelong). Yet years before Hird made the leap to coaching, he was in the prime of his footy career as a player. | Lowes player page on NFL.com>>>. Hes played at least 20 games and averaged at least 20 disposals in every season, while hes averaged well over one goal per match during that time. A multi million dollar move to the fledgling Gold Coast left a sour taste in some mouths, but a second Brownlow in 2013 only enhanced his legend. Fame, but certainly many do! AFL Debate Club: How could Gather Round best be improved in coming years? I am a Western Australian and followed the Perth Football Club. Three times he led the AFL in receiving (1966, 1968, and 1969). He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1981. But it could also be the one-on-one marking duel with a hapless opponent who knows his demise is imminent well before the ball arrives. John Nicholls A fall from grace after a dalliance with team mate Anthony Stevens wife and a series of bizarre actions following his retirement have not dampened peoples opinion of his ability. Still, Riewoldt revolutionised the role of the key forward. THE AFL Commission today announced that long-serving AFL Executive Andrew Dillon will formally succeed Gillon McLachlan as Chief Executive of the AFL. Bottom line: Abner Haynes was hell on wheels. Last I decided after last Sunday's game to put together a list of the five most watchable players I've seen in 50-odd years of watching Australian football. Wayne Johnston. Bottom line: George Saimes was a converted star fullback who hit with the same force at the strong safety position. Six decades after retirement, the North Texas product still holds a bunch of team records. Become a member to join in Australia's biggest sporting debate, submit articles, receive updates straight to your inbox and keep up with your favourite teams and authors. All-Star Games: 1963, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, League championships: 1966, 1969 (Super Bowl IV). Even the more NFL-inclined voters became convinced of his greatness eventually. MY FIVE MOST-WATCHABLE PLAYERS OF ALL TIME. Additionally, he earned All-NFL recognition twice after Oakland joined the merged AFL-NFL in 1970. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Australian users can personalise their ESPN experience by downloading the App. He carted back five of his AFL-record 47 interceptions for touchdowns. The champion Tiger is first and foremost a ball-winning midfielder. Sign up to all of Foxtel Now with a 10-day free trial. Won a third Brownlow Medal with Fitzroy, before heading to Subiaco as playing coach and winning two more league medals. Time limits and T&Cs apply. Gary Ablett jnr The son of God came to Geelong as the saviour and he lived up to the hype, taking his club to two premierships, an achievement his superstar father was never able to fulfil. Dane Swan (Collingwood) Now we present the top five ranked players in foxfooty.com.au's Top 20 of the Past 20. Nat Fyfe might catch him one day, but he still has ample ground to make. Was the best player in the 1989 grand final, booting nine goals in a losing effort to the Hawks in what some call the best football game of all time. Even the likes of Gary Ablett junior, Nathan Buckley, James Hird, Chris Judd and Michael Voss couldn't reach that average of 25 across that long a period. 2000-2020 stats: 143 games, 156 goals, 78 Brownlow votes, averaged 20.6 disposals, 2000-2020 CV: Bombers premiership captain, Norm Smith Medallist, three-time All-Australian (one as captain), two-time best and fairest. Bottom line: As the AFL's all-time leader in completion (56.8) and interception (4.7) percentages, Len Dawson was easily the most efficient quarerback in league history. Mr Football was a larger than life icon of the game who was one of the first great key position players. Budde spent his entire 14-season career (1963-1976) with the Chiefs, half in the AFL and half in the NFL. If not for an entertaining, bombs-away brand of ball and a five-year television deal to broadcast it around the country, the new league would have gone belly up in two or three years at most. "One of the surest tacklers I ever saw," longtime teammate Booker Edgerson would call Saimes later. Ive always taken pride in being the hardest trainer and the habits I formed at training naturally transferred to games.. players whose fans may believe they belong in the Hall, but who are not. Thats a remarkable thought, considering his 193cm frame and the knee issues that plagued his entire career. named on this page. I can't think of another player who was as capable as often of turning a game on his own when required. Neil Kerley Nicknamed the Intellectual Assassin, Mix combined his football smarts with intense technique to rank as one of the games finest blockers both on passing and running plays.

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