Ok, I will just come out and say it. Gary Jnr is the better footballer.

[bulldogtragic]

Just watching him again, for the umpteenth time this year. Jnr is a freakshow. Has to be the best player I have ever seen. His dad was electric, better in the air and on opponents shoulders. But take the goal last week, Jnr can kick the freakish goals too. Will be in the hunt for another Brownlow. If he hasn't eclipsed Snr, he will by careers end.

Thoughts?

[Before I Die]

Just watching him again, for the umpteenth time this year. Jnr is a freakshow. Has to be the best player I have ever seen. His dad was electric, better in the air and on opponents shoulders. But take the goal last week, Jnr can kick the freakish goals too. Will be in the hunt for another Brownlow. If he hasn't eclipsed Snr, he will by careers end.

Thoughts?

He has to move to full forward in his twilight years after dominating in the mid field and become one of the greatest forwards ever, then he passes the old man.

[bornadog]

Best current player in the AFL and better than his dad.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

A bit too young to really see enough of his dad, but jnr is the best I have seen.

[Remi Moses]

Dad was more freakish.
Junior is more consistent,

[ledge]

Dad was more freakish.
Junior is more consistent,

Agree here but geez Jnr is both isn't he.

[Happy Days]

too young to have seen his dad, but didn't he kick like 1000 goals as a mid sized forward? that's,so many goals!

[chef]

Dad was more freakish.
Junior is more consistent,

This.

I can't split them.

[Scorlibo]

I am also too young to have seen the best of Senior, but if he's viewed as one of the best of all time, the inference is that Junior is now in the top 5 players of all time also?

Judd and Goodes at their best were each better than Ablett, and Ablett started hitting his straps a lot later than those two, even if he's stayed elite for longer.

[azabob]

I am also too young to have seen the best of Senior, but if he's viewed as one of the best of all time, the inference is that Junior is now in the top 5 players of all time also?

Judd and Goodes at their best were each better than Ablett, and Ablett started hitting his straps a lot later than those two, even if he's stayed elite for longer.

I'm confused by your last sentence. Are you saying Judd and Goodes at their peak is better than Ablett (snr or jnr?) at his peak?

I think Ablett jnr is better than Goodes and Judd at their peak.

[KT31]

Whilst I agree with Remi, if I was fortunate enough to pick one for our list it would be Jnr.
He is not only a gun like his old man, IMO he has better leadership qualities, team player and is a more rounded player.

[westdog54]

Whilst I agree with Remi, if I was fortunate enough to pick one for our list it would be Jnr.
He is not only a gun like his old man, IMO he has better leadership qualities, team player and is a more rounded player.

That's the clincher, right there. You could put Junior virtually anywhere on the field (with the possible exception of the ruck) and he would still tear the game apart.

Junior for me.

[mighty_west]

Dad was more freakish.
Junior is more consistent,

Agree with this, Snr was also more of a thug decking Bubba down at the Cattery.

[Topdog]

Jnr is the best player in the past 30 years for mine. Just an incredible talent. Never seen anyone < $3 for the Brownlow after 11 rounds.

[lemmon]

I am also too young to have seen the best of Senior, but if he's viewed as one of the best of all time, the inference is that Junior is now in the top 5 players of all time also?

Judd and Goodes at their best were each better than Ablett, and Ablett started hitting his straps a lot later than those two, even if he's stayed elite for longer.

Big call, I think Ablett Jnr's best is well and truly better than Goodes or Judd's. He has the same ability to break a game apart with his pace while winning ridiculous numbers and as a pure mid he kicks more goals than both.

They are well and truly the best father-son, but are they the best sporting family in Australian history? I say that with very little knowledge of the Rugby codes mind you

[Go_Dogs]

He's a phenomenal player is junior, easily the best player of the modern era for mine. As others have said, such a well rounded game, has all the physical traits you want in a midfielder and elite skills inside and outside the contest.

In all likelihood, after GC win a couple of flags in the next 5 years and Ablett has another Brownlow or 2 around his neck, it's going to be near impossible to make a case he isn't the greatest footballer of all time.

[bulldogtragic]

He's a phenomenal player is junior, easily the best player of the modern era for mine. As others have said, such a well rounded game, has all the physical traits you want in a midfielder and elite skills inside and outside the contest.

In all likelihood, after GC win a couple of flags in the next 5 years and Ablett has another Brownlow or 2 around his neck, it's going to be near impossible to make a case he isn't the greatest footballer of all time.
Isn't funny how impatient people were when he started out. I remember claims he only got selected because of his name and during a slow start the same was said. I wonder how Geelong will be when Jnr has a few boys!

[bornadog]

Here is a great Youtube comparison.

UtetiFSMbrA

[LostDoggy]

I am pretty young, but old enough to have see Snr do things that just defied the natural laws of physics. Jnr is a great all-round player, but his Dad was something else entirely.

[Scorlibo]

I'm confused by your last sentence. Are you saying Judd and Goodes at their peak is better than Ablett (snr or jnr?) at his peak?

I think Ablett jnr is better than Goodes and Judd at their peak.

Better than jnr.


Big call, I think Ablett Jnr's best is well and truly better than Goodes or Judd's. He has the same ability to break a game apart with his pace while winning ridiculous numbers and as a pure mid he kicks more goals than both.

Each to their own, I suppose. Myself, I don't see Gary as a dynamic player, but as a smart player, a neat player and one that can get a lot of the ball. Judd and Goodes can split lines with their run and truly take games away from other teams. I think sometimes people forget what Judd could do when he still had legs - he was an absolute freak. I've never got the same feeling with Gary, but I do view his last 6 years of football as the most dominant I've seen.

[bulldogtragic]

Mike Sheehan has been following woof. Last night he said Jnr has gone past Leigh Matthews!

[Before I Die]

Mike Sheehan has been following woof. Last night he said Jnr has gone past Leigh Matthews!

Does that mean he will name him as his most valuable player this year?

I have to admit I find the whole so and so is better than so and so thing pretty boring. Unless you are comparing two players from the same time period who played in the same position it is meaningless.

Bobby Skilton won three Brownlows as a rover and never played in a finals game. Is he better than Ablett Jnr?

If you needed a full forward would you take Ablett Snr or Jnr?

If you needed a CHB to play on Travis Cloke and Footscray legend and Team of the Century CHB Teddy Whitten was available, all 184cm of him, would you pick him, or would you opt for Daniel Talia from Adelaide?

[bornadog]

or would you opt for Michael Talia from Adelaide?

he has gone to Adelaide :eek:

[jeemak]

Better than jnr.



Each to their own, I suppose. Myself, I don't see Gary as a dynamic player, but as a smart player, a neat player and one that can get a lot of the ball. Judd and Goodes can split lines with their run and truly take games away from other teams. I think sometimes people forget what Judd could do when he still had legs - he was an absolute freak. I've never got the same feeling with Gary, but I do view his last 6 years of football as the most dominant I've seen.

I can agree with you to a point when it comes to Judd when he wasn't hampered by dodgy groins, though I think you might be underrating Jnr's ability to manage contested situations that have changed since 2004-2007, whereby midfields shut down space rather than players.

Jnr is the only player in the competition that seems to be able to consistently seem not to be rushed or under pressure at all times when opposition midfields block or congest contested space.

Put him at his peak at the same time as Judd and you might think differently.

I can't agree he's not dynamic.

[Remi Moses]

Whilst I agree with Remi, if I was fortunate enough to pick one for our list it would be Jnr.
He is not only a gun like his old man, IMO he has better leadership qualities, team player and is a more rounded player.

Junior's dedicated whereas Dad would rock up to preseason training in February.
He would win everything ( god I hate people like that) .
Imagine the old man with any sort of drive or professionalism:eek:
Never forget the things he did in 89

[jeemak]

Junior's dedicated whereas Dad would rock up to preseason training in February.
He would win everything ( god I hate people like that) .
Imagine the old man with any sort of drive or professionalism:eek:
Never forget the things he did in 89

I suppose that points to what an earlier poster said, that there's no value in comparing different players from different eras. It's hard enough putting Voss against Judd, or a Skilton versus Harvey let alone trying to do it with a father son combination who played for the same club and both dominated their respective eras!

If Gary Snr had the head for anything other than Gary Snr, and was playing today he'd probably be the best player to play the game. He was the strongest and quickest (in thought and in movement) freak show the game has seen and still is. But it's a moot point anyway. :)

[bulldogtragic]

Malcolm Blight made some interesting comments tonight. Despite coaching Snr, he said watching Jnr at GCS has been the best footy he's seen of any player under his watch. When pressed on who was better, he reiterated Jnr was THE best hands down.

[LostDoggy]

I think this discussion will only begin to take some realistic perspective once Junior's hung up the boots. It's easy to get caught up in his brilliance — he is absolutely brilliant and if his Dad is indeed number one, he is an honourable number two — but only once their careers are ended and you can assess both with some detachment will any meaningful comparisons arise.

[Ghost Dog]

One has to take into account the differences in training regimes and facilities, supplements and so forth. It's a bit hard to compare because of that.

[bornadog]

One has to take into account the differences in training regimes and facilities, supplements and so forth. It's a bit hard to compare because of that.

Except that Gary Senior hardly ever trained.

[Ghost Dog]

Except that Gary Senior hardly ever trained.

Right! Another reason why I think he was so amazing.

[Maddog37]

If you kicked the ball to them, who would win it?

[bornadog]

If you kicked the ball to them, who would win it?

in the air senior, along the ground jnr