Elite forwards since Carey

[Ghost Dog]

Inspired by a TwoDogs post, who have been the elite key forwards since Carey?

Bazza Hall - above Riewoldt into the elite category, and not just because he was with us. When he took a set shot it was like money in the bank.

Brownie was elite, although he would not be now. Could certainly dominate that position and monster other players. His kicking was pretty reliable in his hey day.

Without a reliable kicking action, there's not much room for elite status. The ability to kick goals and mark equally well puts the key in forward.

[bulldogtragic]

Sooky Riewoldt.

Kicking better for goal and he'd be even closer to Carey. He ran as many KMs a game as Daniel Cross, but us twice the size. He'd be a messiah if he played with us.

[boydogs]

Matthew Lloyd?

[Hotdog60]

Franklin may have to be in there somewhere. But he has a unreliable kicking action and would get the impossible and miss the easy. Could very easy have a lot of goals in the bank for all the shots he has taken.
Mind you if I was umpiring I'd be calling play on as soon as he went off the line.:)

[ledge]

Franklin is way overrated, doesn't perform against top sides or in finals, I believe Rooughead to be better than him especially when the chips are down

[whythelongface]

I don't think he is elite status just yet, but I think come the end of his career Jarryd Roughead will be looked upon as being one of the best KPP of his generation and may well be considered 'elite'. Sure he may not be as dominant as a Carey but he is able to play both ruck and CHF and FF at the top level. Would love him in our colours.

I actually still believe he is underated by some probably due to the 'Buddy' factor.

Since Carey definitely Hall, Brown, Reiwoldt and Franklin could be considered elite and as gogriff has stated Lloyd as well.

[bornadog]

Franklin is way overrated, doesn't perform against top sides or in finals, I believe Roughead to be better than him especially when the chips are down

Can't agree with this. May not have kicked 5 or 6 in finals (except against us), but who does anyway?? Has been a focal point in finals and has taken the best players from the opposition to stop him.

Franklin has kicked 580 goals at an average of 3.2. Pretty good record at age 26. Has kicked more than 60 goals every season from 2007.

Make no mistake, he is elite.

[Axe Man]

Actually Franklin's goals record in finals is slightly better than his overall record: 46 goals in 14 finals (including 7 in his first final v Adelaide and of course 8 against us) @ 3.3 per game. His last 2 finals at only 1 goal a piece brings the average down somewhat.

That's a pretty decent record no matter how you look at it.

[Mofra]

Franklin is way overrated, doesn't perform against top sides or in finals
Disagree 100% with this - Franklin is a bona fide star and often touted as one of the best players in the game.
He has bags of 8 & 7 in finals and gets a fair amount of the ball for a guy standing at 197cm or so given he often plays up the field as well - what more does he need to do?

[Mofra]

I don't think he is elite status just yet, but I think come the end of his career Jarryd Roughead will be looked upon as being one of the best KPP of his generation and may well be considered 'elite'. Sure he may not be as dominant as a Carey but he is able to play both ruck and CHF and FF at the top level. Would love him in our colours.
Roughead is close to the first KPP I'd pick given his flexibility - an absolute team-first player who would dominate any position he's in, as well as the ability to play the ruck 2 role which in the modern game appears to be quite a difficult feat.

[Mantis]

Franklin is way overrated, doesn't perform against top sides or in finals, I believe Rooughead to be better than him especially when the chips are down

Roughy's numbers in finals over the past 2 years are very ordinary.. Averages less than 3 marks & 2 per goals per game.

And in this time Franklin's role has changed to allow the likes of Roughead to flourish which obviously hasn't happened in the big (finals) games.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Can't agree with this. May not have kicked 5 or 6 in finals (except against us), but who does anyway?? Has been a focal point in finals and has taken the best players from the opposition to stop him.

Franklin has kicked 580 goals at an average of 3.2. Pretty good record at age 26. Has kicked more than 60 goals every season from 2007.

Make no mistake, he is elite.

Agree BAD

Destroyed us in one of the best finals performances ever seen - 8 in the first qualifying final - including a pair from 50 on opposite boundary lines, also kicked a game winner set shot against Adelaide in a final.

Such a dangerous player - if you held him to 4 you'd be tickled

[lemmon]

Pavlich deserves a mention. If he was playing in Victoria we would talk about him as being on par with all the guys discussed so far.

[Greystache]

Since Carey definitely Hall, Brown, Reiwoldt and Franklin could be considered elite and as gogriff has stated Lloyd as well.

Pretty good list.

If you classify him as a forward I'd put Pavlich in there too.

[w3design]

Pavlich deserves a mention. If he was playing in Victoria we would talk about him as being on par with all the guys discussed so far.

Freo miss managed Pav.

They should've kept him forward permanently, opposed to spending half the game in the midfield.

[Maddog37]

Fev?

[Sedat]

Even Wayne Carey has had some dud finals. Goalless in the 1998 GF, and by no means a standout in either of their 2 premiership GF's. For anybody potting Buddy's finals record, I'd suggest it would compare quite well against Carey's, who is justifiably regarded as the best key forward of the modern era.

[Ghost Dog]

Even Wayne Carey has had some dud finals. Goalless in the 1998 GF, and by no means a standout in either of their 2 premiership GF's. For anybody potting Buddy's finals record, I'd suggest it would compare quite well against Carey's, who is justifiably regarded as the best key forward of the modern era.

I love watching old youtube of Carey and Ablett. Channel 7 have stuffed their archiving so youtube has a lot of stuff now they don't even have.

[bulldogtragic]

Fev?
Not a bad call, anyone who can kick 99 in a year has to be mentioned. Just a wasted talent, and complete tool in real life. Watching the Carlton crowd sook in the crowd at Roughy blocking his delivery in the last few minutes to deny him his 100 was pretty funny. I was a little torn 2 x 100's in a game would be cool, but so many distraught Carlton folk was good too. I'd hate Carlton people to think that of one of ours, but then again I hate the cheats so all is well.

[ratsmac]

Franklin is way overrated, doesn't perform against top sides or in finals, I believe Rooughead to be better than him especially when the chips are down

Sorry Ledge but I can't agree with you on this one. Franklin for me is the best since Carey. Yeah he can be erratic in front of the sticks but he normally gets so much of the footy he still ends up with plenty. There have been other good forwards as mentioned, but he can change a game on his own just like Carey used to do. The fact that Sydney just paid ridiculous money to get him says I'm not alone in my thinking.

1. Franklin
2. N. Reiwoldt
3. Llyod
4. Hall
5. Brown
6. J. Reiwoldt
7. Fevola
8. Roughhead
9. Pav
10. Stringer (simply on woof potential);)

[ratsmac]

Should we be mentioning Brad Johnson in this thread. He was a pretty handy forward for us for a while. He made All Australian captain playing out of full forward for us in 2006.

[Topdog]

pretty handy is right for Johnson. Pretty handy does not equal elite