Gary Ablett Jnr is a superior footballer to his father Ablett Snr: Malcolm Blight

Gary Ablett Jnr is a superior footballer to his father Ablett Snr: Malcolm Blight

Malcolm Blight says Gary Ablett Jr is now a better player than his legendary father, but Gazza Jr says Dad is still his No.1.
Blight is well placed to judge one of football's most contentious questions. He coached Ablett Sr at Geelong from 1989-94, taking the Cats to Grand Finals in 1989, '92 and '94, and is now director of football at the Suns.

Blight said he would have nominated Ablett Sr if asked to choose between the pair before this season. But in moving to the Suns, Blight said Ablett Jr had proved he could do more than his famous father.

"He is a complete footballer," Blight said yesterday. "He is not an outside player or a finisher, he wins his own footy, he defends and he can go forward and be a goalkicker.

"It isn't personal, but Gary Sr wasn't the best player because he played . . . forward, which was all he did."

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Massive, massive call from a man who's seen both men up close.

Gary Senior is regarded as one of the best the game has ever seen. Some go one further and say he is the best.

I've seen a fair bit of both, and I'm leaning towards Gary Junior. He's versatile, wins his own ball and is a great leader.

I had a chat about this to a few guys at work today and I think Junior still has a bit more to prove than his father.
Two of them are Cats supporters and they were leaning towards Gary senior as well.
Very close though

This is so wrong IMO. Having a father who's a Geelong supporter, I've been most Dogs/Cats games over the last 30 years and Gary senior is easily the best player I have seen while I wouldn't have Gary Jnr in the top five.

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Originally Posted by chef

This is so wrong IMO. Having a father who's a Geelong supporter, I've been most Dogs/Cats games over the last 30 years and Gary senior is easily the best player I have seen while I wouldn't have Gary Jnr in the top five.

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Will Garry Senior be working for the suns?

I can think of a few blokes who can do what Jnr does.
I can't think of anyone who did the freakish things Snr did.

But if you include all the leadership stuff, sure, you would go for jnr.
Anyway, of course, Blight is going to say that as he's on the board at the Suns.

Its a huge call. Gary Senior was an absolute freak. Fast, skillful, could take pack marks - and could absolutely smash blokes with a hip and shoulder (which obviously you can no longer do!).

Hard to compare as they are quite different - but Gary Senior is probably the best player I've seen, whereas Junior is one of the best midfielders I've seen.

I think one of them won a couple of premierships too. Not that it's the most important thing, but when they are that close, this probably counts a bit -- Snr played in pretty good teams but probably didn't become enough of a team man to lift others when necessary, preferring to perform heroics himself. Jnr tended to bring others into the game with his distribution. Snr is Michael Jordan 1985-1991, a freak who would score 60+ points regularly but never made his teammates good enough to win the big one. Jnr is Jordan mid-late 90s, a guy who became the premier point guard in the NBA and a key to the triangle offence, setting up key baskets for other guys (Kerr etc.) to win crucial finals games.

So Snr is a probably the better footballer, Jnr the more valuable one. IMO of course.

Very different people, players and personalities.
I would probably say Jr is better option for a team / leader environment, Where as comparing the two as individual players, Snr would be out in front.

Should have waited a bit longer and then just said I agree with Lantern. We must have been writing at the same time.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
Dunno if Jacksons triangle offence would compare to Thompsons style of coaching though? Using the Jordan analogy, he basically learnt to win, would you say Ablett SNR never learnt to win or just didn't have the teams that Jr had????

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Originally Posted by HairyMidget

Should have waited a bit longer and then just said I agree with Lantern. We must have been writing at the same time.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
Dunno if Jacksons triangle offence would compare to Thompsons style of coaching though? Using the Jordan analogy, he basically learnt to win, would you say Ablett SNR never learnt to win or just didn't have the teams that Jr had????

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I'd argue that Senior had the teams as far as quality of teammates goes. You don't make 4 Grand Finals in 7 seasons without having some quality to your name. It simply didn't translate to the ultimate success as whoever they came up against was just better on the big day. You'd sit there forever if you tried to analyse why they were never able to break through for a flag in those years.

Senior is more of a freak than junior
Although Jnr is more consistent, I'd go with Snr

Senior for mine.. such a freak
Is Jobe in time be better than Timmy? Shoot me down but might be right

Senior. By a MILE.
Little ablett is an incredible player who is consistent and reliable and may in the long term be considered a better 'asset' to a team.
But Gazza was just off the richter scale.

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Originally Posted by hughy31

Senior for mine.. such a freak
Is Jobe in time be better than Timmy? Shoot me down but might be right

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Heading for the gun rack now............

Senior is better but Junior has a long career in front of him to prove otherwise

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Originally Posted by Dancin' Douggy

Heading for the gun rack now............

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Better wait on that