I enjoy watching him play

[always right]

- In earlier years Kelvin Templeton was a beacon in a poor team and a reason to go each week.
- Doug Hawkins was a freak with silky skills on both sides of his body. He embarrassed many opposition players.
- Chris Grant was a joy to watch. Skillful and brave.
- Bob Murphy has been the most watchable in recent years. What a pleasure to witness him play.......the Baryshnikov of the AFL.
- Of the current crop and looking to the future, there is no-one more watchable than Jake Stringer. Have we ever had a player like
him?

[1eyedog]

Of the current batch of players, the obvious ones in - Stringer and the Bont. They both do freakish things.

Going back - Dempsey, Templeton and loved Geoff Jennings

In the 80's, Beasley in 1985 kicking over 100 goals and Bamblett 50 and the magic of Doug Hawkins. Especially loved the toughness of Rick Kennedy.

Chris Grant one of my all time favourites.

Templeton of course but with you on Jennings at his best he was everywhere. I loved watching Chocco what a player, great sense of the game and a natural goal kicker. I also enjoyed watching Purser and Super.

Emmett Dunne playing for us shite me to tears because I associated him with Richmond so much and so did Patrick Bowden who was a genuine plodder. I also never warmed to Justin Charles who always had this arrogant look on his face.

[1eyedog]

- In earlier years Kelvin Templeton was a beacon in a poor team and a reason to go each week.
- Doug Hawkins was a freak with silky skills on both sides of his body. He embarrassed many opposition players.
- Chris Grant was a joy to watch. Skillful and brave.
- Bob Murphy has been the most watchable in recent years. What a pleasure to witness him play.......the Baryshnikov of the AFL.
- Of the current crop and looking to the future, there is no-one more watchable than Jake Stringer. Have we ever had a player like
him?

Nope I've only seen one player like him Yablett Snr.

[Ozza]

- Doug Hawkins - I had a no.7 on my first bulldogs jumper. The one handed pick ups on the run, and the beautiful skills. And loved how he would show the ball in the air when he took a nice grab.

- Chris Grant - When I was 7 years old, I loved full forwards, and we didn't really have one. And then I saw Chris Grant play his first game, and I was hooked. Is still my all time favourite. Skillful, brave and I think sometimes people forget how many screamers he used to take. When we were an ordinary side, we could still go to the footy to watch C.Grant.

- Bob Murphy - Apart from the obvious speed, balance and skill. I love that I can be sitting on level 2, seeing the whole ground clearly, and will pick out who he should kick it to - and then Bob finds an even better option than I've been able to see, and he's got opponents on his hammer.

- And now its Stringer and Bonti. Just so exciting.

Players I haven't warmed to;

- Nathan Eagleton - very frustrating player. Could do some good things, but thought for an outside player, his kicking could be very hit or miss...and he never really got involved against the best teams.
- Brian Lake - Never warmed to him. Was great when he was taking marks in defence. But couldn't handle the couple of ridiculous things he'd do per game. I also never forgave him for how he held us over a barrel during his last contract negotiation, when it was the last thing we needed at the time.

[Torpedo]

Ian Bryant and David Darcy - two beautiful exponents of the lost art of the long raking drop kick.

[Mofra]

Matty Dent was a real favourite of mine. Hardest bloke to put our jumper on and that's saying something.

Dent was great, ditto Bernard Toohey. Loved Rick Kennedy as a kid and Daniel (not Danny) Southern too - was glad that Mitch Hahn got the no 8 jumper as it continued a tradition of hard bastards wearing it.


To be honest though, Stringer & Bont will end up as favourites. Stringer will just do anything and I've never seen a player do some of the things Bonti does in traffic - the way he releases the ball perfectly just when you think he's done is incredible. Of course then there's the spins out of trouble (eg the North game) and his goal against Melbourne. Freak.

[KT31]

The Hawk, Grant, Johnno and KT obviously just a pleasure to watch and in a league of their own.
so a couple from each of my era's -
70's - Wheels and Bernie
80's - Super McPherson, Tits Kennedy, and The Pieman
90's -Libba , Bubba ( running down the flank and a goal from 50), Gilbee's precision
2000's - Griff and The Coondog
2015 - The collective group

[Twodogs]

- In earlier years Kelvin Templeton was a beacon in a poor team and a reason to go each week.
- Doug Hawkins was a freak with silky skills on both sides of his body. He embarrassed many opposition players.
- Chris Grant was a joy to watch. Skillful and brave.
- Bob Murphy has been the most watchable in recent years. What a pleasure to witness him play.......the Baryshnikov of the AFL.
- Of the current crop and looking to the future, there is no-one more watchable than Jake Stringer. Have we ever had a player like
him?

The only player I think can come close to Stringer is the Bont.

[soupman]

Bont and Stringer I think are the only players where I have found myself almost chuckling quietly at how good they are. They can do some amazing things already and honestly are probably the two most naturally talented players I've ever seen play, especially when you consider how young they are.

Other nominations would be Lake. I remember commentators talking about how people go to games just to watch someone like Buddy. I found it much more fun to go to games to watch Lake just own high profile key forwards. Mitch Hahn was another favourite courtesy of his physicality and ability to kick goals from pack situations regularly despite being an atrocious kick.

One who I didn't like that much despite only being 12 or so at the time was Nathan Brown. I hated how he was always in the highlights for kicking goals from the boundary because it annoyed me that no one ever acknowledged that he would have about 5 shots from the boundary per game and miss over half of them. Sure when he kicked the goal it was spectacular but I thought he was very selfish because often he would have teammates in better positions to pass to.

[The Doctor]

My first favourite was Alan Stoneham and liked Quinlan, Dempsey, Templeton, Huppatz & Wheels from that era

Brad Hardie close to my all time favourite from the 80's and loved Rick Kennedy. Lally & Magic in 85 were sensational.

Chris Grant and Leon Cameron from the early 90's

the Wog Squad of 97 were hilarious, formidable and must viewing.

Brad Johnson and Lindsay gilbee in the 00's

In the current team Stringer of course and our half back squadron running in waves through the midfield into attack. Special mention to Caleb Daniel. When we need someone to do something constructive I hope he gets it!

[Twodogs]

The Hawk, Grant, Johnno and KT obviously just a pleasure to watch and in a league of their own.
so a couple from each of my era's -
70's - Wheels and Bernie
80's - Super McPherson, Tits Kennedy, and The Pieman
90's -Libba , Bubba ( running down the flank and a goal from 50), Gilbee's precision
2000's - Griff and The Coondog
2015 - The collective group

Great post. Love the way you divided it into eras. Agree with all your selections.

[Bulldog4life]

From the 60's to now I enjoyed watching the following players.

John Jillard great HBF who got the ball time and time again
Ian Bryant for his spectacular drop kicks
EJ.....enough said
Johnny Schultz who never played a bad game
Gary Dempsey who marked everything in sight
Kelvin Templeton such a high flyer and great forward
Ray Huppatz a tenacious little rover from SA who left for North Melbourne sadly
Brad Hardy I used to love his dashes from the backline bouncing the ball
Brian "Choco" Royal a great rover and forward pocket
Simon Beasley..who doesn't love watching a 100 goal full forward
Chris Grant...goes without saying
Matty Croft....Tried his guts out as an undersized fullback and kicked goals when forward too
"The Wog squad" especially Libba who was such a tenacious beast
Rohan Smith and his bouncing of the pill and long kicks into the forward line
Brad Johnson...loved his career from wingman to full forward he was a marvel
Matty Robbins loved his spectacular marking
Bob has been great to watch all his career from CHF to HBF.
Todays like most I love watching the Bont and Jake strut their stuff
I am sure I could add more names but these are the players who have stuck in my mind.

[Twodogs]

What about blokes who may not have been super stars but you felt a connection or liked the way they played. When I was just a kid Mick Egan played at the same cricket club as me so I had his number ten on the back of my duffle coat. I also really liked Alan Thorpe because he was such a lair.

[Twodogs]

Another vote for Bob Murphy too. The world is a better place when Bob has the ball in his hands. The opportunities are limitless.

[Avoid the rush]

Thread needs more Murphy.

Absolute silk. Loved watching him dominate as a CHF as much as I kove watching him now.

How could you not love watching BOB!! Evasive, skillful, Two sided, Balanced, Bulldog, Perfect!!!!!!