Mike Sheahan Ready to Put Bontempelli on E.J's Level at the Western Bulldogs

[jeemak]

I can see arguments for Franklin, Martin and GAj (though would probably have him in an era before Bont) but not Danger. No one else deserves a mention for me though I'm sure people are mounting a case for Daicos as we speak

It's a great comparison with Dangerfield:

https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/...&fid1=C&fid2=C

Eight AA gongs for Dangerfield. Only one AFLCA award versus Bont's two.

[Grantysghost]

He's better than Billings.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Defining eras is very difficult let alone comparisons of players across eras.

Franklin only overlapped with Bont whilst playing at Sydney.

Ablett was already at the suns when Bont got drafted.

I'd only consider Dusty part of the same era as Bont. Franklin and Ablett were before.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

He's better than Billings.

And Lewis. The dude who won the rising star.

Hell I can't even remember the guys name.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

He's better than Billings.

I could counter that by reminding you of the game in 2015 where Billings ripped the game apart to steer the saints to a mighty comeback. There were no other circumstances.

[Happy Days]

I could counter that by reminding you of the game in 2015 where Billings ripped the game apart to steer the saints to a mighty comeback. There were no other circumstances.

We’ve established that was actually mine and Jeemak’s fault.

[jeemak]

We’ve established that was actually mine and Jeemak’s fault.

Between that and Trade Dunkley's outcomes I've stopped predicting future outcomes.

[D Mitchell]

The ultimate Australian compliment, Australia Day and Queen's Birthday Honours notwithstanding, is to be identified by prefix of 'the' to your surname. The Don, the Bont.

[jeemak]

Unfortunately for EJ the worst thing you can have in front of your name post the 80s outbreak of pedo activity is "Mr".

[D Mitchell]

The Bont. He's earned the ultimate honorific. There's never been a better 'the' to have worn the jumper,

[hujsh]

It's a great comparison with Dangerfield:

https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/...&fid1=C&fid2=C

Eight AA gongs for Dangerfield. Only one AFLCA award versus Bont's two.

Similar average possessions but if you had to pick someone to kick you the ball on the lead there's no way you're choosing Danger. As far as impact goes I can't rely on the stats for Bont

[Uninformed]

I saw a lot of games with EJ at Western (Whitten) Oval.

I don't think that you can compare eras. But you can assess the impact of a player in his era.

In his era EJ was clearly, and by a large margin, the single best player in the competition bar none for a very long time.

The closest I have seen since then for a level of dominance is GAJ. He is the only one I have seen that is close, but still not at the level of EJ. His father falls somewhere behind him and other names do not rate.

I don't think our Bont has GAJ covered yet, but he could do so in time. Whether he gets to EJ remains to be seen.

As a spectator Bont is similar to watch as EJ. He does things nobody else can and can carry a team as EJ did. It is a joy to watch them.

Similarly Granty and Dougie were a joy to watch.

[Scorlibo]

EJ was the defining player of his era, I struggle to wrap my head around how Bont can be considered better than him in lieu of him not being considered in the top five of his.

THIS.

I'm increasingly irritated by the media circle jerk around Bont being the greatest Bulldog because it's a thinly veiled clip at our past greats - that or just plain ignorance.

My grandfather was adamant that Teddy was the best he'd seen, and he wasn't as one-eyed as I am. Said he could be best on ground no matter where he played, and he played everywhere. Mike Sheahan had him at number 3 in his top 50 of all time 20 or so years ago and there were complaints that he wasn't number 1. He's in the conversation as the greatest of all time.

So if Bont is better than EJ then the corollary is that Bont is in the conversation for the greatest of all time. Yet I'd bet that if you were to ask any of these seagulls to rank Bont in an all time list they'd probably put him down in the 40s or something. It's so disrespectful to EJ.

Kane Cornes made a list of the top players since 2010, and had Bont 4th behind Ablett, Franklin and Martin. I think most would also have Dangerfield ahead. Then if you walk it back by another decade most would have Riewoldt, Judd, Voss, Buckley and Pavlich ahead too.

Just shows how casually our players are discarded from history, and how irrelevant we still are in the eyes of most.

[Hotdog60]

I think we are getting of track a bit by comparing other players from other clubs as the article is referencing the greatest Bulldog player.

Not AFL player which opens up a whole other can of worms.

[Scorlibo]

I think we are getting of track a bit by comparing other players from other clubs as the article is referencing the greatest Bulldog player.

Not AFL player which opens up a whole other can of worms.

They're inseparable when our incumbent GOAT is also possibly the AFL/VFL's GOAT.