AFL Editorial and Opinion

If your AFL team could bring back one player: Part 2

Who should the next six clubs bring in to add some magic to their 22?

Published by
Benjamin Millard

Hindsight is a beautiful thing, and in the world of football, we as fans tend to get caught up in the events of days gone by.

Every footy fanatic has that one player that they long to see take the field, however long gone their days of handling a Sherrin may be.

Whether it be Daicos or Doull, Ricciuto or Richardson, fans can usually point to a single figure that captured their imagination during their formative years of watching AFL football.

SEE ALSO: If your AFL team could bring back one player - Part 1

Similar to our 'If your club could steal one player...' series, this trio of pieces will go through all 18 teams in the league, pointing at the weak spots in their best 22 and picking one of four past players to slot into their lineup and remedy their club's ailments.

We continue today with the second six teams of the competition based on alphabetical order.

Geelong

Option 1: Gary Ablett Sr.

As one half of the Gary Ablett duo that between themselves dominated the league for decades, Gary Ablett Sr. is typically denoted to be the best player to ever kick a Sherrin.

The full-forward wasn't especially tall by modern-day standards, only standing at 185cm, however, he used his otherworldly reading of the game and physical talents to make it seem like he was seeing the game in slow motion.

Booting 1021 goals in 248 games for the Cats, it's almost ludicrous how much of an impact Ablett had on the game over the course of 248 games.

Although recent controversies have marred some of his legacies, there is no doubting how insanely good Gary Ablett Sr. was on his day.

Option 2: Graham 'Polly' Farmer

Often touted as the player who revolutionised the ruck role, Graham 'Polly' Farmer had a profound effect on everybody who was able to witness him take the field.

The Western Australian is seen as the father of the modern-day handball, with Farmer being one of the pioneers of dishing it off to a running teammate after a mark instead of going back and spotting up a lead.

Furthermore, standing at only 191cm, Farmer managed to outwork and outwit his opponent in the ruck contest despite his typically small height for a ruckman.

'Polly' racked up 101 games for Geelong between 1962 and 1967 before returning back to his native WA to play for East Perth. He was named in the AFL Team of the Century and was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame in 1996 for the indelible mark he left on the game.

Option 3: Doug Wade

Another goal machine for the Cats, Doug Wade was the first player post-Second World War to boot over 1000 career goals.

The man from Horsham spent the bulk of his career at 'The Cattery', playing 208 times for Geelong and booting 834 goals, with a further 223 majors coming at North Melbourne to take his career total to 1057 majors.

At 188cm tall and a whopping 102kg, Wade was a machine on his day and rarely went a match without slotting one through the big sticks. His best season in 1969 saw him boot a stupendous 127 goals in 21 games, averaging six goals a match - something modern-day forwards can only dream of.

Despite a drop in form in the final years of his career, Wade finished his VFL life with 11 club leading goalkicker awards and four league goalscoring titles, cementing himself as a certified legend of the Geelong Football Club.

Option 4: Jimmy Bartel

The most recent of our quartet of Cats is Jimmy Bartel, with the ball-winning midfielder helping his side to a trio of premierships in five seasons.

Bartel was a classy prime-mover in his day, and along with Simon Black is the only player to win a Brownlow, a Norm Smith and feature in over 300 games.

His 2007 season saw him run at an average of 27.5 disposals, 6.2 marks and 5.3 tackles per game, pulling out a huge eight best on ground performances in a campaign that saw him take 'Charlie' home before winning a maiden flag.

Finishing with 305 games and 202 goals, Bartel has gone down as one of the most industrious and consistent midfielders to ever play for the Cats.

Verdict

Analysing the current Geelong list, there are clear deficiencies in the rucking category. The acquisition of Jonathan Ceglar is solid for the Cats, however, more quality in the middle would likely be welcomed at Kardinia Park.

Therefore, 'Polly' Farmer is the man for the job here. His rucking ability is heralded as some of the finest to ever be put on display, so there would be little doubt over whether or not the Cats midfielders would be able to get first hands on the footy.

His phenomenal handballing prowess will be able to open up avenues for the Cats that were perhaps not there prior, with Chris Scott's men being able to go for one last tilt at a premiership before their list age finally catches up with them for good.

Gold Coast

Option 1: Gary Ablett Jr.

A name that could easily have been on the Geelong list, 'The Little Master' had a successful stint in Queensland despite the performances of his side.

Moving up to the Suns ahead of their inaugural 2011 season, Ablett hit the ground running and captained the All-Australian side that year after a stunning campaign. The following year, he won his second Brownlow Medal and became the sixth player ever to win the award at two different clubs.

Although persistent injuries did mar the rest of his stint at the Suns, Ablett's seven seasons at the club remain the best by any player to have played across the club's existence. The midfielder also shifted forward on occasions, averaging above a goal per game in four of his seven years in Queensland.

There is no questioning the profound impact that Ablett had on the Suns' side, with the club still yet to unearth anyone close to possessing the same mercurial prowess as the Victorian.

Option 2: Michael Rischitelli

The former Lions midfielder made the switch to the Suns in 2011 and was part of their first-ever side.

Rischitelli usually shifted between midfield and defence, however, his tough nature meant he was always in the contest and up for a crunching tackle or two when presented with the opportunity.

His best year at the Suns saw him average 22.4 disposals and six tackles per game, putting him on par with his best-and-fairest season with the Lions in 2010.

Although the latter years of his career saw him phased out of the side, Rischitelli was a useful presence during his nine years on the Gold Coast.

Option 3: Jarrod Harbrow

Arguably the Suns' most faithful servant yet, Jarrod Harbrow spent 11 seasons with the side and was a staple of the club's setup all throughout.

The quarterback-esque half-back was a smooth mover by foot, constantly looking for openings to kickstart attacks from his position across defensive 50.

The former Dog won the club's best-and-fairest award in 2018, averaging 5.3 rebound 50s and 16.3 kicks per game to demonstrate the integral role he played in his side.

Harbrow is also the Suns' games record holder with 192, although that record will almost certainly tumble in the near future.

Option 4: Brandon Matera

Another man who stuck with the Suns for their opening years was small forward Brandon Matera.

The Western Australian was one of his side's main attacking weapons in their formative years with his ability to crumb packs and slot goals an important part of Guy McKenna's plans.

His best year came in 2016 when he played 17 matches and managed 24 goals, averaging 14.3 disposals and 1.4 goals per game with his performances being very consistent throughout the year.

Despite being traded back home to the Dockers in 2018, Matera finished with 101 games and 124 goals for the Suns and is ranked fourth on the club's all-time goal-kicking list.

Verdict

It shouldn't be any surprise that Gary Ablett Jr. is the player we're picking here, with the other players on this list barely taking a candle to what 'The Little Magician' achieved over the course of his career.

He would slot in perfectly with the likes of Touk Miller, Noah Anderson and Matthew Rowell and would be a genuine leader of the midfield brigade.

His record in Queensland is remarkable and with Stuart Dew still searching for his first finals campaign as Suns coach, Ablett could be the man to pick his side up by the scruff of the neck and take them to the promised land.

Greater Western Sydney

Option 1: Steve Johnson

Although Stevie Johnson had two seasons at the Giants, his knack for being able to hit the scoreboard regularly stuck with him from his star-studded time at the Cats.

The 2007 Norm Smith medallist managed to appear 40 times for the Giants and booted 64 goals, however, he nearly missed out on playing in a Grand Final two years in a row despite his best efforts.

Johnson still wowed fans with his insane pieces of play, showing that he did not leave his bags of tricks at Kardinia Park despite a drop in output in his final year at AFL level.

There is no doubting that his time at 'The Cattery' brought more success, however, the GWS version of Stevie was still as extraordinary as we've ever known him to be.

Option 2: Heath Shaw

The Collingwood premiership player made the switch to Western Sydney in 2014 and, unlike other imported players on this list, arguably played his best footy under Leon Cameron.

The small defender was put straight into the side and never really left it, racking up only 21 fewer appearances in Sydney than he did at the Pies over the course of nine years.

In fact, Heath Shaw got his first All-Australian blazer in 2015 and won his second the following year, exemplifying the standard of footy he was playing during his time in the harbour city. Shaw topped off his successful 2015 by also claiming his first and only Kevin Sheedy Medal, thus cementing himself in GWS folklore.

Despite having some off-field controversies over the course of his career, Shaw was still at the very core of the Giants set-up for an extended period of time and will be hailed as one of the finest defenders to ever come through the doors at Olympic Park.

Option 3: Brett Deledio

Brett Deledio's GWS career was far from ideal, still, he was still able to put in a shift whenever he took the field for Leon Cameron's side, despite it not being often.

The elite distributor struggled with injuries as he did in his last year at Richmond, only managing to string together 32 appearances in three years for GWS.

His numbers were sublime for a man of his stature, managing 20.2 disposals per game in his best year - 9.9 of them being kicks - exemplifying that the talent which earned him pick 1 in 2003 very much was still intact.

Deledio must've been heartbroken to leave Tigerland just prior to the side entering their glory years, especially how underwhelming, by his standards, his time in Sydney was, however, there were still some bright moments to look back on all things considered.

Option 4: Shane Mumford

Shane Mumford absolutely relished the physical side of the AFL, with his huge frame meaning that the other guy would certainly come off second best should they try to clean up 'Mummy'.

Mumford spent seven seasons at the Giants after switching from crosstown rivals Sydney before coming out of retirement in 2019 after a year off. His inaugural year at the Giants saw him win the club best-and-fairest with his average amount of hitouts per game being 36.4 - second only to Fremantle's Aaron Sandilands.

All in all, 'Mummy' was hugely integral to the Giants operations over the course of his time there, and the club will have to do well to find a replacement who could fill his big boots.

Verdict

This one's a bit harder, however, it would likely come down to either Shaw or Mumford considering the amount of time they spent at the club and the level of performance they delivered week in week out.

With Brayden Preuss coming back into the side for 2022, Heath Shaw will get the nod in this fictitious universe off the back of his consistency over an extended period of time. His defensive actions will serve to tutor the younger Giants - especially the up-and-coming Lachie Ash.

Hawthorn

Option 1: Jason Dunstall

It's hard to say anything about 'The Chief' that hasn't already been said. The man was an absolute weapon, booting an astonishing 1254 goals in a mere 269 games.

Despite being undersized for a key forward, his solid build meant that he rarely met someone that was his match.

His trophy cabinet was marvellously stacked with three Colemans, four flags, seven All-Australians and four club best-and-fairests meaning that he is up there with the most decorated Hawks of all time.

He is third only to the great Coventry and Lockett in total goals and is remembered by many who played against him as the best player to ever boot a Sherrin.

Option 2: Shane Crawford

Shane Crawford was one of the most impressive midfielders of his generation, dazzling fans whether they be neutral or Hawthorn faithful.

At only 174cm, 'Crawf' was by no means a physically gifted player by AFL standards, however, the one thing that he had in spades was pure gut-running. It was impossible to count the number of times he received the ball cleanly off the pack and burst through to hit up a lead or shoot for goal.

Winning the Brownlow in 1999, as well as four All-Australians and Peter Crimmins Trophies, Crawford would finally complete the clean sweep in 2008 when his beloved Hawks won the flag.

Crawford is fondly remembered by Hawks fans as one of their favourite sons and is a fine example for any skipper anywhere to draw from.

Option 3: Leigh Matthews

The great Leigh Matthews may be the best non-full forward attacker of all time, with his efforts as a mid-forward quite remarkable all things considered.

Matthews, in his 17 seasons at Hawthorn, managed 915 goals in 332 matches - an astonishing total for someone who divided his time between roving duties and forward pocket.

With four VFL premierships, a staggering EIGHT Peter Crimmins Trophies, one Coleman Medal and six club leading goalkicker awards, 'Lethal' would likely have an entire floor of his house dedicated to silverware.

Now a prominent media figure, Matthews is able to share his footy wisdom with all who listen, and we're all far more knowledgable for it.

Option 4: Peter Hudson

A player with one of the best goal-to-game ratios of all time, Peter Hudson was electric back in his day.

Averaging a staggering 5.6 goals per game over the course of his career, Hudson played only 129 games for the brown and gold, slotting a staggering 727 majors in that time.

Winning four Colemans and a flag to boot, Hudson played his opponents off the park week in and week out. Even in the years where he only played a single game in 1972 and '73, he managed eight majors in each of those encounters.

If Hudson somehow played for another two seasons, then there is no doubt that he would've cracked the big 1000 and entered rarified air.

Verdict

At the minute, it's the key forward stocks that the Hawks are lacking in with Jack Gunston being out for an extended period of time and youngsters in Jacob Koschitzke and Mitch Lewis still coming along.

Therefore, it's got to be 'Chief' that comes in for the Hawks, with Dunstall certain to boot big bags of goals in his time in the forward-line. With Sam Mitchell needing a good start in 2022, Dunstall would no doubt make his side overperform as well as provide invaluable experience to the aforementioned young keys.

Melbourne

Option 1: Ron Barassi

The great Ron Barassi is one of the most famous names in the game with his work not just as a successful player, but as an equally successful coach making him a legend of AFL football.

As a player, he won a whopping six flags in his twelve seasons with the Demons from 1953-1964, as well as two club best-and-fairest medals in 1961 and '64.

Aside from his on-field achievements, Barassi was seen as a revolutionary across many aspects of the game. His recruitment to the Demons was the first instance of the 'father-son rule' still in existence today.

Under coach and near surrogate father Norm Smith, Barassi pioneered the ruck-rover role even though he only stood at 179cm tall, wowing opponents with his speed, tenacity and leadership.

Although he went on to controversially switch to the Blues in 1964, Barassi is still heralded as a Melbourne club legend for the incredible successes he brought them in his stint at the club.

Option 2: Robert Flower

Robbie Flower is known by many to have watched him as one of the greatest Dees to ever pull on the red and the blue.

Playing 272 games from 1973 until 1987, Flower had it all - speed, footy smarts, technique - and used it in a period where his club was struggling massively.

'Tulip' managed to finish twice as the club's top goalkicker despite playing the majority of his football from the wing, as well as winning the club's best-and-fairest medal in 1977 and making the All-Australian side on two occasions.

Flower tragically passed away in 2014 at age 59 but is fondly remembered by Demons fans and neutrals alike as a truly wonderful footballer.

Option 3: David Neitz

A shining light through some of the club's darkest years, David Neitz was one of the most solid performers throughout the 1990s and 2000s.

Winning the Coleman Medal and Keith Truscott Medal in his career-best year of 2002, Neitz finished with 82 goals from 24 games as he guided his side to a semi-final appearance.

The Tasmanian-born forward finished his career with 306 games and 631 goals, holding the record for most games by any Melbourne player ever and cementing his spot as a certified club great.

Option 4: Jeff Farmer

Jeff Farmer wasn't a player who earned much silverware throughout his career, however, his nickname 'The Wizard' says a lot about the player he was.

Booting 259 goals in 118 games for the Demons, Farmer was a pure excitement machine and delivered on most days he'd step out for the red and the blue.

Arguably his best display ever came against the Pies in Round 14, 2000 when he booted a mind-boggling nine second-half goals after a dead silent first two quarters, showing his magician-like characteristics to bring home the win for his side.

He was traded to the Dockers at the conclusion of season 2001 but is fondly remembered for the astonishing moments he created during his time at the Dees.

Verdict

With the midfield Melbourne possesses at the minute, you'd have to be something truly special to work your way into it. However, their outside mids in Langdon and Brayshaw surely couldn't keep their spot in the side if the great Robbie Flower was knocking on the door for selection.

His poise with and without the footy would be an incredible addition to Simon Goodwin's side, even though it seems like they can't improve based on their astonishing grand final display. Flower's presence would surely guarantee the Dees the next few flags - if some fans hadn't proclaimed they would already.

North Melbourne

Option 1: Malcolm Blight

'Blighty' is a name that gets thrown around often at Arden Street, and for good reason with the man himself being a club legend at the Roos.

Winning two flags, a Brownlow Medal and a Coleman Medal, Blight was an incredible presence and is hailed as one of the best to ever come out of South Australia.

His final year at Arden Street in 1982 saw him boot an astonishing 103 goals from 20 games, with his previous best haul being 77 goals in 24 games.

One of his most endearing legacies is the huge 80-metre torpedo he launched to win the game after the siren in 1976 against Carlton, with the kick being one of the greatest goals ever witnessed in the history of the game.

Option 2: Wayne Carey

Wayne Carey is one of the most famous, yet infamous, characters in the footballing world, with his playing career being marred by his off-field behaviour.

Despite this, many punters consider 'Duck' to be the greatest Roo of all time, with some even going as far to say that Carey was the best player of all time.

A natural centre half-forward, Carey managed 727 goals in 272 appearances with his 13-year stint at North Melbourne providing an insane highlight reel.

As mentioned earlier, off-field matters did end up spilling on-field with Carey forced to switch to Adelaide in the latter stages of his career. However, purely on footballing ability, it's extremely difficult to look past him for someone more talented.

Option 3: Brent Harvey

For someone who exemplifies longevity, look no further than 'Boomer' Harvey.

The all-time VFL/AFL record holder for most games played with 432, the enigmatic small forward was incredibly damaging on his day.

A premiership player and four-time All-Australian, Harvey ruled the roost at Arden Street for so long, winning five club best-and-fairest awards in his 20-year career.

Even in his final year at the club, Harvey managed to boot 36 goals and could've perhaps played on if he wished, Yet, at 38-years-of-age, he realised that it was best to hang up the boots while he was ahead.

The fact he was in the North Melbourne side for so long and seldom missed a game is remarkable, and it'll be a long time before anyone breaks 'Boomer's' record again.

Option 4: Keith Greig

A running red-headed wingman, Keith Greig was instrumental for 'The Shinboners' in the '70s.

Greig won back-to-back Brownlows in 1973 and 1974, with his first and only flag coming a year later in 1975. His efforts of distribution were a sight to behold and many often remarked he had iron lungs with the way he never stopped running from siren to siren.

Appearing on 294 occasions for the Roos, Greig nailed down a spot in the AFL Team of the Century on the wing, although he was able to play off halfback in the latter stages of his career.

Despite a falling out with coach Ron Barassi, Greig still managed to excel in the '80s and retired as a true club champion.

Verdict 

As much as these other players fit into what North needs, Wayne Carey is just too good a prospect to pass up.

Imagine him in his prime with the likes of Cameron Zurhaar and Nick Larkey down in attack, especially when they're all operating on each other's wavelengths. You'd expect some freaky highlight reels to come out of North's game almost every week.

Very scary stuff.

Published by
Benjamin Millard