Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Recent Posts
21
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: How does Crippa rank among the panoply of Carlton greats?
Last post by LP -
Doull should have left footy with far more industry wide honours, I think his problem was that he was too boring for the media, the footy equivalent of a metronome, 100% reliable perfect timing, terrific ball use, game after game, rarely if ever genuinely beaten, the standard by which you measure everybody else, that's the tell for me.

 No fanfare, no histrionics, just go out do the job and then get ready for next week.

The media would rave about Southby, similar mould, so reliable, no waste, played on the glamours and usually beat them, terrific player, but 7 out of 10 times the pill never got that far forward because Doull had already killed it.

We've been lucky over the years, we had a swagger back then but it wasn't hubris, it was a confidence, we copped a lot in the media because the media was dominated by Filth and Feral loud mouths. But we never really boasted, we just got on with the job, for example Walls was the antithesis of Sheedy.

To me a lot of this started when Barassi arrived, he set a culture that lasted decades, admirably extended by Parkin.
22
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: How does Crippa rank among the panoply of Carlton greats?
Last post by PaulP -
Quote from: Gointocarlton – on
So who's your top 5 Pauly? (IMO our top 10 to 15 would smash the top 5 of most clubs, we have been blessed over the journey)

In no particular order :
Cripps
Ken Hunter
Bruce Doull
John Nicholls
Sticks Kernahan

The list is restricted to players from my era, except maybe John Nicholls. Several others would also be worthy nominees.

26
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: How does Crippa rank among the panoply of Carlton greats?
Last post by tonyo -
Quote from: Gointocarlton – on
Quote from: PaulP – on


When you think about the rubbish he has put up with, the fact that he basically never misses a game, all the personal awards, captaincy etc, he is IMO indisputably in top 5 greatest CFC players.

It's really quite a remarkable thing to watch a genuine champion of the club ply their trade in real time. Not stories from old timers about players from past decades, not grainy, low res b/w footage on YouTube, not history books, but the actual lived experience of watching one of the greats. Hopefully we all cherish these moments and never take them for granted.
So who's your top 5 Pauly? (IMO our top 10 to 15 would smash the top 5 of most clubs, we have been blessed over the journey)
I'll weigh in on this one, I've been going to games since the mid 60's.....

5:   Stephen Kernahan - a clutch leader and absolutely bleeds Navy Blue (still).

4:   Bruce Doull - I honestly believe he was the prototype of the modern defender.  Rarely beaten and always full-throttle.   

3:   Patrick Cripps - don't have to say any more.  Agree with the observation that he has had to carry the team (so did Nicholls in his early years).

2:   Alex Jesaulenko - could play anywhere and do absolutely mind-boggling things, and he didn't play the game until he was 14!

1:   John Nicholls - an absolute colossus.  His value to the team went far beyond disposals, tap-outs and goals.  He was truly feared by the opposition.

I reckon this sub-topic deserves its own thread!

Honorable mentions to Judd and Diesel (although they arrived at Princes Park as already-acknowledged champions).  And a little begrudgingly, SOS.
27
Robert Heatley Stand / How does Crippa rank among the panoply of Carlton greats?
Last post by Lods -
One of the reasons I rate Cripps so highly is that he's done it in a pretty average side over the journey.

The other greats we talk about, with the possible exception of Judd, had a fair bit of talent around them.

Jezza, Nicholls, Doull, Johnson, Kernahan, Kouta, Williams, the bloke at St Kilda (nah, that's disrespectful...he is a Carlton great- Silvagni) and I've probably missed someone ::) ...all had some pretty good team-mates.
28
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 21 2026 Pre Game Predictions Carlton vs Brisbane at Marvel
Last post by Gointocarlton -
Quote from: PaulP – on
Quote from: Gointocarlton – on
Gone under the radar a little but the Big Fella plays his 250th this week, do the right thing by your Skipper Bluebaggers.
Go Blues.

When you think about the rubbish he has put up with, the fact that he basically never misses a game, all the personal awards, captaincy etc, he is IMO indisputably in top 5 greatest CFC players.

It's really quite a remarkable thing to watch a genuine champion of the club ply their trade in real time. Not stories from old timers about players from past decades, not grainy, low res b/w footage on YouTube, not history books, but the actual lived experience of watching one of the greats. Hopefully we all cherish these moments and never take them for granted.
So who's your top 5 Pauly? (IMO our top 10 to 15 would smash the top 5 of most clubs, we have been blessed over the journey)
29
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 20 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Gold Coast at Marvel
Last post by shawny -
Quote from: blueray – on
I want what ya'll are smoking. He's the weakest link in our forward line. He's serviceable when defending by a mile at the moment. I wonder who would come knocking if we put him up for trade. Donuts I reckon.

Some fans once they like a player prefer to keep doubling down then admit they may have got it wrong. i thought SPS was the next andrew mccloed and kept seeing all the positives and glossing over the negatives until i conceded i got it wrong but i gave him
a heap more time then i usually would because i thought i saw something with him.

Kemp is no gunston and couldnt be further from him. Gunston even in his early days was a good user and decision maker. He took his opportunites. Kemp appears to be another mentally fragile player and generally those players never become consistent top level performers.
30
The Sports Desk / Re: Commonwealth Games-"Is anybody out there"
Last post by dodge -
Same old commentary only barracking for Aussies.  Great achievement beating Tonga in the netball.  3 on 3 basketball - what the...

For that, I will watch if it is on.  Yes, the future is bleak, maybe that's why Melbourne was the only bidder and then had to pay to move it on.