The Top 50 SANFL players of all time

I think we'd all agree on Barrie Robran as number 1.

I like CK's recognition of Ken Farmer as 2. His record is extraordinary . Russell Ebert at 3 is also fine with me, but obviously Ebert and Farmer are interchangeable.

I also agree with you, Ff about Bob Hank being high up, alongf with Malcolm Blight. I saw Blight kick about 15 against West at Richmond when he was nearly finished. Freak.

Bagshaw at 10 is more realistic, IMO, than being higher.

reading the stats on Ken Farmer is nothing short of incredible, its almost like Bradman was to cricket as Ken Farmer was to full forwards.......

6.33 goals per game!!, over 1400 goals and over 100 per season for eleven seasons straight!!....that is just mind boggling!!...

Yes, for mine Barrie Robran is number 1, Ken Farmer 2. They are the two most outstanding players in the history of the SANFL. After that, you could throw a very large blanket over about 20 players for third.

Here's one from left-field.

Many wouldn't have heard of him, but where would Jack Broadstock rate?

redandblack wrote:Here's one from left-field.

Many wouldn't have heard of him, but where would Jack Broadstock rate?

Broadstock is an interesting one. Had his career not been interrupted by WW2, he may well have achieved much greater than his statistics suggest. Only played the 65 games, so would just sneak in on qualification, but has been credited with being one of the earliest players to really use handball in an era where it was hardly seen. My overall feeling with the initial list was that there were a lot of intangibles with how good he COULD have been, to include him.

It's similar to how I marked Norwood's John Marriott, who I know many Norwood fans rate as a better ruckman than Bill Wedding. Over a nine year career, his output was stellar and was the youngest Magarey Medal winner at the time of his win. He retired at only 26, however, and while not having ever seen him play, many felt his best was potentially still in front of him, so its a little hard to judge him. That said, easily one of the top 3 ruckmen Norwood ever produced, IMHO.

Jack Broadstock played in Richmond's 1943 premiership side as well. For memory there was some doubt over him betting on footy matches, wasn't there?

I think that was one of his minor indiscretions, AH.

I've heard many stories about him from old West stalwarts and players.

One very prominent Victorian footballer decribed him as the most talented footballer he'd seen. It might have been Jack Dyer, I'll check.

When I was growing up and first getting into SANFL history every old timer I spoke to had Bob Hank as a better player than Lindsay Head. And I mean every!!! Make of that what you will. Also in the same vein many Old Port supporters (many not all) said Quinn was a better player than Ebert but I would still put Ebert as the Magpies best.
Snowy Hamilton would easily make the half back of the SANFL Team of last century. And I would have in the best 20 of the SANFL easily. But even his own club's history committee overlooked him until some guy on it keep hassling to get him inducted into the SANFL hall of fame.

BTW for what it's worth I think this is overall a very good list. Most history is subject to retrospect and doing the best 50 is no small task.

Leaping Lindner wrote:When I was growing up and first getting into SANFL history every old timer I spoke to had Bob Hank as a better player than Lindsay Head. And I mean every!!! Make of that what you will. Also in the same vein many Old Port supporters (many not all) said Quinn was a better player than Ebert but I would still put Ebert as the Magpies best.
Snowy Hamilton would easily make the half back of the SANFL Team of last century. And I would have in the best 20 of the SANFL easily. But even his own club's history committee overlooked him until some guy on it keep hassling to get him inducted into the SANFL hall of fame.

BTW for what it's worth I think this is overall a very good list. Most history is subject to retrospect and doing the best 50 is no small task.

I agree with everything you say Leaping Lindner.

I have a real problem wiith Gary Window being in the 50 in front of a lot of the stars of that era. Gary was by no means the worst footballer to win the Magarey Medal, but I doubt that he would have made the top 100 players ever to play in the SANFL. I know that I am biassed to North players, but Barrie Barbary was a much, much better footballer than Gary Window. Barbary played more games for the state than any other North player. When you consider the champions who have played for North and the state, that is quite an achievement. He won the Magarey Medal in a North premiership year. He won the O'Halloran Trophy as best player for SA in the win against Victoria at the MCG in 1963. To highlight how good a wingman he was, the state selectors used to play Ken Eustice on the half bank flank so that the first cousins, Cahill and Barbary could play on the wings for the state.

Adelaide Hawk wrote:Jack Broadstock played in Richmond's 1943 premiership side as well. For memory there was some doubt over him betting on footy matches, wasn't there?

lets not speak ill off the dead

i knew Jack because he was a regular at the track, he was a very nice & humble old man

as for your query well i've heard that story on numerous times over the years, how much truth is in it i don't know but remember back then they were war years so i'm sure you'd try & 'earn' everything you could

I've spoken to players who were his team-mates and they all say he was what is kindly known as a 'character'.

From the stories I've heard, betting on matches was at the lower end of his 'interests'

Bump:......

Well I'll begin by declaring my bias. I met Jim Deane several times and he was a gentleman and a great man to talk footy with and arguably Souths greatest ever player.
However , I never saw him play.
But I think a few of the following stats demonstrate how good a player he was and he should be in the top 10.
During his time at South , the club was regularly at the bottom of the ladder, South won the spoon 5 times between 1950 and 1957.
In that time South won 26 games and lost 115.
Deane won the Magarey Medal in 1953 -South won 5 games and finished bottom.
He again won the medal in 1957- South won 2 games and finished bottom.
Deane was R/u in the medal in 1949- South won 4 games and finished bottom.
Again he was R/u in the medal in 1950 -South didnt win a game and finished bottom.
Again he was R/u in the medal in 1951 - South won 1 game and finished bottom.

When considers that he was playing against the likes of Hank, Quinn, Fitzgerald and Head ( 10 medals between them)to name a few.. his achievements are extraordinary considering he was playing in a team that was belted every week.
He won 6 B&Fs at South Adelaide.
Also it should be noted that he played 2 seasons with Richmond in the VFL in 1954-5.

In my opinion a player greatly underestimated when it comes to selecting the SANFLs greatest players.

You make a very persuasive argument, B & W.

I'd have Jimmy Deane well before 18. I think Paul Bagshaw and Ian McKay are too high, as good as they undoubtedly were.

Bruce McGregor won 2 MM's, but is way down the list.

Just a random thought, but is the top 50 players in the SANFL now basically set, apart from the order.

Given that every youngster who shows any potential gets drafted, what are the chances of having a player possessing the skills and talent playing enough games to qualify.

Good as players like James Allan, Mitch Grigg etc are, are they good enough to break into the top 50 players ever?

Yes I think the ever widening period since the Crows came into being, trying to rate the brilliance and influence of any current sanfl players being at least on par with the old ones is unlikely.

They would need to be something very special and I don't think we have seen very many at all.

As time passes maybe it should become a top 50 since 1991. We are almost up to 30 years, so there are plenty of candidates to choose from.

Good suggestion.

Who are the best players since 1991 inclusive.

James Allan

Mitch Grigg

Zane Kirkwood

From a Magarey point of view.

Others?

Anyone want to post Medal winners since 1991?

Not only medallists.

But some ideas of players who have influenced the comp quite heavily since then without ranking them yet.

Ryan Ferguson (West)
Mark McKenzie (Eagles)
Jade Sheedy (Sturt)
Brant Chambers (Sturt)
Michael Coad (Sturt)
The Gowans (Central)... both of 'em + a whole bunch more multiple GF Flag winners.
Scott Hodges (Port)
Tim Ginever (Port)
Joel Cross (South)
Gary McIntosh (Nwd)
Brodie Atkinson (Sturt)
Damian Squire (Sturt)

There's a start until I remember some more.....

From 2000 onward there'd have to be a lot of Dogs players in there .. Gowans, Gowans, McKenzie, Slade, Steinberner, and no doubt many other suitable candidates.

From 91' onward for Norwood you'd probably have to look at Borlace (good player but wouldn't make my list), B. James, Zorsi, McGuinness, Phillips, Grigg, maybe Panos, L. Johnston (who I include more for his North performances). Just options, I'm not sure how many would make my top 20 or 50.