Plugger, Rooey or Harves: Who is the greatest Saint of the modern era?

[bigcarl]

Who is the greatest Saint?

Top 20 Saints of the modern era (1987 onwards).

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/ ... 246c499e70

[bigcarl]

His top 20 in order is

Lockett, Riewoldt, Harvey, Loewe, Hayes, Winmar, Burke, Dal Santo, Milne, Gehrig, Everitt, Goddard, Frawley, Montagna, Steven, Fisher, Baker, Hudghton, A. Jones, Dempster.

[bigcarl]

I’d like to post a bit of the actual article - say the top 5 - but I can’t seem to copy it

[Enrico_Misso]

When did the "modern era" start?

[bigcarl]

Plugger had the brute strength and physical presence, Harvey had the endurance and longevity.

And what about the great Nick Riewoldt?

He is well and truly in the conversation.

How do you separate them?

We’ve gone for Lockett, but there will no doubt be others who give Riewoldt the nod and others who nominate Harvey.

THE TOP-20 BEST ST KILDA PLAYERS 1987-2020
1) TONY LOCKETT
What a colossus he was. The Ballarat boy was initially reluctant to come down to the big smoke and join the Saints. Thank heavens, excuse the pun, he did because he turned out to be one of the very best players in the history of the game. Forget the Saints, many still believe he is the best of all time. Injuries over the journey, and the odd lengthy suspension, probably stopped Lockett from kicking as many as 2000 goals. He holds the record for the most goals in VFL-AFL history with 1360 goals and it’s hard to see that ever being topped.

Key stat: 127- The amount of goals Lockett booted in 1991.


2) NICK RIEWOLDT
Utterly fearless and with the endurance of an energiser bunny, the Tasmanian-born Gold Coast product and former No.1 draft pick was a superstar for St Kilda for well over a decade. He played 336 games as a big man and kicked 718 goals in a remarkable career. Captained the club in 2005 as part of its then rotation policy and then outright from 2007 until 2016. Very unlucky to not be a premiership skipper, but he is no doubt heading for the AFL hall of fame.

Key stat: 6 – Holds the club record for Trevor Barker Awards with six to his name, and made the All-Australian side five times.


3) ROBERT HARVEY
Like Plugger and Riewoldt, it is a travesty this modern great finished his illustrious career without a flag. He played until age 37, retiring after the 2008 preliminary final, just before the Saints’ return to Grand Final action in 2009-10. The Dual Brownlow medallist would cover so much ground that opposition teams would alternate two taggers on him. He was also as tough as they come. He once jumped repeatedly off his kitchen table to fully rupture his partially torn plantar fascia in order to allow it to heal and return to the field faster. An absolute marvel for a long time.

Key stat: 383 – The amount of games Harvey played to be the club’s games’ record holder.


4) STEWART LOEWE
Loewe’s nickname was “buckets” for his big hands, and they helped him develop into one of the best contested marks in the game’s history. A two-time All Australian, the Mornington Peninsula product notched up 321 games in the red, white and black. He also booted just under 600 goals. One of the club’s all-time greats.

Key stat: 2503 – how many marks Loewe took in his career, which is the third most in the VFL-AFL’s history.

5) LENNY HAYES
How could you not love Lenny Hayes? Courageous, tenacious and committed to the cause to a tee, he was the ultimate warrior and a model of professionalism. His herculean effort in the 2010 drawn Grand Final with Collingwood should never be forgotten. He was everywhere in the final quarter and deserved the Norm Smith Medal. One of the best to ever pull on a St Kilda jumper.

Key stat: 3 - Three Trevor Barker Awards and four All-Australian jumpers

[bigcarl]

When did the "modern era" start?

1987, start of the AFL

[desertsaint]

His top 20 in order is

Lockett, Riewoldt, Harvey, Loewe, Hayes, Winmar, Burke, Dal Santo, Milne, Gehrig, Everitt, Goddard, Frawley, Montagna, Steven, Fisher, Baker, Hudghton, A. Jones, Dempster.

Hard to argue with that top twenty. but i'd change the order. move Harvey to second, move Milne ahead of Burke and Dal, then drop Dal behind Frawley, and drop Baker behind Dempster.

[bigcarl]

His top 20 in order is

Lockett, Riewoldt, Harvey, Loewe, Hayes, Winmar, Burke, Dal Santo, Milne, Gehrig, Everitt, Goddard, Frawley, Montagna, Steven, Fisher, Baker, Hudghton, A. Jones, Dempster.

Hard to argue with that top twenty. but i'd change the order. move Harvey to second, move Milne ahead of Burke and Dal, then drop Dal behind Frawley, and drop Baker behind Dempster.

Yes, I'd have Harvey second. Which isn't to say Riewoldt wasn't a great player also.

Are there any noteable omissions, do you think?

[stevie]

My top three was always Plugger, Harves and Roo

Two or three years ago I moved Roo to number two

[Munga]

1.Lockett
2.Harvey
3.Riewoldt

And in no order:
Hayes
Milne
Gehrig
Fisher

[Enrico_Misso]

When did the "modern era" start?

1987, start of the AFL

Thanks.
Though technically the AFL began in 1991.

But working with 1987 means a few other big in-contention names become eligible
- Frank Carbone
- David Whittey
- Rodney Gladman
- Warwick Green
- Paul Tilley
- Andrew Jobling
(Unfortunately Enrico Misso misses out by 2 years!).

[bigcarl]

When did the "modern era" start?

1987, start of the AFL

Thanks.
Though technically the AFL began in 1991.

But working with 1987 means a few other big in-contention names become eligible
- Frank Carbone
- David Whittey
- Rodney Gladman
- Warwick Green
- Paul Tilley
- Andrew Jobling
(Unfortunately Enrico Misso misses out by 2 years!).

Ah, ok. Start of the so-called national competition. A few luminaries in your list. Any genuine unlucky omissions?

[Secret Kiel]

Plugger then daylight to the next player.

No player for the era being discussed has worked the turnstiles harder as an individual attraction. Doesn't matter if Harvey could do this, or Roo could do that, it's about entertainment.

[saynta]

His top 20 in order is

Lockett, Riewoldt, Harvey, Loewe, Hayes, Winmar, Burke, Dal Santo, Milne, Gehrig, Everitt, Goddard, Frawley, Montagna, Steven, Fisher, Baker, Hudghton, A. Jones, Dempster.

Good choices

[Enrico_Misso]

Plugger then daylight to the next player.

No player for the era being discussed has worked the turnstiles harder as an individual attraction. Doesn't matter if Harvey could do this, or Roo could do that, it's about entertainment.

Totally agree.
For a while there, around 87 when Plugger was on his way to his first ton, I gave up standing in The Animal pit and took to standing behind the Lockett goal and then changing ends 3 (or 4 if you guessed wrong before the coin toss) times during the game.
I would't do that for Rooey!

[Secret Kiel]

Plugger then daylight to the next player.

No player for the era being discussed has worked the turnstiles harder as an individual attraction. Doesn't matter if Harvey could do this, or Roo could do that, it's about entertainment.

Totally agree.
For a while there, around 87 when Plugger was on his way to his first ton, I gave up standing in The Animal pit and took to standing behind the Lockett goal and then changing ends 3 (or 4 if you guessed wrong before the coin toss) times during the game.
I would't do that for Rooey!

I did the same for his first ton too, changed ends to be at the right end of the ground so I could run out onto the ground.

[Vazelos]

Lockett No1 I cant split Riewoldt and Harvey they are both equal to me that’s your top 3!!!
It’s a good list Trevor Barker shouldn’t he make the list?

[whiskers3614]

Joke to have Goddard so low.
Greatness is measured by Grand Final performances, and on that score he only has Hayes as a rival!
If some of their team-mates and coaches hadn't choked there would be 2 more trophies in the cabinet,
and probably a couple of bronze statues somewhere.I know he left but we shouldn't be like spurned lovers!!

[Joffa Burns]

Lockett
Riewoldt
Harvey
Hayes
Winmar
Burke
Goddard
Loewe
Milne
Gehrig

[mr six o'clock]

Plugger then daylight to the next player.

No player for the era being discussed has worked the turnstiles harder as an individual attraction. Doesn't matter if Harvey could do this, or Roo could do that, it's about entertainment.

I concur
I think Harves an Roo played consistently good football for their entire careers.
Plugger had allot more average games than them ( but his average game was still better than most )
But about 25% of Pluggers games were on a completely different level .
He was just unstoppable.
Life was so enjoyable when the saints had a win and plugger had kicked a lazy 6 or 7 or 8 or 9 or 10 or 11 or 12 .........

[bigcarl]

Lockett No1 I cant split Riewoldt and Harvey they are both equal to me that’s your top 3!!!
It’s a good list Trevor Barker shouldn’t he make the list?

The rider was that they must have played their best football post-1987 (which they spelled out in the paper, but I didn't made clear here).

Barker was a fabulous player - an out-and-out champion - but he hung them up in 1989, which probably explains why he missed out.

His best was probably earlier, say '78 to '85 IMO

[bigcarl]

Lockett
Riewoldt
Harvey
Hayes
Winmar
Burke
Goddard
Loewe
Milne
Gehrig

Yep, Lenny should definitely be higher

[Sanctorum]

Brendon Goddard deserves to be rated in top 10, also consider the following 3 to warrant inclusion in top 20, in place of Jack Steven, Steven Baker and Sean Dempster:

Justin Koschitzke
Barry Hall
Justin Peckett

As for order of merit, my top 5:

Lockett
Harvey
Riewoldt
Hayes
Goddard

[saynta]

Trevor Barker played in three of those years. He is a definite inclusion

[bigcarl]

Trevor Barker played in three of those years. He is a definite inclusion

He started in '75 if memory serves correctly. So he'd played 12 of his 15 seasons before 1987. They had to have played their BEST football after '87.

I loved Barker as a player. He was a champion, but his last years weren't his best. Probably '81-'85 he was at his peak, in very ordinary sides.