Like picking your favourite child

[bulldogtragic]

Of the nucleus of our side for some time, and 300 gamers, who is your absolute favourite player of the era.

Bubba
Westy
Turtle
Johno

[bulldogtragic]

1. Granty
2. Westy
3. Johno
4. Smithy

Tough calls all round!!

[bornadog]

Grant one of my all time favourites.

[boydogs]

You would have to add in Libba and Darcy, our top 6 for some time

[comrade]

1. Grant

[chef]

Grant, equal with Drogba for my favourite ever sportsperson.

[Twodogs]

Bubba easily. His mum was my kindergarten teacher and he grew up around the corner from me.

[Hotdog60]

Grant followed by Johnno

[Pickenitup]

Granty for me Best ever
Westy very very close behind

[AndrewP6]

Johnno, no question.

[LostDoggy]

Johno - heartbroken when he retired
Smith
Atkins
Grant

[LostDoggy]

To hard to split them for mine. All gave everything to the club

[LostDoggy]

Hawkins - in his prime would still make people in Todays game look stupid.

Grant - Marked what he wanted when he wanted, then could knock a flea off a dogs back from 40m with his opposite foot.

West - 36 possessions on a bad day. A lot of guys wouldn't have touched the ball half as much in their career if West wasn't getting them the ball.

[LostDoggy]

Westy for me. I have a massive soft spot for him and was heartbroken when his services were no longer required.
Johnno a close second.

[LostDoggy]

Wallis (Snr).
Then Dougie.
Then Grant.

[always right]

Grantie
Dougie
Johnno
Westy
Bubba

[westdog54]

Grant, Hawkins, Johnson, Smith, West, Cameron. My childhood idols.

[Greystache]

1. West
2. Grant
3. Johnno
4. Smith
5. Hawkins

[hoppus25]

Bubba! Was always my favourite, I haven't had a favourite player since he retired.. (Although I do have a soft spot for Jones & Dahl.)

[The Doctor]

Brad Hardie
Kelvin Templeton
Chris Grant
Gary Dempsey
Rick Kennedy

Special mention to Mark West, loved watching him in the ressies too.

[Twodogs]

Brad Hardie
Kelvin Templeton
Chris Grant
Gary Dempsey
Rick Kennedy

Special mention to Mark West, loved watching him in the ressies too.



No love for the Hawk Doc?

[Sedat]

Kelvin Templeton is the sole reason I barrack for the Dogs, I absolutely loved him growing up. After KT, it is clearly Chris Grant, followed by Dougy then Choco Royal - Dougy and Choco were heroes for me during my early teen years and they were sensational players. I loved Beaser as well - very underrated player in our history. To come here at 26yo and then dominate the competition to the extent that nobody else in the VFL kicked more goals throughout the 80's was an exceptional effort. He was so consistent from 82-88 - always kicked his 70-80 goals a season and of course broke the ton in 85. Alas, we only had Beaser and Templeton together for just a handful of games in 82 - I can only imagine them as a tandem team destroying opposition backmen throughout the rest of the 80's :(. Fossie, Steve McPherson, Andrew Purser and Rick Kennedy were also massive favourites of mine growing up.

The next rung of players for me would be Johnno, Westy, Bubba and Leon Cameron.

[ratsmac]

Can't split Grant and West- Both these players didn't get send off games :(:(
Hawkins - you would go to the footy just to watch him play.
Libba
Wynd

[ratsmac]

Kelvin Templeton is the sole reason I barrack for the Dogs, I absolutely loved him growing up. After KT, it is clearly Chris Grant, followed by Dougy then Choco Royal - Dougy and Choco were heroes for me during my early teen years and they were sensational players. I loved Beaser as well - very underrated player in our history. To come here at 26yo and then dominate the competition to the extent that nobody else in the VFL kicked more goals throughout the 80's was an exceptional effort. He was so consistent from 82-88 - always kicked his 70-80 goals a season and of course broke the ton in 85. Alas, we only had Beaser and Templeton together for just a handful of games in 82 - I can only imagine them as a tandem team destroying opposition backmen throughout the rest of the 80's :(. Fossie, Steve McPherson, Andrew Purser and Rick Kennedy were also massive favourites of mine growing up.

The next rung of players for me would be Johnno, Westy, Bubba and Leon Cameron.

LOVED Choco. I used to mimic the head shake after kicking a goal down the park with my mates

[ratsmac]

Kelvin Templeton is the sole reason I barrack for the Dogs, I absolutely loved him growing up. After KT, it is clearly Chris Grant, followed by Dougy then Choco Royal - Dougy and Choco were heroes for me during my early teen years and they were sensational players. I loved Beaser as well - very underrated player in our history. To come here at 26yo and then dominate the competition to the extent that nobody else in the VFL kicked more goals throughout the 80's was an exceptional effort. He was so consistent from 82-88 - always kicked his 70-80 goals a season and of course broke the ton in 85. Alas, we only had Beaser and Templeton together for just a handful of games in 82 - I can only imagine them as a tandem team destroying opposition backmen throughout the rest of the 80's :(. Fossie, Steve McPherson, Andrew Purser and Rick Kennedy were also massive favourites of mine growing up.

The next rung of players for me would be Johnno, Westy, Bubba and Leon Cameron.

I was just a bit too young to really remember Kelvin Templeton at his peak. I remember him playing and thats about it. What I do remember however is having a vinyl record with the Footscray club song on one side, and the other side (the flip side) had the Kelvin Templeton Brownlow presentation. I wish I still had it, but knowing my mum that would have been tossed out years ago. He must have been great to watch!

[Maddog37]

Loved watching Judas and Leon play. Also Bwian and Cal Ward.

If Dale Morris leaves I will never have a favorite player again!!!

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Grant, West, Johnno

[strebla]

Can't split Grant and West- Both these players didn't get send off games :(:(
Hawkins - you would go to the footy just to watch him play.
Libba
Wynd

A lot of us did do just that the Hawk in full flight was the best user of the football I saw. And when he danced Fred Astaire himself was in awe.

[always right]

Can't split Grant and West- Both these players didn't get send off games :(:(
Hawkins - you would go to the footy just to watch him play.Libba
Wynd

For a period there, he was the only reason to go and watch the bulldogs play......a bit like Templeton.

[The Pie Man]

1. Grant - so important to the modern & continuing history of the club, and could do things no other KPF could do. The best player in the comp 96-98
2. Hawkins - wow he was good... I'm too young to have seen Templeton, but glad I can still remember Hawk
3. Beasley - still the best FF we've had in my lifetime, and we all love a goal kicker
4. Murphy - silky, charismatic & loyal...if only Nathan Brown could say the same (I really loved Brown....he'd be in this list if he stayed)
5. Morris - up there with Grant for respect held. To play the 09 finals with a broken leg....to come back from that broken leg....he's still such a good stopper.

Honorable (and possibly strange) mentions to..
Gilbee : just loved watching him distribute, rivals Leon Cameron for best foot skills I've seen at the club
Paul Hudson : see Beasley coment re: goal kicker...some of the goals he kicked...
Brad Johnson : harsh not to be in my top 5. Best mark for his size just about ever to play the game

[craigsahibee]

If I had to pick from Bubba, Westy, Turtle and Johnno, I reckon Turtle gets the nod just in front of Johnno who is just in front of Westy who just nudges out Bubba.

Granty had no right to play 340+ games considering the punishment he took not just from the positions he played, but also the opponents he played on when he was just a kid.

Johnno, so durable. From the moment he debuted he played something like 300 games out of a possible 306 (or something like that). All Australian Captain as a small forward and has still never touched his own toes.

Westy. How can you win 7 B&F's and not be above the other guys on this list. Bloody Hell we had some talent.

Bubba, to be honest I thought he was gone in the early 00's. Went to half back one day at Kardinia Park and repelled everything in the second half to turn a belting into one of our great wins away from home. Skilled, quick and always up and about.

[LostDoggy]

LOVED Choco. I used to mimic the head shake after kicking a goal down the park with my mates

Geeze I hope you did it with a greased up dirty permed mullet like choc??? If so pictures please.

[OLD SCRAGGer]

LOVED them ALL. But IF I had to choose in what order, it would be:

1 : GRANTY
2: JOHNNO
3: BUBBA
4: WESTY

[ratsmac]

Geeze I hope you did it with a greased up dirty permed mullet like choc??? If so pictures please.

hahaha wow how did you guess. All photos of my permed mullet have been burned. I grew up in Werribee so I blended in quite nicely.

[1eyedog]

Templeton - the biggest presence on a football field I've ever known

Hawkins - the most skillful player of his day

Grant - nothing he couldn't do really

Johnno - only gets the nod ahead of Westy because of his AA captain year, he was as good as anyone that year.

West - Champion Bulldog

[azabob]

How I wish I was old enough to see Templeton play.

How I wish I was old enough to see Hawkins in his prime.

[LostDoggy]

How I wish I was old enough to see Templeton play.

How I wish I was old enough to see Hawkins in his prime.

I was lucky to see Teddy as well but my regrets are coleman and bradman