Top 10 Bulldogs

[1eyedog]

Has it been done? Can it be done? Can you do it?

It's clearly the off-season and I've always been interested in how we rate the players who have played at our club since, say, Whitten. I'm doubly interested because I think my top 5 has swung around a bit over the past 5-10 years.

Are you able to separate your all time favourite Bulldogs players and order them in a top 10? It doesn't have to be the best, your favs is fine.

I'll have to have a think about this...

[Twodogs]

Is it favourite or best bulldogs?

[Jam Donuts]

1/. E.J. WHITTEN
2/. J.SCHULTZ
3/. G DEMPSEY
4/. B. JOHNSON
5/. D. HAWKINS
6/. K. TEMPLETON
7/. S. WEST
8/. S. BEASLEY
9/. R. SMITH
10/. T. LIBERATORE

There are no doubt many I have forgotten or should have included, but I am old and senile, a consequence of following the doggies since the fifties.

[SlimPickens]

1. C.Grant
2. S.West
3. D.Hawkins
4. B.Johnson
5. R.Griffen
6. T.Liberatore (Snr)
7. R.Smith
8. S.Wynd
9. D.Morris
10. B.Lake

[chef]

Off the top of my head and I only went with players I've seen.

1. Grant
2. Hawkins
3. West
4. Johnson
5. Beasley
6. Liberatore(Snr)
7. Wynd
8. Lake
9. Wallis(Snr)
10. Royal

[1eyedog]

Is it favourite or best bulldogs?

Obviously the two are different so just flag which one you are referring too.

[1eyedog]

1/. E.J. WHITTEN
2/. J.SCHULTZ
3/. G DEMPSEY
4/. B. JOHNSON
5/. D. HAWKINS
6/. K. TEMPLETON
7/. S. WEST
8/. S. BEASLEY
9/. R. SMITH
10/. T. LIBERATORE

There are no doubt many I have forgotten or should have included, but I am old and senile, a consequence of following the doggies since the fifties.

You rated Johnno highly - so do I. No Chris Grant?

[Webby]

1/. E.J. WHITTEN
2/. J.SCHULTZ
3/. G DEMPSEY
4/. B. JOHNSON
5/. D. HAWKINS
6/. K. TEMPLETON
7/. S. WEST
8/. S. BEASLEY
9/. R. SMITH
10/. T. LIBERATORE

There are no doubt many I have forgotten or should have included, but I am old and senile, a consequence of following the doggies since the fifties.

This is a very good list until it hits 9 & 10... Wynd and I think Royal were better players than Smith and Libba. I also think Grant trumps West. I have a theory in West which is that he wasn't a damaging player, so opposition coaches would focus more on tagging the receiver than West.

Grant, on the other hand was always a focus. I'd drop out Smith and Libba for Grant and Wynd. I'd also argue KT should be a touch higher. His 1980 season was a better individual season than even Wayne Carey ever produced.

[1eyedog]

1/ Ted Whitten
2/ Jon Schultz
3/ Kelvin Templeton
4/ Gary Dempsey
5/ Chris Grant
6/ Brad Johnson
7/ Doug Hawkins
8/ Scott Wynd
9/ Scott West
10/ Brian Royal

This could change by the time Bonts, Stringer and T Boyd are finished :D

[Maddog37]

I'm just going to list the ones I am familiar with.

Grant
Johnson
West
Lake
Wynd
Hawkins
Tom Libba
Murphy
Morris
Cooney.

This has turned into a weird mix of players I like and rate.

[Webby]

1/ Ted Whitten
2/ Jon Schultz
3/ Kelvin Templeton
4/ Gary Dempsey
5/ Chris Grant
6/ Brad Johnson
7/ Doug Hawkins
8/ Scott Wynd
9/ Scott West
10/ Brian Royal

This could change by the time Bonts, Stringer and T Boyd are finished :D

That's pretty much it, except I'd be very tempted to swap Beasley straight in for West. Sounds harsh, but I'd be more excited about a 19 year old Simon Beasley being drafted onto our list than a 19 year old Scott West. I also think Royal was a far more damaging rover. Basically a regular Big V player from his first year of league footy. And our b&f.

[SonofScray]

Favourites:

1 C Grant
2 T Liberatore
3 D Hawkins
4 S Wynd
5 B Royal
6 R Murphy
7 S MacPherson
8 B Johnson
9 R Smith
10 S Atkins

I don't think I can do a Best 10. A handful of those listed above would be in the mix, but a fair few would make way for players I never saw in action but are clearly up there as our all time greats.

[1eyedog]

That's pretty much it, except I'd be very tempted to swap Beasley straight in for West. Sounds harsh, but I'd be more excited about a 19 year old Simon Beasley being drafted onto our list than a 19 year old Scott West. I also think Royal was a far more damaging rover. Basically a regular Big V player from his first year of league footy. And our b&f.

Beasley! How could I forget Beasley! I would have him taking Royal's place at least! It's a line ball call for me Beasely v West. I was just as excited about West the day he kicked 6 from the middle. Feels somewhat of an outrage not including Choco - one of our best no doubt but it would feel outright weird not including a bloke who won more B&Fs than anyone who has gone before him.

[Jeanette54]

Great thread, here's my favourites since the late fifties, early sixties,

1. Teddy Whitten
2. David Thorpe
3. Tony Liberatore
4. Brad Johnson
5. Ray Walker
6. Dale Morris
7. Scott Wynd
8. George Bisset
9. John Jillard
10. Bernie Quinlan/Barry Round (how could you split them).

[Jam Donuts]

You rated Johnno highly - so do I. No Chris Grant?

I did pre-empt my list by saying I was senile, Chris Grant would be my number 2, apologies to Chris.

[bornadog]

This thread is so difficult to respond to, but I will have a go at my favourite/best and in no order.

1. Ted Whitten - only saw him in his latter years, but widely known as the best player of all time in the AFL.
2. Chris Grant
3. Kelvin Templeton
4. Gary Dempsey
5. Dougie Hawkins
6. Brad Johnson
7. Simon Beasley
8. Scott West
9. Tony Libba
10. Brian Royal

I have left out players still playing and they will be assessed at the end of their careers.

I have also restricted this to players I have seen. I did see guys like Schultz as a kid (5 year old) but I can't honestly say I can remember much.

[mighty_west]

My best :

1. C Grant
2. K Templeton
3. D Hawkins
4. G Dempsey
5. B Johnson
6. S Beasley
7. S West
8. B Royal
9. T Liberatore
10. S Wynd

Favourite :

1. C Grant
2. S Beasley
3. K Templeton
4. D Hawkins
5. B Johnson
6. G Jennings
7. I Williams
8. A Cooney
9. B Hardie
10. Tony Liberatore

[soupman]

Favourite's, in no particular order:
Steven Kretiuk: Used to love him as a kid. Thought he was the toughest.
Chris Grant: Obvious choice, gun.
Brad Johnson: Easy choice.
Dale Morris: Best defender I've ever seen.
Mitch Hahn: Loved the way he would just force his way through players.
Robert Murphy: Beautiful to watch.
Matthew Robbins: Always thought he was cool when I was younger and could do some pretty awesome stuff. Still remember him taking out Hardwick once at Etihad.
Daniel Cross: Super tough and got the best out of himself.
Brian Lake: Was our most entertaining player for a fair while, loved watching him embarrass key forwards.
Matthew Croft: Not even sure why but I loved Crofty.

Honourable mentions to Cooney, Picken, Giansiracusa and Dahlhaus, and I am sure that within two years Stringer, Bontempelli and possibly Smith and Jong will be candidates for this list also.

*I am clearly a bit younger than some other posters on here:)

[chef]

Sad thing is Griffin should be making these lists.

[Happy Days]

Bit younger than most of you, so my list has to include a couple of pigs.

Grant
Johnson
West
Griffin
Lake
Cooney
Judas
Aker (!!!)
Morris
Boyd (!!!!!)

So that's 4 guys who walked out, one homophobic dick run out of town, and MATTHEW F'N BOYD. No wonder no one goes to our games.

[Twodogs]

Favourites.

Les Bamblett.
Kelvin Templeton
Terry Wheeler
Rick Kennedy
Simon Beasley
Chris Grant
Rohan Smith
Scott West
Doug Hawkins
Tony Liberatore

[Greystache]

1. West
2. Grant
3. Johnson
4. Griffin
5. Lake
6. Smith
7. Murphy
8. Gilbee
9. Morris
10. Cooney

[azabob]

HD, no love for Murphy?

[Avoid the rush]

HD, no love for Murphy?

1/ EJ
2/ Schultz
3/ Johnno
4/ Beasley
5/ Dempsey
6/ Grant
7/ MURPHY
8/ Royal
9/ Templeton
10/ West
500/ Griffin

[LostDoggy]

Hawkins
Templeton
Dempsey
Grant
Johnson
West
Beasley
Libba Snr
Sook
Wynd

[Happy Days]

HD, no love for Murphy?

Much love but Aker's 2-ish years of dominance was pretty spectacular and Boyd's resume probably just edges him (in spite of him being unbearable to watch.)

This club I swear..

[always right]

Favourites;
Grant
Hawkins
Templeton
Murphy
Johnno
Wynd
McLean
Kennedy
Cooney
Royal

Best:
Grant
Hawkins
Templeton
West
Johnno
Dempsey
Wynd
Murphy
Royal
Cooney

[BulldogBelle]

Templeton
Dempsey
Thorpe
Hardie
Quinlan
Bryant
Grant
Jillard
Walker
Pagnocollo

Well Pags was the local bank teller. Ray Walker ended up in the back pocket as did Ian Bryant. John Jillard was impassable. Chris Grant was dominant. Quinlan could kick it a country mile. Hardie would bamboozle the forwards. Thorpe would run the ball down the wing and side-step the opposition. Dempsey once marked a ball like you would take a diving slips catch. Templeton made it worthwhile going to the footy when the team wasn't doing so well.

[SlimPickens]

Sad thing is Griffin should be making these lists.

He is on my list. I won't forget the football he played at our club.

[Greystache]

He is on my list. I won't forget the football he played at our club.

And one of the few good finals players the club has had in recent history.

[Bulldog4life]

My best in order:

Whitten
schultz
templeton
dempsey
hawkins
grant
johnson
beasley
west
libba snr

[1eyedog]

My best in order:

Whitten
schultz
templeton
dempsey
hawkins
grant
johnson
beasley
west
libba snr

That's a great list. The hardest part for me was positions 8, 9 and 10. Trying to fit all of Libba Snr, West, Wynd, Royal and Beasley in the Top 10 was no easy feat and consequently some great players missed out.

I'll leave this up here for as long as it gets hits and maybe try to do a greatest Bulldogs according to WOOF. It will be subjective and age dependent but it will be interesting nevertheless.

[1eyedog]

Favourites.

Les Bamblett.
Kelvin Templeton
Terry Wheeler
Rick Kennedy
Simon Beasley
Chris Grant
Rohan Smith
Scott West
Doug Hawkins
Tony Liberatore

No Super TD I'm shocked.
I'd be interested to read your best team.

[GVGjr]

Favourite's in no real order except for Quinlan. No current players as Morris would be in it.

B.Quinlan
K.Templeton
T.McGuinness
B.Hardie
D.Hawkins
B.Johnson
G.Dempsey
C.Grant
B.Royal
A.Purser

[1eyedog]

Favourite's in no real order except for Quinlan. No current players as Morris would be in it.

B.Quinlan
K.Templeton
T.McGuinness
B.Hardie
D.Hawkins
B.Johnson
G.Dempsey
C.Grant
B.Royal
A.Purser

Purser is in my favourite list as well. Going by who you have seen and what you know about who you haven't could you have a crack at the 10 best?

[GVGjr]

Purser is in my favourite list as well. Going by who you have seen and what you know about who you haven't could you have a crack at the 10 best?

I actually tried for 10 minutes and couldn't put one together. I'd prefer to not try and rate players I haven't seen but might give it a go later.

[1eyedog]

I actually tried for 10 minutes and couldn't put one together. I'd prefer to not try and rate players I haven't seen but might give it a go later.

It's not easy marrying reputation and records up against someone you watched physically their entire career.