…Or maybe a way to start a lot more (arguments).

 

 

1965…

 

The average cost for a new house was $13,600. The cost for a new Car was $2,650. Australia joined the Vietnam War and the Voting Rights Act was brought in so African American citizens could vote. Rhodesia declared Unilateral Independence From Great Britain and became Zimbabwe.

 

1965 was also the first time VFL/AFL statistics were reported in the newspaper from all teams. Prior to this only ‘blockbuster’ matches were statistically recorded. The next 53 years these statistics have given the footballing public a rare insight into the game and led to the birth of Champion Data, Dream Team and SuperCoach.

 

From researching on AFL Tables it’s time to end all pub arguments which have bubbled since the beginning of Aussie Rules. Great players have always been compartmentalised by questions like “Who is the greatest forward”, “Who is the greatest midfielder”, “Pick one, Ablett or Carey”. These questions have been debated more than a million times over a few pots at the local watering hole.

 

With the help of my two mates Michael Phyland and Robbie Swan, players since 1965 have been ‘shone under the same light’. Whilst spending many hours on AFL Tables and Excel, we created a system where we can compare great players from the past with greats of the present and everyone inbetween. Some of the stats such as ‘inside 50s’ ‘contested possessions’ and ‘metres gained’ were dropped to create an even playing field. We used only the core statistics.

 

These core statistics are:

 

• (KI) Kicks x3 points
• (MK) Marks x3 points
• (HB) Handballs x2 points
• (GL) Goals x6 points
• (BH) Behinds x1 points
• (FF) Free Kick For x1 points
• (FA) Free Kick Against x(-1) points

 

With the help of these core ‘stats’ every player who has played an VFL/ AFL match from round 1 1965 have finally been compared with stats instead of arguments and opinions. Fortunately some all time greats of the game, like triple Brownlow Medalist Bob Skilton were recorded because he played 98 games after Round 1 1965.

 

‘Most Points in a Completed Season’, ‘Highest Average Points in a Season’, ‘Highest Career Average 50 or more games’, ‘Most Points in a Players Career’ and the ‘Highest Score by a Player in a Match’ are all here to quench your curiosity. Some of these figures and averages are quiet astounding, with many previously unheralded players featuring.

 

Dane Swan, known for his partying ways, is also one of the greatest midfielders to have played the game. Swan appears not once but four times in the top 20 for ‘Most Points in a Season’. These four seasons were consecutively; he averaged a remarkable 31 touches a match in the 98 matches he played and averaged 106 points a match.

 

The ’70s also feature prominently, especially 1971, when three players (Wayne Richardson, David Thorpe and Peter Hudson) all finished with a season average of 105 or more. This is an amazing stat because the player season average for the year was only 55.

 

Kevin Bartlett was a prolific on-baller during his 403 game, 19 season career with the Tigers. Bartlett, over his long career, accumulated 35373 points at a remarkably high average of 87. Fitzroy’s gutsy rover Garry Wilson, often compared with the likes of Bartlett and Leigh Matthews as the greatest rover, averaged 95 points over his 268 games. It is outrageous to compare Wilson with modern day superstar Dustin Martin. Martin averages just over 85 points over his 178 game career. Obviously, Martin’s career is still growing year by year, however Wilson must have been a freak.

 

Lance Franklin’s 13 goal game against North Melbourne in 2012 is regarded as one of the greatest performances during this decade. Franklin scored 184 points for the match; this pales in comparison with Jason Dunstall’s 1992 season which saw him pass the double ton three times. This included a VFL/AFL record of 247 points from his 17 goal, 18 mark, 29 disposals performance against Richmond in Round 7.

 

Dunstall passed the 200 mark twice more in round 20 and 22, when he kicked 12 goals 8 behinds from 24 touches against Essendon and two rounds against Richmond again kicking 12 goals 6 behinds from 27 touches.

 

Unbelievably, from all the highest scores where a player scored 175 points or more in a match, three players with the surname ‘Richardson’ appear, yet none of them are related. Wayne Richardson and Matthew Richardson appear twice, while Michael Richardson appears once.

 

One of the greatest players of all time was triple Brownlow Medalist Haydn Bunton Snr. Bunton was known to average over 30 touches a game during his 119 game 207 goal career. From reading Chris Donald’s book Haydn Bunton- Best and Fairest I read that university students followed him to every match throughout the 1935 season recording his statistics. Bunton kicked 41 goals from 17 matches over the season spending all his time in the midfield. He finished with 598 disposals at an unbelievable average of 35. Bunton also averaged 28 kicks and 8 marks a match.

 

Bunton’s season average of 142.70 points a game is remarkable considering the highest average since 1965 is 123 by Wayne Richardson. Bunton had 40 or more kicks in four matches. The little champ had a day out in round one  picking up 43 kicks kicking five goals against St Kilda. He also had 45 kicks in round 3 against Footscray and backed it up the next week with a 44 kick, four goal performance against North Melbourne. Bunton  recorded another 40 kicks in round 14 with 42 kicks against Footscray, the previous week Bunton kicked eight goals against Collingwood at Victoria Park roving all day. Amazingly the superstar was presented the match ball after the game.  Bunton polled 25 Brownlow votes from 17 matches on his way to his third Brownlow in only five years.

 

Player	TM	GM	Year	Pts	Ave	KI	MK	HB	DI	GL	BH	FF	FA
H. Bunton Snr	FI	17	1935	2426	142.7	486	147	112	598	41	29	71	43

 

 

My statistics explain that Leigh Matthews, Garry Wilson and Wayne Richardson were some of the greatest players to play the game since 1965. The unheralded Richardson only polled 88 Brownlow Votes in 272 matches for the black and white yet accumulated 20 kicks or more in a game 171 times. Richardson only polled more than 10 Brownlow votes once in a season finishing fifth in 1973 with 19 votes.

 

Unrecognized footballers such as David Clarke and David Thorpe produced seasons that rank higher than superstars such as Gary Ablett Jnr, Simon Black and Nathan Buckley. Clarke won Geelong’s Best and Fairest (Carji Greeves Medal) three times. His first was in his first season at only 19 years of age. The next year Clarke was named to play for Victoria. Thorpe made his debut for Footscray at only 17, and had one of the finest seasons in 1971. Whilst competing with the likes of Ian Stewart, John Murphy and Greg Wells, Thorpe averaged 26 kicks a match including 30 kicks or more in a match seven times. Thorpe’s season average of 112 pales Patrick Dangerfield’s 2016 Brownlow average of 102. Thorpe’s partner in crime in the Bulldogs midfield was George Bisset. A ‘nuggety’ rover at 168cm tall, Bisset averaged 92 throughout his career winning the Bulldogs leading goal-kicking award five times.

 

John Greening was on the verge of football super stardom when he was crudely king hit by Saints defender Jim O’Dea. Greening was comatose for 24 hours  and didn’t regain full consciousness until a few days later.  He made his comeback two years later but was never the same player and retired at a relatively young age of 26. Greening up until the incident was in career best form. He was averaging 92 points a game and had polled 14 Brownlow Votes up until round 13. In round nine and ten Greening produced remarkable scores of 197 and 202, with 46 disposals, 10 marks, 6 goals; and 45 disposals, 18 marks, 4 goals, respectively. Greening also scored 180 in the prior year 1971. His statistics from the match against Geelong included 30 kicks 16 marks and 20 handballs. Collingwood’s former superstar full-forward Peter McKenna who kicked 874 goals across 12 seasons with the Pies and Carlton described Greening as brilliant, “He was probably the most talented player I ever played with.”

 

Amazingly Greening appears on the ‘Highest score in a Match’ list three times. These three scores of 175 or more were recorded before Greening was 21! He joins revered company with Jason Dunstall four times, Peter Hudson three times and Gary Ablett Snr three times as the only players to pass 175 three times or more in a match. More remarkably, Greening only played 106 matches. It’s an indictment that no one really saw what Greening could’ve been if it weren’t for a cruel twist in fate.

 

With players such as Greening, Clarke, Bisset and Richardson, this template has given us the ability to compare champions of past with the champions of the present and even champions of the future. More surprisingly it’s unveiled a whole host of past stars that the younger generation would never have appreciated.

 

 

• Most Points in a Season:

Player	TM	GM	Year	Pts	Ave	KI	MK	HB	DI	GL	BH	FF	FA
L. Matthews	HW	24	1977	2845	118	514	133	144	658	91	57	74	61
W. Richardson	CW	23	1971	2842	123	621	139	134	755	37	33	92	53
D. Swan	CW	26	2010	2763	106	505	146	315	820	24	23	24	11
P. Hudson	HW	24	1971	2648	110	346	180	41	387	150	72	57	41
K. Bartlett	RI	23	1977	2628	114	585	111	80	665	55	33	49	32
G. Wilson	FI	24	1979	2626	109	454	139	236	690	46	50	90	41
D. Swan	CW	25	2009	2600	104	444	161	325	769	18	25	12	10
D. Swan	CW	24	2011	2599	108	472	129	288	760	32	23	22	17
L. Matthews	HW	23	1978	2560	111	463	147	123	586	71	58	66	66
J. Dunstall	HW	24	1989	2549	106	306	207	54	360	138	76	21	23
J. Dunstall	HW	23	1992	2523	109	284	199	59	343	145	84	22	20
D. Martin	RI	25	2017	2520	100	479	103	265	744	37	29	37	44
T. Wallace	HW	25	1983	2518	100	599	81	166	765	19	19	61	48
G. Buckenara	HW	25	1986	2515	100	405	179	184	589	55	53	38	26
D. Swan	CW	21	2012	2482	118	442	138	283	725	25	22	16	12
B. Goddard	SK	25	2010	2480	99	367	172	351	718	24	9	33	25
G. Wilson	FI	22	1978	2470	112	453	134	193	646	41	38	80	41
P. Dangerfield	GE	24	2016	2461	102	387	122	375	762	24	24	46	30
G. Ablett Jnr	GE	24	2010	2454	102	338	106	418	756	44	26	22	26
W. Carey	NM	25	1998	2447	97	368	193	121	489	80	49	27	34
W. Carey	NM	25	1996	2442	97	332	200	154	486	82	55	27	36

• Highest Average Points in a Season:

Player	TM	GM	Year	Pts	Ave	KI	MK	HB	DI	GL	BH	FF	FA
W. Richardson	CW	23	1971	2842	123	621	139	134	755	37	33	92	53
L. Matthews	HW	24	1977	2845	118	514	133	144	658	91	57	74	61
D. Swan	CW	21	2012	2482	118	442	138	283	725	25	22	16	12
B. Skilton	SM	17	1968	2006	118	425	78	119	544	35	17	48	16
K. Bartlett	RI	23	1977	2628	114	585	111	80	665	55	33	49	32
D. Thorpe	FO	21	1971	2369	112	551	126	109	660	9	19	112	65
G. Wilson	FI	22	1978	2470	112	453	134	193	646	41	38	80	41
D. Clarke	GE	19	1973	2131	112	441	136	36	477	45	29	69	40
L. Matthews	HW	23	1978	2560	111	463	147	123	586	71	58	66	66
P. Hudson	HW	24	1971	2648	110	346	180	41	387	150	72	57	41
J. Dunstall	HW	23	1992	2523	109	284	199	59	343	145	84	22	20
G. Wilson	FI	24	1979	2626	109	454	139	236	690	46	50	90	41
G. Ablett Snr	GE	17	1993	1857	109	233	111	13	246	124	60	34	39
T. Lockett	SK	17	1991	1856	109	190	140	33	223	127	51	19	32
J. Murphy	FI	13	1975	1416	109	291	69	68	359	27	26	52	40
N. Buckley	CW	21	2000	2287	109	457	123	163	620	29	34	30	17
P. Hudson	HW	19	1968	2068	108	274	113	31	305	125	62	43	10
J. Murphy	FI	21	1971	2283	108	517	102	34	551	47	36	107	67
K.  Bartlett	RI	22	1974	2390	108	607	48	40	647	47	50	62	49
D. Swan	CW	24	2011	2599	108	472	129	288	760	32	23	22	17

• Highest Career Average 50 or more games:

 

Player	Team	Pts	Ave	GM	KI	MK	HB	GL	BH	FF	FA
B. Skilton	SY	9664	98.6	98	2101	397	508	139	124	350	154
G. Wilson	FI	25575	95.4	268	4564	1349	2145	452	398	907	471
J. Murphy	FI SY  NM	23356	95	246	5276	1006	774	374	372	985	639
L. Matthews	HW	31345	94.4	332	6017	1505	1357	915	722	793	940
P. Hudson	HW	12167	94.3	129	1578	782	176	727	330	216	173
D. Swan	CW	24202	93.9	258	4242	1526	2686	211	196	185	121
G. Bisset	FO/CW	15662	92.1	170	3399	651	702	297	217	469	360
N. Buckley	BB CW	25114	89.7	280	5075	1408	1812	284	262	336	261
B. Goggin	GE	12529	88.9	141	2980	418	634	153	153	282	286
D. Clarke	GE/CA	18627	88.3	211	3969	1109	536	319	265	547	405
M. Bairstow	GE	12749	87.3	146	2613	494	1137	172	146	213	237
A. Gallagher	CA/FO/NM	18844	87.2	216	4453	827	462	270	264	652	456
N.    Riewoldt	SK	29125	86.7	336	4051	2944	1562	718	455	414	161
J. Birt	ES	4650	86.1	54	1162	119	99	83	61	120	70
G. Wells	ME/CA	22968	86	267	4890	1238	1181	275	331	784	543
D. Martin	RI	15074	85.2	177	2837	713	1634	185	139	157	250

• Most Points in a Career

 

Player	TM	Pts*	Ave	GM	KI	MK	HB	GL	BH	FF	FA
K. Bartlett	RI	35373	87.8	403	8293	1086	858	778	777	931	856
B. Harvey	NM	32745	75.8	432	5687	1689	3526	518	334	394	271
L.  Matthews	HW	31345	94.4	332	6017	1505	1357	915	722	793	940
R. Harvey	SK	31077	81.1	383	5648	1514	4008	215	200	352	267
B. Johnson	WB	29627	81.4	364	5121	2153	2051	558	355	275	275
C. Bradley	CA	29171	77.8	375	5876	1317	2900	247	192	521	403
M. Tuck	HW	29159	68.4	426	6353	1222	2070	320	325	956	907
N. Riewoldt	SK	29125	86.7	336	4051	2944	1562	718	455	414	161
B. Quinlan	WB/FI	28418	77.6	366	4849	2025	1200	817	612	599	717
M. Pavlich	FR	27128	76.8	353	4132	2046	1977	700	435	342	337
P. Roos	FI/ SY	27115	76.2	356	4588	2140	2409	289	216	518	355
S. Mitchell	HW/WC	26327	80	329	4532	1296	4155	71	63	464	420
A. Goodes	SY	26259	70.6	372	4351	2038	2039	464	284	356	410
I. Nankervis	GE	25815	79.4	325	5540	1248	1739	203	199	1081	525
G. Wilson	FI	25575	95.4	268	4564	1349	2145	452	398	907	471
B. Goddard	SK/ ES	25217	81	312	4062	1966	3054	157	111	245	273
N. Buckley	BB/ CW	25114	89.7	280	5075	1408	1812	284	262	336	261
G. Dempsey	WB/NM	24995	76	329	3997	2906	1563	144	140	923	767
W. Richardson	CW	24981	90.2	277	5829	1208	721	323	364	813	687
G. Ablett Jnr	GE/ GC	24963	82.7	302	4009	954	3674	386	296	418	304
S. West	WB	24816	76.6	324	4129	1057	4093	104	105	584	241
S. Loewe	SK	24503	76.3	321	3366	2503	1493	594	410	493	557
T. Shaw	CW	24348	77.8	313	4587	1121	3045	157	141	600	549
J. Bartel	GE	24298	79.7	305	3966	1678	2990	202	130	354	310
C. Enright	GE	24233	73	332	4238	1836	2845	66	46	151	272
D. Swan	CW	24202	94	258	4242	1526	2686	211	196	185	121

• Highest Score in a Match:

 

Player	TM	Pts	KI	MK	HB	GL	BH	FF	FA	Game
J. Dunstall	HW	247	25	18	4	17	5	5	2	v RI, 1992
K. Templeton	FO	222	25	16		15	9	3	3	v SK, 1978
L. Matthews	HW	220	38	9	3	11	3	6	2	v ES, 1973
P. McKenna	CW	213	22	15	1	16	4	1	1	v SM, 1969
P. Hudson	HW	213	27	12		16	1		1	v ME, 1969
G. Ablett Snr	GE	213	26	14	4	14	2	1	2	v RI, 1989
W. Richardson	CW	210	38	15	9	5		5	2	v SM, 1970
T. Lockett	SK	207	20	18		15	4		1	v SY, 1992
G. Ablett Snr	GE	206	25	12		14	7	6	2	v ES, 1993
J. Dunstall	HW	204	22	16	5	12	6	2		v RI, 1992
J. Dunstall	HW	202	21	17	3	12	8	3	1	v ES, 1992
J. Greening	CW	202	32	18	13	4	1	3	2	v SM, 1972
J. Dunstall	HW	200	19	16	4	14	2	2	1	v FO, 1996
P. Hudson	HW	199	22	15	4	13	2	2	2	v SM, 1970
J. Longmire	NM	199	22	18	1	12	5	1	1	v RI, 1990
M. Lloyd	ES	198	22	14	4	13	4			v SY, 1999
W. Carey	NM	198	22	15	9	11	2	1		v ME, 1996
P. Featherby	GE	198	40	11	8	4	5	1	1	v ME, 1981
P. McKenna	CW	197	22	18	1	12	5	1	3	v ES, 1970
J. Greening	CW	197	35	10	11	6	3	3	2	v GE, 1972
D. Wade	GE	195	21	13	4	13	7	5	5	v SM, 1967
N. Riewoldt	SK	195	24	21	2	9	1	1		v BL, 2016
T. Lockett	SY	194	18	12	3	16		4	2	v FI, 1995
P. Hudson	HW	190	20	17	1	13	2		3	v SM, 1969
B. Brownless	GE	189	23	14	4	11	4	2	2	v BB, 1991
Ma. Richardson	RI	189	24	21	4	7	5	2	3	v FI, 1996
Mi.  Richardson	CW	189	24	15	15	7	1	3	4	v SK, 1983
G. Smith	SY	188	29	12	15	5	4	2	1	v SK, 1982
W. Richardson	CW	187	40	7	5	5	1	6	1	v CA, 1971
B. Skilton	SM	187	44	10	2	3	2	2	1	v SK, 1967
G. Ablett Snr	GE	185	20	11	1	14	5	2	1	v SY, 1994
T. Modra	AD	185	23	10	1	13	4	4	2	v RI, 1993
P. Salmon	ES	185	22	15		11	4	4		v RI, 1986
D. Wade	GE	185	22	14	2	11	6	3	2	v FO, 1969
Ma. Richardson	RI	185	21	19	3	9	5			v ES, 2006
B. Skilton	SM	185	36	7	6	7	1	1		v SK, 1968
G. Williams	SY	185	25	5	28	6	1	2		v SK, 1989
L. Franklin	HW	184	22	11	1	13	4	3	2	v NM, 2012
D. Tuddenham	CW	184	29	7	11	9	1	2	3	v FO, 1971
B. Lake	WB	184	35	22	6			1		v NM, 2010
S. Cummings	WC	183	17	15	1	14	1	1	1	v AD, 2000
B. Ryan	GE	183	24	18	4	8	5	1	5	v FO, 1971
B. Ryan	GE	183	26	18	6	7	0	3	6	v NM, 1971
G. Parke	ME	182	28	24	9	1		2		v ES, 1970
G. Wells	ME	181	35	16	13		1	1		v FI, 1980
L. Matthews	HW	180	30	9	8	7	5	5	5	v GE, 1977
J. Greening	CW	180	30	16	20	0	0	4	2	v GE, 1971
J. Bowden	RI	180	32	23	7			1		v PA, 2008
P. Dangerfield	GE	177	27	13	21	2	1	3	1	v NM, 2016
L. Montagna	SK	177	34	12	13	2		1		v FR, 2013
J. Longmire	NM	176	17	11	3	14	2	1	1	v ME, 1990
H. McAuliffe	SM	175	34	6	3	7	2	7	2	v ME, 1969
D. Tuddenham	CW	175	27	14	13	4	2	1	1	v ESS, 1971