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Kevin Bartlett
- Thread starter eZyT
- Start date
Inane comment that might have better been kept truly personal rather than published here.
I don't believe you can seriously compare players from completely different eras anyway. The game changes and there are too many variables.
My dear old dyed in the wool Tiger Grandfather, who grew up in Richmond, swore that the greatest player ever was Laurie Nash from Souths. And my Grandfather saw Royce , Whitten, Baldock, Hudson, Coleman, Bunton, Mathews etc. etc.
I'll take his word for it.
My dear old dyed in the wool Tiger Grandfather, who grew up in Richmond, swore that the greatest player ever was Laurie Nash from Souths. And my Grandfather saw Royce , Whitten, Baldock, Hudson, Coleman, Bunton, Mathews etc. etc.
I'll take his word for it.
It is difficult to compare eras but anyone who continually hangs sh!t on a player who got to over 400 games, played in 5 premierships, survived the rough and tumble of 70s footy without being a big bloke, well, they're just full of it and showing their ignorance.
DS
DS
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Today's players would run the old thugs I to the ground. Pound for pound today's players would be bigger, stronger and more physically able to withstand a constant high speed battering.
But yeah, I guess they'd still go down if king hit or taken out off the ball when not expecting it. Real tough blokes in those old days.
You'd have to say it is just different.
Today's players are full time and their fitness levels would leave the players from the 70s for dead. They also have more time in the gym and are physically bigger.
But, today's players run around without having to worry as much about the "stray" elbow and the like. They would have to adjust and possibly play on even when hurt. The other thing about years ago is that players could not go off and return to the game, which is why we saw things like Geoff Southby play until 3/4 time in the '73 GF with a broken jaw.
Bartlett was a skinny bloke with speed and elusiveness, but he was also remarkably resilient and didn't miss many games. You can bet there were plenty of attempts to hobble him but he was a tough player and got a fair few knocks over the years. He was a champion and I for one feel fortunate to have seen him play.
DS
Bartlett was a star, a champion footballer.
Fast, elusive, tough and a eye for a goal that was as good as anyone I have ever seen. He stood up in finals year after year.
You can only play in the era you were born to and the against players who were there. Don't compare champions just celebrate we have had so many. Kevin Bartlett was one of them and one of the best, end of story.
Fast, elusive, tough and a eye for a goal that was as good as anyone I have ever seen. He stood up in finals year after year.
You can only play in the era you were born to and the against players who were there. Don't compare champions just celebrate we have had so many. Kevin Bartlett was one of them and one of the best, end of story.
Cant believe this is a discussion, anyone that has watched football can clearly see he was a star.... Absolutely ridiculous discussion.
Saying you don't like his radio/media work, or you don't like the individual, no problem, that's a completely different discussion.
I personally don't like virtually any footy media, big rex or KB included, as a bloke never met him, has zero impact in my life so don't really care, IF he was an atrocious human i would assume more stories would have come out as he's been a public figure for what, 50-60 years?.
Saying you don't like his radio/media work, or you don't like the individual, no problem, that's a completely different discussion.
I personally don't like virtually any footy media, big rex or KB included, as a bloke never met him, has zero impact in my life so don't really care, IF he was an atrocious human i would assume more stories would have come out as he's been a public figure for what, 50-60 years?.
I saw Bartlett play & he was an absolute superstar in his era, there's no disputing that.
What I can't stomach is that he's better than Dusty who's also a superstar of his era & done things no player in the history of the game has achieved. All in a truly National competition.
Comparing eras is a futile exercise but this debate started with Sheeds doing so.
Of course the game has changed. It's barely recognisable today from when KB or Titus before him played.
What I can't stomach is that he's better than Dusty who's also a superstar of his era & done things no player in the history of the game has achieved. All in a truly National competition.
Comparing eras is a futile exercise but this debate started with Sheeds doing so.
Of course the game has changed. It's barely recognisable today from when KB or Titus before him played.
That is so well said Sin.
I, for one, was lucky enough to see KB play most of his games and also his stellar performance in the GF where he kicked multiple goals.
To play over 300 games is in itself a monumental effort, in any period of AFL/VFL footy.
Having said that, remember the comments comparing KB to Dusty is just Sheedy's opinion.
Anyone is free to agree or disagree.
This is true, comparing full time professionals who have elite custom physical and skills training to a semi-amateur period in the game doesn't make much sense to me. The game itself has changed almost totally barring the fundamentals of kicking, marking, handpassing. I guess that you could make the case that raw talent and a strong mindset could lead to success in both eras.
All you can really say is "both are greats of the game".
If you look at Bartlett's finals performances in particular you'd have to put him right up there though.
Absolutely. It is Sheedy's opinion, doesn't make it right or wrong. Maybe there are others who played in that era who have a different opinion.
I remember watching KB play as a young boy and then later as I grew older. Watching him play was a different feeling to watching Dusty play which to me is more like how I felt about watching Royce Hart, I was waiting for the extraordinary. KB was just there, week after week turning up playing at this incredibly high level and was always good for a few goals. As kids we idolised Hart and Billy Barrot because they were the rockstars
Agreed, this is where Dusty and Bartlett are most comparable. Dusty is lauded for his domination in crucial finals matches and statistically speaking, KB is similar. I didn't see KB play though.
Hungry is criminally undersold for his footballing exploits by the wider AFL community. Sits comfortably alongside anyone to have played the game. Consider:
- 5 x B & F's in teams that had a host of champion players (From 67 to 82 only Raines (3) and Hart (2) won multiples
- 3 of those were in premiership years
- 778 Goals (3rd in RFC history)
- Names in Best players in the grand finals of 1967, 1969, 1972, 1973 (BOG), 1974, 1980 (Norm Smith Medallist) and 1982.
- Of 27 finals games was named in the best on 23 occasions (a % that is miles ahead of anyone else from any team in that era)
- An AFL exercise in 2001 named him BOG in 73'. 2nd best afield in 67', 3rd in 69', 72' and 74'.
- In an era of far lower possessions he averaged over 20 kicks per game every year from 67' to 79' (441 in 72' was his lowest)
- Across these 13 years he averaged an incredible 25 possessions per game and 40 goals per year
- Just one example of this is 77' when he had a staggering 665 disposals and kicked 55 goals
- He then went forward more in 80' and kicked 84 goals for the year
They are staggering numbers. ILHO his longevity overshadows how great he was.
Right in any conversation when discussing best players to have played the game.
- 5 x B & F's in teams that had a host of champion players (From 67 to 82 only Raines (3) and Hart (2) won multiples
- 3 of those were in premiership years
- 778 Goals (3rd in RFC history)
- Names in Best players in the grand finals of 1967, 1969, 1972, 1973 (BOG), 1974, 1980 (Norm Smith Medallist) and 1982.
- Of 27 finals games was named in the best on 23 occasions (a % that is miles ahead of anyone else from any team in that era)
- An AFL exercise in 2001 named him BOG in 73'. 2nd best afield in 67', 3rd in 69', 72' and 74'.
- In an era of far lower possessions he averaged over 20 kicks per game every year from 67' to 79' (441 in 72' was his lowest)
- Across these 13 years he averaged an incredible 25 possessions per game and 40 goals per year
- Just one example of this is 77' when he had a staggering 665 disposals and kicked 55 goals
- He then went forward more in 80' and kicked 84 goals for the year
They are staggering numbers. ILHO his longevity overshadows how great he was.
Right in any conversation when discussing best players to have played the game.
Well said Brian
The other thing to consider is that he was 5ft 9 (175cms) & weighed 71 kgs. Which imo emphasizes his durability.
As has been said many times on this site, those of us who've seen both KB & Dusty play should count ourselves lucky. I know I do. What a Privilege it's been.
AFL finals heroes: Numbers don't lie on Richmond's Kevin Bartlett
Of all the great players to grace the stage in AFL finals over the past 50 years, one man stands clear.
To add The Age also voted hungry as the greatest finals player of the past 50 years in 2016.
Fair call when he averaged 22 kicks a game in grand finals.
Sheahan also had him at number 9 in his greatest players of all time which is a fair reflection of his ranking as an all time great the equal of any.
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Jack Dyer only made the interchange bench and he is the No.1 legend of the club.
Bartlett would walk into into our current side without ever laying a tackle and kick 3 a game he was that fkn good.
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