Revealed: Your SANFL club’s top 10 players of all time (Part 2)

John Platten, Malcolm Blight, Garry McIntosh, Dan Moriarty – these are just some of the headliners on our SANFL stars all-time top 10 lists. Who made the cut from your club?

JOHN Platten said that as a kid growing up in Elizabeth, all he ever wanted to do was to play league football for Central District.

“My life revolved around the Elizabeth area,’’ he said.

“I’ve always called myself an Elizabeth kid; I grew up there and have the utmost respect for the area.

“I went to school at Fremont High in the heart of Elizabeth. My favourite player was (former Bulldogs captain) Tony Casserly and all I wanted to do was to play football for Central.’’

Platten achieved much more than that.

The best of all time at Central

In making his league debut for the Dogs at age 18 in 1981, Platten, nicknamed “The Rat’’, became the first player born in Elizabeth to play for its hometown league football club.

The diminutive 170cm rover played 113 games and kicked 259 goals for Central from 1981-85 and 1998, either side of starring in the VFL-AFL for Hawthorn.

After becoming the Bulldogs’ third Magarey medallist in 1984, Platten joined the Hawks in 1986 and proved himself as one of the greatest rovers in the history of the game by winning the 1987 Brownlow Medal and playing in four Hawthorn premiership teams.

But he still considers himself “a boy from Elizabeth’’.

So to be named as Central’s greatest player means a lot to him.

“It’s a wonderful honour, amazing,’’ Platten told The Advertiser.

“I’ve been lucky enough to have achieved a lot in football and to be picked as Central’s greatest player is right up there among the acknowledgments, it’s much appreciated.’’

Platten, now 59, was chosen as the greatest Bulldog of all by a panel of experts which selected the greatest 10 players from each of the eight stand-alone SANFL clubs.

Illustrating just how difficult the task was and the long list of outstanding candidates, plenty of superstars and household names missed the cut.

John Platten alongside his Magarey Medal banner at Elizabeth Oval. Picture: Dean Martin

John Platten flies for a mark for Central District against Port Adelaide in 1984.

John Halbert described Platten as “one of the greatest rovers that South Australia has ever produced’’.

“When he first started with that mop of hair people thought, ‘what’s this that has come into league football?’,’’ Halbert said.

“But they soon found out. Platten was just a brilliant player who was able to find the ball and then burst out of the middle of a pack with it.’’

The selectors could not separate the Gowans twins, Chris and James, as the second greatest Bulldog because their records are almost identical and their influence on the club, playing in the first premiership side in 2000 and nine flags between 2000-10, was equal.

The greatest Woodville-West Torrens player

In the second of our two-part series, Magarey and Brownlow medallist Malcolm Blight was chosen as the greatest player of all-time from the West Torrens, Woodville and now combined Woodville-West Torrens clubs.

The mercurial Blight won a Magarey at Woodville in 1972 and a Brownlow at North Melbourne in 1978 and was one of the game’s greatest goalkickers.

He played 152 games and kicked 342 goals for Woodville in two stints from 1968-73 and 1983-85 and 178 games (for 444 goals) for the Kangaroos from 1974-82, winning the ‘Roos goalkicking award four times.

Malcolm Blight at Woodville Oval, where he started his stellar career. Picture: Tom Huntley

In his last season as a player in 1985, Blight, who has a statue in his honour at Adelaide Oval, topped the SANFL league goalkicking list with 126.

“I saw the start of Malcolm’s career at Woodville and it was obvious very early that he was a player out of the ordinary and was going to be a champion,’’ Halbert said after Blight was selected above Torrens champions Lindsay Head and Bob Hank, who won five Magarey Medals between them.

“Everyone remembers his fantastic goals but he had all the skills and was a complete player.’’

Blight described being named the greatest player in the history of the Woodville and Torrens clubs as “a terrific honour’’.

“I must say I’m a bit surprised given the great West Torrens players that played well before Woodville came into the competition,’’ Blight said.

“Having said that, the biggest thrill of my life was playing my first ever game for Woodville against Glenelg at Glenelg.

“My greatest aim initially was to get my name on the locker as a 100-game player at Woodville and to be able to achieve that was great.

“I grew up as a Port Adelaide supporter but as soon as Woodville came into the league, playing at Woodville Oval, just four streets from my home, they became my team in 1959 when they played in the seconds. That was where all my heroes were.

“My dad (Jack) played seconds at West Torrens and thought that Bob Hank was the best player that he had seen.

“My cousin (George) also played at West Torrens, my uncle (Horrie) coached Woodville to an amateur league premiership in 1946 and my brother (Barry) played for Woodville’s seconds, so the Woodville-West Torrens Blight name has been around for a long, long time.’’

The best Redleg of all time

Dual Magarey medallist Garry McIntosh was rated the “best of the best’’ at Norwood.

The midfield hard man won back-to-back Magareys in 1994-95, premierships in 1982 and 1984, Fos Williams Medals in 1984, 1992 and 1995 and is regarded as one of the greatest SANFL players to have not played in the VFL-AFL.

Norwood’s Garry McIntosh in action against Port Adelaide in 1993. Picture: Nicholas Wilson

McIntosh, who edged triple Magarey medallist Walter Scott and 1981 medallist Michael Aish, as the greatest Redleg, represented the club 336 times and was captain from 1990-98.

“Garry McIntosh is Norwood, there is no doubt about that,’’ Cunningham said.

“Norwood supporters loved the way that he played, in and under, socks down, tough, courageous, brilliant, just got the job done each week while being an entertainer at the same time.

“He is undoubtedly one of the greatest players in SA football history, not just at Norwood.’’

Greatest Panther of all time

Triple Magarey medallist Dan Moriarty was picked as the greatest South Adelaide player.

A star centre half-back despite standing at just 178cm, Moriarty played only 97 games for South from 1919-25, along with 22 state games.

But he was so dynamic that he won the Magarey in each of his first three seasons of league football in 1919, 1920 and 1921.

He is the only player to have won the medal in three consecutive seasons.

Dan Moriarty (right) congratulates Port Adelaide’s Russell Ebert on winning his fourth Magarey Medal in 1980. Picture: Denis Rogers

Moriarty tipped out dual Magarey medallist Jimmy Deane and standout ruckman and seven-time club champion Peter Darley as the finest Panther of all.

“As the only footballer to have won three successive Magarey Medals in the 124-year history of the iconic award, you can only wonder how magnificent Dan Moriarty must have been,’’ Cornwall said.

“The champion South Adelaide centre half-back could soar for big marks and turn defence into attack with his long clearing screw punts, dominating South Australian football from 1919-21.’’

BULLDOGS WITH BITE: Central District’s greatest 10 players

1. John Platten

(Magarey medallist, Brownlow medallist, four-time Hawthorn premiership player, five-time All-Australian)

2. Chris Gowans

(Nine-time premiership player, dual Jack Oatey medallist, Bob Quinn medallist)

2. James Gowans

(Nine-time premiership player, Jack Oatey medallist, Bob Quinn medallist, 2003 best and fairest)

4. Peter Jonas

(Won club best and fairest at age 19 in 1979 and in the same year became Central’s first All-Australian, coached the Dogs to their first flag in 2000)

5. Gary Window

(Central’s first Magarey medallist in 1965, best and fairest 1965, coach 1976-77)

6. Sonny Morey

(The first Bulldog to record a kick in league football, 213 games 1964-77, best and fairest 1970)

7. Paul Thomas

(Six-time premiership player, 2004 Magarey medallist, dual best and fairest, captain 2007-15)

8. Gilbert McAdam

(In 1989 became the first indigenous player to win the Magarey Medal, club champion 1989, 111 AFL games with St Kilda and Brisbane)

9. Dean Mobbs

(206 games from 1970-83, captain 1978-83)

10. Peter Vivian

(Club record 308 games from 1969-85, best and fairest 1978)

RIPPING REDLEGS: Norwood’s greatest 10 players

1. Garry McIntosh

(Dual Magarey medallist, dual premiership player, dual club champion, captain 1990–1998, triple Fos Williams medallist)

2. Walter Scott

(Triple Magarey medallist, six-time club champion, four-time premiership player, 38 state games)

3. Michael Aish

(1981 Magarey medallist, dual premiership player, four-time club champion, dual All-Australian)

4. Michael Taylor

(Six-time club champion, dual premiership player, 267 games for Norwood from 1972-80 and 1985-87, 92 games for Collingwood from 1981-84)

5. Jack Oatey
(181 games for Norwood from 1940-43 and 1945-52, four best and fairest awards, triple premiership captain)

6. John Marriott

(1951 Magarey medallist, triple club champion, dual premiership player, 23 state games, All-Australian)

7. Alick Lill

(1925 Magarey medallist, triple premiership player, triple club champion, 20 state games)

8. Bruce Schultz

(669 goals in only 124 games from 1933-41 at an average of 5.4 a game, five-times leading goalkicker)

9. Bill Wedding

(214 games from 1957-1968, five-time club champion, All-Australian, 19 state games)

10. Roger Woodcock

(Holds the SANFL record for the most goals kicked by a non key forward with 602 in 267 games from 1969-81, dual premiership player, leading goalkicker four times)

POWERFUL PANTHERS: South Adelaide’s greatest 10 players

1. Dan Moriarty

(Triple Magarey medallist, best and fairest 1923, captain 1925, 22 state games, xx)

2. Jimmy Deane

(Magarey medallist 1953 and 1957, runner-up 1949-51, captain 1951-53 and 1956-57, six-time club champion)

3. Peter Darley

(Premiership player 1964, seven-time best and fairest, All-Australian, leading goalkicker 1974, South Australia captain 1968, 1970)

4. Mark Naley

(Magarey medallist 1991, dual All-Australian, best and fairest 1984, Carlton premiership player 1987)

5. Jack Cockburn

(Magarey medallist 1935, dual club champion, dual premiership player)

6. Jack Tredrea

(First member of the 200 Club in SA, South captain 1911-15, 29 state games, so tough that he missed only two games through injury in his career)

7. Stuart Palmer

(Club games record holder with 337 from 1969-85, captain 1982-84)

8. Joel Cross

(Magarey medallist 2012 and 2015, four-time club champion, five-time club champion runner-up, captain 2018-19)

9. David Kappler

(292 games from 1982-93, four-time club champion, four state games, captain 1993)

10. Laurie Cahill

(Dual premiership player, including best on ground in 1938 grand final; dual best and fairest, 11 state games)

ELECTRIFYING EAGLES: West Torrens, Woodville and Woodville-West Torrens’ greatest 10 players

1. Malcolm Blight

(Magarey medallist 1972, Brownlow medallist 1978, Ken Farmer medallist 1985, two Woodville best and fairests, four-time North Melbourne leading goalkicker)

2. Lindsay Head

(Triple Magarey medallist, 327 games and 494 goals for Torrens from 1952-1970, premiership player 1953, eight-time best and fairest)

3. Bob Hank

(Dual Magarey medallist, 224 games for Torrens from 1944-58, 27 state games, All-Australian)

4. Ray Huppatz

(142 games and 254 goals for Woodville from 1966–1973 and 1980-81, 85 games for Footscray and North Melbourne from 1974-80, four-time Woodville club champion)

5. Ralph Sewer

(325 games and 396 goals for Woodville from 1969-80 and 1985-90, Woodville club champion 1978, leading goalkicker 1975)

6. Fred Bills

(313 games for Torrens from 1959-75, seven state games, four best and fairest awards)

7. Bob Simunsen

(145 games for Woodville from 1964-71, inaugural captain, three best and fairests, 1966 Magarey Medal runner-up)

8. Bruce Lindsay

(242 games for Torrens from 1978-90, captain 1984-90, nine state games)

9. Kevin McSporran

(176 games and 216 goals for Torrens from 1969-73 and 1977-82, 14 games and 29 goals for Woodville 1983, four Torrens best and fairest awards)

10. Andrew Rogers

(63 games for Woodville 1985-86, 179 games for Woodville-West Torrens 1993-2001, All-Australian 1987, triple Eagles club champion, premiership player 1993)

The Advertiser’s selection of the “best of the best’’ coincides with the “Our Footy, Our People, Our Stories: 145 Years of the SANFL exhibition’’ at the State Library.