North Melbourne’s top-20 players of the AFL modern era, as selected by Gilbert Gardiner
The list of North Melbourne’s 20 greatest players is clearly headed by its best ever, Wayne Carey. But Gilbert Gardiner has dug a little deeper to list his top 20 of the modern era. Do you agree? VOTE
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The list could be re-done in 50 years and North Melbourne’s greatest of the modern era would not change.
Such was the King’s dominance.
Wayne Carey’s brilliance stamped one of the greatest teams in V/AFL history, powering North Melbourne to consecutive finals series in the 1990s including the 1996 and 1999 premierships.
Carey’s featured generational talents in the likes of Anthony Stevens, Corey McKernan, Wayne Schwass, John Longmire and Glenn Archer, but also rugged royal blue-and-white-collared workers in Mick Martyn, Adam Simpson and Brady Rawlings.
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The Aussie rules modern era dates back to 1987 — the start of the national competition.
Ben Cunnington is the only active player in my top-10, with Shaun Higgins and Todd Goldstein not far behind.
Ben Brown’s proficiency and potency in front of the big sticks was rewarded, while premiership bruiser Byron Pickett also had to be selected.
Consistency = Stevens
— Wayne Carey (@waynecarey27) March 29, 2020
Brilliance = Swatta
Toughness = archer
Influence =Mckernan
Longevity =Boomer
M Larkin also superb
Always said Swatta and Stevens .. not that I would know J #hard
My selection panel of one based the top 20 on class, brilliance, aura, role, durability, and both team and individual success.
Premiership icons David King and Brett Allison are honourable mentions and desperately unlucky to miss out, along with recently retired stars Andrew Swallow, Lindsay Thomas and Michael Firrito.
1. Wayne Carey
The greatest of them all. Certainly at North Melbourne and easily in the conversation to be one of the top-three Aussie rules players. Vice-like hands and a booming right shoe combined to make the colossus Carey, alternatively ‘the Duck’ or ‘the King’, the most dominant player in the AFL for more than a decade. Seven-time All-Australian including four as captain and two AFL premierships just scrape the surface of Carey’s accomplishments.
10 – Carey’s longstanding record for the most contested marks in a game
2. Brent Harvey
Few got Shinboner hearts pumping like Boomer, be it close to the goals or out of the middle, the games' record-holder delivered more often than not with class and precision. The only thing more impressive than Harvey’s desire to win was his durability and thirst to improve each season. The five-time Syd Barker medallist – North Melbourne best and fairest – was All-Australian on four occasions.
432 – Boomer’s VFL/AFL games’ record.
3. Anthony Stevens
From no-nonsense tagger to fearless playmaker the unheralded Stevens won the ball inside and out to power of the best North Melbourne teams assembled to greatness. Inspirational Stevens starred in the drought-breaking 1996 premiership and famously pushed through the pain barrier to help the Roos claim the 1999 decider despite a badly sprained ankle.
58 and 46 – the numbers Steven wore in his first two seasons before making the No. 10 his own.
4. Corey McKernan
Did 20 years ago what Brodie Grundy does now. An incredible athlete who revolutionised the ruck craft, being able to dominate in and around stoppage but also drift forward and back as required. He was the best player in the game in 1996 and had it not been for ineligibility McKernan would have had a Brownlow Medal to go with premiership medallion (the first of two), AFLPA most-valuable player award (now Leigh Matthews Medal) and All-Australian selection.
21 – the number of votes an ineligible McKernan polled in the 1996 Brownlow Medal
5. Glenn Archer
Not the best or most talented in history but Shinboner of the Century for a reason. No more courageous player has laced up a boot than fearless Archer, who was recruited as a forward but thrived in the backline. The heartbeat of the team and as instrumental as anyone at North Melbourne in winning the 1996 and 1998 premierships.
6 – the number of times Archer won the AFLPA’s Robert Rose Award for the Most Courageous Player
6. Wayne Schwass
Explosive wingman and Shinboner legend who suffered in silence with depression yet still mustered up the courage and energy to deliver on the field. Twice best-and-fairest at North Melbourne, All-Australian and played in the 1996 premiership.
46 – jumper number Schwass wore in his first seven games before moving to the famous No.2
7. John Longmire
Longmire, affectionately known as 'the Horse', rode the highs and lows of Aussie rules, winning a Coleman Medal (1990) in his third season and then missing out on the 1996 premiership with a knee injury. Fortunately, the spearhead recovered from an elbow issue in time to play in the victorious 1999 Grand Final. Longmire's biggests single-game hauls in front of the big sticks were 14 and 12 during a breakout 1990 season. Longmire formed a formidable two-pronged North Melbourne attack with Wayne Carey, the pair combining for 768 goals between 1990 and 1995.
98 – Longmire was stranded on 98 goals in the 1990 season after a terribly inaccurate 2.8 in Round 22 against eventual premiers Collingwood
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8. Daniel Wells
Has there been a smoother mover over the ground than Wells, in the history of game? Brilliant to watch in full-flight but unfortunately the injury robbed fans of the very best of Wells. Twice crowned best-and-fairest and only a handful of average performance in 243 Kangaroos games. Exceptional speed allowed Wells to play inside and out but also go forward and hit the scoreboard.
15th – on the all-time games list for North Melbourne, sixth for disposals and second for goal assists
9. Ben Cunnington
Rising with a rocket and just starting to get the recognition externally he so richly deserves as one of the competition’s premiere inside midfielders. Not the quickest or the biggest but certainly one of smartest and cleanest extractors. Far and away the most consistent Roo in recent times, which has culminated into two Syd Barker Medals. Could be even more damaging in 2020 and beyond with cameos up forward.
32 – the record the most contested possessions in a game which Cunnington set R1, 2018
10. Drew Petrie
The ultimate competitor and exceptionally versatile. Be it forward or surging back, with the game on the line, to spots starts in the ruck, Petrie left an indelible mark at Arden Street. A prodigious mark overhead and booming right-foot kick, Petrie’s career included three seven-goal bags, two six-goal hauls and multiple five-goal outings. Oh and let’s not forget his ‘Frank the Tank’ goal celebration after sealing the come-from-behind 2014 Elimination Final win over Essendon.
Six – the number of goals Petrie kicked in the first quarter of Glenn Archer’s 300th game. He finished with seven for the match.
11. Shaun Higgins
Had all the tools but couldn’t stay on the park during at Western Bulldogs but since coming to North Melbourne the once unfulfilled and injury-prone midfield/half-forward has found not one but three extra gears. Sublime and sure skills by hand and foot and more than capable at hitting the scoreboard in crunch moments. Save for a 12-week knee injury in 2016, Higgins has been very durable for North Melbourne also, averaging 18 games and 22 disposals the past five seasons.
38 – the prime-movers personal best disposals tally, achieved on three separate occasions the past two seasons.
12. Todd Goldstein
Would be one of the first-picked Kangaroos each and every week. Big Goldstein thrives on a heavy workload and seen off several ruckmen in his time at Arden Street. Covers the ground as well if not better than any other ruckman in the past decade, and has the tap work to boot. Goldstein has averaged 30+ hit-outs the past nine seasons including a career-high 44 in 2015 when named All-Australian and polling 18 Brownlow votes.
1058 – In 2015 became the first player in AFL history to top 1000 hit-outs in a season, including a league-record 80 hitout against GWS Giants.
13. Adam Simpson
Two-time premiership winner and All-Australia hard-nosed champion midfielder Simpson stands comfortably inside North Melbourne’s finest of the modern era. After enormous team success early in his career, Simpson, who served as captain for five seasons, was instrumental in guiding North Melbourne through the rocky 2000s – on and off the field.
50 – Simpson played every game of the 1996 (25), as a second-year midfielder, and 1999 (25) premiership campaigns
14. Brady Rawlings
First-round selection in 1998 draft the Tasmanian export emerged in 2003 as one of the game’s best taggers before taking on a bigger and more damaging role in the Kangaroos midfield. It would lead to Rawlings winning his first of three Syd Barker Medals the following year. The no-frills 184cm Shinboner played out his career as a shutdown defender, task each week with shutting down the opposition’s best small forward.
33 – uncontested possessions (37 total) alone against Melbourne in Round 22, 2010.
15. Ben Brown
Overlooked in multiple drafts forced the Tasmanian into the VFL before North recruiters claimed the nephew of Collingwood premiership player James Manson for a bag of chips and a diet coke. Brown has been a revelation for the Kangaroos, booting 280 goals in just 122 games and going with striking distance of the Coleman Medal the past two seasons. A lethal set shot, Brown is unstoppable on the lead and nimble enough for his size at ground level.
4 – goals in his first elimination final and ninth AFL game overall to steer North Melbourne to victory over Essendon after trailing by 27 points at halftime.
16. Shannon Grant
One of the rare exchanges which ends up a win-win for both parties. After representing Sydney in the losing 1996 losing Grand Final, the forward-midfielder Grant moved to Arden Street the end of the following season as part of a deal which saw Kangaroos champion Wayne Schwass get to Sydney. Grant would go on to win a premiership and Norm Smith Medal in 1999. Grant was crowned best-and-fairest in 2001 and All-Australian in 2005.
4 – goals in the 1999 Grand Final guided North Melbourne to victory.
17. John Blakey
One of the most underrated players to put on the jumper despite rarely playing a bad game. Moved to North Melbourne in 1993 after 135 games at Fitzroy and played important roles in the Kangaroos premiership sides.
359 – Blakey's games' tally is the 12th most in V/AFL history.
18. Byron Pickett
The best or most talented? Probably not, but the one thing Pickett had over others is an intangible called intimidation. Every single opposition player on the ground knew exactly what Pickett would do once the ball entered his area – attack it and its carrier with reckless abandon. The 1998 Rising Star won a premiership at North Melbourne the following year.
6 – goals in a win over West Coast in 2001, sharing the spoils with Saverio Rocca (six) and Wayne Carey (five).
19. Mick Martyn
Martyn copped his share of beatdowns during a golden era of full forwards (Tony Lockett, Jason Dunstall and Gary Ablett) but equally, most would agree the rough and rugged father-son Shinboner was among the hardest opponents to handle. Played in both 1996 and 1999 premierships and crowned best-and-fairest in 1989 and 1991.
11 – goals conceded to enigmatic Melbourne spearhead Allen Jakovich in 1991
20. Peter Bell
Others played more games at the club but Bell was as damaging through the midfield and forward of centre as any of the modern-era Kangaroos’ midfielders. Coach Dennis Pagan swooped on Bell, who was delisted by Fremantle in 1995 after two games, and reaped the rewards with the pocket dynamo helping the Kangaroos win the 1996 and 1999 flags. Bell was named All-Australian in 1999 and won the Syd Barker Medal the following year.
4 – the number of goals Bell kicked from his 31 disposals in the 1999 Grand Final
Originally published as North Melbourne’s top-20 players of the AFL modern era, as selected by Gilbert Gardiner