Look at me, jumping the gun. We’ve still got two weeks and an extra game of the home and away season to play out, and I am all about finals.
I’ve been known to get a little overexcited. Just ask Mrs Mongrel…
Actually, don’t. She tells lies.
Anyway, I want to be really careful here, as the last thing I want to do is get caught up in the recent accomplishments of any particular player and start booking his place in the pantheon of AFL greatness. However, sometimes it’s just a little too difficult to ignore.
It is fine to laud the efforts and success of a player and even compare them to the greats that have gone before them where it’s justified, but too often we as fans, and those in the media (I am starting to be accused of being part of the media, which is troubling) are quick to jump on the back of a player and call them the next this, or the next that. Or, we compare them to someone whose accomplishments far outweigh the modern player.
Some of those greats who draw the comparison may appreciate the tip of the hat when you mention their name alongside a modern-day champion, but in many cases we’re comparing apples and oranges – I like them both. Grapes, too, for the record.
I wonder how many past greats would feel a little humbled if they were compared to a man who added a third Norm Smith Medal to his list of accomplishments in 2020, and in the process enshrined the name of Dustin Martin in footy folklore?
As though it wasn’t already there.
Only three others have ever collected two Norm Smith Medals – Andrew McLeod in 1997-98, Gary Ayres in 1986-88, and Luke Hodge in 2008-14
Dusty joined them in 2019 and went past them 12 months later. In doing so, he not only established himself as one of the all-time great finals performers, but mounted a pretty strong case to be recognised as the best finals performer we’ve seen in the AFL era.
Maybe all eras?
Is that a gross overstatement, or given what we’ve seen in our lifetimes, is it entirely justified? This is going to sound dumb – I haven’t seen a guy take control of a game, a finals series, like I saw Dustin Martin do over the years 2017-2020. Not for a long while, anyway – not since before the AFL was the AFL.
Dusty has performed at such a high standard that we probably haven’t seen it since… I can’t believe I’m writing this – Gary Ablett in 1989.
And half the Geelong readers on our site just fell over and will need to be revived.
2020 was the third time that Martin had been the best player on what has ended up being clearly the best team. Now five years removed from his last great finals feat, it’s time we started to look at the place Dusty sits, historically.
Where does he rate in terms of the all-time great finals players? And who are those that sit above and below him in regard to finals accomplishments?
We dive into this with the knowledge that there will be a backlash, and not just for those we talk about from here on, but from the supporters of those whose deeds we somehow missed. Then there are those who think footy was simply better in their days. I’m not discounting any of those opinions.
Let’s dive in.
There are some players that are simply unforgettable. The aura surrounding Gary Ablett Senior has not faded. His skills transcend eras, and his highlight real rivals anything we see produced today. His explosiveness out of packs is equal to that of Martin, or Chris Judd at his peak. His aerial feats are comparable to any who’ve ever launched into the back or onto the shoulders of an opponent, and his propensity for using his body, or forearms, or elbows to inflict punishment on an opponent, meant that people always thought twice about dropping in the hole when Gazza was on a lead.
Cementing Ablett’s legend was the 1989 finals series, and one of the most memorable Grand Final performances in history. In that series, Ablett put together three of the greatest finals games ever seen, back-to-back-to-back.
First to feel the effects of Gary Ablett in full flight were Melbourne in the Semi-Final. Ablett lit up the MCG with 24 disposals, 14 marks and kicked 7.7 as the Cats powered home.
Next came a date with the Bombers in the Preliminary Final. In short, Ablett tore them to shreds. His 23 touches, ten marks and 8.5 set up his first ever Grand Final appearance. Ablett’s supreme ability to rise to the occasion was on display as he took the ball against the right half forward boundary in the third quarter. Realising he had a bit of space due to a nice shepherd, he took a bounce, and from 55 metres, set sail for home. It never looked like missing. The crowd rose as one in response, realising that they were witnessing one of the greatest players of all time at, perhaps, his greatest. On the back of Ablett’s brilliance, the Cats set up a clash against the Hawks in the big one.
Ablett was amazing in the Grand Final. His 15 disposals and eight marks yielded 9.1 to earn him the Norm Smith medal – one of only four players to ever win it in a losing side.
GARY ABLETT’S 1989 FINALS AVERAGES
16.75 disposals, 12.2 marks, 6.75 goals.
If we ignore his “quiet” first game against Essendon, in the next three, he averaged 20.66 disposals, 10.66 marks and an incredible 8.00 goals.
Ablett’s feats after this series were also amazing. He kicked a ton several times, and pulled down a highly disputed mark that many claim to be one of the greatest ever taken, but that four game series in ’89 is where he made his mark. Playing his absolute best at the pointy end of the season. It was peak-Ablett, and no one could stop him. It was his first finals series, and his best.
He had steady performances in other series, but other than back-to-back six goal hauls against the Western Bulldogs and Carlton in the 1994 Qualifying and Semi Finals respectively, big finals performances from Gaz were never close to that level again.
His career finals averages remain impressive but are a slight drop off from his career stats. Though the perception may be that Ablett was big in the finals, comparative numbers tell a different story.
GARY ABLETT CAREER V GARY ABLETT FINALS
Career 15.11 disposals, 5.79 marks, 4.16 goals
Finals 13.44 disposals, 5.5 marks, 4.0 goals
Let’s jump to the next legend.
Kevin Bartlett was a finals maestro. Long renowned as one of the best rovers in the game, his ability to win the ball off a pack without breaking stride was unequalled at the time. Some may have matched it since, but in terms of being able to do it consistently, all through the 1970s, KB was in a league of his own.
When you combine all the above with his ability to turn it on for the big games, it’s hard to top KB. He was the perfect rover – quick, agile and knew where the goals were. His ability to read the flight of the ball, push off an opponent, create space and collect a footy whilst running at top speed is something only a handful of players have been able to do since to a similar level. He could finish from the boundary, and turn a player inside out with a change of direction (Stan Magro is still waking up in cold sweats wondering where KB went). And once in a while, he may even handball. Not often, but here and there.
Consistency is something often thrown at small forwards as a problem in their game. We’ve seen that argument used against players like Eddie Betts and Cyril Rioli over the journey. And more recently, players like Jack Higgins, Charlie Cameron, and Kysaiah Pickett have all been labelled “inconsistent” by a media that expects perfection in an imperfect sport. They have all been accused of going missing at times, or not having a big enough impact when things aren’t going their way. This isn’t an argument you could use against Bartlett.
Get a load of these numbers in the biggest of games.
In the 1969 Grand Final victory over Carlton, Bartlett collected 24 touches (all kicks) and a goal to be amongst Richmond’s best.
Three years later in the 1972 Grand Final loss to Carlton, he amassed 28 kicks and one handball.
The next year, in 1973, his 26 kicks (no handballs again) and a goal helped steer the Tigers home against the Blues.
In 1974, his 27 kicks (again, no handballs) powered the Tigers as they overran North Melbourne.
1975 saw him fall short of the Grand Final. It was his worst finals performance in a long line of great ones, compiling only 13 disposals and going goalless in the Prelim.
It was a long wait for redemption, and in 1980, Kevin Bartlett made certain that his 1975 finals let down would not be the performance he was remembered for. 1980 would be his year.
In the Qualifying Final, Bartlett ran riot, collecting 22 disposals and four marks. However, it was hitting the scoreboard that he was best at. Hit it, he did. KB finished with 6.3 as Richmond dismissed Carlton by 42 points. But there was more to come. Much, much more.
Geelong felt the full force of the elusive and deadly Kevin Bartlett in the Semi Final. He didn’t miss that day, and his 17 disposals and eight goals propelled the Tigers into a clash with the Magpies on the last day in September.
The Norm Smith Medal was instituted just the year before, with Wayne Harmes awarded the inaugural award. After scintillating outings in the lead up, KB was one of the favourites to take it home.
He did not disappoint.
Bartlett collected 21 disposals, nine marks and slammed home 7.4. He took home the Norm Smith, and had it been around years before, could’ve easily made it his second.
The 1980 Grand Final put the icing on the cake for Bartlett, and one moment is remembered by the Richmond faithful above others. Bartlett gathered the loose ball in the right forward pocket with Collingwood defender, Stan Magro hot on his heels. He feigned to the right, turning away from goal. Magro started to follow, but KB turned, and swung back towards the boundary. He had the goals in his sights. Magro couldn’t recover. Bartlett steadied, lined up from the boundary and casually slotted his seventh goal.
Tiger heaven.
KEVIN BARTLETT’S 1980 FINALS AVERAGES
20 disposals, 4.33 marks, 7.00 goals
Like Ablett, there is a slight drop-off for Bartlett in terms of finals output compared to his overall career stats. Only a slight one, but a drop-off nonetheless. Of course, he hit the scoreboard hard in the finals to counter that.
BARTLETT CAREER V BARTLETT FINALS
Career – 22.76 disposals, 2.7 marks, 1.93 goals
Finals – 21.70 disposals, 2.27 marks, 2.29 goals
Of the modern players, Luke Hodge can certainly make a case to rival Martin in terms of finals numbers. Almost across the board, Hodge was a better player in finals than he was during his career as a whole. In particular, Hodge’s Grand Final returns are significantly higher. When the team required him to elevate his game, their General answered.
LUKE HODGE STATS DIFFERENTIAL
Career – 21.93 disposals, 5.08 marks, 0.56 goals
Finals – 22.60 disposals, 6.40 marks, 0.76 goals
Grand Finals – 25.8 disposals, 7.00 marks, 0.80 goals
As if you’d expect anything else from Leigh Matthews, his finals averages are wonderful. However, they do not improve on his overall career numbers. Matthews had singular standout games (33 touches and 7.6 against North Melbourne in the 1976 Qualifying Final was one of his best), but no punctuation mark series like Bartlett in 1980, or Ablett in 1989.
Hodge simply elevated his output as the leader of the Hawks. He was the ultimate “come with me, boys” type of performer, and as his four flags evidence, his team duly followed him into battle.
GRAND FINAL PERFORMANCES.
BARTLETT V ABLETT SR V HODGE V DUSTY
Bartlett – 22.42 disposals, 2.85 marks, 2.14 goals
Ablett – 9.60 disposals, 3.00 marks, 2.60 goals
Hodge – 25.8 disposals, 7.00 marks, 0.80 goals
Dusty – 24.00 disposals, 2.00 marks, 3.33 goals
Hodge does not have the standout series in terms of goals, as many associate with dominant performances do, but his 2014 finals series was a thing of beauty, culminating in a 35 disposal, Norm Smith-earning Grand Final win over the Sydney Swans.
Meanwhile, Dusty’s career average for goals is 1.12 per game. His Grand Final average blows it off the park.
LUKE HODGE’S 2014 FINALS AVERAGES
28.00 disposals, 10.00 marks, 1.33 goals
Even at the ripe old age of 35, Hodge was able to pull a last couple of great finals games from his aching body for the Brisbane Lions. In a young man’s game, Hodge was perhaps the Lions’ best player in 2019’s finals series.
The case for Andrew McLeod is one Adelaide supporters will argue long and loud. Two Norm Smith Medals, a seven-goal haul in a Preliminary Final – there is no question that McLeod did some amazing things in his 1997-98 reign as Mr September, however overall, his numbers hardly moved from where he was situated in the home and away season.
As a matter of fact, he had a slight dip in disposals. Then again, Martin is down on his home and away season averages too, and here I am telling you how great he is, so again, I’ll try not to get caught up in recency, or stats too much.
He did have an increase in goals, similarly to Martin.
DUSTY V MCLEOD
Dusty – 22.00 disposals, 2.75 marks, 1.68 goals
McLeod – 19.23 disposals, 3.32 marks, 1.05 goals
Granted, stats are not the be-all and end-all of choosing the greatest finals player. Ablett was sensational, but for all his efforts, he does not have a premiership medallion to show for it. Hodge has four, Bartlett has five, but none of them won in finals as often as Michael Voss.
Yeah, a sting in the tail, when we throw Vossy’s name into the mix.
Voss played 19 finals for 15 wins, with 13 of them coming in the Brisbane golden age of 2001-04. His team fell off a cliff following their glorious four straight Grand Finals, so he didn’t suffer a slow decline like others listed. During the four years from 2001-04, Voss managed to accrue the bulk of a win percentage that puts most others to shame, particularly when you consider some of those players competed in teams that were dominant for several years as well.
Michael Voss’ win percentage = 73.6%
Dusty isn’t too far behind. His finals win percentage jumped to 66.66% after the Tigers beat the Cats in 2020, but dipped to finish at 62.5%
And then, there is KB, bobbing up again. Kevin Bartlett’s finals win percentage = 74.07%
Whilst both Bartlett’s and Voss’ win percentages are incredible, we must factor in that Bartlett’s finals wins came over a period of 16 years. In this time, the Tigers were up and down, and also ran into successful teams such as Hawthorn and North Melbourne through the mid to late 70s, and Carlton in the late 70s and early 80s. He played 27 finals in that period, where there was only a final four. In some years, you’d play a Semi and the Grand Final, and that’d be it. There were no “easy” finals, as such.
So who is the best finals player of all time, and where does Dustin Martin fit? We could point to stats all day, and we’d end up proving something different for each candidate. It will always come down to a matter of opinion.
Some will take the toughness of Lethal Leigh Matthews over the opportunistic and skilful KB in a final. Others will swear black and blue that the spectacular Gary Ablett is their go-to guy, based on the heroics of ’89. Others still prefer the leadership of Luke Hodge, as was on display in 2014. And then there is Dusty with his three Norm Smith Medals. Hard to argue against him being the greatest Grand Final player since that award was introduced, isn’t it?
Maybe one day as you get off the train at Richmond station and wander your way through the car park to the mighty MCG, you’ll see a statue of Luke Hodge directing traffic or Dustin Martin with his arms raised, celebrating another Richmond premiership. I reckon both deserve it.
However, until then, I am of the belief that KB remains the man when it comes to great finals performers – Dusty has him for Grand Finals, but over an entire finals series, Bartlett’s record is incredible, and should not be so easily forgotten.
They don’t build statues of blokes at the ‘G for nothing, y’know?
As always, massive thanks to those who support this work. You can see the amount of care that goes into it. I love footy, I love writing about it, and I hope you enjoy reading it. Without you, this whole thing falls over. Sincerely… thank you – HB
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