Judd v Ablett
Gary Ablett Jnr…
Widely regarded as the greatest player of his generation, perhaps in the game’s history.
He’s won MVP awards, premierships, All Australian Selections, Club Champion Awards, and a Brownlow Medal. On the field he dominates possession, slides through tackles, engineers power plays, plots goals from the impossible, and defies the bounds of human limitation.
He’s recently been offered a deal from the prospective Gold Coast team, purportedly worth nearly $2 million a year for five years. It’s more than a lucrative offer, it’s a groundbreaking and incomprehensible indicator of how valuable—almost unattainable—he really is. Through voluntary salary cuts and a thirst for premiership glory, Geelong has been able to maintain its hefty list of stars. Seemingly, the club hasn’t had to dangle too much in front of their players to convince them to stay…
… Until now.
Chris Judd…
Touted for his skill, his strength, his ingenuity, his leadership, his utter dominance in the game.
With a trophy cabinet straining under the weight of countless individual awards and a premiership, he also boasts notches for captaincy at his former West Coast Club and current Carlton Football Club. Those who disregard Ablett as the game’s greatest invariably give the nod instead to Judd.
When Judd’s decision to change football homes was announced in 2007, clubs formed a long line to offer him their golden slipper. With a young and talented list, Carlton enlisted him as their captain at the start of the 2008 season. He is currently the highest paid player in the AFL.
Judd and Ablett are the two greatest players of the modern era. With a year dividing them, their similarities are extensive. Their core strength through their hips and thighs makes it virtually impossible for tacklers to bring them down. Their football minds allow them to generate play, not just accommodate it. Their skill and ingenuity demand much from themselves and little from their team mates. Combined, they would be unstoppable.
And... they’re both bald...
Their differences are also profound. While Judd tends to go after the ball with his body— crashing into congestion and freeing himself with the Sherrin—Ablett often opts to float outside the squabble—circling the pack and pouncing when the ball frees itself. While both men are team players at heart, Judd is a born leader and a commander of his troops. He guides by example and his presence amongst his team-mates is immeasurable. Ablett is larger than the game. For most, skills like his are unattainable; to lead by example would be fruitless, near impossible. Instead, he bolsters confidence in those around him: a safety net when the chips are down and the spark is dimming.
My questions are…
Who is the better player?
Who would you prefer to have in a young team, an inexperienced and fresh canvas?
Who would you prefer to have in an established and successful club—the Collingwoods, the St Kildas, etc?
Is the deal from the Gold Coast enough to stray Ablett’s loyalty to the Cats… and should it be?
At the end of their careers, who will be regarded as the better player?
Widely regarded as the greatest player of his generation, perhaps in the game’s history.
He’s won MVP awards, premierships, All Australian Selections, Club Champion Awards, and a Brownlow Medal. On the field he dominates possession, slides through tackles, engineers power plays, plots goals from the impossible, and defies the bounds of human limitation.
He’s recently been offered a deal from the prospective Gold Coast team, purportedly worth nearly $2 million a year for five years. It’s more than a lucrative offer, it’s a groundbreaking and incomprehensible indicator of how valuable—almost unattainable—he really is. Through voluntary salary cuts and a thirst for premiership glory, Geelong has been able to maintain its hefty list of stars. Seemingly, the club hasn’t had to dangle too much in front of their players to convince them to stay…
… Until now.
Chris Judd…
Touted for his skill, his strength, his ingenuity, his leadership, his utter dominance in the game.
With a trophy cabinet straining under the weight of countless individual awards and a premiership, he also boasts notches for captaincy at his former West Coast Club and current Carlton Football Club. Those who disregard Ablett as the game’s greatest invariably give the nod instead to Judd.
When Judd’s decision to change football homes was announced in 2007, clubs formed a long line to offer him their golden slipper. With a young and talented list, Carlton enlisted him as their captain at the start of the 2008 season. He is currently the highest paid player in the AFL.
Judd and Ablett are the two greatest players of the modern era. With a year dividing them, their similarities are extensive. Their core strength through their hips and thighs makes it virtually impossible for tacklers to bring them down. Their football minds allow them to generate play, not just accommodate it. Their skill and ingenuity demand much from themselves and little from their team mates. Combined, they would be unstoppable.
And... they’re both bald...
Their differences are also profound. While Judd tends to go after the ball with his body— crashing into congestion and freeing himself with the Sherrin—Ablett often opts to float outside the squabble—circling the pack and pouncing when the ball frees itself. While both men are team players at heart, Judd is a born leader and a commander of his troops. He guides by example and his presence amongst his team-mates is immeasurable. Ablett is larger than the game. For most, skills like his are unattainable; to lead by example would be fruitless, near impossible. Instead, he bolsters confidence in those around him: a safety net when the chips are down and the spark is dimming.
My questions are…
Who is the better player?
Who would you prefer to have in a young team, an inexperienced and fresh canvas?
Who would you prefer to have in an established and successful club—the Collingwoods, the St Kildas, etc?
Is the deal from the Gold Coast enough to stray Ablett’s loyalty to the Cats… and should it be?
At the end of their careers, who will be regarded as the better player?
