R7: North v Port review

[Magpiespower]

At his best he is probably the most unstoppable midfielder ive seen at SANFL level. Best player ive seen...not yet. If he stays another couple of years then he could end up being just that.

Haven't seen a hell of a lot of J. Clayton but what I have seen has been very impressive.

Having said that, I wouldn't even put him up with the very best midfielders I've seen at Alberton.

Craig Bradley, Greg Anderson, and Nathan Buckley immediately spring to mind. They all had years when they just absolutely dominated (Bradley '83/84, Anderson '86, Buckley '92.)

Robbie West was a gun before his career came to an unfortunate and premature end.

[Note: Only saw Ebert in his last couple of years.]

[RoosterMarty]

Fantastic, one of the best I've ever seen North have. It was great to see North run over Port in the final term at Prospect.... this shows why we shouldnt move home games to Adelaide Oval... we must play at our spiritual home!!

Krieg was great on Clayton, im not sure whats wrong with B Ebert, he used to dominate the SANFL yet all he could do yesterday was sit out by himself and get cheap stats and do nothing with them! Waterhouse looked like he was going to kill us early then he disappeared which is typical of him, that missed goal probably would have ended the game. North needed a bit of luck and we got it, but the boys made their own luck too by running hard, tackling hard, and helping each other out. Theres some unbelievable heart and the soul at the new look NAFC, Jars has instilled a belief in the lads that they are never out of any game, to see him going off after the game was awesome.


Great game of SANFL footy, much better than any of the AFL crap I've seen lately.

I cant wait until we get all our big guns back!

[Ian]

Still pinching myself, that was a great win, one of the best I've watched.

[Macca19]

Out of curiosity Macca, how long have you been watching SANFL footy? I'm not trying to be argumentative here, I'm just trying to find some logic in that statement when we are talking about a player who couldn't make the grade in the AFL.

The call was best SANFL footballer ever. Not best footballer ever. Lots of very good footballers dont make the grade at the highest level.

Ive been going every week I can to see Port play since 1988. In that time, talking about Port players only, he would easily be in the top 10 ive seen. Probably top 5. There are things he can do that ive seen no other Port footballer do before - for example his ability to almost never get tackled, his ability to break tackles and contort his body and still release a top handball. His foot skills are sublime. He has without doubt the best mark for someone sub-180cm ive seen. His contested marking ability is exceptionally good for his size. Then there is the fact he regularly throws his body in where many other players wouldnt.

Best SANFL player ever is a big call, but hes definately one of the most effective and best players ive seen.

[Ian]

Best SANFL player ever is a big call, but hes definately one of the most effective and best players ive seen.

Too big a call, you could fill Footy Park (AAMI) with better footballers that played in the SANFL before him

[pipers]

I've been watching Port since 1981. Jeremy Clayton is right up there. Ebert (although probably in decline when I started watching) and Bradley would probably rate better at this stage in my opinion. Anderson was pretty good too, but went in and out of games a bit too much to be considered alongside these guys.

Clayton is absolutely fearless, and as Macca said, for a short bloke he knows how to take a mark in a contest. Oh, and he earns his kicks too, unlike a certain Margarey Medallist from 1992.

[drebin]

Clayton is a "gun" and for certain one of the best players post 1991 to come to the league and he was well and truly chased by the NAFC recruiters and despite having a brain fade and signing with Port - very highly regarded at Prospect by the people who count. Having siad all that how do your compare an on baller as opposed to a good tall forward (e.g. Gill) to a utility player(s) like the Gowans - who despite what you say about them have been the "measuring stick" to Centrals success and pound for pound over a longer period dominant and match winning team players.

[Adelaide Hawk]

Even if we are talking post-1991, I would seriously wonder about the judgements of anyone who would rate Clayton ahead of players like Buckley and Francou. Pre-1991, Clayton wouls have been just another player. I put him in the Brian Cunningham standard, although I would still rate Cunningham higher.

[Macca19]

I was only young at the time, but Id say Claytons 2005 was the equal of Buckleys 1992. Buckley was a bloody good reciever with a massive kick and absolutely dominated and won the Magarey by a huge margin from memory. As FA said, Clayton wins his own footy and is fearless.

[Blue Boy]

whilst the Magpies were without Daniel Elstone, Julian Wait, Dane Fitzgerald, Paul Evans, Kyle Jenner, Gavin Wanganeen

Hang on, if Port were "missing" Gavin Wanganeen weren't North also missing Ben Hart, Ben Hudson, Ian Perrie, Damon White and Nathan Lonie??

And if the logic of playing a couple of games means more than surely Josh Francou should come into it too?

Crikey!!!

PS I thought Baird was awesome, it was interesting talking to a Port player during the game who said J Clayton was the best player he'd seen at SANFL level ever only to see Matthew Krieg get Best for North who was on him today, top job Kriegy!

PPS I honestly think when Water Closet missed a sitter from 25m out was when Port lost the game today, god bless him.

Forgot about Josh Francou. Considering both of them will most likely spend the majority of the season in the SANFL, then yes they should be counted. Some of the other players you mentioned havent played at Prospect for years. Those two played very recently.

Waterhouse was the true enigma today. Burned it up in the first half and stuffed a number of chances in the second half - dropped marks, fumbles, poor passes and that missed shot on goal.

Good point Macca ( re players out ) as many rooster supporters have told me how great there win was with all the players missing. All of them counted Francou as an out for the week.

Count both Wanganeen and Francou as outs for both teams as they both would of played for there SANFL teams last week

[doggies4eva]

I was only young at the time, but Id say Claytons 2005 was the equal of Buckleys 1992. Buckley was a bloody good reciever with a massive kick and absolutely dominated and won the Magarey by a huge margin from memory. As FA said, Clayton wins his own footy and is fearless.

You must be too young to have seen Platten or Duckworth. Not saying Clayton isn't a great player but the best??

[JK]

How does Clayton compare to Tony Brown IYO Mac?

[Macca19]

I never saw Platten pre-AFL. I never saw Duckworth. I was born in 81.

Tony Brown was a great leader and for someone with questionable pace, he seemed to find so much space and time. Id have to take Clayton though.

[panther]

when talking about players you should only count the players the team will get back into the side,and that will make a difference to that particular side.had gill and hargraves been playing then weatherly and pfeiffer probably wouldnt have when you look at the difference they made did they really miss gill and hargraves at all.On the other hand port had stevens kingo and surjan out who between them kicked 9 goals v eagles, their replacements were 2 kids who didnt touch the ball .

[JK]

when talking about players you should only count the players the team will get back into the side,and that will make a difference to that particular side.had gill and hargraves been playing then weatherly and pfeiffer probably wouldnt have when you look at the difference they made did they really miss gill and hargraves at all.On the other hand port had stevens kingo and surjan out who between them kicked 9 goals v eagles, their replacements were 2 kids who didnt touch the ball .

Thats a pretty good point

[dinglinga]

AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

watched five minutes on FOXFOOTY ....just tryin to see myself on tv....

bloody north grog squad....my one sore point u guys tryin to sing"youll never walk alone"

at least liverpool score more than one goal in a final lol....

[mick]

AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

watched five minutes on FOXFOOTY ....just tryin to see myself on tv....

bloody north grog squad....my one sore point u guys tryin to sing"youll never walk alone"

at least liverpool score more than one goal in a final lol....

What a bloody comedian? you should be on telly

[Brad]

AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

watched five minutes on FOXFOOTY ....just tryin to see myself on tv....

bloody north grog squad....my one sore point u guys tryin to sing"youll never walk alone"

at least liverpool score more than one goal in a final lol....

If your going to live in the past like that, what happened in 1971 & 1972 when North played Port in Grand Finals.

[Wedgie]

AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

watched five minutes on FOXFOOTY ....just tryin to see myself on tv....

bloody north grog squad....my one sore point u guys tryin to sing"youll never walk alone"

at least liverpool score more than one goal in a final lol....

If your going to live in the past like that, what happened in 1971 & 1972 when North played Port in Grand Finals.

Not to mention in 1905 when Port only manged 1.6 against North in the big one.

History only counts when it suits Port supporters apparantley!
(Luckily in my life North lead Port in GFs 2 -1, not many other club's fans could say that (perhaps only Norwood fans?) )