Ron Barassi's Top 31 Players

1992 compilation courtesy of the great man Ronald Dale Barassi and our friends at Australian Football Video

[@kye6971]

R.I.P RON BARASSI

[@TBoneTony]

This was one of the first AFL/VFL Football Video I saw at my grandparent's place all those years ago. Thank you for uploading this as I would love Ron Barassi to do another series like this while he is still alive.

[@doriankeating1963]

Agreed! I think he may even have to combine them and do the best over the last 60 years or 50 at least!

[@kimharris2599]

Tough, skillful, passionate and most of all a great bloke and team man. R. I. P. Ted you Legend.

[@kellythomas1933]

There's one person missing from this list, that's Ron himself

[@paulohara8967]

Barassi was showing his true colours here. 12 players from Carlton and North, 1 each from the Bombers and the Pies. And if you go for Simon Madden you must go for Len Thompson.

[@wespaul9345]

I think that's unfair. Sure, he was familiar with them. However they're all premiership players, that he had a lot to do with. So why wouldn't he. The fact that barassi moved through a few clubs and delivered success entitled him to these opinions. Don't you think?

[@allymayful]

No 27. At long bloody last!!! Some footage of John Rantle. So good to see a little of what he was acclaimed for.

[@chrispetritsch4959]

Who?

[@allymayful]

@MU FC Fine!!!! You watch what you love, and we’ll continue to love our unique game. Really wondering why you waste your and our time visiting our pages.

[@lukustreloar7243]

Entertaining show 😂.❤ it.Great players.

[@allymayful]

No 24 . Bartlett - so incredibly fast.

[@darrenjray]

Spoiler Alert: After Ron announced he had no Brownlow medalists in his top seven, I put Skilton at #8 and selected my own 31. I got 28 of Ron's, missing on John Rantall (had considered him), Geoff Southby (a surprise that high) and Steve Kernahan. In their places, I had Len Thompson, Jason Dunstall and Peter Bedford. The others were the same. It's interesting that when this video was made, Lockett had kicked 789 goals. Barrass has him at #13. Dunstall had kicked just two less, 787. Yet he's not in Ron's 31. Biggest discrepancy was Barry Cable. Barrass had him at #6. I had him at #20. Great player but, Ron, other than 1970, Cable was 30 when he came back to North in '74 and only played until 1977. There is no way I would place his career ahead of Blight, Schimma and Greig, let alone so many other superstars. Thanks very much for posting this. I love this kind of stuff.

[@darrenjray]

@hanajinks You've nominated a side with some extra players. That's not what Ron did. He chose the 31 best players he'd seen to 1992. About 10 years ago, I put together a side of the previous 40 years. Any side that we're doing now would have to consider names like Ablett Jr, Martin and Dangerfield, to name just three. Picking either best players or a best team, I'd also be considering names such as Francis Bourke, Matthew Scarlett, Gary Ayres, Keith Greig, Peter Matera, Nathan Buckley, Greg Williams, Michael Voss, Jason Dunstall, Tony Lockett, Chris Judd, Robert Harvey and Mark Riccuito.

[@doriankeating1963]

Maybe because locket did it in a team that was near the bottom of the ladder while Dunstall was pretty much in the top part of the ladder! Still think Jason should be there also though! Was just a thought as to how he could come to that conclusion! Or he had a beef with Jason hahaha

[@allymayful]

Cable was a sensational player to watch. He was an amazing athlete. PLUS he successfully fought for the State of Origin games!!!! That alone made him A star in my eyes.

[@markuswilmes3694]

Lockett had dunstalls measure as a pack marker great overhead marker and better kick and played in shit sides so different league of champion over dunstall

[@allymayful]

No 21 - Peter Hudson - sensational. Averaged 5 goals a game.

[@doriankeating1963]

Yes it is , incredible to average that per game. You have made some very good comments by the way.

[@allymayful]

@@doriankeating1963 Thanks. I have been a bit of a football tragic all my life.

[@sten2246]

The Brownlow medal is for the best and FAIREST, not just the best on the day over every round as voted by the umpires. Amazing how sniper mathews even got 1 vote in the Brownlow.

[@darrenjray]

Still the highest total of votes ever for a non-winner.

[@doriankeating1963]

The dirtiest player in the Vfl afl and a coward really! Never stood toe to toe and only sniped small players like cable and bruns! He is a blurt on the game when you look at the fact , he is the only player ever to be charged outside the game for what happened inside, just shows how bad it was that all thought it was to serious with Evil intent for the tribuneral to punish as games and financial loss would not fit the crime, and that’s what it was, a crime and he will forever carry that with him. It’s how he stayed un tagged as players never knew when he would snipe them with evil intent.

[@tonysouth1313]

Quick point, narrator. How about doing a spot of research and naming interstate clubs? Barry Cable went home to WA to "win another club award". The club is called Perth. Show some respect and name it. When Malcolm Blight was mentioned, it's stated he arrived at North Melbourne from SA after playing club football there. The club is called Woodville.

[@waynecarrol3415]

He missed one He wore 31 played for Melbourne & Carlton !

[@StFidjnr]

none from the top 7 have won vfl/afl's highest individual honor the brownlow medal

[@StFidjnr]

3:31 the best of the rest the honorable mentions

[@lucyxx5895]

Seemed like they churned out a shit ton of footy videos in the 90s. Even a half baked idea, let’s go with it!! Haha

[@snoopy7690]

Ian Stewart? In my top 5 players.

[@marnuscoreyempanadaslooseb6760]

Michael Tuck 31? Come on I get he wasn’t necessarily the most skilled but his hard work effort, durability and honesty should make him higher.

[@dickiesdocos]

How many would remain on the list if done today? I suspect not many.

[@doriankeating1963]

Watch Malcom blights highlights ! The new video that’s on KZbin and it will give you an idea of how talented the man was ! Far more skilled and talented than most today , yet 31 players , I don’t believe can be selected over such a long time! WY to many skilled exciting played have come and gone! I think he “ Ron” should of made it the top 100 or at least 50.

[@gregc2156]

Dunstall????

[@jonburrows9816]

1:13:12 Gazza

[@TBoneTony]

Now that you mentioned Gary Ablett senior, this video mentioned that 1992 was his best year. This was made before the 1993 season where Gary Ablett got better with his 100+ goals in 93 season, 100+ goals and Mark of the Year in 1994, 100+ goals and became co-captain of Geelong in 1995 as well as being the Captain of Victoria in that memorable State of Origin game against South Australia that while the match was one sided, the Vics won the game after watching Ted Whitten being given a lap of honor before the match. While I never really was old enough to watch Ablett senior play until 1992 in brief moments and became a Geelong Cats fan in 1993 where I finally saw a full season of his magic, I can still remember watching this video tape at my grand parents place to know how great he was before I became a Cats fan.

[@jonburrows9816]

I followed his entire career. He is the best player I have seen. Most spectacular, brilliant, skilful ever. No footballer has a better highlights package than him.

[@darrenjray]

@@jonburrows9816 That is true. But as Bob Davis said, "He's one of the best champions ever. He's also one of the worst champions ever". I saw games where he virtually didn't get a kick. As Jason Akermanis said, "We all look good on our highlights reel".

[@jonburrows9816]

@@darrenjray Bob Davis is handbagger and talks rubbish! He was on the board at Geelong in the 80's and it was a disaster. Some of the players who Geelong could have got... and not forgetting Greg Williams was more than happy to remain at the club but asked for further $5000 and the club said no. Davis is responsible for this. Many champion players have bad days and don't get a kick.

[@darrenjray]

@@jonburrows9816 such as?

[@joefitzpatrick863]

the 1991 finals!!!! There's your inability to win a fllag right there.

[@allymayful]

Matthews No 1 ???? No one refers to, or chooses to remember, the damage Matthews did to the game, when he was charged with assault on the ground. After that in WA - many parents of chn born around '84, decided their boys were not going to play AFL. It was way too aggressive.. We deliberately steered them towards basketball. Brian Cook, the first Eagles manager had to bust his boiler, promoting the Eagles and AFL to our boys, in Primary School. It wasn't until the league brought in strict rules with junior football that we conceded to allowing our boys to be involved. MAKING THE GAME UGLY - THAT'S WHAT I REMEMBER LIEGH MATTHEWS FOR. But it's a bit of history that has been wiped off the slate. Was more impressed with his coaching, esp with Brisbane.

[@jasonstephenson8581]

Regardless of the damage he caused.. his still the greast player ever to play full stop.

[@sebastianmacaulay5529]

Yeah nice ur making your son into a pussy, footys footy and you’ve obviously never been or played on a field. You have be tough to get into there heads and if u avoid contact like you all teach your sons they’ll get hurt more then if they initiated contact and got ready. You HAVE to get him or her prepared for most physical contact

[@doriankeating1963]

jason stephenson get real, he is far from the greatest player, he would not of got a kick on many players had he played on them, Ablett and Carey would of tore him to pieces.

[@doriankeating1963]

Bee Hive yes Mathews caused a huge down turn in young children being able to play, and it was a dirty culture at Hawthorne for many a year, look at dermy and Scott and sadly hodge toward his later years! Sad they can’t play the ball and if people try and justify it then why bother reporting them! I played for a few years and won a flag and we never trained to snipe or assault people ! Cheers

[@Dommer1973]

LEIGH whopper. . You telling me he invented king hitting and thuggery? Then you know nothing about the history of the game. The Police only got involved because of Bruns crying to reporters in the following days. Fool.