Geelong great Billy Brownless joined Cameron Ling and Tom Lonergan on this week’s edition of the To The Final Bell podcast, where he named his top 5 Cats of the last 40 years.
Brownless dropped into the podcast to promote the upcoming Brownless/Stoneham Dinner but was cornered on who he thought were the best ever players to pull on the hoops after he’d named a list that covered only the last 20 years last week on radio.
There was little debate about the top couple of spots, but things got complicated after that.
“So, my list for the last 20 years, because of Joel's 350th was Gary Ablett Jnr, Joel, Corey Enright, Matty Scarlett, and Jimmy Bartel,” he said.
“Just don't tell Stevie J.
“If you went since I played.. I've got to have Gary Ablett Snr on top, no doubt about that. He could just do anything, just fantastic to watch. Then you'd have to say Gary Ablett Jnr.
Current Cats skipper Joel Selwood came in third, and then things got heated in the podcast studio.
“Joel ,Corey Enright and Scarlo, they're tough to leave out but I want to put Buddha Hocking in there. I'm putting Buddha in and then maybe, Corey Enright at five.
“I just loved playing with Buddha, what a star he was, Gary Ablett Snr, they're the two from my era.”
Ling, however, thought there was a significant omission from the list.
“Three years ago, I probably wouldn't be making this argument, but I think I have to now,” he said.
“The man who is still standing at full forward wearing number 26. Tom Hawkins has kicked 700 goals, played 300 odd games, and has gotten better since he turned 30. He's now in that conversation.”
Lonergan said legendary goal kicker Doug Wade also needed to be part of the conversation.
The Cats have been blessed with plenty of talented players across the decades, so the Brownless honorable mention list was long.
“The old boys will tell you Polly all day every day but how far do you go back,” he said.
“You're right, TomaHawk, and then you've got Paul Chapman, Stevie J, Joel Corey, Ling.. and Brad Ottens. How good was Otto.”
Tickets for the Brownless/Stoneham Dinner on August 18 are available here.
