Gavin Wanganeen
Probably the best player I ever played with at Port. Either end of the ground he was amazing. Some of the stuff he did was really inspirational and he remains one of the most courageous players I’ve ever seen.
Stephen Silvagni
I got to play against him once, when I was playing down forward and that was a bit of an honour. He threw me around like a rag doll but it was a great experience. One of my favourite players to watch when I was a kid.
Matthew Scarlett
Transformed the way full-backs play these days. Manages to shut his opponent out of it completely and still get 20, 25 touches. He’s just so strong and has done really well against Port in the past.
HALF-BACKS
Paul Roos
Met him a couple of times when I was a kid. He was so nice to me and Kane, I’ve always had a really soft spot for him. To play for as long as he did and as many games as he did, playing that quarter-back role off half-back, was a huge effort.
Glen Jakovich
Just great watching the Carey-Jakovich duels of the ‘90s – he was just so strong. Just a general back there and I think clearly the best centre half-back of the modern times.
Nathan Buckley
I don’t know if half-back flank’s his preferred position, but he could have been anywhere on this list. Played against him and just one of the most skilful players I’ve ever seen. Used the ball so well and rarely wasted a possession.
CENTRES
Chris Judd
One of the freakiest footy players I’ve ever seen. From the stoppages he is amazing. Impossible to tackle, impossible to match up on. When you’re out there playing against him, you’re just in awe of him.
Michael Voss
Just so courageous. Tough, hard, captain of three premiership teams. From what you hear about him he was just great to play under as captain and so inspirational. I would have loved to have played under him at some stage.
Peter Matera
Just looked so smooth when he was playing. Great skills and was a great player to watch when he was going in full flight.
HALF-FORWARDS
Jonathan Brown
Other than Chris Judd, one of my favourite players to watch at the moment. So courageous, so big and strong and I just love the way he plays.
Wayne Carey
Growing up in the ‘90s, he was obviously ‘the player’. He’s been named one of the best players of all time on lots of lists and is just a freak, really.
Stephen Kernahan
Kernahan played in the ’85 premiership with Glenelg and went on to captain Carlton so being a big Glenelg boy, I always kept a close eye on him. A great player and a great captain of Carlton.
FORWARDS
Darren Jarman
Along with Buckley, probably the most skilful player I’ve ever seen. Those grand finals for Adelaide, it was just amazing to sit back and see what he did in those last quarters and the goals he kicked. His skills were amazing.
Gary Ablett, Sr
I remember going to the ’89 VFL Grand Final, probably known as the best grand final of all time, when Ablett kicked nine or 10 goals. Just an absolute freak and I don’t think we’ll ever see another footy player like him.
Jason Dunstall
He kicked so many goals and was so consistent over such a long period of time. 17 goals in one game speaks for itself.
FOLLOWERS
Shaun Rehn
Following the Crows when I was growing up, he was just a really great mobile ruckman. Could go up forward and kick goals and was such a great tap ruckman as well. One of my dad’s favourite players when he was coach of the Crows.
Mark Ricciuto
His list of accomplishments is amazing – so many All-Australians, a premiership, Brownlow Medal, best-and-fairests, over 300 games. He was the big thing in Adelaide over the last 10 years, such a great player and so consistent. Big, strong, courageous.
Tony McGuinness
A Glenelg boy who played in the ’85 premiership with Kernahan. I followed him throughout his career at Footscray and as vice-captain of the Crows. He was so skilful, ran all day and kicked some pretty good goals as well. Was pretty unlucky not to win a Brownlow.
INTERCHANGE
Tony Lockett
Very unlucky not to make it on the ground but obviously he’s the leading goalkicker of all time – I had to put him in somewhere! You can’t leave the leading goalkicker of all time out of your team.
Warren Tredrea
People forget how good Tredders was. He’s had a few injury interrupted years. When he was really up and going between 2001 and 2005 I think he was the best forward going around and probably Port’s best player in their short time in the AFL.
Paul Kelly
One of the most courageous players I’ve ever seen – the way he played through injury and the tackles he laid, his head over the ball, just courageous acts all the time. He would have been a great captain to play under, I imagine.
Ben Cousins
A bit of a freak. My brother (Port Adelaide player Kane) played on him a few times and said he just doesn’t stop running all day, and is just so skilful. He’s had a rough time over the last couple of years, but before that was one of the best players in the AFL.
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
