Greatest HBF

carlton colt · **Joined:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 3:25 pm **Posts:** 122

Today I was drawn to a comment that Mark Robinson made in the Sun re: Corey Enright. He argues that Corey Enright should be considered the greatest HBF of all time. He prefaces this by saying "he did not see much footy in the 80's so doesn't know much about Rantell or Bourke" (conveniently leaving out the greatest), then writes perhaps we should ask some old heads like Mathews, Barrassi and Skilton for the definitive answer.

You don't have to be know much about 80's football to realise Bruce Doull was/is the Greatest HBF to have played the game, and in my opinion the greatest backman period.

I had to re-read the article a few times to make sure I was not misinterpreting what he wrote, as I thought there is no possible way even he could make such as an oversight.

camel · **Posted:** Mon Jun 15, 2015 10:43 am

Half-back flank?

I think Robbo could go alright as a flanker.

cortez · **Joined:** Mon Jul 12, 2010 4:49 pm **Posts:** 1170

Yep, Bruce Doull no question. Kenny Hunter was a pretty handy HBF too.

moshe25 · **Joined:** Wed May 11, 2005 1:23 am **Posts:** 11671

I love Enright - a gun player. Probably the 2nd best I've seen.

Teddy Hopkins · **Posted:** Mon Jun 15, 2015 11:23 am

I agree with Moshe. Enright is a great player but Doull was better.

Love them both at CFC now. :smile:

cimm1979 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 15, 2015 11:32 am

Thought Michael Sexton had a few years where he was top draw, just so reliable.

Enright has been that good for a decade or more. Helps to be in an awesome side, but the Cats are just a good side at the moment and Enright is killing it.

cimm1979 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 15, 2015 11:35 am

Guy McKenna was pretty good as well, bit smaller and more of an attacking defender but rarely outmarked, great kick and fantastic reader of the play.

club29 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 15, 2015 11:50 am

If Gibbs had of let himself settle there i reckon he would have been up there with Enright.

Ctrain · **Joined:** Mon Apr 13, 2015 10:14 am **Posts:** 16

Andrew Mackay, rarely beaten in a 1:1 contest

Humpers · **Joined:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 5:28 pm **Posts:** 4937

Paul Roos went OK

GWS · **Posted:** Mon Jun 15, 2015 12:24 pm

Doull's spoils from a marking contest were almost as accurate as Diesel's handballs.

I remember someone (may have been Leigh Matthews) saying the first time he saw Doull spoil an opponent and the ball go straight down the throat of a teammate he didn't think too much about it. Then he did it again and he thought he was a lucky bastard and then he just kept doing it again and again and again for the rest of his career and he realised there was no luck involved.

I can't think of one other player who's ever managed that (intentionally) with any sort of regularity let alone mastered it.

Apparently the line in Lily of Laguna about never letting you down was written with Bruce in mind (about 60 odd years before he played).

Or so I've heard.

Rexy · **Joined:** Fri Aug 15, 2008 6:46 am **Posts:** 28227

Yeah Bruce's aerial skills in contests were remarkable.

Enright is a great player and up there with the best, but Bruce Doull was the complete package.

GodisNavyBlue · **Posted:** Mon Jun 15, 2015 12:57 pm

Doull is my favourite player of all time. In the '81 GF 5 or 10 mins in he was beaten to the ball, the Filth supporters behind me started bagging him big-time saying he was too old etc - he was never beaten again the rest of the game and I just revelled in it. Just repeated, "well done old man" everytime.

Actually, Jezza didn't go too badly either off the HBF

chelodina · **Joined:** Tue Apr 10, 2007 4:43 pm **Posts:** 1323

club29 wrote:

If Gibbs had of let himself settle there i reckon he would have been up there with Enright.

You still have to some courage, even at HBF.

Ouch, I am such a bi-atch

The Rhino · **Joined:** Tue Feb 08, 2011 3:20 pm **Posts:** 6923

As someone who never saw Doull play - my understanding of him was as a key position defender, and figure with a few of some of the names mentioned here (Roos, Sexton), query what the criteria of half back flanker as opposed to a centre half back would be?

Taking out key position players, I agree with the Guy McKenna nomination. Simply never saw him get beat. Tough as nails (that bump in '95 at Subi....match winner.)

dannyboy · **Posted:** Mon Jun 15, 2015 1:38 pm

Doull was a HBF so good he could play Key Defense just as Jezza was a HFF so could he could play key forward (and kick a ton)

Michael Jezz · **Joined:** Mon Jul 09, 2007 4:52 pm **Posts:** 2044

Bruce Doull was to the half back flank what Muhammed Ali was to boxing
THE GREATEST

Bruce Doull is God's Footballer and if they play AFL in heaven it will be played by Bruce Doull

Shut the thread down. That Bruce Doull is the greatest Half Back Flank should never be debated

AGRO · **Posted:** Mon Jun 15, 2015 2:23 pm

No debate Doull the best HBF of all time, and you can add CHB of all time as well.

Mark Robinson showing himself to be very poorly researched again.

camel · **Posted:** Mon Jun 15, 2015 2:25 pm

Michael Jezz wrote:

Bruce Doull was to the half back flank what Muhammed Ali was to boxing
THE GREATEST

Bruce Doull is God's Footballer and if they play AFL in heaven it will be played by Bruce Doull

Shut the thread down. That Bruce Doull is the greatest Half Back Flank should never be debated

Well, you do need two of them.

Bolt from the Blue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 15, 2012 12:18 am **Posts:** 1901

I never saw Doull play either. But whatever. Debate closed.
I will go with the expertise of informed people here on TC. Perhaps Robbo should have a read of this too. :wink:

Greatest HBF

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