Rance up with the best: SOS
STEPHEN Silvagni says Alex Rance is “in the conversation’’ as the best defender of the past 50 years.
The AFL’s Team of the Century fullback said Rance would easily slide between eras because of his ability to play the one-on-one defence of yesteryear and today’s zone football.
A giggling Silvagni acknowledged that he loved the Richmond defender.
“Blood oath I do, he’s a star mate, he’s a bloody star,’’ Silvagni said yesterday.
“He’s the best defender in the competition, no doubt about it.’’
Asked if Rance was the best defender he’s seen, Silvagni said it was almost impossible to compare players from the 1970s and ’80s with today’s.
“The eras change so much, the game is just so different, but he can play one-on-one and he can play the zoning defence, the roll-off defender,’’ Silvagni said. “I watched Bruce Doull play, I watched Scarlett play, and Fletcher and David Dench — how do you compare it? But he’s 100 per cent in that conversation.
“It’s hard to match them all up. I reckon Lance Franklin would’ve kicked another 300 goals if he played in the ’70s and ’80s with the 50m open.
“So how do you compare Lance Franklin with Jason Dunstall or Tony Lockett?
“I don’t like comparing, but no doubt this bloke would’ve been at the top whether you’re talking today’s footy or 20 or 30 years ago.”