TOPIC:

I know TI was a champ, best mobile ruck I have seen play, but considering he made his debut in 75, does he really deserve to be in the best side between 1946 - 1976?.....surely from 77 onwards, but not to sure what TI did in those two years to qualify for a spot.....anchor, Ooos, Southerner was TI dominating the comp in those 2 years like he did from 79 onwards?

i know its hard to compare players anchor but Maurice is the best I've seen...the complete package for mine.

I remember him being back up ruckman to Bob Carson in '75. He was nothing flash at the start.

anchorman wrote: From memory the early part of his career was pretty ordinary. I think he went back to the ressies a couple of time. I remember watching him in his first couple of games and wondering what the hell all the fuss was about this kid from the bush.But how I changed my mind later.
I still believe that he is the best player I have seen, both here and in Victoria.
He would have been an absolute champion in todays game. His ability to win the ball on his own, and feed it out to outside runners. He would not have been a ruckman in todays game but a big strong mid fielder.I can't think of any who would be better as an all round mid than him.

Not sure how TI could have possibly "went back to Ressies a couple of times" as you suggest anchor seeing as tho I was at his 200th game (and in succession from debut) at Bassendean in 1983!

BH .....anchor did say I think he went back to reserves a few times mate......1975/76 were nearly 40 years ago mate....cut anchor some slack, you most probably were even born then BH .........

amazing feat to play 200 on the trot, especially in those days when the comp was top notch and full of some seriously high quality players.....

Yeah well Stephen Michael would be in the next logical 40th Anniversay from 1976 to 2015 too

Chronologically I suppose so - Impact & Influence-wise 1976 onwards - an amazing player had it all & more much much more

Maurice Rioli was another - Maurice was lethal with the sublime Benny Vigona ridiculously talented sustained year after year freak who was kicking goals from a half-back decades before the current AFL poofter's dances , with the Godfather Basil Campbell .... that quartet alone would scare the shit out of any current AFL mob

If Stephen Michael made the Team two different eras - good on him , earned every bit of it !

If you were looking for an ideal footballer prototype what would you go for? Pace? A springheeled Jack who could outleap players of any size? Hand and foot skills? Poise? Football brain? Leadership? Longetivity? Tough? Consistent?

Stephen Michael fitted all of that criteria.

At 6’2(188cm) the South Fremantle ruckman was no giant. But his athleticism and ability to leap enabled him to outclass most ruckmen and his agility and athleticism were a match for most small men.

Michael is regarded by many as the best player they have seen and is revered at South Fremantle. He resisted strong lucrative offers to play with VFL teams(Geelong threw everything at him), remaining with the Bulldogs for an outstanding career of 243 games, including 210 consecutive games. There were times during that 210 game run when he was given little chance of taking his place in the side but to confound the critics he’d be running onto the ground in the famous number 25 and turning in his usual consistent effort.

Born at Wagin, Steven Michael was recruited from Kojonup in 1974 and made his league debut the following year. The affable truck driver was not only a star of the WAFL for a decade, but a crowd drawer, most notably his tests of strength with Ron Boucher from Swan Districts and Graham Moss(Claremont).

1983 was a vintage year for TI (as he was nicknamed). At the Australian Football Carnival that year he won the Tassie Medal for fairest and best at the Carnival, was named Captain of the All-Australian team, and won the Simpson Medal for his efforts in the WA-SA encounter. Add to that his Sandovers of 1980 and 81, South Fremantle Fairest and Bests in 1977-78-81 and 83, his captaincy of South in 1983 and WA in 1982 capped with a Premiership in 1980.

Stephen Michael retired from league football in 1985, after a shooting accident two years earlier failed to end his career but surely shortened it. He played a season with Boulder City and subsequently coached Collie, pulling on the boots a few times for his side.

Steven Michael was a true champion, whose style of play would have been well suited to today’s faster run on game.

Being in the early stages of Alziemers, I doubt very much if I can claim to have a sharper memory than you Anchor, but I don't recall if he was or wasn't. I reckon the first time I saw him was when he was at centre half back in the ressies before he played league. Think it was in a Derby.