How over-rated is Shane Crawford?

Question

He plays his 300th game this week. He has been nursed along for the past couple of seasons by Hawthorn - playing a bit here & a bit there - never of much real use to the team.

He has been used as an advertising tool by the Hawks this year. because the team is going OK they can afford to give him a run against the weaker teams & appease the fans & big note themselves as a caring club!

For such a "champion" who has played 300 games for the club he never went within cooee of being selected in their recent All-Stars team - not even as an interchange player.

If they persevere with him into the finals they'll live to regret the decision.

Agree or disagree?

Answer 1

This is a tough one because I remember Shane Crawford the champion... the guy who won the Brownlow. Having said that, there are certain players who the media and general public love and he is one of them. I think that his recent accolades revolve more around his media career than his efforts at Hawthorn.

Hypothetically, if the Hawks were to make it and win the premiership this year I am pretty sure that he would retire as I think he has been hanging in for this one achievement that has so far eluded him.

Still, making it to the "300 club" is a pretty big deal, and it should draw a decent crowd here in Tassie, which is great for footy so best of luck to him.

Answer 2

Lets just say he is better then he should be. You know how some player have it or they don't have it. Crawford worked hard to get to the top, but yes he is overrated. You look at people like Voss, Buckley, Brent Harvey and James Hird they were all still brilliant players late in their career. Crawford was not very good when he was not in his prime.

Answer 3

oh heaps i hate the way teams say they have champs yet they dont do much at all!!

Answer 4

dudee, hes a brownlow player

how bad can he be?

sure maybe hes not as good as he used 2 be

but hes so much older! of course he woodnt b

Answer 5

i disagree shane crawford is champion  

Answer 6

Yep, he is definitely over-rated. he has been going for these past two years just for selfish reasons. He has too many injuries & should have pulled the pin a couple of years ago.

Sure he played some good games - what player of AFL standard doen't. Plus Brownlow Medals aren't that hard to win - they give one away every year. He did win one but did he win it standing alone or did he share with several others - which is regular these days.

He should give the game away before he embarrasses himself further.

Answer 7

The reason behind what your saying is because within his first couple of years in the AFL he was a fast and dominant player, in 1999 he won the brownlow. He is ''over-rated'' alot these days because of his past achievments from the first couple of years he dominated the AFL world of footy. Through the last couple of years he has bearly played a whole season, yet its because he has had injuries or been out with suspension. Hes not at his best as he was a couple of years back, but thats players, they arent the best after a couple of years when they get older.

Answer 8

Perhaps the last couple of seasons he has not been at this best but as he has played 300 games, it means he has had , what 13 other seasons that have been pretty good? He stuck by Hawthorn when they were going crappy and now they are showing him some of that loyalty in return. Will they regret that loyalty? Time will tell but the guy is a Brownlow Medal winning champion. (I know a few people around don't put much crecence inthe Brownlow as it is picked by the umpires....)

As for not being selected intheir all star team - he has got quite a bit of competition.

Give the guy a break. He is a champion.

EDIT: Just finished watching: Was it 29 odd posessions?? Congrats to Crawford on reaching this milestone - just got to add the premiership  to his collection.

Answer 9

i think he still does a good job for the hawks when he plays despite the fact that he is getting on in years

Answer 10

Mate I think ur name says it all!!!  Ur dreaming & jealous, small mans syndrome!!!.

There are other players more over-rated than him. He may not be as fast as he once was, but he can still play.  Farout he won a brownlow, that tells you something doesnt it??!  I can name a few others in that team that arent as good as ppl say... Id say buddy is over-rated sure he may be a good player & heading for 100 goals in a season but blood h**l he cant kik straight! he's good but not the be all that ends all! thats what I'd call over-rated.

Go Craw! Congrats on 300 games.

Answer 11

He was a champion when he was younger, I mean, he has a Brownlow to his name. I do agree with what you say about him in the past couple of years. He is a great guy, and was fantastic a few years ago, but now his injuries and fitness levels mean that he really isn't a crucial part of the Hawthorn line up. I think this will be his last year, and Hawthorn just want to give him the chance to notch up his 300th game, and have a good crack at finals. Hopefully he can hold up until the end of the season.

Answer 12

He must have something going for him coz over-rated players generally don't get to play 300 games.  

Answer 13

Not very. How many Brownlows do you have?

Answer 14

of course he isn't as good as he was 5-10 years ago, he's aged and his body wont let him perform as well as it used to.

and as for the whole hawthorn team being overrated?

well lets see they're 2nd on the ladder and after round 19 they're at 15-4

how is that overrated they're seen as a great team which they are

we deserve to go all the way this season :)

Answer 15

You are very wrong, You dont watch much football do you. Try watching some footy before making such stupid statements.  

Answer 16

**I agree with you to a degree.  When I heard that Shane Crawford was playing his 300th game I was a bit surprised because I didn't think he'd played much in recent seasons.

He was a great player earlier in his career, which is why he won a Brownlow in 1999.  It was good to see him win it too.  These days though I do agree with you that he'd been nursed along by the club probably to get him to 300 games.

I imagine that this will be his final season and he's probably hanging out for a Grand Final and go out on a high.  Whether they put him in the side if they make the Grand Final though is another question.

If Hawthorn weren't having the great season that they are this year I wouldn't be surprised if he had of called it quits after his 300th today but like I say, since they're playing well I don't think that'd happen because he'd want to play in a Grand Final.**

Answer 17

Granted, his past couple of seasons have been ordinary but at his best he was a dynamic player, I saw him give James Hird the short back and sides one night and he was equally as damaging as an attacking on baller, make no mistake he stacks up well among the modern greats

Answer 18

Yes, he is quite over-rated eh? But another thing is, I believe the whole Hawthorn team quite over-rated to be honest :P