Kane Cornes has named his top 10 players who were cut down by injury in their prime.
The Port Adelaide games record holder has identified those who he feels did not get the absolute most out of their careers because of serious injuries, tragedies or other issues.
See Cornes' top 10 below:
1. Peter Motley
Motley was described as the best of the lot, when compared to a host of South Australians including Stephen Kernahan and Craig Bradley, that joined the VFL in the 80s. The dual Sturt best and fairest and multiple All-Australian's career was ended in an horrific car accident when he had just 19 VFL games to his name at Carlton. Motley was just 22 years of age.
2. John Coleman
In June 1954 at Windy Hill, John Coleman suffered a dislocated knee, along with cartilage and ligament damage. He was just 25 and with only 98 games to his name but an incredible 537 goals. After two knee operations and repeated comeback attempts, he never played again. It has been noted by several medical experts that the same injury in today’s game would only sideline the player for about six weeks. What a shame.
3. Barrie Robran
My dad Graham Cornes, who played in the same era as Robran, rates him as the best player he has even seen. The Australian Football Hall of Fame legend won three Magarey medals and seven best and fairest awards for North Adelaide. In 1974, at age while captaining South Australia against the VFL at the SCG, he sustained a serious knee injury which, while not ending his career in a literal sense, effectively an end his genius. Robran finished on 201 SANFL games.
4. John Greening
Was one of the most exciting footballers ever to pull on a Magpies guernsey. Greening was a gifted athlete with exquisite skills on both sides and a magnificent exponent of the high mark. In round 14 of 1972 he was cruelly hit behind play against St Kilda at Moorabin which left him in a coma for 24 hours and in intensive care for 12 days. After nearly two years on the sidelines he returned in an emotional game against Richmond before sighting a lack of motivation as a reason for his eventual retirement in 1976 with 107 games to his name.
5. Shaun Rehn
Rehn made his AFL debut for the Crows in 1991 and by season’s end was being touted as a future champion. He was a master of the ruck art whilst also positioning himself a kick behind the play regular intercept marking infront of the gun forwards that dominated the 90s. By 1994 he was an All-Australian and won the best and fairest, however the following year he sustained the first of two serious knee injuries in as many seasons, which stalled his career for two years. Rehn came back and played a vital role in the Crows back-to-back premierships before suffering a third major injury before being traded to Hawthorn in 2001. He never recaptured his best form and eventually retired on 167 games.
6. Harley Bennell
Bennell managed 81 games for the Gold Coast after being selected at pick number 2 in the 2010 draft. Poor discipline dogged his debut season but in just his second year he played all 22 games and finished second in the Suns best and fairest. His six goals and 27 possessions against Geelong in Round 14 of 2014 against Geelong was evidence that Bennell was one of the most talented players in the game. Bennell was traded to Fremantle at the end of 2015 but managed only two games in four years due to repeated calf injuries. After being delisted by Fremantle last year Melbourne picked him up but he has yet to get over his calf issues.
7. Dan Menzel
Burst onto the scene in late 2010 and proved he was one of the game brightest prospects by playing 18 games and kicking 26 goals in his second year before cruelly going down with a wrecked knee in the qualifying final against Hawthorn in 2011. That would be the first of four knee reconstructions that crippled his career.
8. David Schwarz
Played 173 games between 1991 and 2002, winning the Dees best and fairest in 1999 and playing in the 2000 Grand Final. He was robbed of some of his best years, however, by three serious knee injuries that wiped out his 1995 and 1996 seasons. In his prime was one of the most powerful and dynamic key forwards in the game. He was 29 when forced into retirement.
9. Scott Gumbleton
Was plagued by injury from the minute he walked into Windy Hill after being the second pick in the 2006 draft. Managed only three games in his first three seasons. He was traded to Fremantle at the end of 2013 but never played a game. Chronic back and hamstring injuries restricted him to just 35 games in seven seasons, he was 26 when he retired.
10. Matthew Egan
Egan was a crucial part of the formidable Geelong defence that featured Tom Harley, Matthew Scarlett and Corey Enright. He was an All-Australian and on his way to becoming a premiership player when he broke the navicular bone in his foot in Round 22 of 2007. He tried desperately to play in the finals but was unable to, and never played another game. He finished on just 59 games and was 24 when his career ended.