Just who is Carlton’s greatest player? It’s a question that has forever and a day provoked heated discussion amongst any Blue believers blessed with an opinion.
And in this the 150th anniversary of its hallowed existence, the Carlton Football Club has seen fit to settle the debate by naming Numero Uno and the cream de la crème of its senior playing ranks – the top 12 Carlton players of all time – in order of merit.
Number 6: Craig Bradley
Since the VFL’s inception in 1897, only five men (Michael Tuck, Kevin Bartlett, Dustin Fletcher, Robert Harvey and Simon Madden) have played more senior games than Craig Edwin Bradley of Carlton. Throw in the 98 games with Port Adelaide and “Braddles” can surely lay claim to the mantle of football’s most durable exponent.
A true Blue champion in the No.21 guernsey, Bradley was part of that famous South Australian triumvirate, joining Peter Motley and Stephen Kernahan at Princes Park in the summer of 85/86.
17 seasons later, Craig’s stunning career as one of the game’s truly elite midfielders was made complete, with riches both individual and collective.
On a team level there were the Premierships of 1987 and 1995; on a personal level the three club best and fairests, the captaincy, All-Australian status and a place in the Carlton Hall of Fame.
Like Bruce Doull before him, Craig Bradley let his football do the talking . . . make that shouting.
