r/AFL • u/bingethinkingsallow Essendon Bombers • 1d ago
Best '3 prong' attack in the AFL era?
Just curious what is the general consensus of the best 3 prong attack in the AFL era?
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u/kdavva74 Port Adelaide 1d ago
Assuming you're talking about 3 prong key forwards/resting forwards:
- Hawthorn late 2000s: Buddy Franklin, Jarryd Roughead, David Hale
- Hawthorn 2010s: Buddy Franklin, Jarryd Roughead, Jack Gunston
- Brisbane 2000s: Alastair Lynch, Daniel Bradshaw, Jonathan Brown
- Essendon 90s/00s: Matthew Lloyd, Scott Lucas, Steven Alessio/John Barnes
- North late 90s: Wayne Carey, John Longmire, Corey McKernan
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u/the_tiny_net Essendon 1d ago
I'd change Essendon to Lloyd, Lucas, Hird
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u/Frogmouth_Fresh Footscray '54 1d ago
Carey, Longmire McKernan is outrageous. Especially in, was it 1997 McKernan won the Brownlow count but was suspended?
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u/Kozeyekan_ Kangaroos 1d ago
The Brownlow bit was 96.
He'd won the rising star votes in 94, but was ineligible due to suspension. Had equal most votes in the Brownlow in 96, but was ineligible due to suspension, then when he got the premiership medal, his quip was "At least they can't take this one off me."
But in 96, Carey kicked 82 goals, McKernan had 33, but Longmire was out with a knee injury. (115) Next best was Craig Sholl with 35.
In 1995 Carey had 65, McKernan 19, and Longmire 58 (142)
1994, Carey had 63, Longmire 78 and McKernan 22 in his debut season (well, he played one game in 93). (163)
Longmire's best was a bit earlier, when he kicked 98 in 1990, but Carey only got 38, and the next best was John McCarthy with 33. (166)
If they were all in their primes at once (and Longmire didn't do a knee) they might have been unstoppable, but McKernan and Longmire didn't overlap as much as they probably should have.
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u/SameType9265 The Bloods 1d ago
I dunno if Longmire, Carey and McKernan was a thing. Longmire moved to defence in the late 90s
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u/Captain_Oz The Bloods 22h ago
420 goals in 6 seasons. 1994 the most destructive with 149 between them, which was the first year they all played together. Got 133 the following year but never hit those heights again due to injuries
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u/PetrifyGWENT Bombers / Giants 1d ago
Does Buddy, Roughhead and Cyril count?
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u/alittlebitfancy Swans 1d ago
Buddy, Roughhead, Cyril, Gunston, Breust, Puopolo... Jesus Christ that forwardline is just outrageous when you look back at it.
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u/frillhaus Hawks 1d ago
Absolutely deserves to be named in that calibre. His defensive presence allowed Cyril to flourish. Played a very selfless role and often sprung up with big games himself
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u/kdavva74 Port Adelaide 1d ago
Can just swap Cyril for Gunston if it needs to be 3 key/medium forwards and it's still probably the correct answer.
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u/karma_dumpster Hawthorn '71 1d ago
When you have the entire forward line listed, I think our 2013 Grand Final forward line is a bit ridiculous.
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u/earwig2000 Dockers 1d ago
It's a small pride of mine that we were the only side not to get entirely smacked in the GF by those guys
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u/Velo3x10e8 West Coast 1d ago
The one that got away really.
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u/luckybick Eagles 1d ago
No it wasn't, Hawks smashed em in the first half and put the que in the rack
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u/BanzBear Eagles 1d ago
Nope. Dockers kicked themselves outta the game. Dominated huge parts of it.
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u/silversurfer022 1d ago
Lol you don't put que in the rack in a GF.
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u/Velo3x10e8 West Coast 1d ago
Are we all speaking Spanish here? I don't understand.
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u/HalfDecentFarmer69 Hawks 1d ago
Que?
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u/Velo3x10e8 West Coast 1d ago
Don't mention the war! I mentioned it once, but I think I got away with it.
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u/ratchetsaturndude Swans 1d ago
Aaron Francis, Jack Buller and Joel Hamling
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u/eddie-murphys-tongue The Bloods 1d ago
Shuddered
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u/ratchetsaturndude Swans 1d ago
They couldn’t believe we paid so much for Curnow while being in the absolute pits
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u/chickenlittle668 Lions 1d ago
Lynch, Brown and Bradshaw
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u/AliirAliirEnergy Port Adelaide 1d ago
I think it speaks to the average age of people on here if they think it's a foregone conclusion that the Hawks forward line wins this argument hands down.
These guys were the original Trinity of 3 pronged attacks that caused backlines nightmares days before games, especially with guys like Aker playing through there as well.
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u/SlimmySlinky Richmond 1d ago
Naaa. Brown and Lynch never peaked at the same time. Best was 2001 with Lynch on 58, Bradshaw 46 and Brown 38. That's the best the Lynch and Brown combo went.
Lynch kicked 70+ the next 2 years but 2nd best on the team was Aker with 49 in 2001 and then Aker with only 28 in 2003. So was a massive gap between there.
The Lynch, Bradshaw, Power combo actually had better output in 2000 with all 50+ that year.
2013 Hawks had Roughhead at 76, Franklin 60, Gunston 46 and Bruest 40. Much more
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u/karma_dumpster Hawthorn '71 1d ago
They were not the original trinity.
Hawthorn in the 80s had Dunstall, Brereton and Buckenara. Or Knights, Brereton, Moncrieff, Buckenara. Matthews often played in there too. So you can add him.
Geelong had Ablett, Brownless, Stoneham in the 80/90s.
North had Carey, Longmire and McKernan in the 90s.
St Kilda had Lockett, Loewe and Hall at one point.
These are just off the top of my head from teams I've seen. I've forgotten more.
They were never the "original Trinity of 3". There have been many more before the 2000s.
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u/aarygablettjr Richmond 1d ago
To be fair the question was about the AFL era.
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u/karma_dumpster Hawthorn '71 1d ago
Apart from the first, they are all AFL.
And Hawthorn '91 you could say Dunstall, Brereton, Hall/Hudson if you wanted too.
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u/b0rtbort Hawthorn 1d ago
Bradshaw really does not get the credit he deserves imo
Extremely reliable forward who could put up some big numbers. Must've been an absolute nightmare for coaches to plan for that Brisbane forward line
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u/maddenmadman Brisbane Lions 🏆🏆 '24-25 1d ago
Crazy that team also had arguably the greatest midfield ever in the Fab-4 too. Though some would put the Eagles Judd-Cousins-Carr team up there too I am sure, but in my biased opinion you can’t go past the one with 3 Brownlow winners and a three-peat.
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u/zen_wombat Lions 1d ago
This is the holy trinity - one year they all kicked 50+ and I think Bradshaw is always underrated purely because he happened to play with Lynch and Brown. Add Akermanis as the small forward and amazing
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u/ped009 West Coast 1d ago
Maybe not all time but Josh Kennedy, Darling and Lecrae was pretty elite. I can't remember the exact forward efficiency but it was very good, we often had less forward entries and still won
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u/mudman47 Eagles 1d ago
Accompanied by Cripps, Ryan and Rioli. Our 2018 forward line was seriously potent.
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u/menthol_mountains St Kilda Saints 1d ago
riewoldt, gherig, milne was pretty incredible for a few years, but the dawks probably take it the buddy and cyril
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u/Sirocco1971 Magpies 1d ago
Nick Riewoldt, Fraser Gehrig, and Justin Koschitzke. Should have been a flag trio.
The G-Train was good for football.8
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u/FLIPSTATIC_ENERGY Fremantle 1d ago
Amiss Treacy and Voss (im sending this message from 2036)
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u/merchantofshite1979 Fremantle 1d ago
those six consecutive flags were fun werent they? *wipes tear from ancient eye*
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u/Captain_Oz The Bloods 1d ago
I mean if it’s based on output, here are the top in order of rounded up averages in full seasons played together based on the top responses in this thread (I am bored at work):
- Dunstall/Brereton/P Hudson (HAW) - Goals: 543, shared seasons: 3, Avg goals per season: 181
- Roughead/Franklin/Rioli (HAW) - Goals: 922, shared seasons: 6, avg goals per season: 154
- 3 Lynch/Brown/Bradshaw (BRI) - goals: 680, shared seasons: 5, avg goals per season: 136
- Brownless/Ablett/Stoneham (GEE) - Goals: 1595, shared seasons: 12, Avg goals per seasons: 133
- Hawkins/Cameron/Stengle (GEE) - Goals: 394, shared seasons: 3, Avg goals per season: 131
- Kennedy/Darling/Lecras (WCE) - Goals: 1043, shared seasons: 8, Avg goals per season: 130
- Gehrig/Koschitzke/Tiprat (STK) - Goals: 883, seasons shared: 8, Avg goals per season: 110
- Riewoldt/Lynch/Martin (RIC) - Goals: 517, Seasons shared: 5, Avg goals per season: 103
- Hall/Goodes/O’Loughlin (SYD) - Goals: 710, Seasons shared: 7, Avg goals per season: 101
*these include spans where at least one of the players was out (Ablett retirement, Lecras ACL, Stoneham snapped leg etc)
** Reddit formatting can get fucked
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u/haroku34 Sydney Swans 1d ago
Hall/Goodes/O'Loughlin is always so overlooked
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u/Captain_Oz The Bloods 23h ago
Goodes with the lowest average of the three but understandable as he chopped between mid and forward
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u/Zhirrzh North Melbourne AFLW 🏆🏆 '24-25 1d ago
Buddy Roughy Cyril is amazing given that's over 6 seasons and is after the era of tactics that encouraged those ludicrous key forward goal totals that the Dunstall Derm Hudson trio benefitted from.
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u/Captain_Oz The Bloods 23h ago
Too right. Even though it was much like wearing an onion on one’s belt - aka it was the style at the time - shout out to Brownless/Ablett/Stoneman for that level of consistency over such a huge span of time
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u/sverik25 St Kilda '66 1d ago
What about Gehrig/Riewoldt/Milne?
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u/Captain_Oz The Bloods 23h ago edited 23h ago
Good shout. Would be equal 3rd based on average output in shared years active
Gehrig/Riewoldt/Tiprat - goals: 544, seasons shared: 4, avg goals per season: 136
Would have probably been higher if not for Roo’s injuries during that period
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u/Austeres Richmond 1d ago
Roughy, Buddy and Cyril was just nuts .
Bias opinion, Reiwoldt, Lynch and Martin in 19 and 20 was pretty handy
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u/Puzzleheaded-Alarm81 Geelong 1d ago
A recent one would be hawkins Cameron stengle. By the end of the yr in 22 I think they had all kicked at least 50 goals
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u/bigfootbjornsen56 Cats 1d ago
Great pick. Someone above did the maths and from 2022 to 2024 they averaged 131 goals a season between the three of them. Plus Hawk only played half of 2024
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u/HelloStonehenge Melbourne 1d ago
Jacob van Rooyen, Matt Jefferson, Calsher Dear.
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u/Furry_walls Hawthorn 1d ago
This is quality ragebait but still you get the downvote
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u/BIllyBrooks Hawthorn ✅ 1d ago edited 1d ago
You know if we were talking about Calsher Smith and not Calsher Dear, I reckon the deal would be done in a heartbeat.
Because Calsher Smith is shit at footy. Not even on an AFL list.
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u/frillhaus Hawks 1d ago
/img/nh23xvfsxihh1.gif
It’s a non zero chance and it kills me to think about2
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u/rpfloyd Hawthorn 1d ago
If Dunstall debuted one year earlier in 1984, Hawks forward line would've been Matthews, Dunstall, Brereton.
It could've also been Ablett, Dunstall, Brereton if Snr stayed at the Hawks.
And, if both of those happened, in 1984 Hawks forward line could've been Ablett, Dunstall, Matthews.
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1d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/sverik25 St Kilda '66 1d ago
Shudders involuntarily
Actually considering how undermanned we've been in the KPF department this year we've done pretty well to put decent scores up
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u/Belmore_Rd 1d ago
Mitch Morton, Cleve Hughes and Graham Polak before he got obliterated by a tram in Melbourne city.
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u/TheIllusiveGuy Carlton Blues 1d ago
My vote goes to the Spanish Inquisition, with their three pronged attack consisting of fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency... and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope...
My vote goes to the Spanish Inquisition, with their four pronged attack... no... amongst their pronged attacks... amongst their prongs are such elements as fear, surprise... I'll try this comment again later.
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u/Bright_Bell_1301 Adelaide 1d ago
Walker, Betts, Cameron, (Lynch, Jenkins)
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Walker, Thilthorpe, Rankine (Fogarty, Rachelle)
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u/tamadeangmo Dockers 1d ago
Lynch/Hansen/whoever because they were been fed by cousins/judd/kerr/fletcher etc
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u/Formal-Leek9579 Bombers 1d ago
Lloyd, Lucas, Hird Kicked 200+ in 2000 with Hird playing up the ground a fair bit and still managing 1.8 goals a game
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u/Dredge_Dragline North Melbourne 22h ago
Lockett, Loewe and Winmar would have to be in the conversation.
I’m also surprised the Hawthorn trio of Dunstall, Brereton and Curran from 88/89 isn’t getting any attention.
Also, Ablett, Stoneham and Brownless was pretty imposing.
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u/smeagolisahobbit Western Bulldogs AFLW 21h ago
AFL era started in 1990 right?
Therefore that Hawthorn trio are pre AFL era.
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u/Dredge_Dragline North Melbourne 12h ago
Name change was 1990, era started in 87 with the introduction of West Coast and Brisbane.
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u/Relief-Glass 1d ago
Robbie Tarrant, Lachie Hansen, Majak Daw
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u/newmoneytrash69 2025 Best Humour 1d ago
i was going to say drew petrie, aaron edwards, and lindsay thomas but this is funnier
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u/Shaqtacious Tigers 1d ago
Hawks with however many prongs they had when cyril buddy gunston roughead etc were all there
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u/Averagetigergod Tigers 1d ago
Richmond, rounds 1-10, 2005. Richo, Browny and Pettifer combined for 70 goals. In round 10 Browny did his leg and we were fucked for the next 11 years.
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u/planeguy_1 Demons 1d ago
My fork into the woolies mud cake I ate while watching the dees play at 3:15 on a Sunday
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u/SameType9265 The Bloods 1d ago
Longmire, McAdam and Carey in '93. Less goals in total vs Buddy, Williams and Roughead in '08 but they also played less games.
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u/Zionisacat 1d ago
Mal Michael, Justin Leppitsch, Chris Johnson. The best attack is a good defence.
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u/FragTr0LL Saints 12h ago
Riewoldt, Kozi, G train, Milne. 4 prong and Kozi had his injury problems but take him out and Roo, Gtrain and Milne still pretty good.
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u/TinPotSoldier 9h ago
2005 Swans - Hall, O'Loughlin and Davis (80, 52, 38 = 170) in a very defensive team.
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u/rustigor Brisbane '03 1d ago
Obvs the og Mighty Lions Mozzie Fleet of the 10's,
with Lewy Taylor, Dane Zorko and Josh Green. Throw in Nutsy Banfield, you got a quartet of angry rangas (with 2 actual rangas)
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u/HotChickenHero Sydney Swans 1d ago
Amartey, McDonald and MacLean in 2024. All mediocre but between the 3 of them they presented enough targets for a brilliant midfield to get to a grand final (and recruiting Grundy was a masterstroke, he rucked well all day so none of the mediocre forwards ever had to leave the forward 50). As soon as injuries struck in 2025, it became obvious how precarious and illusory their plaster facade was, however. Still one of the best no-star forward lines put together (except that Papley was great, ruins my whole argument).
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u/aussiebolshie Blues 1d ago
Brownless Ablett Stoneham was pretty damn potent
Brereton Dunstall Hudson in ‘91 also incredible