Defining a superstar

The word superstar is thrown around a little too casually these days. Alan Didak kicks a miracle goal and he's lauded a 'superstar'. For me, a superstar needs to possess a number of qualities, including;

a) an ability to win the football. The player has to be able to find and win the pill to be considered a superstar. Guys like Alan Didak and Nathan Brown (Richmond) do marvelous things with the ball, but they only touch it 12-14 times a game - that's not a superstar.

b) at least one brilliant and exceptional characteristic. Nick Stevens racks up 22-25 possessions in his sleep, but is there anything truly exceptional about him? No - so that's not a superstar.

c) this is the big one for me - the sense of knowing that when this player gets the ball they are going to do something special with it - be it bursting through a pack, spearing a pass onto the chest of a forward, or a perfectly placed sweeping handball.

d) they can't have a weakness so significant that it hinders their play consistently.

e) the ability to take over a game.

f) do they go missing? have they done it over a sustained period of time?

Right now I believe the following players are 'considered' to be superstars by the fans and the media - Jonathan Brown, Chris Judd, Dean Cox, Matthew Pavlich, Nick Riewoldt, Chad Cornes, Adam Goodes, Gary Ablett, Jimmy Bartel, Simon Black, Lance Franklin, Sam Mitchell, Daniel Ke
rr.

Lets put them to the test. I mark each criterion out of ten, a final score of 50+ is enough for superstar status in my opinion.

Chris Judd (Carlton/Midfielder)
a) averages 21 disposals for his career, up that to 23 if you discount his first two seasons and the injury plagued 2007. 8.5/10
b) one brilliant characteristic? try four or five with Chris Judd. Judd's strength, composure and disposal all qualify as exceptional, but what makes him so brilliant is his explosiveness. Along with Nick Riewoldt taking a mark going back the flight, Chris Judd bursting through a pack is a defining image of Australian rules football. 10/10
c) no doubter here, whenever Judd wins the footy you know he's going to do something genuinely special with it. 9/10
d) Judd does have a clear weakness - injury. His body seems to find new ways to break down. 5/10
e) Chris Judd has the ability to win and change the direction of games off his own back. 9.5/10
f) Rarely quiet, he's been doing his thing since his first game. 9/10
SUPERSTAR? 51/60 YES

Jonathan Brown (Brisbane/Key Forward)
a) Key forward averages 15 disposals a game, closer to 17 the past few years. 8.5/10
b) He knows no fear. 10/10
c) He is hands down the scariest player in the league for opposition fans. 10/10
d) Two years ago you could say over-aggression was a big problem, but he's quelled that of late. Injury has been a concern as well. 8/10
e) The most dominating player in the league. 10/10
f) Can be quieted, but only when there are three men assigned to him. 8/10
SUPERSTAR? 54.5//60 YES

Daniel Kerr (West Coast/Midfielder)
a) Wins his own footy, averaging close to 23 possies a game post-2004. 9.5/10
b) Fearless, awesome toughness and strength, terrific disposal. 9.5/10
c) Great composure under pressure and good decision making skills make him usually a safe bet to use the ball well. 8.5/10
d) Good run with injuries, cleaned up his act with suspensions, but a weakness of his (that often goes overlooked) is his inability to kick goals. This is a big one for me, gun midfielders need to kick goals. Kerr is to selfless, and lacks a killer instinct near the big sticks. 6.5/10
e) His uncanny ability to win the ball can change a game. 8/10
f) Doesn't get beaten by a tag often, the most consistent of the Judd and Cousins trio while it lasted (you could argue). 9/10
SUPERSTAR? 51/60 YES

Matthew Pavlich (Fremantle/Key Forward)
a) Averages 17 disposals a game, terrific for a key forward. 8.5/10
b) Unreal strength and athleticism. 8.5/10
c) Combination of athleticism, skill and football smarts make him an intimidating force. 8/10
d) No clear weakness. He's consistent (goalless just once in his past 49 games) that's for sure. 9/10
e) He has the ability, but he doesn't exercise it enough. He kicked 6 goals twice last year, Jonathan Brown did it 5 times last year (including a bag of 10) and once already last year. Needs to step up in the big games. 7/10
f) A steady presence, can be relied on to perform. 8.5/10
SUPERSTAR? 51.5/10 YES

Nick Riewoldt (St. Kilda/Key Forward)
a) 16 disposals a game, runs hard on leads like no other to win the footy. 9/10
b) Fearless, incredibly athletic, works hard. 9.5/10
c) No. Riewoldt is prone to kicking mistakes, and misses too many set shots. 6/10
d) Goalkicking yips. Kills momentum with big misses too often. 6.5/10
e) Rarely dominates matches, needs to kick more goals to do that. He averages 2 goals a game for his career, the difference between a St. Kilda premiership and watching the last Saturday in September at home could hinge on his ability to up that to 3 a game. 6/10
f) The nature of his game (leading hard to the wings, always the number one target) means that it's a rarity to see Riewoldt go missing. 9/10
SUPERSTAR? 46/60 NO

Dean Cox (West Coast/Ruckman)
a) Averaging 18 disposals per game and 7 marks the past two seasons, terrific for a ruckman. 9/10
b) Unreal athleticism, fitness and foot skills for a big man. 9/10
c) Cox doesn't do anything spectacular with the ball, but he uses it effectively and can be relied upon. 8/10
d) Has very few flaws to his game, injury/suspension free virtually (21+ games in each of the past four years) 9.5/10
e) Not a true matchwinner but his ruckwork can change a game. 8/10
f) Solid as a rock. 9/10
SUPERSTAR? 52.5/60 YES

Chad Cornes (Port Adelaide/Utility)
a) Averaging around 23 disposals per game from premiership season onwards, averaged 26 last year. 9/10
b) Unreal strength and competitiveness - the most versatile player in the league and perhaps the best overhead mark. 8.5/10
c) Uses the ball efficiently, has the ability to break tackles and take spectacular marks. 8/10
d) Competitiveness leads to over-aggression which leads to too many free kicks against. Poor record goalkicking . 7.5/10
e) Can shutdown opposition forwards, can win the clearances and can win matches by going forward. 8/10
f) Has been consistently in the leagues top twenty players since 2004. 9/10
SUPERSTAR? 50/60 YES

Adam Goodes (Sydney/Midfielder)
a) Averages just 16 disposals per game for his career, around 19 in a collection of his better years. 8/10
b) One of the four or five best athletes in the league, exceptional marking and running ability. 9/10
c) One of the most dangerous players in the league. 9/10
d) Can win matches off his own back. 9.5/10
e) Has played 190+ games in a row. 10/10
f) Has a tendency to go missing in matches, can be shutdown. 6.5/10
SUPERSTAR? 52/60 YES