KICK Rating · 1980s · forwards
Best AFL forwards of the 1980s
The best forwards of the 1980s by KICK-F, calibrated so the 95th-percentile forward season sits at 76. Raw formula + overall KICK shown for transparency. Minimum 50 games across 1980–1989.
See the all-time forwards leaderboard or read how positional KICK works.
| # | Player | Team | GP | KICK-F avg | Raw | Best | KICK ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gary Ablett | Geelong | 117 | 74 | 64 | 100 | 45 |
| 2 | Jason Dunstall | Hawthorn | 109 | 73 | 64 | 100 | 44 |
| 3 | Leigh Matthews | Hawthorn | 122 | 72 | 62 | 100 | 44 |
| 4 | Malcolm Blight | North Melbourne | 55 | 71 | 61 | 100 | 43 |
| 5 | Stephen Kernahan | Carlton | 94 | 68 | 59 | 100 | 42 |
| 6 | Bernie Quinlan | Fitzroy | 153 | 68 | 59 | 100 | 41 |
| 7 | Garry Wilson | Fitzroy | 101 | 66 | 57 | 100 | 41 |
| 8 | Nicky Winmar | St Kilda | 63 | 66 | 57 | 100 | 41 |
| 9 | Gary Buckenara | Hawthorn | 151 | 65 | 57 | 100 | 40 |
| 10 | Tony Lockett | St Kilda | 112 | 63 | 54 | 100 | 38 |
| 11 | Kelvin Templeton | Melbourne | 76 | 61 | 53 | 100 | 37 |
| 12 | Brian Royal | Footscray | 144 | 61 | 53 | 100 | 38 |
| 13 | Rodney Ashman | Carlton | 126 | 60 | 51 | 100 | 37 |
| 14 | Terry Daniher | Essendon | 214 | 60 | 51 | 100 | 37 |
| 15 | Tony Buhagiar | Footscray | 108 | 59 | 51 | 90 | 36 |
| 16 | Peter Daicos | Collingwood | 176 | 59 | 50 | 97 | 36 |
| 17 | Brian Taylor | Collingwood | 134 | 59 | 50 | 100 | 35 |
| 18 | Dermott Brereton | Hawthorn | 148 | 59 | 50 | 100 | 36 |
| 19 | Michael Roach | Richmond | 169 | 59 | 50 | 100 | 35 |
| 20 | Mark Arceri | North Melbourne | 69 | 58 | 50 | 94 | 36 |
| 21 | Michael Mitchell | Richmond | 50 | 58 | 49 | 93 | 35 |
| 22 | Wayne Johnston | Carlton | 181 | 58 | 49 | 100 | 35 |
| 23 | Simon Beasley | Footscray | 154 | 58 | 49 | 100 | 34 |
| 24 | Jim Krakouer | North Melbourne | 134 | 58 | 49 | 87 | 35 |
| 25 | Ross Glendinning | West Coast | 185 | 58 | 49 | 100 | 35 |
| 26 | Kevin Bartlett | Richmond | 89 | 58 | 49 | 99 | 34 |
| 27 | Peter Bosustow | Carlton | 65 | 57 | 48 | 100 | 34 |
| 28 | Bruce Lindner | Geelong | 60 | 57 | 48 | 100 | 34 |
| 29 | Brad Hardie | Brisbane Bears | 108 | 57 | 48 | 100 | 35 |
| 30 | Garry Lyon | Melbourne | 75 | 57 | 48 | 90 | 34 |
| 31 | Richard Osborne | Fitzroy | 142 | 57 | 48 | 100 | 34 |
| 32 | Warwick Capper | Brisbane Bears | 106 | 57 | 48 | 100 | 33 |
| 33 | Craig Davis | Sydney | 85 | 56 | 47 | 95 | 33 |
| 34 | Mark Jackson | Geelong | 82 | 54 | 45 | 100 | 31 |
| 35 | Tony Morwood | Sydney | 192 | 54 | 45 | 98 | 32 |
| 36 | Bill Brownless | Geelong | 61 | 54 | 44 | 90 | 31 |
| 37 | Jim Edmond | Brisbane Bears | 153 | 54 | 44 | 97 | 32 |
| 38 | Bernie Evans | Carlton | 151 | 53 | 44 | 100 | 32 |
| 39 | Peter Curran | Hawthorn | 106 | 53 | 44 | 94 | 31 |
| 40 | David Williams | Melbourne | 67 | 53 | 44 | 100 | 31 |
| 41 | Paul Spargo | North Melbourne | 53 | 53 | 44 | 80 | 31 |
| 42 | Phil Krakouer | North Melbourne | 141 | 53 | 44 | 88 | 31 |
| 43 | Doug Barwick | Collingwood | 115 | 53 | 43 | 100 | 31 |
| 44 | Bradley Gotch | St Kilda | 92 | 53 | 43 | 97 | 31 |
| 45 | Terry Bright | Geelong | 144 | 52 | 43 | 92 | 30 |
| 46 | Paul Vander Haar | Essendon | 134 | 52 | 43 | 100 | 30 |
| 47 | Michael Moncrieff | Hawthorn | 58 | 51 | 42 | 100 | 29 |
| 48 | Mark Maclure | Carlton | 127 | 51 | 42 | 92 | 30 |
| 49 | John Roberts | Sydney | 50 | 51 | 42 | 93 | 29 |
| 50 | Mick Conlan | Fitzroy | 168 | 51 | 41 | 100 | 29 |