There are far too many great Aussie sportsmen so we’ve chosen to restrict this list to ball sports. We’ve selected our number one in each sport as well as an honourable mention that follows closely behind. We are of course insanely jealous of all of their remarkable talents and have decided that in our next lifetimes (if there is one) that we’d like to come back as sportsmen, if not for the glory, then to be paid good money to hit, kick, throw or chase a ball around.
10 – Sir Donald Bradman (Cricket)
Not only is he the best cricketer to wear the baggy green, ‘The Don’ is widely acknowledged as the greatest test batsman of all time. His test batting average was 99.94 – a remarkable feat over a career that spanned two decades. His style was entertaining and attacking which made him a fan-favourite (the world over) and an opponent’s worst nightmare. He was knighted in 1949, making him the only Australian cricketer ever to receive a knighthood and the first Test cricketer to be honoured in such a prestigious manner. In 2000 he was voted the greatest cricketer of the 20th century by Wisden Cricket Almanack and in 2009 he was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.
Honourable Mention: Shane Warne
9 – Rod Laver (Tennis)
Rod Laver’s refined serve and volley game, combined with his aggressive ground strokes, meant he was one hell of a technically gifted player. He didn’t just specialise on one particular surface either – he was a gun on hard, grass, clay and wood/parquet courts and testament to his ability is the fact he holds the all-time male records of 22 singles titles in a season (1962) and 7 consecutive years (64-70). In addition to this achievement he won 9 Championship Series titles (70-75). He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1981 and he even has a stadium named after him in Melbourne. There aren’t many people who can claim that honour.
Honourable Mention: Pat Rafter
8 – Leigh Matthews (AFL)
There’s a good reason why Leigh Matthews inherited the nickname ‘Lethal Leigh’ and it was due to his array of skills that left a devastating impact on opposition teams. He wasn’t the most elegant of players but the game was a lot different back then and he possessed all of the qualities that were required to make an elite player in the 70s and 80s. He is officially recognised as the ‘best player of the 20th century’, according to the AFL, is a Legend in the AFL Hall of Fame, is on the Hawthorn and AFL Teams of the Centuries, has polled the most Brownlow votes without winning a Brownlow and is one of the most successful AFL coaches of all time.
Honourable Mention: Gary Ablett
7 – David Campese (Rugby Union)
David Campese a.k.a Campo or ‘Too Easy’ Campese left his mark on the game with an illustrious career filled with plenty of highs and a bucket full of tries. He represented Australia for 15 years during which he was capped by the Wallabies 101 times. He also represented New South Wales for over a decade. While he is considered as one of the greatest wingers to ever play the game, he was also a more than capable full back when called upon. He was voted player of the tournament at the 1991 Rugby World Cup after scoring nine tries in tests that season and six in the tournament. A notable highlight of his game was his famous ‘goose-step’ — a hitch-kick motion which left opponents scrambling in an attempt to tackle him.
Honourable Mention: John Eales
6 – Wally Lewis – (Rugby League)
Nicknamed The King, Lewis represented Queensland in 31 State of Origin games from 1980-1991, and was captain for 30 of them. He also represented Australia in 33 international matches from 1981-91 and was national team captain from 1984 to 1989. Lewis is perhaps best known for his State of Origin performances, spearheading Queensland’s dominance in that competition throughout the 1980s. At State of Origin level he captained 30 times, winning a record 8 man of the match awards. Lewis has since been inducted into the Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame and in 1999 he became the sixth member of ‘The Immortals’.
Honourable Mention: Daly Messenger
5 – Andrew Gaze (Basketball)
Andrew Gaze has long been the driving force behind basketball in Australia both at NBL and national levels. Having won the league’s MVP award seven times and represented his country at five Olympic Games (84, 88, 92, 96 and 2000) he is considered by most Aussies as our greatest ever basketballer. He is the scoring record holder in Olympic competition, and second-highest scorer of all-time in World Championship play. After the Sydney Olympics, Gaze retired from international competition, but continued to play in the NBL. On 12 May 2005, he announced his retirement from the game after 612 games in the NBL and 20 years of professional basketball.
Honourable Mention: Andrew Bogut
4. Tim Cahill (Soccer)
Tim Cahill has a remarkable ability to always step up in the big games when the Socceroos need him most. He was a born winner and his passion for the game and for his country is evident for the world to see. An attacking midfielder, Cahill is Australia’s deadliest talisman with 39 goals in 80 games. He scored the first goal by an Australian at a World Cup, and has scored the most goals by any Australian at World Cups, with five to his name. In 2007 he became the first Australian player to score at an Asian Cup and is currently Australia’s top scorer at the 2015 Asian Cup. His knack for heading balls into the back of the net is nothing short of amazing considering his size (1.78cm) when compared to many of the defenders he leaps over. He’s a true legend of the sport and at 35 shows no signs of slowing up just yet.
Honourable Mention: Harry Kewell
3 – Geoff Hunt (Squash)
Geoff Hunt is widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest squash players in the history of the sport. From 1975 to 1980 he was ranked the world number one and was the inaugural winner of the World Open title, which he went on to win on four occasions. He also won the International Amateur Individual Championship three times (1967, 1969, 1971), and the British Open eight times between 1969 and 1981. Incredibly, he won 178 of the 215 tournaments he competed in during his career. Unfortunately reoccurring back issues eventually forced him to retire.
Honourable Mention: Chris Ditmar
2 – Jamie Dwyer (Hockey)
Being named the world’s best player five times is no easy feat but that’s exactly what Jamie Dwyer achieved from 2004-11. He made his debut for the green and goldas a junior player in 1995, before jumping up to the senior squad in 2001. He has played over 250 matches for Australia and scored in excess of 150 goals. He has represented Australia at the 2004 Summer Olympics where he won a gold medal and the 2008 Summer Olympics and 2012 Summer Olympics where Australia won a bronze medals. He has also won a stack of medals at Commonwealth Games and Men’s Hockey World Cups.
Honourable Mention: Ric Charlesworth
1 – Greg Norman (Golf)
The Shark spent a ridiculous 331 weeks as the world’s number one ranked golfer in the 1980s and 90s and with 85 international tournament wins to his name, it’s fair to say he’s Australia’s greatest golfer ever. He had a bold and aggressive style of play and is still largely considered to be one of the greatest drivers in golf history. Norman has earned more than $1 million five times on the U.S. PGA Tour, including three Arnold Palmer Awards as the Tour’s leading money winner in 1986, ’89 and ’95. He was also the first person in Tour history to surpass $10 million in career earnings. He has 29 top 10 finishes in Majors (Masters Tournament, U.S. Open, British Open, PGA Championship), or more than 38% of those he has entered. While his well-documented wins on the golf course secured him a spot in the World Golf Hall of Fame, he continues to work at both his game and a business that promises to succeed long after his playing days are behind him.
Honourable Mention: Adam Scott
