Just watched the Super league Super Men programme on sky Plus featuring Gary Connolly.
My favorite player of all time, excluding Murphy of course.
What a fantastic bloke, he's doing some mentoring stuff for difficult kids in St helens. They couldnt have a better bloke.
I really hope that in future years we see him back in the game as a coach.
God help the opposition with him in charge, but i hope I see it one day !
Gary Connolly
Started by
CarlosFandango
, Aug 01 2011 07:31 PM
37 replies to this topic
#1
CarlosFandango
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Posted 01 August 2011 - 07:31 PM
Most northerners are smart, but not all of us !
#2
candlestickchimney
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Posted 01 August 2011 - 08:06 PM
He beat me at squash last October, to take away my 18 month unbeaten record in the local leagues - for that, I can never forgive him!! 
Genuinely nice guy and the best centre of his generation!!!
Genuinely nice guy and the best centre of his generation!!!
Whitehaven RLFC - Still in NL1, I blame Leroy Joe
Candlestick Chimney
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Candlestick Chimney
Lord Oftheflies, Order of the Knights on the Town, (for services smoke removal devices in the architectural landscape of the North Country)
All Hail King Gerremonside I
#3
giwildgo
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Posted 01 August 2011 - 08:32 PM
As highly as I rated Gary Connolly, I think that's a bold statement with the likes of Paul Newlove playing at the same time.Genuinely nice guy and the best centre of his generation!!!
oderint dum metuant
#4
candlestickchimney
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Posted 01 August 2011 - 08:41 PM
I like bold statements!!!
Whitehaven RLFC - Still in NL1, I blame Leroy Joe
Candlestick Chimney
Lord Oftheflies, Order of the Knights on the Town, (for services smoke removal devices in the architectural landscape of the North Country)
All Hail King Gerremonside I
Candlestick Chimney
Lord Oftheflies, Order of the Knights on the Town, (for services smoke removal devices in the architectural landscape of the North Country)
All Hail King Gerremonside I
#5
Ant
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Posted 01 August 2011 - 10:30 PM
Newlove could have been one of the greatest ever
But he simply didn't live up to biling.
Connolly was up at the very top of his trade.
But he simply didn't live up to biling.
Connolly was up at the very top of his trade.
#6
ParisSurtout
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Posted 01 August 2011 - 10:46 PM
During his playing days Gary Connolly used to look a bit like Matt Damon -- or how Matt Damon would look if he had spent ten years playing professional rugby league.
Le rugby a treize, c'est moi!
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#7
EastLondonMike
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Posted 02 August 2011 - 11:24 AM
absolutely awesome player.. on par with Dean Bell as my favourite player of all time.
Newlove was a quality centre.. but connolly just had that something extra.. there wasn't much between them that was for sure.. if only we had both playing, in their prime, in the current England set-up..
Newlove was a quality centre.. but connolly just had that something extra.. there wasn't much between them that was for sure.. if only we had both playing, in their prime, in the current England set-up..
Newham Dockers - Rugby League For East London. 100% Cockney Rugby League!
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Twitter: @NewhamDockersRL - Get following!
#8
Number 16
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Posted 02 August 2011 - 11:40 AM
His tryscoring exploits in a GB shirt were legendary.
Awesome player. He should also be used by the RFL to mentor the next generation of English centres.
Awesome player. He should also be used by the RFL to mentor the next generation of English centres.
#9
marklaspalmas
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Posted 02 August 2011 - 11:49 AM
Nice to hear Connolly putting in the work in the community. Good man.
As a centre he was a tough competitor, defensively sound, hard and strong.
But the reality was that on attack he wasn't quite big enough, fast enough or skilful enough to trouble the aussies. Hence his record in internationals. One try was it from centre in 30 odd caps?
Newlove was the better player.
As a centre he was a tough competitor, defensively sound, hard and strong.
But the reality was that on attack he wasn't quite big enough, fast enough or skilful enough to trouble the aussies. Hence his record in internationals. One try was it from centre in 30 odd caps?
Newlove was the better player.
#10
Futtocks
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Posted 02 August 2011 - 04:29 PM
Newlove on top form was a fantastic centre. Connolly was more consistently good, as far as I remember, anyway. And boy, could he tackle!
"Journalists are meant to be neutral, for God's sake." - Stephen 'Wiggy' Jones
"Perhaps it would be better that future criticism of sports be made on the narrow basis of what is being discussed, without reference to other sports, unless those sports offer a solution to the problem in hand." - Brian 'Pigface' Moore
"What happens in rugby union? A player takes the ball, moves forward a little and gets tackled. A whole load of players then roll about on the ground. Pheep! The referee gives a penalty." - Simon Barnes
"Perhaps it would be better that future criticism of sports be made on the narrow basis of what is being discussed, without reference to other sports, unless those sports offer a solution to the problem in hand." - Brian 'Pigface' Moore
"What happens in rugby union? A player takes the ball, moves forward a little and gets tackled. A whole load of players then roll about on the ground. Pheep! The referee gives a penalty." - Simon Barnes
#11
Optimus
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Posted 02 August 2011 - 04:31 PM
Just watched it on Sky plus today.
Awesome player, great for us at Leeds also. At first I thought 'here we go, another ex Wigan player past it' How wrong I was. Interesting to hear his face didn't fit with TS?
Awesome player, great for us at Leeds also. At first I thought 'here we go, another ex Wigan player past it' How wrong I was. Interesting to hear his face didn't fit with TS?
"Rugby league is a simple game played by simple people. Rugby union is a complex game played by w@nk*rs"
Laurie Dailey
Laurie Dailey
#12
Futtocks
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Posted 02 August 2011 - 05:23 PM
Just watched it on Sky plus today.
Awesome player, great for us at Leeds also. At first I thought 'here we go, another ex Wigan player past it' How wrong I was. Interesting to hear his face didn't fit with TS?
I remember how strange it felt, the first time I saw him in Leeds colours.
"Journalists are meant to be neutral, for God's sake." - Stephen 'Wiggy' Jones
"Perhaps it would be better that future criticism of sports be made on the narrow basis of what is being discussed, without reference to other sports, unless those sports offer a solution to the problem in hand." - Brian 'Pigface' Moore
"What happens in rugby union? A player takes the ball, moves forward a little and gets tackled. A whole load of players then roll about on the ground. Pheep! The referee gives a penalty." - Simon Barnes
"Perhaps it would be better that future criticism of sports be made on the narrow basis of what is being discussed, without reference to other sports, unless those sports offer a solution to the problem in hand." - Brian 'Pigface' Moore
"What happens in rugby union? A player takes the ball, moves forward a little and gets tackled. A whole load of players then roll about on the ground. Pheep! The referee gives a penalty." - Simon Barnes
#13
CarlosFandango
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Posted 03 August 2011 - 07:09 AM
Not only was Gary one of the best and more importantly a great entertainer, unfortunately for the rest of us, he had Offiah, Edwards, Robinson etc etc around him, an embarassment of riches and a group of lads that went onto change not only Rugby League but Rugby Union for ever, to the extent that Sky could sell our game to a much wider audience and enable England Union to become not only World champions but professionasl. Not bad for a bunch of northern monkey's.
Most northerners are smart, but not all of us !
#14
Saint Toppy
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Posted 03 August 2011 - 07:18 AM
I wouldn't say Newlove was a better player over all. In attack Newey was absolutley fantastic, as good as anyone in Aus. However he did have a tendancy to drop off quite a few tackles. Connolly on the other hand was one of the best defensive centres i've seen. Despite his relatively slim build he was incredibly strong. However he didn't have that X factor in attack that really troubled defences.Nice to hear Connolly putting in the work in the community. Good man.
As a centre he was a tough competitor, defensively sound, hard and strong.
But the reality was that on attack he wasn't quite big enough, fast enough or skilful enough to trouble the aussies. Hence his record in internationals. One try was it from centre in 30 odd caps?
Newlove was the better player.
#15
CarlosFandango
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Posted 03 August 2011 - 07:55 AM
Guys this is not a who was better Connolly or Newlove post !
Its a Connolly should be back in the game at some level post !
Its a Connolly should be back in the game at some level post !
Most northerners are smart, but not all of us !
#16
Chariots
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Posted 03 August 2011 - 08:57 AM
Martin Offiah refers to Connolly as 'Gary Larger' on his twitter
He also rates him along with darren wright and gene miles are legends
He also rates him along with darren wright and gene miles are legends
#17
giwildgo
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Posted 03 August 2011 - 07:15 PM
Always thought it was 'Gary Lager' in reference to his infamous drinking habits in Wigan and St. Helens. Carney even made a joke about it with regard to Connolly playing for Munster and drinking Guinness.Martin Offiah refers to Connolly as 'Gary Larger' on his twitter
He also rates him along with darren wright and gene miles are legends
oderint dum metuant
#18
hindle xiii
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Posted 06 August 2011 - 04:55 PM
He was my favourite player when I started watching in '97.
Certainly my favourite non-Bradford player anyway, and not many of the championship winning Bulls were ahead of him.
Thems were the days.
Certainly my favourite non-Bradford player anyway, and not many of the championship winning Bulls were ahead of him.
Thems were the days.
#19
Riversiderontour
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Posted 06 August 2011 - 05:39 PM
Newlove, attacking Centre
Connolly defensive centre
If I had to pick one my my team I'd take Connolly, they cant win if they dont score.
Connolly defensive centre
If I had to pick one my my team I'd take Connolly, they cant win if they dont score.
Even as a Wire I am sorry but Westwood is nowhere near as skillful as Super Sam or Ellis.
Wazza's main industrys are service industries, call centres, warehouses and the public sector nowadays. All three are under threat from the Tory cuts.
#20
marklaspalmas
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Posted 06 August 2011 - 05:47 PM
Newlove, attacking Centre
Connolly defensive centre
If I had to pick one my my team I'd take Connolly, they cant win if they dont score.
Sorry that's tish tosh. Newlove could defend. Connolly couldn't score.
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