World's ten best full backs

[topchef]

So reading this.....

Next season Salford will have the best fullback in Super league

The best and bravest fullback in defence on the planet is, by a country mile, Gary Broadbent!

[ParisSurtout]

The best and bravest fullback in defence on the planet is, by a country mile, Gary Broadbent!

Regardless of whether or not that statement is true, or even meant seriously....Full backs don't only need to defend.

Paul Wellens can defend, and take the high ball, and back up his team's attackers when they break the defensive line. But Wellens cannot beat a man with footwork and speed, and he cannot outpace most other opposing backline players.

Edited September 16, 2010 by ParisSurtout

[Hannibal]

Wrong forum.

[The Parksider]

Alan Marsden, Parksider, Parissurtout and Millman

I know for a fact that I don't own the forum.

I ordered my staff to boot you off and it turned out they weren't my staff.

[The Boy Saint]

Australia was not really renowned for brilliant full backs until Clive Churchill, "The Little Master," appeared in the 1950s. But he was out on his own with no competitor within Australia. Of his contemporaries only the Frenchman Puig Aubert could challenge Churchill's status.

Then came the 1960s, when the old boring standby, Keith Barnes (Balmain's brilliant goal kicker and solid defender, but hopeless attacker) got shunted aside by Les Johns, Graeme Langlands and Ken Thornett. The talent at full back in Australia was so rich that they moved the now Immortal Langlands to centre, so as to accommodate Thornett and Johns in the Kangaroo squads.

Australia has always had several top class attacking and defending fullbacks in their system. Russell Fairfax and Graham Eadie in the 1970s, Garry Jack and Gary Belcher in the 1980s, Gary Belcher, Dale Shearer, Andrew Ettingshausen, Tim Brasher, Robbie O'Davis, and Darren Lockyer in the 1990s, Darren Lockyer, Brett Hodgson, Anthony Minichiello and Matt Bowen in the first half of the 2000s.

I cannot recall any time since the 1950s when Great Britain had a full back who was in the same class as the best from Australia. But since 2005 it has been a glut of full back talent in Australia.

Today I think we can agree that Clint Greenshields and Brett Hodgson are the best attacking full backs in Super League. So I could have named at least twelve, perhaps fifteen Aussie full backs who were better than the best in England. There must be something wrong with the junior recruitment, the way the game is played, or the physical environment (weather and grounds), that keeps England from producing abundant great talent in this playing position.

Jonathan Davies - easily

Paul Charlton

Joe Lydon

Jonathan Davies

As good as, if not better, than any of their Australian counterparts.

Beat me to it

[boxhead]

Jonathan Davies - easily

Beat me to it

I think comparing players from different eras is not easy to do or make an Apples for Apples comparison.

If you look at the three English/Welsh players mentioned what was their try scoring record like at Test level compared to Caps?

Compare any of them to say Billy Slater.

Then it is Apples and Oranges.

Even back then Garry Jack was over 50% tries per game

Anthony Minichiello was over 50% tries per game.

Pretty sure when Lockyer was a Fullback it would be better than most as he holds nearly every record in the NRL and has been the games Premier player for a decade with 33 tries from 51 Tests in all positions

Edited September 17, 2010 by AndyCapp

[roughyedspud]

A Test standard Fullback should have rock solid defence and positional sense, the ability to return the ball in broken play and chime into the attack is the other half of his resume.

Show me a top full back that has bad defence? (don't say Slater, he has had some clangers but in general his try saving is better than nearly anyones.)

i will say slater actually......

his ridiculous attempt to keep the ball in play cost australia the world cup final..he's done that a few times too...

sam burgess turnstiled him in the 4nations final...christ he did'nt even get a finger on him..

and if his positioning is that good why is he always so late that he has to slide into tackles with his feet??

trust me billy slater is'nt in the australia team for is defensive abilities....as long as he knows where to stand when the attacking team have kicked on the last tackle so he can run it back at em'....thats all the selectors are bothered about...

[boxhead]

i will say slater actually......

his ridiculous attempt to keep the ball in play cost australia the world cup final..he's done that a few times too...

sam burgess turnstiled him in the 4nations final...christ he did'nt even get a finger on him..

and if his positioning is that good why is he always so late that he has to slide into tackles with his feet??

trust me billy slater is'nt in the australia team for is defensive abilities....as long as he knows where to stand when the attacking team have kicked on the last tackle so he can run it back at em'....thats all the selectors are bothered about...

What has his attempt to keep the ball in play got to do with his defence?

You know when you have the ball in your hands you are in attack?

Burgess beat him, isn't he allowed to be stepped or make a mistake?

Australia have attacking players throughout their back line any one from Half back to Fullback is capable of scoring from nearly anywhere on the field, I doubt Slater is picked just for his attack, its his complete game.

Slaters defence is equal to Haynes or Stewarts or Hunts and all are better than any Fullback England has fielded in recent years.

Trust you? I don't trust your opinion Spud you think Second rowers and Centres are the same and are inter changeable at the drop of a hat.

[Hannibal]

What has his attempt to keep the ball in play got to do with his defence?

You know when you have the ball in your hands you are in attack?

Burgess beat him, isn't he allowed to be stepped or make a mistake?

Australia have attacking players throughout their back line any one from Half back to Fullback is capable of scoring from nearly anywhere on the field, I doubt Slater is picked just for his attack, its his complete game.

Slaters defence is equal to Haynes or Stewarts or Hunts and all are better than any Fullback England has fielded in recent years.

Trust you? I don't trust your opinion Spud you think Second rowers and Centres are the same and are inter changeable at the drop of a hat.

Kleenex?

[roughyedspud]

What has his attempt to keep the ball in play got to do with his defence?

You know when you have the ball in your hands you are in attack?

when to attack when to defend?....he could have run the ball into touch,that would have been the clever thing to do....instead he threw it back into play with no australian near him and 2 kiwis chasing him....unsurprisingly a kiwi picked it up to score.....shocking DEFENCE by the worlds best fullback

Burgess beat him, isn't he allowed to be stepped or make a mistake?

one on one with a lumbering 110kg forward and he could'nt lay a finger on him.....shocking defence by the worlds best fullback

noticed you did'nt bring up his ninja sliding tackles..maybe thats cos he's always a yard behind play when it comes to defending??

Australia have attacking players throughout their back line any one from Half back to Fullback is capable of scoring from nearly anywhere on the field, I doubt Slater is picked just for his attack, its his complete game.

Slaters defence is equal to Haynes or Stewarts or Hunts and all are better than any Fullback England has fielded in recent years.

yes they are,you won't find argument with me about that...my point is the likes of hayne,slater,stewarts and Khunt* are'nt picked for their defensive abilities..that is'nt the first thing that crosses the minds of the selectors or the fans...its all attack,attack,attack..

where as here in england the first thing people thinks is "yeah but what about his defence".....

*the Khunt was actually a very good defender..probably the best allround attack and defending FB of the 4 mentioned

[ParisSurtout]

when to attack when to defend?....he could have run the ball into touch,that would have been the clever thing to do....instead he threw it back into play with no australian near him and 2 kiwis chasing him....unsurprisingly a kiwi picked it up to score.....shocking DEFENCE by the worlds best fullback

You pick out one blunder in one game out of a long career of glittering successes, and then you have the cheek to suggest that this one blunder proves Billy Slater is a poor defender. Pity that you don't get a chance to watch him many times a year in the NRL as most of the wiser judges do, so you could make an informed judgment. Then this single blunder wouldn't have been picked out as if it meant anything significant about the talent of the player. Billy Slater is recognised as an outstanding defender week in, week out. He stops as many tries as he scores.

one on one with a lumbering 110kg forward and he could'nt lay a finger on him.....shocking defence by the worlds best fullback

"Lumbering?" Sam Burgess? You must be kidding.

I was there at the match sitting high in the stands and on half way. I watched it again later on TV. The Burgess boy was running like a three quarter. He beat two players as I recall. The fact that he beat an accomplished defender like Billy Slater was a reason why Burgess was celebrated for his performance.

Edited September 18, 2010 by ParisSurtout

[roughyedspud]

no back should get turnstiled by a forward...especially "the worlds best fullback"...if sam had of smashed right through slater then i'd kinda be on slaters side for having a go....but sam sat him on his backside without even touching him

and i did'nt pick 1 blunder,i picked a few but you chose not to see them......everyone with any sense knows billy is responsible for the occasional brain fart...its just they get forgotten cos he scores ridiculous tries

[boxhead]

Kleenex?

Are you asking for one?

Your Ego is getting all hot and sweaty, does it need wiping down?

Edited September 18, 2010 by AndyCapp

[Wiltshire Rhino]

Does Billy Slater still tackle with his knees?

[Hannibal]

Does Billy Slater still tackle with his knees?

He tackles with the power of his superhuman mind.

[boxhead]

no back should get turnstiled by a forward...especially "the worlds best fullback"...if sam had of smashed right through slater then i'd kinda be on slaters side for having a go....but sam sat him on his backside without even touching him

and i did'nt pick 1 blunder,i picked a few but you chose not to see them......everyone with any sense knows billy is responsible for the occasional brain fart...its just they get forgotten cos he scores ridiculous tries

He must be ###### then Spud with those two "blunders"

No wonder we are contemplating Widdop at Fullback because he is as good or better than Brain Fart, with Widdops vast experience he will be similar or better than Slater.

Are you Maccas advisor by any chance?

I can think of one player in Englands backs that made more mistakes in one recent game against the Aussies than all of Slaters in a couple of seasons.

He is still considered a top shelf player, so much so that Union wanted him then changed their minds.

Edited September 18, 2010 by AndyCapp

[dkw]

He tackles with the power of his superhuman mind.

He doesnt need to tackle them anymore, the player see`s Slater and knows he has no chance getting past the NRL superman and just falls over.

[Viking Warrior]

Ten best full backs in the world, based on current form:

Billy Slater

Jarryd Hayne

Josh Dugan

Darius Boyd

Lachlan Coote

Matt Bowen

Anthony Minichiello

Preston Campbell

Lance Hohaia

Luke Patten

Paul Wellens would never be chosen over any of the above ten by any NRL club.

The only bright spots for England are the possible repositioning of Sam Tomkins (thereby weakening the halves) or else promotion of the Melbourne-trained Gareth Widdop.

Why are English full backs so unimpressive in attack?

It is a long historical oddity. Perhaps it is a result of the soggy grounds on which rugby league used to be played in winter. Australians had firmer grounds, which favoured agile and fleet footed runners. Yet after fourteen years of summer rugby league, England has been unable to produce a top quality attacking and defensive full back.

So the question still remains without a satisfactory answer.

The lack of classy full backs, along with the lack of classy attacking centres, is the main reason why England cannot beat Australia in a three match series or in a Tri Nations or a World Cup.

campbell is primarily a half back and boyd a winger.....and FFS luke patten???

[CGD]

Campbell is first choice fullback for the Titans, as is Boyd for the Dragons (he just won Dally M Fullback of the Year actually).

Edited September 18, 2010 by CGD