Who is the best player you've ever seen?

[TheLegendOfTexEvans]

Andy Gregory if I am to exclude Australians.

But Ellery Hanley was arguably as good.

Could unlock any defence with his ball handling skills.

[RSN]

I don't think there was ever anyone more exciting than Benji Marshall in his prime.

[Trojan]

Wayne Pearce was an absolute machine. When the 82 Kangaroos came over and blew everyone away with their skill, fitness and speed Pearce was the standout forward in all these. There were stories of him running miles to training, being the fittest there then running back. Maybe it's my memory but when somebody like Grothe or Boustead made a break he always seemed to be alongside them

I don't know if Peirce was in the 1978 Aussie squad, but their no 11 picked up the ball inside his own 25yd area at Headingley and went the length of the field to score, and no one laid a hand on him. 

[Guest]

Best player I so live was Clayton friend. Always seemed to have loads of time when he had the ball and was in a different league.

[Spidey]

Tony Myler

[Oxford]

I would have been happier with each position.

 

Criteria for best player was difficult - I had to go for Hanley because he played quality in several very different positions.

[Trojan]

I would have been happier with each position.

 

Criteria for best player was difficult - I had to go for Hanley because he played quality in several very different positions.

I saw Hanley play wing, centre, stand off and loose forward.  He was excellent in all those positions.  IN September 1984 Bradford, with Hanley at 6 beat Fev 27-10.  Hanley scored 17 points (including kicking goals) in other words he was the difference, in a very modest Bradford side. He was a great player, I just don't think, given his points record,  and longevity he was as good as big Neil.

[snapski]

Best player who I watched regularly was Tawera Nikau. Just absolutely loved watching him play for my team. Seen so many greats in their own way. Joyner, Chase, Steadman, Ward , Clark man of steel year. Etc etc. Dad took me to Wakey as a young un when Lewis was there. Pleasure to watch.

Depends what you like in a player, I like play makers. So I'm going for Hanley, over here and Lockyer from Aus.

[Lowdesert]

Ideally, I would like to see a 'field of dreams' for RL. Wouldn't there be some players on it?

Andrew Johns.

[THE RED ROOSTER]

London - Ritchie Barnett - 2001

 

Super League - Jamie Lyon - 2005-06

 

NRL - Benji Marshall when at West Tigers

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

Eric Ashton

[Futtocks]

The absolute best is hard to say, given the time period and a flaky memory. So this is an ad hoc selection of favourites from a few categories.

 

Just from Wigan...

Brett Kenny - hard to describe, apart from overusing the word "effortless".

The teenage Jason Robinson - a kid who could run in three directions at once. And usually did.

Inga Tuigamala - at his peak, a powerhouse who could not be contained.

Shaun Edwards - not the greatest player overall, but one of the best supporting runners I've ever seen. And with an almost psychotically determined will to win.

Martin Offiah - uncatchable, given a gap.

 

Great converts of the Nineties:

Jiffy - deadly. Half a chance and he was gone.

Alan Bateman - the name that is often forgotten from that era. Quality, though.

Bubbling under is Paul Moriarty, who would have been more feted if it wasn't for all those injuries.

 

Those damn Kangaroos who kept stuffing us, even when we were in a good position to win:

Sterlo - a classy player turned classy broadcaster.

Mal Meninga - larger than life. And he was large in life.

Andrew Ettingshausen - gotta pick one for the laydeez. Oh, and an absolutely deadly finisher.

Darren Lockyer - always seemed calm and in control. And came across as a total class act off the field as well.

Harrogan & Sironen (aka The Chief and The Buttock) - I came to hate the sight of those guys. Fortunately, so did a young Barrie McDermott. But they always seemed to have the edge and Australia built their wins on that.

Shane Webcke - a machine.

 

Teams:

The SL War-era Brisbane Broncos. World class in every position, regardless of the divisive and regrettable politics.

[steef]

Full back. Billy slater

Winger. Martin Offiah

Centre. Paul newlove/jamie lyon

Stand off Darren lockyer

Scrum half Jonathan Thurston

Prop james Graham/kevin ward

Hooker Cameron smith

2nd row bob lidner/sam burgess

Loose Ellery Hanley

[Futtocks]

I'll add this; while there have been quite a few better all-round fullbacks, especially in counterattack, I have never ever seen a FB anticipate and react to kicks better and more reliably across a long career than Anthony Minichiello. Not Hampson, not Brasher, not Jack, not Slater, not GI, nobody.

[Padge]

Billy Boston, end of thread, move on.

[Derwent]

Billy Boston, end of thread, move on.

Great man, great winger, great ambassador for RL. World class in his position, but greatest player ? And I mean no disrespect to a man I admire greatly by that.

[Futtocks]

Great man, great winger, great ambassador for RL. World class in his position, but greatest player ? And I mean no disrespect to a man I admire greatly by that.

And, as wingers go, there's a bloke called Brian Bevan who might lay claim to the title of greatest in that position.

[Padge]

Great man, great winger, great ambassador for RL. World class in his position, but greatest player ? And I mean no disrespect to a man I admire greatly by that.

 

Played every position other than a front row one, records abundant, players he played against give testimony to how great he was.

 

He was far more than a winger who ran in tries.

[Allora]

Hanley, Schofield, Ward, Burgess and Morley

 

From Oz,

Brett Kenny, Jonathon Thurston, Wally Lewis, Darren Lockyer, Lazarus and Webke.

[Futtocks]

Played every position other than a front row one, records abundant, players he played against give testimony to how great he was.

 

He was far more than a winger who ran in tries.

Definitely an all-time great regardless of my previous post. And anyone who swats Australians aside like he did is more than alright in my book.  

[westhuller]

Steve Norton ... Genius

[Trojan]

Played every position other than a front row one, records abundant, players he played against give testimony to how great he was.

 

He was far more than a winger who ran in tries.

I saw him play. He was a great player, and a convert to boot.  Was he as good a wing as Van Vollenhoven though?

[Padge]

I saw him play. He was a great player, and a convert to boot.  Was he as good a wing as Van Vollenhoven though?

 

better, and could play anywhere (other than front row), TV was a one trick pony in comparison.

[RabbitRhinoovOZ]

Australia Wally Lewis & Cameron Smith

England The great Ellery Hanley But James Graham as I've said before is a very special player.

 

I don't think I've seen better form than Ben Barba in 2012 that was incredible.

 

I asked my grandfather in his late 90's he says Clive Churchill/Wally Lewis for Australia & Vince Karalius for GB

[Derwent]

Played every position other than a front row one, records abundant, players he played against give testimony to how great he was.

 

He was far more than a winger who ran in tries.

I'm not doubting for a moment what a great player he was, and he certainly deserves to be put in the same category as some of the previous names mentioned. The problem with topics like this is they can be misconstrued - there are many players I'd consider truly great players without considering them to be the greatest, as I'm sure there would be for you.

There's also the generational thing. Nobody has mentioned Gus Risman yet, probably cos we are all too young to have seen him in his prime pre-war, but he was still a great player in his 40's so must have been damn good in his prime. Somebody mentioned full backs earlier - the younger forumites talk about Slater etc whereas the best I saw was Paul Charlton, my grandad would have said Risman.