Who is the best player you've ever seen?

[Trojan]

For my local team Oldham the thrillers for me were Andy Goodway (unstoppable in his prime) Tom Nadiola (utterly fearless) and of course Said Tamgahart (socks round ankles) three men that gave me great enjoyment running the ball in where it hurt without fear!

You'd obviously know better than me, but I reckon Hugh Wadell was the best player I ever saw in an Oldham shirt

[ivans82]

would agree with mt smarts earlier comments , martin offiah made try scoring look easy , ellery hanley always seemed to have all the time in the world to turn on his magic .loved watching johnathan davies , and held john woods and john holmes in high regard . being a town fan paul charlton would always be full back in any team i selected .   

[Dunbar]

When I have had a quiet moment on the tube or daydreaming at work I have spent the last 48 hours pondering this thread.  Here is the best 13 I have seen play the game since I started watching in 1985... I exclude anybody I have not seen in the flesh so to speak.  Also, it is not necessarily the most entertaining players or my favourites (Brett Kenny would be in there for example) but based on when they were at the absolute peak of their game I think they were the best I have seen (and probably would make a decent team)...

 

1. Darren Lockyer

2. Jason Robinson

3. Greg Inglis

4. Mal Meninga

5. Martin Offiah

6. Wally Lewis

7. Andrew Johns

8. Glen Lazarus

9. Kieron Cunningham

10. Kevin Ward

11. Mark Graham

12. Noel Cleal

13. Ellery Hanley

 

I expect there will be a few questions around some of the picks so let me explain.

 

Cunningham... I think Cam Smith is probably a better all round player but on his day Cunningam was virtually unstoppable.  And when you have Johns, Lewis and Lockyer in the team the kicking and organisational skills that Smith brings are not quite so critical.

 

Second row was the hardest for me to select but Graham and Cleal were monsters and also very skilful with it. On the back of two of the best 'go forward' props I have seen they would have a field day.  In fact, come to think of it that is one massive pack.

 

Only Inglis is still playing and of the others still running around Jonathan Thurston and James Graham were very close to making my 13.

 

I am sure that people will disagree with me but I enjoyed the daydreaming putting this team together in my head.

[Jill Halfpenny fan]

Tony Myler and Peter Sterling.

[Tex Evans Thigh]

Best I have seen - Hanley

Personal Favourite - Menzies

 

Full Back - Davies/Lockyer

Wing - Offiah

Centre - Newlove

Half - Thurston

Hooker - was early in my youth but Elias

Prop - Burgess

2nd row - Menzies

Lock - Hanley

[Derwent]

Tony Myler and Peter Sterling.

Myler was a great player but a bit too injury prone to be considered as one of the greatest IMHO.

A Widnes player who hasn't been mentioned is Phil McKenzie who was an absolutely top class hooker, he was the first of the modern style 9's with his eye for the scoot and the dynamic style of play. Top fella too.

[Stanley30]

Paul Carige, easily the most entertaining player I have watched!

[ghost crayfish]

Here's the best 13 from my 20 years of watching the game:

1. Lockyer

2. Robinson

3. Inglis

4. McGregor

5. Sailor

6. Fittler

7. Johns

8. Graham

9. Cunningham

10. Scott

11. Tallis

12. Burgess

13. Sculthorpe

No Kiwis surprised me! Guys like Jones, the Pauls, Johnson, Marshall, Foran...plus all their great forwards. Couldn't find a spot for any of them. Oh well.

[Railway End]

Best Brits seen:

Hanley, Schoey, Miler, Ward, Newlove, Davies, Sculthorpe, Burgess.

Best Aussies seen:

Sterlo, Cliffy Lyons, Meninga, Lewis, Kenny, Johns, Thurston.

Best Kiwis seen:

Freeman, Sorenson, Tuuta, Wiki, Nikau, Jones, Johnson.

[Oxford]

As you'd expect , and as it should be,the fast, the silky skilled and the game changers predominate!

 

I was tempted to suggest a best Biff player I had ever seen but that was just as difficult as the above!

[eclecticsheep]

Biffs did someone say biffs...thats easy...The monster of nastiness...Mr Les Boyd!  Or Eddie Syzmala perhaps? or Geoff Piggy Fletcher who one could always count on to start something 

[Hornetto]

Straight split, Darren Lockyer/Andrew Johns.

 

Jonathan Thurston runs them close.

 

Best Brit: Kevin Ward/Sam Burgess.

 

Best Hornets player: ooh tough one... Last GB Tourist was Alan Hodkinson, but Phil McKenzie was the full package.

[Derwent]

Biffs did someone say biffs...thats easy...The monster of nastiness...Mr Les Boyd!  Or Eddie Syzmala perhaps? or Geoff Piggy Fletcher who one could always count on to start something

Eddie Syzmala, now there was a one man army. Just as mental off the pitch as he was on it.

[Wiltshire Rhino]

Schoey was mentioned earlier in this thread, for one-off performances his display in the 33-10 win in Melbourne in 1992 would take some beating. He had the Aussies mesmerised that day.

Enjoy it again Derwent!

https://youtu.be/epT4-ZaHBlw

[Just Browny]

I've posted this before, but what the hell.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt4AIRMzJ2o

Meh, poor defence and a number of simple tries there.

[steve wild]

On a personal level Danny Wilson of Swinton. Lunatic (which is why he stayed with us), but a genius. (Giggs' dad). But overall, watching international RL, Meninga.

[thebull13]

Andrew Johns is the best i've seen.

 

Hanley is by far the best British player of all time although my personal favourite is John Woods. Two spells at Leigh, Warrington and Rochdale. Voted player of the tour Down Under in the late 70's. He had everything and was the talisman for Leigh winning the title and Lancashire cup in 82.  

[MattSantos]

As a hugely loyal paid up member of the Odsal faithful I'd say that our most famous son, Ellery Hanley, was the greatest player I've ever seen. Truely sublime in so many ways. But then, and I assume no one else rates him because he's not warranted a mention in 4 pages, I saw Greg Inglis. I've watched his career throughout and so I've seen a lot of him. And over time I've reluctantly come to the conclusion that Inglis is the best player I've ever seen. In the time I've been watching TGG I've not seen anyone remotely at his level.

Why Inglis?

 

I must be massively missing something with him; whilst he's clearly brilliant, i've never ever really seen him win a Test on his own like Lockyer, Thurston.. he doesn't score that much, defensively he's ok.  

 

I always think, if youre that good, you never get moved around positionally.. he does! If i was picking an NRL this season (& most seasons), he wouldnt get in my team. Maybe when he was at 3 outside Cronk

 

What am i missing

[Dunbar]

Why Inglis?

 

I must be massively missing something with him; whilst he's clearly brilliant, i've never ever really seen him win a Test on his own like Lockyer, Thurston.. he doesn't score that much, defensively he's ok.  

 

I always think, if youre that good, you never get moved around positionally.. he does! If i was picking an NRL this season (& most seasons), he wouldnt get in my team. Maybe when he was at 3 outside Cronk

 

What am i missing

 

As an England fan, since Lockyer retired Inglis' name on the Kangaroo team list is the one that worries me the most.  He is strong, fast, athletic and skilful... everything you would want in a modern RL player.  I have him in my all time best 13 at centre alongside Meninga. 

 

The point of moving positions is interesting - but you cite Lockyer as somebody who could win a test on his own and yet he spent half his career at full back and half at stand-off which kind of undermines the logic.

[Allora]

Why Inglis?

 

I must be massively missing something with him; whilst he's clearly brilliant, i've never ever really seen him win a Test on his own like Lockyer, Thurston.. he doesn't score that much, defensively he's ok.  

 

I always think, if youre that good, you never get moved around positionally.. he does! If i was picking an NRL this season (& most seasons), he wouldnt get in my team. Maybe when he was at 3 outside Cronk

 

What am i missing

 

Dunno about not scoring many tries 28 in 35 Tests is not bad.

17 from 27 SOO games

135 tries from 232 Club games isn't bad either.

 

He has been up and down lately but he seems to be carrying an injury or is not happy at Souths.

 

Jarryd Hayne was really good and got moved around because he was equally as good in each position and others were not as flexible.

 

Brett Kenny was a pretty handy standoff but played much of his representative career in the centres.

[Lowdesert]

Why Inglis?

 

 

What am i missing

Have you watched him play?

[MattSantos]

Have you watched him play?

 

Aye, he's a grand player, but don't don't hold him in that proper immortal class like others. 2008/2009 he was probably the best player in the world.

 

Dunno about not scoring many tries 28 in 35 Tests is not bad.

17 from 27 SOO games

135 tries from 232 Club games isn't bad either.

 

He has been up and down lately but he seems to be carrying an injury or is not happy at Souths.

 

Jarryd Hayne was really good and got moved around because he was equally as good in each position and others were not as flexible.

 

Brett Kenny was a pretty handy standoff but played much of his representative career in the centres.

 

Last 5 years, he's not won a player of the series in origin i don't think..so, whilst he has a try record which is better than i thought in Origin, Boyd is still better?

 

In regards to the NRL, Slater probably has a better record (plus assists), Stewart more than probably has, Vatuvei probably, Renouf was a better try scorer (and defender), Brett Morris has a load.. etc etc 

 

I bet that even early Menzies scored at a better rate from second row.

 

Yes, whilst Inglis is obviously class, to say he's the best 1 would be daft. To say he's the best 6 would be daft and i think to say that he's best centre is also silly. Ergo, i just don't get it.

 

He'll score a last minute winner in the WC Final next year now.

 

Sod.

[MattSantos]

As an England fan, since Lockyer retired Inglis' name on the Kangaroo team list is the one that worries me the most.  He is strong, fast, athletic and skilful... everything you would want in a modern RL player.  I have him in my all time best 13 at centre alongside Meninga. 

 

The point of moving positions is interesting - but you cite Lockyer as somebody who could win a test on his own and yet he spent half his career at full back and half at stand-off which kind of undermines the logic.

 

No. Lockyer played 1 as a proper full back, could do everything. As the game developed one way and he become slower, he naturally moved into the one similar position, 6. Some players who don't have the same ball playing ability do it the other way, such as Tomkins and arguably Inglis himself.

[Allora]

Aye, he's a grand player, but don't don't hold him in that proper immortal class like others. 2008/2009 he was probably the best player in the world.

 

 

Last 5 years, he's not won a player of the series in origin i don't think..so, whilst he has a try record which is better than i thought in Origin, Boyd is still better?

 

In regards to the NRL, Slater probably has a better record (plus assists), Stewart more than probably has, Vatuvei probably, Renouf was a better try scorer (and defender), Brett Morris has a load.. etc etc 

 

I bet that even early Menzies scored at a better rate from second row.

 

Yes, whilst Inglis is obviously class, to say he's the best 1 would be daft. To say he's the best 6 would be daft and i think to say that he's best centre is also silly. Ergo, i just don't get it.

 

He'll score a last minute winner in the WC Final next year now.

 

Sod.

 

His record is top class.

2006 RLIF Rookie Of The Year

2007 Clive Churchill Medal

2008 Dally M Five-Eighth Of The Year

2008 Dally M Representative Player Of The Year

2008 Peter Frilingos Memorial Award

2008 RLIF Five-Eighth Of The Year

2009 Dally M Representative Player Of The Year

2009 Golden Boot Award

2009 Harry Sunderland Medal

2009 RLIF Centre Of The Year

2009 Ron McAuliffe Medal

2009 Wally Lewis Medal

2013 Dally M Fullback Of The Year

2013 Provan Summons Medal

2013 RLIF Fullback Of The Year

[Konkrete]

Why Inglis?

 

I must be massively missing something with him; whilst he's clearly brilliant, i've never ever really seen him win a Test on his own like Lockyer, Thurston.. he doesn't score that much, defensively he's ok.  

 

I always think, if youre that good, you never get moved around positionally.. he does! If i was picking an NRL this season (& most seasons), he wouldnt get in my team. Maybe when he was at 3 outside Cronk

 

What am i missing

Well I think you've had a few answers already, but it's all about opinions. If you're looking for what you're missing then the list above probably helps.

Like I say, I don't want Inglis to be the best player I've ever seen, I want that to stay Hanley forever. But it's just not true to me anymore. It was a real mental tussle for a few years, but I've accepted the change.