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Reason Smith is GOAT


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4 hours ago, Chrispmartha said:

My favourite player of all time, really fond memories of going to the local corner shop to rent videos of the Australian Games (not sure where they got them from) and watching Sterling

Micron video wasn't it.

In the age of streaming and digital tv, kids will never again experience the joy of being first in the queue at the video shop every Friday to get last weeks ARL highlights on VHS.

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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What a load of tripe. The irony of me actually being an optimist. Been watching 30 odd years and he wouldn't make my top 30. People go over the top when players retire, but GOAT. No way. The greatest British player Ii have seen is Hanley and he's nowhere near him. I rate Smith's former teammate Billy Slater higher. It's a matter of opinion obviously but surely the greatest of all time is between Patrick Ah Van and Nick Zisti.

Like poor jokes? Thejoketeller@mullymessiah

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7 hours ago, Allora said:

When Kenny was played at 5/8 against Lewis in SOO NSW came out on top

Kenny was played in the centres at SOO  and Test games to accommodate talented players that had less versatility in where they played

 

These are facts not rose colored glasses

When I was growing up watching the game , and the coverage from down under Kenny was my favourite player . I remember thinking he just looked the complete attacking weapon . Great pace and strike from centre , and yet the ability to move into the halves and grab a game with skill and threat at the highest level . 

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Spot on.

However I was at Odsal in 1985 CC quarter final and Ellery mercilessly massacred the Paramatta Prince from number 6 which convinced me Wigan had to sign him whatever the cost.

Wigan announced the signing of King Wally on BBC immediately after the 3rd ashes test in 1986.

Ellery was unhappy; Wally didn't ever play for Wigan...the King did not arrive at Central Park but the Monarch remained until 1991.

MBE: Maybe best ever

Simply the Best: Ellery Cuthwyn Hanley

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15 hours ago, Scubby said:

Simply the greatest player of all time. There have been many more talented players but none greater IMO.

Couldn't lace the boots of Wally Lewis, Ellery Hanley, Brett Kenny or Garry Schofield IMO.

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One of the best I've ever seen. Certainly the best hooker of all time.

For me it's still Darren Lockyer. Maybe the highest ceiling of any player ever. He'd be my first pick of a GOAT XIII.

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16 hours ago, Allora said:


If you can not be positive on a thread like this best say nothing.

Who rattled your cage?

I was replying to the poster who said that in his opinion Smith was the greatest player of all time and I disagree with him on that.

As for my second comment I was being VERY POSITIVE that he is the best referee going around at the moment!

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7 hours ago, Loiner said:

Couldn't lace the boots of Wally Lewis, Ellery Hanley, Brett Kenny or Garry Schofield IMO.

Maybe not in the positions they played, but then none of them could lace the boots of Smith at the hooking role. And the four you mention would struggle to match Smith in the reading of the game and maninipulating and influencing games like Cam Smith does or has done.

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30 minutes ago, Lounge Room Lizard said:

Maybe not in the positions they played, but then none of them could lace the boots of Smith at the hooking role. And the four you mention would struggle to match Smith in the reading of the game and maninipulating and influencing games like Cam Smith does or has done.

Some of the people mentioned here, missed tours, switched clubs, only spent a few years at the very top. Smith has 50+ International caps, 40+ Origin appearances (including something like 10 series wins), main man at a top NRL club year in, year out for 15 years. He plays 9/10 or 10/10 every week - without fail. Hardly ever gets injured. He is still in the top 2/3 players in the World at 36, right now.

As I said, there are many more talented players but this guy is right up there. The word great will mean different things to different people I suppose. To me it is skills, toughness, smart, influence and longevity.

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1 hour ago, Lounge Room Lizard said:

Maybe not in the positions they played, but then none of them could lace the boots of Smith at the hooking role. And the four you mention would struggle to match Smith in the reading of the game and maninipulating and influencing games like Cam Smith does or has done.

I know these are all opinions but I am surprised that you think Wally Lewis would struggle to match Smith in reading a game. Lewis was a master tactician. 

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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57 minutes ago, Scubby said:

Some of the people mentioned here, missed tours, switched clubs, only spent a few years at the very top. Smith has 50+ International caps, 40+ Origin appearances (including something like 10 series wins), main man at a top NRL club year in, year out for 15 years. He plays 9/10 or 10/10 every week - without fail. Hardly ever gets injured. He is still in the top 2/3 players in the World at 36, right now.

As I said, there are many more talented players but this guy is right up there. The word great will mean different things to different people I suppose. To me it is skills, toughness, smart, influence and longevity.

This is not meant to be confrontational but which players on this thread do you think only spent a few years at the very top?

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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14 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

This is not meant to be confrontational but which players on this thread do you think only spent a few years at the very top?

That's fine. Peter Sterling played about 7 years top grade football with only 18 tests and 13 Origins. Wally Lewis played a lot of State of Origins and tests but actually only played about 80 games of ARL (NRL) and 30-odd of those were ####ing about with the Gold Coast Seagulls. Both were amazing players but that is not 15 years solid at the very highest level week in, week out. 

It is easier to get up for those big games. To drive an NRL team around, week in week out for that amount of time lifts Smith for me - it is a personal opinion of course. Add that to 100 rep appearances. I have said twice before in this thread, there were many more talented and exciting players but Smith for me is the top of the tree through my own reasoning.

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47 minutes ago, Scubby said:

That's fine. Peter Sterling played about 7 years top grade football with only 18 tests and 13 Origins. Wally Lewis played a lot of State of Origins and tests but actually only played about 80 games of ARL (NRL) and 30-odd of those were ####ing about with the Gold Coast Seagulls. Both were amazing players but that is not 15 years solid at the very highest level week in, week out. 

It is easier to get up for those big games. To drive an NRL team around, week in week out for that amount of time lifts Smith for me - it is a personal opinion of course. Add that to 100 rep appearances. I have said twice before in this thread, there were many more talented and exciting players but Smith for me is the top of the tree through my own reasoning.

I think it's a little harsh on Sterling to say he only played 7 years at the top.  While his first couple seasons after his debut in 1978 were shifted around from full back and stand off by the time 1981 came he was established as the Paramatta 7 and played in both a winning Grand Final and State of Origin.

Nine years later in 1990 he won the Rothmans medal as the best player in the NSWRL.  In between he played Grand Finals, tests and went on two Kangaroo tours.

Yes, his career was cut a little short with injury but I would say he was right at the top for 9 years which is a fair effort.

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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6 hours ago, Adelaide Tiger said:

Who rattled your cage?

I was replying to the poster who said that in his opinion Smith was the greatest player of all time and I disagree with him on that.

As for my second comment I was being VERY POSITIVE that he is the best referee going around at the moment!

Adelaide Tiger............?

Talent is secondary to whether players are confident.

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15 hours ago, Dunbar said:

Micron video wasn't it.

In the age of streaming and digital tv, kids will never again experience the joy of being first in the queue at the video shop every Friday to get last weeks ARL highlights on VHS.

We were more sophisticated in Hull. We had Starview from Rediffusion. The first area in the country to get cable TV and they showed the Winfield Cup ?

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5 minutes ago, deluded pom? said:

We were more sophisticated in Hull.

Not a phrase you read often ?

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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1 minute ago, deluded pom? said:

We were more sophisticated in Hull. We had Starview from Rediffusion. The first area in the country to get cable TV and they showed the Winfield Cup ?

That and the white phone boxes, you really peaked back then! :D 

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Just now, deluded pom? said:

Your home town is so good you upped sticks and moved to almost France ?

 

ps. The telephone boxes are cream not white.

Well the stadium at my home town looks the same as when I played under 15s there. And yet it is still in SL ? So going back would be like I'd never been away! Hull, however, decided to try and get itself cultured. Is the chip shop still on Airlie Street?

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2 minutes ago, Scubby said:

Well the stadium at my home town looks the same as when I played under 15s there. And yet it is still in SL ? So going back would be like I'd never been away! Hull, however, decided to try and get itself cultured. Is the chip shop still on Airlie Street?

Try? We didn’t have to try. I haven’t been down Airlie St for years. No reason to go there any more.

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On 12/07/2019 at 20:28, OMEGA said:

The best Hooker I’ve seen in the game!

IMO he’s one of the greatest players ever but NOT the best, that’s very hard to award to him.

is he better than Wally Lewis, Alex Murphy, Jim Sullivan, Neil Fox, Mal Meninga, Jonathan Thurston, Ellery Hanley etc..?

Strange to mention all of those great names and not mention Andrew Johns who along with Hanley and Smith is IMO the greatest player of all time! 

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9 hours ago, hutch said:

Strange to mention all of those great names and not mention Andrew Johns who along with Hanley and Smith is IMO the greatest player of all time! 

Not in my opinion, great as he was he remains a level below for me. He certainly splits opinions as there are many who see him as the greatest ever while others recognise his talent but can’t elevate him to the group of greatest ever players.

He spent a large part of his rep career playing out of position due to Brett Kimmorley being a better scrum half. He didn’t  regularly have the influence in big games that Lewis, Murphy, Hanley etc had. I’d have Lockyer, Steve Walters, Slater, Daley, Fitler to name just a few on a par or better than Johns.

Ive no axe to grind with Johns just don’t subscribe to the love affair that others have about him.

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