The Greatest Rugby League Player of All Time

[aj1908]

1 minute ago, Dunbar said:

With Cooper Cronk now retired, who is the best number 7 in the game today?

Cherry-Evans is the incumbent for Queensland and Australia while Pearce and Clearly were used by NSW last year and Hastings is the Great Britain half and resurgent Benji Marshall for New Zealand. Meanwhile Kotoni Staggs filled in for Tonga in their win over the Kangaroos.

I would say the quality of the top level half backs is as low as I can remember for a long time.

isnt it depressing.  Ben hunt and DCE would be amongst the best halves.  cleary.  

DCE will grow now for queensland as he doesnt have to deal with thurston and others who didnt like him, he will turn out ok.

 

[Dunbar]

6 minutes ago, aj1908 said:

DCE will grow now for queensland as he doesnt have to deal with thurston and others who didnt like him, he will turn out ok.

Well I hope he grows quickly as he turns 31 next week.

[aj1908]

Just now, Dunbar said:

Well I hope he grows quickly as he turns 31 next week.

you know what i meant.  he will play for another 4 or 5 years lol

[Dunbar]

2 minutes ago, aj1908 said:

you know what i meant.  he will play for another 4 or 5 years lol

He may play for a other 4 or 5 years but do you really expect him to become a better player than he is now?

[aj1908]

4 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

He may play for a other 4 or 5 years but do you really expect him to become a better player than he is now?

I do.  Thurston and Smith got him booted from the QLD team.  They found him arrogant and he didn't fit in.

Now he's all.they have 

And with hasler at manly they could be back winning titles soon 

He won't be as good as cronk of course but good enough 

[Harry Stottle]

On 08/02/2020 at 12:52, Gooleboy said:

Sinfield was a top player, but not in the best 5 players ever. He didn't really excel at International level.

List every position Sinfield played at International level and there will be at least 20 better than him, very good club player but against those who matter on the International Stage being Aus and NZ he hardly warranted a mention if he did it was for very average performances.

[Lowdesert]

11 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

List every position Sinfield played at International level and there will be at least 20 better than him, very good club player but against those who matter on the International Stage being Aus and NZ he hardly warranted a mention if he did it was for very average performances.

Sadly true.  Etched on his mind will be the step by Johnson which was Kevins last game I think.

Very good player but more an extremely good team player and leader than an great individual.

As a person he’s absolutely top drawer.

[Dunbar]

It's a bit harsh the stick that Sinfield has got on this thread (not aimed at you Harry, you are just the last poster).

Yes, Sinfield shouldn't be mentioned in the same list as the other 4 and Hanley and Lewis (which are the two I saw) were miles ahead of him as a player.

But, he was a consummate professional and a great captain and a core part of one of the most successful club teams of the recent past. For me, what I like best about Sinfield is that he made the very most of his talents unlike plenty of talented players of the past who blew it with a lack of professionalism. 

Bottom line is he didn't ask to be put on the list.

[RMBJ]

Meninga is the best RL player I've seen play. Not the most skillful or the quickest but he had the ability to dominate a match unlike any other player. His physique was also intimidating - I am sure players were not in a rush to tackle him. 

[Harry Stottle]

22 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

It's a bit harsh the stick that Sinfield has got on this thread (not aimed at you Harry, you are just the last poster).

Yes, Sinfield shouldn't be mentioned in the same list as the other 4 and Hanley and Lewis (which are the two I saw) were miles ahead of him as a player.

But, he was a consummate professional and a great captain and a core part of one of the most successful club teams of the recent past. For me, what I like best about Sinfield is that he made the very most of his talents unlike plenty of talented players of the past who blew it with a lack of professionalism. 

Bottom line is he didn't ask to be put on the list.

You are describing the Kevin Sinfield that played for Leeds, I concede that in the domestic competition he was very very good BUT to be included in a list that covers every person from *all the player's that have donned a pair of boots has to be something very very special indeed, even amongst the best of those who have played at the highest level of the sport and stood out, sadly at International level Mr Sinfield doesn't even come close.

*Whilst writing this and stating "all the player's" ever, I just reflected on the news this week (albeit local news) that next week there are possibly 3 players who could make their debuts for Leigh Centurions, one of those will earn Heritage Number 1500!

[fieldofclothofgold]

Dont like this " GREAT OF ALL TIME STUFF" when the players put forward are all relatively modern day players. The game has changed so much over the years I think this topic should be split up into separate eras . 1900 to 1920 , 1921 to 1930 , 1931 to 39, 1945 to 55 , 1956 to 66 etc

[Rach]

This is no doubt an off shoot of the survey that got sent out to the '125' the other week . Greatest Game , Greatest Player , Greatest Try , Greatest Coach etc etc 

The 125 are supposed to be representative of followers throughout the game and as one of their number .Myself ,well bar Internationals BBC Challenge Cup Coverage plus the CC final live, rarely watches the sport at anything above Championship level - L1 the womens and junior games are my usual  RL fare come the weekend .

Not sure how the rest of the 125 voted , looking at this I think the majority actually went with what they assumed the RFL wanted to hear  and sadly didn't vote  in light their own personal RL experiences . 

 In terms of the RL's 'choices' certainly 4 of those players I've never seen play 'live' and in the case of two of them  I've never seen play at all ..Sinfield maybe I could count live on both hands ...how could I make any sort of decision on that basis ?

As for my survey answers , when Wakefield Panthers Womens team circa 1990 comes up in the Greatest Team section and for Greatest Game Keighley Cougar Cubs U8s v Guiesley Rangers Keighley Cup Final 1998 Cougar Park ...well you know it was me

 

 

[aj1908]

up to 1960 it would be a lot of english players, after mostly australian players. 

[Dunbar]

29 minutes ago, aj1908 said:

up to 1960 it would be a lot of english players, after mostly australian players. 

This is the Great Britain team that won the 3rd test in Sydney in 1970 to win the ashes series 2:1 (after being one down after the first test).

1. Mick Shoebottom

2. Alan Smith

3. Frank Myler (c)

4. Syd Hynes

5. John Atkinson

6. Roger Milward

7. Keith Hepworth

8. Dennis Hartley

9. Tony Fisher

10. Cliff Watson

11. Jimmy Thompson

12. Doug Laughton

13. Malcom Reilly

the Australian team on that day included the likes of Bob Fulton, Arthur Beetson, Bob McCarthy and Ron Coote.

[aj1908]

11 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

This is the Great Britain team that won the 3rd test in Sydney in 1970 to win the ashes series 2:1 (after being one down after the first test).

1. Mick Shoebottom

2. Alan Smith

3. Frank Myler (c)

4. Syd Hynes

5. John Atkinson

6. Roger Milward

7. Keith Hepworth

8. Dennis Hartley

9. Tony Fisher

10. Cliff Watson

11. Jimmy Thompson

12. Doug Laughton

13. Malcom Reilly

the Australian team on that day included the likes of Bob Fulton, Arthur Beetson, Bob McCarthy and Ron Coote.

so three players ? you saying reilly should be in the top ten ?i dont think so.

[aj1908]

im talking about eg

wagstaff, jim sullivan, vince karalius

whose that wigan winger who was good.  those kind of people.

[Dunbar]

8 minutes ago, aj1908 said:

so three players ? you saying reilly should be in the top ten ?i dont think so.

My point was that Great Britain were still defeating Australia in Australia in 1970 so you assertion that from 1960 the majority of the best players were Australian was wide of the mark.

As for Reilly.  As with other players from this thread, I will not personally comment as I did not see him play but from what I read and his reputation both in England and Australia he was outstanding and one of the very best British players to play in Australia and highly respected. 

[aj1908]

7 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

My point was that Great Britain were still defeating Australia in Australia in 1970 so you assertion that from 1960 the majority of the best players were Australian was wide of the mark.

As for Reilly.  As with other players from this thread, I will not personally comment as I did not see him play but from what I read and his reputation both in England and Australia he was outstanding and one of the very best British players to play in Australia and highly respected. 

yeh and from the 70s the only aussie player i put up there was fulton, and not in the top 5 lol.

[Harry Stottle]

1 hour ago, fieldofclothofgold said:

Dont like this " GREAT OF ALL TIME STUFF" when the players put forward are all relatively modern day players. The game has changed so much over the years I think this topic should be split up into separate eras . 1900 to 1920 , 1921 to 1930 , 1931 to 39, 1945 to 55 , 1956 to 66 etc

Get your point fcg, but most people would not remember much other than maybe the last 2 catagories, for the others all we would be doing is reading about the player's records and possibly an opinion by any given author that could be subjective to another's opinion, we who write on this site see nearly all the player's through the media and we have different opinions even then. 

I remember as a kid in the 60's and 70's before regular multiple weekly broadcasts when we would see most player's once or twice a year in the flesh and those we saw on Granstand for second half coverage on a Saturday afternoon - that's if we weren't at a game or had a telly - how when the International team or squad for tours was selected all had to rely on was the 'expertise' of the selectors, these player's became the draw for the speccies to go along and watch in the club games because they played for Great Britain we wanted to see them perform.

And when the Aussies and Kiwi's came over to tour, unless they had toured previously we hadn't a clue who they were, how exiting it was to attend the games then, just imagine today as is the subject in another thread how seeing for the first time 19/20 year olds like Hass perform, it was special.

[Harry Stottle]

1 hour ago, aj1908 said:

up to 1960 it would be a lot of english players, after mostly australian players. 

Only for those of a certain age aj, as I said above infornation would be another mans opinion if any given player cannot be witnessed in action.

[aj1908]

3 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Only for those of a certain age aj, as I said above infornation would be another mans opinion if any given player cannot be witnessed in action.

ive never seen much of gasnier, langlands, raper.  none of mesenger, brown, or bevan.

its still pretty obvious these were amongst the best to ever play.

[Harry Stottle]

16 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

My point was that Great Britain were still defeating Australia in Australia in 1970 so you assertion that from 1960 the majority of the best players were Australian was wide of the mark.

As for Reilly.  As with other players from this thread, I will not personally comment as I did not see him play but from what I read and his reputation both in England and Australia he was outstanding and one of the very best British players to play in Australia and highly respected. 

After that tour in '70 there was a clamour from the Aussies clubs to sign as many high profile GB selections as they could, so much so that the ARL put a ban on the clubs signing Brits has it was deemed to be holding back their own talent from club selection.

[Harry Stottle]

Just now, aj1908 said:

ive never seen much of gasnier, langlands, raper.  none of mesenger, brown, or bevan.

its still pretty obvious these were amongst the best to ever play.

 BECAUSE you have been told how good they were and that they were revered, look at the difference of opinion with Kevin Sinfield on this thread, personally I wouldn't have him anywhere near the top 200 never mind the top 5 of all the player's I have seen over the near 60 years I have been involved in this game.

[aj1908]

3 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

 BECAUSE you have been told how good they were and that they were revered, look at the difference of opinion with Kevin Sinfield on this thread, personally I wouldn't have him anywhere near the top 200 never mind the top 5 of all the player's I have seen over the near 60 years I have been involved in this game.

So we can't know anything about history then unless we lived it ?

If I could be bothered I could dig up a dozen English or Welsh rugby league giants from the era 1895 to 1950

Nobody has even mentioned them 

[Harry Stottle]

13 minutes ago, aj1908 said:

So we can't know anything about history then unless we lived it ?

If I could be bothered I could dig up a dozen English or Welsh rugby league giants from the era 1895 to 1950

Nobody has even mentioned them 

Off course you could, and we should never forget the past or the deeds those player's  did, you say Mal Reilly shouldn't be in the top 10 is that from your experience of seeing him perform? Please be honest.