Greatest players - your top three centres

[Wakefield Ram]

I'm having a think before I post mine, but needless to say Nigel Stephenson will be number 1. 

[grumpyoldram]

13 minutes ago, Wakefield Ram said:

I'm having a think before I post mine, but needless to say Nigel Stephenson will be number 1. 

Max Fletcher

Nige

Malcolm Agar

 

with a nod to Chris Mitta,  Kain  Epati, Marquis Charles and Terry Day.

 

[NickD]

1 hour ago, Wakefield Ram said:

I'm having a think before I post mine, but needless to say Nigel Stephenson will be number 1. 

Ill have a think too...Think we need to spread these "best three" posts out a little.  We could be stuck in for a while.  

[Blind side johnny]

This one is quite interesting as the role of centres has changed subtly over the years. Nowadays, for example, many coaches think that centre is the most important defensive position on the team - any weaknesses on the outer edges will be ruthlessly exposed, as we saw a couple of times last season - where positioning and decison-making are vital. In the past a key attrbutes of a centre was in creating good opportunities for his wingman, as well as not passing just for the sake of it when it might put his winger in trouble. Neil Fox was as fine an exponent of centre play as I can recall.

Fans often look upon successful centres as the ones that score tries, like Chris Mita (and Neil Fox, but he was just a bit different) or Jack Austin yet were they either strong defensively and did they serve their wingmen well?

I also will ponder this for a while longer, although I can't see past Nigel Stephenson as my first choice.

[creditwhereitsdews]

Was too young for Nigel Stephenson but I enjoyed watching Marquis Charles, Darren Rogers, Paul Evans and Brett Patterson. I've been impressed by Adam Ryder too. If I had to choose a centre pairing from my time I'd go for Rogers and Evans.

[Blind side johnny]

Hammerstein was better than Evans.

[Wakefield Ram]

5 hours ago, NickD said:

Ill have a think too...Think we need to spread these "best three" posts out a little.  We could be stuck in for a while.  

Will do. By my calculations, reckon there's another 7 categories to go including Top 3 Substitutes

[Reverend Ram]

Has to be 

1. Nigel Stephenson 

2. Chris Mita 

3. Jack Austin

with an honourable mention to Marquis Charles. For me a solid runner who can draw the man to release the winger is the key along with a destructive tackle technique. Ryder is heading in the right direction....

[the old nine ole]

Nigel Stephenson

Willie Walker ...... I think he was a centre ...

Marquis Charles

 

Apologies to Adam Ryder .... who I think probably should be in the top 3 .. but nostalgia tends to influence!

[Ramboy]

I'm with the Rev on this one, too 3.

1. Nigel Stephenson 

2. Chris Mita

3. Jack Austin. 

Special mentions to M.Charles, B.Williams, P.Evans,C.Vaesy,A.Ryder and B.Collins.

 

[Therein73]

I'm also 

Nigel Stephenson

Chris Mita

Jack Austin

But I reckon Sid Domic might have edged in there.... If he could have lasted more than 40 minutes ... Also, Billy Pickup but never regular enough due to numerous injuries .... Real shame for both (and for the club) 

[Crown Flatter]

7 hours ago, Blind side johnny said:

Hammerstein was better than Evans.

Yes I agree, Trigger Hammerstein was the better of the two. 

[Wakefield Ram]

1. Nigel Stephenson

2. Jack Austin - a 1970s version of Adam Ryder

3. Chris Mita

I'd throw in Dan Potter from the 2000 GF team.

[DewsburyRams4ever]

11 hours ago, creditwhereitsdews said:

Was too young for Nigel Stephenson but I enjoyed watching Marquis Charles, Darren Rogers, Paul Evans and Brett Patterson. I've been impressed by Adam Ryder too. If I had to choose a centre pairing from my time I'd go for Rogers and Evans.

Brett Patterson played more games at stand-off.

[DewsburyRams4ever]

1. Brendan Williams

2. Marquis Charles 

3. Tony Marchant 

Others worth a mention; Kane Epati, Erol Johnson, Shaun Austerfield, Tim Fourie, Chris Hall

[NickD]

1 marquis Charles 

2. Chris Mita 

3. Brendan Williams

agree with the earlier comment about Adam Ryder.  He probably should be in there but nostalgia is is a powerful thing.   Honourable mention for Shane Grady.  Was class but didn’t stay long enough. 

[Blind side johnny]

2 hours ago, NickD said:

1 marquis Charles 

2. Chris Mita 

3. Brendan Williams

agree with the earlier comment about Adam Ryder.  He probably should be in there but nostalgia is is a powerful thing.   Honourable mention for Shane Grady.  Was class but didn’t stay long enough. 

No Nigel Stephenson then Nick? You do surprise me.

Shaun Grady played for us more than Chris Mita and scored more tries, just so that you know.

[Willforminis]

4 hours ago, NickD said:

1 marquis Charles 

2. Chris Mita 

3. Brendan Williams

agree with the earlier comment about Adam Ryder.  He probably should be in there but nostalgia is is a powerful thing.   Honourable mention for Shane Grady.  Was class but didn’t stay long enough. 

Chris Mita was special

[Crown Flatter]

As I indicated elsewhere, for me it has to be:

1 Nigel Stephenson

2 Kevin Osborne

3 Brian Firth

also must consider: Chris Mita, the two Brendans, Williams and O’Meara (wonder if he still lives locally?), Darren Rogers, Dan Potter and of course, Jack Austin. 
 

I think Grumpy might be jesting when he mentions Max Fletcher - he was never the greatest, surely?

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

Eric Ashton was the best I saw.  He also had quite a promising young lad outside him on the wing, name of Boston, I think.

[NickD]

4 hours ago, Blind side johnny said:

No Nigel Stephenson then Nick? You do surprise me.

Shaun Grady played for us more than Chris Mita and scored more tries, just so that you know.

Too young BSJ.  I do remember him playing but barely

Thanks for the info on Chris Mita.  Isn't it interesting how memories get skewed?  Ill stick with Chris Mita though..Probably nostalgia again but he was one of those players that would get you "interested" as soon as he got the ball.   Probably more of an attacking centre too.  Grady was especially good on defence and as you say in the earlier post this has been far more important over recent years..

Forgot about Chris vases as a centre too..  Should be in the mix.

[grumpyoldram]

2 hours ago, Crown Flatter said:

As I indicated elsewhere, for me it has to be:

1 Nigel Stephenson

2 Kevin Osborne

3 Brian Firth

also must consider: Chris Mita, the two Brendans, Williams and O’Meara (wonder if he still lives locally?), Darren Rogers, Dan Potter and of course, Jack Austin. 
 

I think Grumpy might be jesting when he mentions Max Fletcher - he was never the greatest, surely?

Max was probably the only player that could be mentioned in the same breath as the legendary Dicky Doel. I once saw him make a break, against Donny I think it was, while they were still playing at Tattersfield. I bet his opposite number still has nightmares.

[Blind side johnny]

20 hours ago, Wiltshire Warrior Dragon said:

Eric Ashton was the best I saw.  He also had quite a promising young lad outside him on the wing, name of Boston, I think.

I don't believe he played for Dewsbury that often though, which is what this thread is about.

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

30 minutes ago, Blind side johnny said:

I don't believe he played for Dewsbury that often though, which is what this thread is about.

Apologies.  I came to this discussion via a link down the side of the page showing active topics, so didn't realise that I was not on the general RL forum pages.

That said, Ashton was far better than any centre who ever played for Dewsbury, I am sure...

[Wakefield Ram]

2 hours ago, Wiltshire Warrior Dragon said:

Apologies.  I came to this discussion via a link down the side of the page showing active topics, so didn't realise that I was not on the general RL forum pages.

That said, Ashton was far better than any centre who ever played for Dewsbury, I am sure...

Not better than Nigel Stephenson...