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Best NRL fullback of the last 30 years


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42 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Jonathan Davies comes into consideration in this discussion as he played the 1991 season with Canterbury. 

he's the best British full back I've seen. If he was playing today he'd be a permanent fixture in that position. He got moved around a lot though didn't he. What a brilliant player though.

Did he not play mostly centre for Canterbury?

Formerly Alistair Boyd-Meaney

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6 minutes ago, Tex Evans Thigh said:

he's the best British full back I've seen. If he was playing today he'd be a permanent fixture in that position. He got moved around a lot though didn't he. What a brilliant player though.

Did he not play mostly centre for Canterbury?

Not sure what proportion he played at full back. There are a couple of videos on YouTube with him scoring... some he is wearing 4 and in this classy try he is wearing 1.

Reminds you just how good he was.

"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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3 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Not sure what proportion he played at full back. There are a couple of videos on YouTube with him scoring... some he is wearing 4 and in this classy try he is wearing 1.

Reminds you just how good he was.

outstanding player. I think he would have been even better today at full back with how the role has evolved. Like the Bee Gees, a little before his time.

Formerly Alistair Boyd-Meaney

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2 minutes ago, Tex Evans Thigh said:

outstanding player. I think he would have been even better today at full back with how the role has evolved. Like the Bee Gees, a little before his time.

Agreed. Pace, a terrific step and good handling and kicking.

I can't think of many full backs who scored tries like that in my time watching the game... maybe Brett Mullins and Billy Slater spring to mind but few others.

"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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3 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Agreed. Pace, a terrific step and good handling and kicking.

I can't think of many full backs who scored tries like that in my time watching the game... maybe Brett Mullins and Billy Slater spring to mind but few others.

Very similar running style to Mullins but a much wider range of skills as you point out.

Formerly Alistair Boyd-Meaney

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8 hours ago, Mr Frisky said:

Slater Nr1 by a long way as Lockyer didnt play his whole career as a FB.

All those NRL lovers slating the standard of SL FB - If Paul Wellens had played NRL he would have been in the top 5 on this list in my opinion- everyone seems to forget just how good he was. 

I haven't forgotten how good Grandpa Wellens was because I never even knew that he was good in the first place.

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18 hours ago, ghost crayfish said:

Lockyer's ball playing skills and kicking game were miles ahead of Slater's or any other fullback for that matter. Combined with his speed, match sense and tendency to perform on the biggest stage, and he's the best all round fullback I've seen. His defence wasn't as good as Slater's, but it was fine.

 

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4 hours ago, Manfred Mann said:

I haven't forgotten how good Grandpa Wellens was because I never even knew that he was good in the first place.

That’s genuinely the first time I’ve ever read anyone say Wellens wasn’t a good player. Either you’re letting his last two or three years cloud your view or you’ve got some incredible tinted glasses. 

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12 hours ago, Tex Evans Thigh said:

he's the best British full back I've seen. If he was playing today he'd be a permanent fixture in that position. He got moved around a lot though didn't he. What a brilliant player though.

Did he not play mostly centre for Canterbury?

He played 11 games at Fullback and three at Centre for the Dogs.

He was moved around at the Cowboys in his short stint there being used as a Fullback, Centre and Stand off.

Talent is secondary to whether players are confident.

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3 hours ago, Manfred Mann said:

 

Can I clarify why you posted this clip.

Is it the chip and chase from Slater to dispute the fact that Lockyer's kicking game was ahead of his.

Or was it for the wonderful short kick from Lockyer to set Slater free in the first place.

I hope it was the latter as that is what is meant by kicking game.

"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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12 minutes ago, Rhinoferg said:

He also played full back

Fair enough,also played centre but I wouldn't have him up there with the best fullbacks of the last 30yrs,I would have him in a list of best wingers.

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1 hour ago, Rhinoferg said:

Andrew Ettingshausen or E.T. 

 

38 minutes ago, Davo5 said:

He was a winger.

 

17 minutes ago, Rhinoferg said:

He also played full back

Yes , and I think of him as a really good centre ! One hell of a player , great speed and athleticism which gave him such versatility . He was the guy who famously could turn off the light and be in bed before it was dark . Also great physique and movie star looks ... hated the bloke ?

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Darius Boyd has had the best career for an average player I have ever seen.

He has played really well in a few games and carved a reputation from those games.

People talked about  his blinding pace, if he had it he rarely showed it.

He has been a passenger at the Broncos since he came back.

He should not be on that list IMO

Talent is secondary to whether players are confident.

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On 06/04/2020 at 03:24, Hela Wigmen said:

That’s genuinely the first time I’ve ever read anyone say Wellens wasn’t a good player. Either you’re letting his last two or three years cloud your view or you’ve got some incredible tinted glasses. 

Okay. Maybe I overstated by saying that Wellens was not good.Wellens was not a bad full back. But he was nowhere near the class of Billy Slater, Darren Lockyer, James Tedesco, Tom Trbojevic, Kalyn Ponga, Matt Bowen, pre-NFL Jarryd Hayne, and pre-NFL Valentine Holmes.

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7 minutes ago, Manfred Mann said:

Okay. Maybe I overstated by saying that Wellens was not good.Wellens was not a bad full back. But he was nowhere near the class of Billy Slater, Darren Lockyer, James Tedesco, Tom Trbojevic, Kalyn Ponga, Matt Bowen, pre-NFL Jarryd Hayne, and pre-NFL Valentine Holmes.

I do not get to see many Super League games other than on Youtube.

My memory of Wellens was two things, he always seemed to beat the first man in Super League.

In the Tests he played that I saw he always seemed to have his hands on his hips complaining to his team mates as Tries were scored where he was either nowhere near the attacker or could not stop a try being scored.

That may be more a reflection on the Team rather than on him, I don't know.

Talent is secondary to whether players are confident.

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3 minutes ago, Allora said:

I do not get to see many Super League games other than on Youtube.

My memory of Wellens was two things, he always seemed to beat the first man in Super League.

In the Tests he played that I saw he always seemed to have his hands on his hips complaining to his team mates as Tries were scored where he was either nowhere near the attacker or could not stop a try being scored.

That may be more a reflection on the Team rather than on him, I don't know.

Bit harsh to say that Wellens always had his hands on his hips complaining.

He didn't always have his hands on his hips.

"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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2 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Bit harsh to say that Wellens always had his hands on his hips complaining.

He didn't always have his hands on his hips.

Yeap,defensively & positionally he was top notch,his lack of pace was the only thing that stops him being placed into the highest echelon of modern fullbacks.

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16 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Bit harsh to say that Wellens always had his hands on his hips complaining.

He didn't always have his hands on his hips.

He seemed to in several Tri Nations I watched him play in.

He looked like a player that has never had to deal with fast attacking pace and could not combat it with his own pace and was frustrated.

 

 

Talent is secondary to whether players are confident.

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On 06/04/2020 at 08:24, Hela Wigmen said:

That’s genuinely the first time I’ve ever read anyone say Wellens wasn’t a good player. Either you’re letting his last two or three years cloud your view or you’ve got some incredible tinted glasses. 

Wellens was an average player and vastly overrated as he played his career in a successful Saints team 

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34 minutes ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

Wellens was an average player and vastly overrated as he played his career in a successful Saints team 

We have to consider whether Lockyer or Slater have been stand out playing in a losing team week after week?  I’m sure they would’ve stood out but not as often as they did playing in two of the top Aussie teams.

Australia opted for speed and built the Full Backs defence up, whereas we went for the defensive FB barring Radlinski and Davies.  (Tait had good pace though)

Its a key position now but we’ve rarely had speedsters knocking on the England door.  On the other hand Australia has Tedesco and one of the Turbos plus Mitchell could end up there.  The position is certainly neglected in a similar fashion that our half backs are now.

 

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