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Thugs, Nutjobs and Hardmen XIII


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John Burke, Barry Parker, Derek Turner would come under all three categories and Tony Garforth the last. Maurice Bamford who saw a lot of players in his time rated him as the hardest he had ever seen.

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34 minutes ago, Lowdesert said:

I never saw a player as aggressive and crazy as Paul Woods at Hull.  

In a league of his own.

"I'm from a fishing family. Trawlermen are like pirates with biscuits." - Lucy Beaumont.

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4 minutes ago, Ullman said:

First name on the team sheet:

Paul Woods: 'Hardest man in rugby league'

Absolutely.

I have fond memories of Woodsy, back when the game was far more brutal than it is now. I think it's generally forgotten that he was a terrific rugby player, mainly due to his "unconvential" stuff receiving bigger headlines.

I recall a great action photograph from the 1981 Premiership Final, Hull v Hull KR. It was a superb photograph taken form the touchline of Steve Hartley of Rovers in full flight for the try line chased by Paul Woods, both players being in sharp contrast in the photo with everything else being a blur.

I'm sure the late, great Yorkshire Post RL writer Raymond Fletcher hinted summat about "Woods chased Hartley in vain as he was unable to match his pace". I couldn't help but think to myself, If Paul Woods was chasing me, I doubt he'd match me for pace given what I knew he'd do to me if he ever caught up .

I went to an England v Wales game at Craven Park in about 1979 when I was 16. Steve Evans broke clear and tried to sidestep Woodsy in the middle of the park. Unfortunately for Evans, Woods guessed which way he was going and clotheslined him. Evans went down in a heap and was carried off, Woodsy got sent off although I think he was already on his way before the ref suggested he should go. Raymond Fletcher wrote in the following morning's paper. "Paul Woods said he went into the England dressing room after the game to personally apologise to Evans. "He was quite good about it " said Woods afterwards. Fletcher interviewed Evans a couple of hours later and reported that Evans had no recollection of either the game or speaking to Woods afterwards.

With Halloween coming up I decided to go to my local fancy dress shop to see if I could get a Dracula costume. After a few minutes the assistant handed me a Hull KR shirt asking "Is this suitable?", I replied "I think you may have misheard me, I said I wanted to look like a count."
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Best thread ever, but am disappointed with the original line-up, I will have a go:

1. Adam McDougall

2. John Hopoate

3. Steve Matai

4. Justin Hodges

5. Nigel Vagana

6. Jason Smith

7. Gary Freeman

8. Barrie McDermott (c)

9. Terry Newton

10. Adrian Morley

11. Les Boyd

12. Mark Geyer

13. Ryan Bailey

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I don't know about thugs and nut jobs but if this team was lining up against me I wouldn't start a fight.

1. Paul Woods

2. Des Drummond

3. Dean Bell

4. John Bateman

5. Kevin Iro

6. Wally Lewis

7. Andy Gregory

8. Jim Mills

9. George Piggins

10. Frank Forster

11. Les Boyd

12. Kurt Sorenson

13. Malcolm Reilly 

"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, Father Ted said:

Probably my age but for me Brian McTigue was one of the hardest men ever to play the game. Wigan fan of course.

And two of the daftest and toughest ( but you would want them in your corner)  have to be Tim Street  and Ian Gormley , who once famously took on the Salford terraces  when he literally jumped into them....

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32 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

I don't know about thugs and nut jobs but if this team was lining up against me I wouldn't start a fight.

Good point, it's tough one, because not all of these players are 'all of the above'.  For example, Ryan Bailey, in my opinion, was a thug and a nutjob, but not a hardman.  While someone like, Shane Webcke was a hardman, but not a thug nutjob!

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12 minutes ago, DavidM said:

All of these ....Another excuse to get this in 

Mark Broadhurst was a tough guy but the state Steve Bowden left him in after that fight was frightening.

"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, langpark said:

Good point, it's tough one, because not all of these players are 'all of the above'.  For example, Ryan Bailey, in my opinion, was a thug and a nutjob, but not a hardman.  While someone like, Shane Webcke was a hardman, but not a thug nutjob!

But someone like Sean Long would have loved the nutjob/daft as a brush tag. A few of mine xiii wete misdemeanors off the pitch aswell. Terry Newton god bless him took out two saints players i think whilst a wigan player and were injured when the bulls played them I think.

Like poor jokes? Thejoketeller@mullymessiah

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37 minutes ago, langpark said:

Good point, it's tough one, because not all of these players are 'all of the above'.  For example, Ryan Bailey, in my opinion, was a thug and a nutjob, but not a hardman.  While someone like, Shane Webcke was a hardman, but not a thug nutjob!

I'd only ever describe Ryan Bailey as a cheap shot, 3rd man, ****house.

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Two players mentioned on this thread clashed at Hull KR v Wigan. Bill Ashurst kicked through and appeared to be taken down by Frank Foster but the referee, a Mr Eric Clay indicated Ashurst had dived and just restarted play with a 25 tap. As a result of this clumsy dive he lost 4 teeth and had 18 stitches inserted in his mouth. Tough times indeed!

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2 hours ago, Dunbar said:

Mark Broadhurst was a tough guy but the state Steve Bowden left him in after that fight was frightening.

Two headbutts and a pummelling to the face once you go down from the first headbutt will do that to you.

Talent is secondary to whether players are confident.

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8 hours ago, Mumby Magic said:

1 Ben Barba

2 Gareth Raynor

3 Leon Pryce

4 Chev Walker

5 John Hopiate

6 Anthony Mundine

7 Sean Long

8 Tiny Solomona

9 Terry Newton

10 Barrie Mcdermott 

11 Josh Mcguire

12 Gorden Tallis

13 Gareth Hock

Im not going to put whos under which tag!!! ? Ive left a few out too. For those who dont know Tiny Solomona he played for Oldham and was involved in one of the most brutal fights have seen live. If this was not on the field he would have served time. Those that may not know Josh Mcguire there is a video on youtube of his misdemeanors on the field.

Tallis was a ######.... He continues to be a ###### on Aussies media too

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3 hours ago, Eagle Warrior said:

Two players mentioned on this thread clashed at Hull KR v Wigan. Bill Ashurst kicked through and appeared to be taken down by Frank Foster but the referee, a Mr Eric Clay indicated Ashurst had dived and just restarted play with a 25 tap. As a result of this clumsy dive he lost 4 teeth and had 18 stitches inserted in his mouth. Tough times indeed!

I remember a game where Hardisty made an 80 yard totally unstoppable break to score with Ashurst in full but flagging pursuit. Every speccie knew what was going to happen and it did. As soon as Hardisty put the ball down big Bill kicked him into the stands. Never even bothered to look at the referees reaction - simply walked to the changing rooms.....

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