Where does Sculthorpe rank?

[Jim Prendle]

12 hours ago, GeordieSaint said:

Along with Roby, simply the best British player I have seen. 

You didn’t get to watch Ellery Hanley then?

[Mr Frisky]

10 hours ago, RigbyLuger said:

Ellis' career in the NRL puts him above those who didn't test themselves down there.

That train is never late on here.... 25 years ago SL was as good as the NRL and paid as good if not better wages ( great exchange rate back then) so lots of top players didn't need to test themselves in the NRL - look a Jamie Peacock- our best prop of the past 30 years and didn't need to test himself in the NRL to prove it.

[GeordieSaint]

27 minutes ago, Jim Prendle said:

You didn’t get to watch Ellery Hanley then?

Not properly no - was too young to remember him less the 1990 Wembley Test against the Aussies. 

[George Watt]

From an 85 year old who has watched in England for 20 years and then in Aus for 54 years.

Best English forward... Mal Reilly.

Best England all round player .....Ellery Hanley.

Greatest ever player........Brian Bevan.

[Jim Prendle]

1 hour ago, GeordieSaint said:

Not properly no - was too young to remember him less the 1990 Wembley Test against the Aussies. 

Then you will have to take my word for it. Sculthorpe and Roby were both good players, but Hanley was extraordinary.

[bobbruce]

14 hours ago, Welshleaguelover said:

And on the Farrell/Sculthorpe argument. My Dad is a union man that loves watching league.

He rated Farrell highly when he was playing for Wigan... But said Farrell looks in better shape as Ireland coach than he did playing for Wigan. Said he was a fat, ball handling prop in the back row

And England RU signed him to play centre. 

[Waynebennettswinger]

14 minutes ago, Jim Prendle said:

Then you will have to take my word for it. Sculthorpe and Roby were both good players, but Hanley was extraordinary.

I have had the pleasure of watching all three, even as a Saints fan I can say Hanley is far and away the best player I have ever seen. To class Sculthorpe and Roby merely as ‘good’ though is a little off the mark but if that is your opinion then you are, of course, entitled to it.

[bobbruce]

22 minutes ago, Jim Prendle said:

Then you will have to take my word for it. Sculthorpe and Roby were both good players, but Hanley was extraordinary.

I’d agree with this Sculthorpe,Farrell,Scofield,Cunningha,Davies,Roby,Lydon,Peacock,Burgess and many many more you could argue all day long who was better. For me though Hanley sits above all of them with the possible exception of Offiah. Those two could sit in the same bracket as some of the Aussie greats. My own personal choice would be Hanley all day. 

[Moe syszlak]

If Warrington had the money they have now in the mid 90s they could've had Sculthorpe and Harris playing in the same team for a decade! Would've definitely been our year at some point

[Jim Prendle]

14 hours ago, Welshleaguelover said:

And on the Farrell/Sculthorpe argument. My Dad is a union man that loves watching league.

He rated Farrell highly when he was playing for Wigan... But said Farrell looks in better shape as Ireland coach than he did playing for Wigan. Said he was a fat, ball handling prop in the back row

I've known Farrell for many years and fat is never a accusation you could level at him.

When he first started playing the club wondered if he would ever put enough weight on to make it at the top level. 

If your dad thinks Farrell was a fat prop he can't have watched as much union as you claim. Compared to every union prop I have ever seen Farrell is positively anorexic.

[Chrispmartha]

Ranked 4th worst  in the UK

 

https://thelincolnite.co.uk/2017/01/scunthorpe-voted-fourth-worst-place-live-uk/

 

[Gerrumonside ref]

24 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

Ranked 4th worst  in the UK

 

https://thelincolnite.co.uk/2017/01/scunthorpe-voted-fourth-worst-place-live-uk/

 

Scunthorpe was an old ‘news patch’ of mine and at the time there was a lot of civic pride and fun when we did vox pops there!

I always remember the staff at Glanford Park too being very friendly and welcoming.

So a place I had a bit of a soft spot for that got bad press like Hull, where actually people are pretty straight forward and proud.

Watched a lot of Scully too and he was a big part of some of my favourite ever times watching Saints.

Agree with what Jim and Bob are saying too about Ellery Hanley being incredible and a draw in himself for people to go to games just to see what he might do.

Edited October 21, 2022 by Gerrumonside ref

[Welshleaguelover]

23 minutes ago, Jim Prendle said:

I've known Farrell for many years and fat is never a accusation you could level at him.

When he first started playing the club wondered if he would ever put enough weight on to make it at the top level. 

If your dad thinks Farrell was a fat prop he can't have watched as much union as you claim. Compared to every union prop I have ever seen Farrell is positively anorexic.

Haha. He obviously wasn't comparing him to a union prop.

[Welshleaguelover]

57 minutes ago, bobbruce said:

And England RU signed him to play centre. 

He'd have been a great union centre if he left 5 or 6 years earlier.

[DavidM]

Brilliant player , had pretty much everything . 

[Dunbar]

I started watching (and playing) Rugby League in 1984.

The best British player I have seen, and the best player from any country for me is Ellery Hanley.

A number of players from over here have gone to Australia and been hugely successful and a number played out their career here which is good for us.

In my view, the 5 players that would have excelled over there and gone on to recognised in both countries as fantastic players are (in no particular order) Jason Robinson, Paul Newlove, Kieron Cunningham, Paul Sculthorpe and James Roby.

[graveyard johnny]

yer know - i think he was a great player - but yer know as a pundit well yer know - wasnt that fussed so yer know my thoughts - yer know

[Tex Evans Thigh]

Hanley is the best play I have ever seen. Absolute freak with everything a RL player could want. Sculthorpe was an amazing player though and I think the best 13 of the summer era in either hemisphere. I put him just above Farrell, but it's close. 

Burgess was obviously immense but I don't think as good an all-round player as Sculthorpe. As good as Ellis was, he shouldn't really be in this conversation. 

[OMEGA]

I remember a pre match interview with Brad Fitler who was playing at Stand Off for Australia, he was asked what he thought of his opposite number in the Great Britain team, Paul Sculthorpe. Fitler, with a smirk of arrogance on his face and a dismissive tone in his voice said “I’ve never even heard of him”

Sculthorpe proceeded to batter Fitler when defending and run all over him when carrying the ball as he went on to score 2 Try’s, 2 Drop Goals and take the  Man of the Match award in a Great Britain win!

In other games against Australia he showed his toughness as a forward most notably against Craig Fitzgibbon and Mark O’Mealy!

Paul was a class act and tough as teak, a great leader on and off the field who had subtle and sublime skills while being a punishing defender.

One of the best we’ve ever produced!

[overtheborder]

4 hours ago, Chrispmartha said:

Ranked 4th worst  in the UK

 

https://thelincolnite.co.uk/2017/01/scunthorpe-voted-fourth-worst-place-live-uk/

 

To be fair to them when I clicked on to the actual website they're not even on the top 50 anymore - Huddersfield second I see, so the worst in terms of rugby league-related towns apparently!

[Tex Evans Thigh]

3 hours ago, OMEGA said:

I remember a pre match interview with Brad Fitler who was playing at Stand Off for Australia, he was asked what he thought of his opposite number in the Great Britain team, Paul Sculthorpe. Fitler, with a smirk of arrogance on his face and a dismissive tone in his voice said “I’ve never even heard of him”

Sculthorpe proceeded to batter Fitler when defending and run all over him when carrying the ball as he went on to score 2 Try’s, 2 Drop Goals and take the  Man of the Match award in a Great Britain win!

In other games against Australia he showed his toughness as a forward most notably against Craig Fitzgibbon and Mark O’Mealy!

Paul was a class act and tough as teak, a great leader on and off the field who had subtle and sublime skills while being a punishing defender.

One of the best we’ve ever produced!

Was that Fitler or Barrett? He ran all over Barrett in one game and got mom. Either way class player.

[RL Tragic]

So who of the below would have played in there respective eras Australian teams . 
 

Farrell

Sculthorpe

Cunningham

Roby

Peacock

Ellis

Morley

Burgess

Harris

Fielden

Robinson

 

[SalfordSlim]

3 hours ago, overtheborder said:

To be fair to them when I clicked on to the actual website they're not even on the top 50 anymore - Huddersfield second I see, so the worst in terms of rugby league-related towns apparently!

Without wanting to derail the thread here's a link for anyone who fancies a chuckle. Towns on the list have been nominated by their loyal residents so probably a decent yardstick (although how the hell Grimsby is as low as #18 is anyone's guess!)

https://www.ilivehere.co.uk/top-10-worst-places-to-live-in-england

[rhinos78]

Absolutely Brilliant player

[FearTheVee]

For three or four years he was untouchable and easily the best British player in a team that had plenty of very good ones.

was comfortably the best 13 in the word for a spell IMO.