Who is the scariest player you've ever seen play RL?

[George Watt]

1 hour ago, JDR said:

In person would have been Kurt Sorenson.

Watched Kurt during his Cronulla days in the 70's. Kurt was gentle compared to his firebrand team mate Steve Kneen. Steve was a real nut case and received a 12 month ban for a king hit which effectively ended his career.

[Futtocks]

Monty Betham was one of those guys people tended to give a bit of a wide berth.

Also for your consideration, Mark Broadhurst, Tommy Raudonikis, Solomon Haumono and Adrian Morley.

[Sports Prophet]

In hindsight, John Hopoate

[Guest]

Lewis Bienek 

[Wellsy4HullFC]

Manu Mau genuinely just looks terrifying.

[Waynebennettswinger]

4 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

In hindsight, John Hopoate

Let’s not go down that rabbit hole

[Waynebennettswinger]

Kevin Ward. 

[Hopping Mad]

6 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

In hindsight, John Hopoate

Ah, that classic 'Lord of the Rings' Aussie newspaper headline.

[Sports Prophet]

Ben Pomeroy’s ball handling skills were pretty scary if he was on your side

[fieldofclothofgold]

Jim Mills .he used to scare me and I was only watching 

[Damien]

16 minutes ago, fieldofclothofgold said:

Jim Mills .he used to scare me and I was only watching 

 

 

[Kirmonds pouch]

British players

Rocky Turner, hardest man ever, just ask his team mates, many of whom he gave the odd slap.

Mal Reilly, cold blooded assassin, and a tough man to deal with and trust me I know.

Gary Rose, a complete nutter both on and off the field. Peter Fox said he's the only player he couldn't coach and was a touch scary.

Of the overseas players, there are loads, but I don't have any first hand accounts or experience regarding those.

 

[George Watt]

5 hours ago, Wellsy4HullFC said:

Manu Mau genuinely just looks terrifying.

Didn't Hull FC announce his signing as follows:

"Fans can rub their hands in anticipation as Manu Ma'u the "Tongan Terminator" is on his way to SL. Everyone else better find somewhere to hide.

 

[Adelaide Tiger]

15 hours ago, Jim Prendle said:

Les Boyd. I had the pleasure of meeting Les once when he was playing for Warrington. I was genuinely shocked when he turned out to be a complete gentleman. On the field he was an absolute maniac.

Mal Reilly. Just a totally scary rugby League player. Tough as teak and played in what was possibly the most brutal era of RL.

In 1978, as a 14 year old, I ended up sat in the waiting room of Hightown Hospital in Cas with a suspected fractured collar bone.  The room was about 10 feet square with two small chairs.  In walked Les Boyd and sat next to me.  I knew who he was as I had been at the second test at Bradford.  Christ, I was scared to move a muscle until he asked me why I was there.  I told him that I had injured myself playing rugby for my school.

We then got chatting and he seemed a really good bloke.  I was then called by the Doctor and as I got up I cheekily asked him if I could have his Aussie tracksuit top he was wearing.  He just said ‘Nah, It’s my most treasured possession’.

Didn’t dare tell him that I got the injury playing Rugby Union for my school as we were not allowed to play Rugby League even though it was a local comprehensive high school in Cas.

 

 

[latchford albion]

Les Boyd, Kevin Tamati and Alan Rathbone playing together gave a triple threat.

Jim Mills and Glynn Shaw have been mentioned - the latter knocked Dave Chisnall out cold with one punch right in front of me on a Boxing Day or New Year game at Wilderspool when he was playing for Wigan.

Len Casey was another one who had an aura of don't mess with me about him.

[TheYoungBaron]

5 hours ago, Kirmonds pouch said:

British players

Rocky Turner, hardest man ever, just ask his team mates, many of whom he gave the odd slap.

Mal Reilly, cold blooded assassin, and a tough man to deal with and trust me I know.

Gary Rose, a complete nutter both on and off the field. Peter Fox said he's the only player he couldn't coach and was a touch scary.

Of the overseas players, there are loads, but I don't have any first hand accounts or experience regarding those.

 

Gary Rose and Matt Calland! Both would fight their own shadows . Glad I was watching and not playing...

[Ullman]

12 hours ago, Wellsy4HullFC said:

Manu Mau genuinely just looks terrifying.

I'm pretty sure it was Vossy who said Ma'u could scare a starving dog out of a butcher's shop.

[Segovia Carpet]

Mike Nicholas. 

He had a personal feud with Jimmy Thompson of Fev.  At Wilderspool the players lined up pre match and Wires won the toss and wanted to play  at the Railway end.

As the players passed side hy side Nicko stiff armed Jimmy and he fell to the ground with a broken jaw.

JT was the first ever player to be substituted before the start of a game!

Nicko got away with it.

 

 

[ghost crayfish]

Gorden Tallis was all power and aggression - scary man, loved him!

Mark Geyer was another one. His emotional volatility eventually held him back from achieving his potential, but at his best in his peak years, Geyer had the size, crazy eyes and intensity to make opposition players fear for their lives!

Edited November 1, 2023 by ghost crayfish

[bentleyman]

Tony Fisher

 

[bentleyman]

Tony Fisher

 

[Chronicler of Chiswick]

I'll throw Ronnie Wileman into the mix, there was a very scary story about him circulating in the late eighties that to this day I only hope wasn't true. Mal Reilly - definitely on the list of those to avoid when they'd had a few sherbets!

 

[ivans82]

22 hours ago, Damien said:

 

 

Got told of what went on in the dressing room after the match by one of the Welsh lads . Apparantly when they were in there after the match they all started singing "Why did you stamp on Greengrass" to the tune of Whispering Grass of course ............another one concerned a young prop playing for Towns A Team against Widnes A when Jim was coming back from one of His many suspensions . At the first scrum He said to the lad " Right son let`s just take it easy and no one will get hurt " . 

 

[Damien]

3 minutes ago, ivans82 said:

Got told of what went on in the dressing room after the match by one of the Welsh lads . Apparantly when they were in there after the match they all started singing "Why did you stamp on Greengrass" to the tune of Whispering Grass of course ............another one concerned a young prop playing for Towns A Team against Widnes A when Jim was coming back from one of His many suspensions . At the first scrum He said to the lad " Right son let`s just take it easy and no one will get hurt " . 

I presume the young lad heeded that advice. I know I would!

[ivans82]

23 hours ago, Damien said:

I presume the young lad heeded that advice. I know I would!

Yes He did , and turned into quite a classy ball handling player at that  !