Who was your first ever favourite player?

[ivans82]

Ian Wright  ,  Town centre of the 70`s  .

[metallithrax]

Probably David Topliss, with an honourable mention to Mike Lampkowski.

[Vambo]

As a result of saving up for a mortgage, I stopped going out Sat afternoons and had to find something else to do. That something else ended up watching RL for the first time on ITV when they showed games regular in 88/89? 

I was blown away by the sport itself but Ellery Hanley was on another planet to other sportsmen as far as I was concerned.

Chose Wigan and started going on the Central Park largely because of Ellery. And then he went to Leeds lol.

My son is named Shaun after a certain Mr Edwards who whilst being my fave player of all time it was always Ellery who was my first.

[Havenfan10]

Clayton Friend...Whitehaven.

[Morris Wanchuk]

Wally bloody Lewis, his fault I started & still attend Belle Vue! 

[Dunbar]

I know I have already made a contribution to this thread but if I am able to add another then I need to mention Gavin Miller.

[Agbrigg]

On 27/12/2023 at 20:22, Cerulean said:

Don Fox.

Scrum half, loose forward, prop - only a small part of what he could do in the game.

Don was up there on my list, However without doubt it was Neil Fox at the top for me

[EggFace]

Chariots then Billy Whizz and now Reece Walsh.

[The Rocket]

As a child of about 6 or 7 in the early 1970`s I can remember quite clearly my father (a Balmain supporter) telling me about this legendary team that won 11 premierships on the trot and thinking that`s the team for me.

I have to admit at that stage my attachment to certain St. George players came more from what as a child I considered the exoticness of their names rather than if they were stand-outs on the field, Barry Beath, Col Rasmussen and Billy Smith, the latter, whom my father did rave about.

Having said all that, they were all like gods to me.

 

 

Edited December 30, 2023 by The Rocket

[Bring back the Boyd]

My dad started taking me to watch the Wire when I was about 10 years old so I reckon my first favourite player has to be Parry Gordon. In all those years since, nobody has come close to Les Boyd

[Industria ditat]

My first favourite player was Jim Mills, but for some reason he wasn't that popular with opposition fans !

[Wollo Wollo Wayoo]

3 hours ago, Industria ditat said:

My first favourite player was Jim Mills, but for some reason he wasn't that popular with opposition fans !

Virtually every name mentioned brings back memories of them having outstanding games when facing Wakefield.

[Sitona]

Neil Fox is my number 1

[graveyard johnny]

13 minutes ago, Sitona said:

Neil Fox is my number 1

great DJ - almost as good as Simon Bates

[ATLANTISMAN]

Ian Van Bellan

[outlaw13]

On 29/12/2023 at 10:32, snapski said:

Kevin Ward

x2

[Snowys Backside]

I'm selfish, I had two. 

Sir John Woods and Sir Des Drummond. 

From the late 70's respected every professional RL player I watched from Australia to Huyton! 

[Anita Bath]

On 28/12/2023 at 05:41, Anita Bath said:

Stan Owen…..rochdale hornets ( and ex !eigh) forward of 1960s.

 

Sten would never have worn leopard skin shirts

My second favourite was Apasai Toga, one of Rochdale's Fijians in the 1960s who was signed by St George. Tragically he died during pre season training down under. 

[Joe Aitcheson]

On 29/12/2023 at 20:55, Havenfan10 said:

Clayton Friend...Whitehaven.

How sad , but how typical. He wasn’t fit to lace Boxer’s boots.

[Havenfan10]

1 hour ago, Joe Aitcheson said:

How sad , but how typical. He wasn’t fit to lace Boxer’s boots.

I wouldn't  know marra Ive never seen boxer play before my time. The clue is in the title of the  thread.

Edited January 1 by Havenfan10

[Eddie]

Mal Meninga, 1985. 

[White Chevron on Blue]

Ken Gowers . So talented, one player said his timing in the tackle was so good you didn't know you'd been tackled ! Never saw anyone kick as many goals from his own half of the field. Wonderful side step . However for my money his sublime hands were his greatest asset. If Swinton were going through a tough spell breaking down the opposition defence ( or if they had won the match and wanted to entertain the crowd ) Ken would move up from full back to scrum half and orchestrated the many moves which had the opposition and crowd baffled , wondering who had the ball. Ken's grandson John Simpson has inherited those hands and is the Middlesex and England wicketkeeper.

[Stirlin]

On 30/12/2023 at 20:02, outlaw13 said:

x2

x3

[Damien]

Mine was Henderson Gill. As a kid he just had that X factor and try scoring ability that you wanted to emulate.

[Wolford6]

On 30/12/2023 at 12:36, Industria ditat said:

My first favourite player was Jim Mills, but for some reason he wasn't that popular with opposition fans !

I'm old enough to remember before the concrete touchline terrace was built at Odsal. The changing rooms were at the top of the slope, Players had to enter and leave the field by walking through the the crowd on the ash banking. After one "typically robust" Widnes performance, we witnessed an enraged old dear marching into the line and attacking Jim Mills with her brolly.